2012 Ford Fusion Complaint Log

Absolute unacceptable level of rust to the body and frame. Even with regular car washes, sitting for a year covered. It’s literally totalled and I am out of a car. It’s a 2012 with this amount of rust

Randomly at start up, it says "power steering assist fault" We took it to Ford and they couldn't recreate the problem because it was happening at random, and they said they couldn't fix it as it wasn't having the problem at the time. Now it's permanent, we have no power steering assist and is very unsafe for my mother to drive.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that his wife was involved in a crash noting that while stopped at a traffic light upon traffic beginning to move forward, the contacts wife took her foot off of the brake pedal slightly however the vehicle continued to lurch forward and in the process bumped into the vehicle in front of her with the entire front end of their vehicle. No property damage was reported. The vehicles came to a stop upon impact. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer. No warning lights were illuminated however the following message was displayed on the instrument panel that read "Brake Failure". A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was not destroyed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was advised that the Anti Lock Braking System Module was faulty and would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 134,021.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "Service Power Steering" was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact's husband was able to drive the vehicle to the residence without power steering assist. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering control module (PSCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was covered under Ford Campaign Number: 15N01. The manufacturer attempted to contact the dealer on the contact's behalf; however, the dealer was unreachable. The dealer later informed the contact that Ford Campaign Number: 15N01 had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 206,000.

The contact's stepdaughter owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his stepdaughter was driving approximately 20-30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that the failure had recurred on several occasions. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the power steering became functional for approximately 10 minutes. Additionally, the message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed on some occasions. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Power steering went out and it's electrical

Back in 2022 my power steering went out while I was driving the lights service advancetac and power steering assist fault show up took it to Ford to tell me it was the rack and pinion I got it replaced 3 months ago I’m on the interstate trying to get off as an exit and it went out again with the same messages. This is really alarming And dangerous when is constantly keep happening during driving. Especially for the price at ford wants to constantly replace it for.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 15V34000 (STEERING), 19V001000 (AIR BAGS), and 21V158000 (AIR BAGS); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not yet made aware of the issue. The contact stated whiling parking the vehicle the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn with the message "Service Power Steering" displayed. The cause of the failure was not determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 310,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The "Power Steering Fault" message was displayed. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 104,000.

While driving to work the power steering locked up with a code of Power Steering Assist Fault. Can you imagine driving down the road in rush hour and this happens to your vehicle?? We have checked into the Customer Service 15N01 from Ford and it EXPIRED in 2015! THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL put out by NHTSA!!!! We have read all of these complaints on this website of the exact same problem with the steering going out. This is completely dangerous for the public. DO SOMETHING NOW TO CORRECT THIS! NHTSA and Ford please respond!!!!!

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle at the residence, the messages "Service Power Steering” and Check Stability" were displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle steering wheel had seized and was unable to turn to the left or the right. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called a dealer and was informed about a manufacturer’s recall for the electric power steering assist; however, the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The contact called the manufacturer and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was then transferred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 743,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 25-30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality while turning into the driveway. The contact was able to park the vehicle at the residence. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 ( Steering). The contact called the local dealer who confirmed there was no recall on the VIN. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer by the Ford mechanic and was diagnosed that the sensor or module to the power steering needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

service power steering now and service advancetrac codes came on the cluster. Nothing seems wrong, no burnt fuses or relays. Just lost power steering

My 2012 Ford Fusion (VIN: [XXX] ) was previously repaired under Recall 15S18 / Customer Satisfaction Program 15N01 for a steering assist failure in 2016 at 83,000 miles. In March 2022, at 143,000 miles, the same defect occurred again—power steering warning light came on and steering assist failed while driving. The issue was diagnosed by Gillis Auto Center and confirmed again by Mullinax Ford in 2025. Ford refused to cover the repair, citing expired coverage, despite both dealerships confirming it is the same failure addressed by the original recall. I believe this is a safety defect that was not permanently remedied by the original recall repair. I am requesting NHTSA to review whether other vehicles are also experiencing repeat failures. I have attached all documentation in my email to Ford and will provide it to NHTSA upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

all power steering died

Power steering assist indicator came on. Power steering whent out and could not steer vehicle. It says on internet that the 2012 ford fusion sel 3.0 has a recall but it dosen't show on recall list. This is very dangerous Is there a recall on this or not. If not there should be. Please let me know Thanks

The contact's son owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his son was driving at 40 MPH, the power steering assist failed without warning, and excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle. The contact's son proceeded to park the vehicle in a parking lot until the contact arrived. Despite the failure, the contact was able to drive the vehicle to a dealer where the contact was informed that the vehicle would be covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (STEERING). A week later, the contact was informed that due to the age and the mileage on the vehicle, the vehicle was not covered under the recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was provided the same information as the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Power steering assist fault warning keeps coming on while driving causing my wheel to lock up.

The electronic power steering assist intermittently quits working, making the car very difficult to turn. You do get an alert in the dash when this occurs. This is a known issue for many Ford vehicles. This vehicle has less than 45,000 miles on it, but is beyond the 10-year period that Ford allows under their own "recall" program.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid. While the contact’s daughter was operating the vehicle, the steering wheel was very difficult to turn in either direction, with the message "Power Steering Malfunction" displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering rack was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 68,000.

The power steering failed. The Ford dealership technician identified the power steering gear box was faulty. It is currently at Suburban Ford of Sterling Heights (Michigan) and available for inspection. The vehicle has approximately 84,000 miles and is good condition otherwise. This vehicle is used to transport our children to and from school. My wife was placed in danger because her ability to control her vehicle was eliminated. The vehicle had recall 15S18 completed in 2016, but, only the computer was updated. The faulty part was not replaced. The error message associated with this recall appeared on the dash, "Power Steering Assist Fault". We had the vehicle towed to the dealership for assessment. A technician at Suburban Ford Sterling Heights identified the faulty part was the same one associated with the recall. Ford Customer Support would not authorize repairs as part of the recall despite the fact the exact part involved in the recall, which was not replaced, has failed. The vehicle showed signs of malfunction starting Sunday, [XXX]. The power steering intermittently failed on Monday, [XXX]. Our insurance roadside assistance towed it from a commercial location on Monday, [XXX]. The vehicle has no other mechanical issues that could be attributed to this failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Power steering assist fault.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, causing the steering wheel to become very stiff. The contact proceeded to coast the vehicle to a stop and the traction control light illuminated. Additionally, the messages "Service Power Steering Now" and "Advance Track System" were displayed. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (STEERING); as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 198,000.

Power-steering failed as well as received a warning on dash to "service advance trac, service power steering now" All warning came up during a approx. 1 hour drive and the power steering fully shut off after turning car off then back on at a gas station on the way. Lack of power steering puts lives at risk due to the difficulty the driver has in controlling the vehicle particularly at lower speeds where it is more likely there are pedestrians around.

Power steering assist fault. While driving power steering stopped working. No matter what i do to reset it will not work Took to dealer found there was a recall the pscm had been previously flashed under 15s18 recall. The steering gear was not replaced which put it under 15n01 program Now the internal angle sensor on rack has gone out.so in short they did half the recall repair. Called ford they refuse to pay for repair saying its past 15n01 guideline's.which are 10 years 150,000 miles i only had 89k when it went out. Why are safety recalls allowed to expire? For dealer to fix its a $4k repair. The car isnt even worth that. Unfair for consumers!!

2012 Ford Fusion is having issues similar to the Ford Focus recall, 18S32, that pertains to the canister purge valve and powertrain issue. Current fusion has a 2.5L motor in it. Have replaced the canister purge valve 3 times in a 2-year span and is currenting giving codes (as well as engine light being on) of another failure. Do believe it is affecting the powertrain as well, as it is jerks under workload.

EPAS, electronic power steering assist, not a question of "if" it will go out, but "when". Ford has acknowledged an issue but classified it as a "CSP" so they don't have to do anything about it as opposed to a recall, this issue effects multiple models in multiple years, the unit in question is near an exhaust manifold with a small heatshield, and over time the heat shield isn't enough to protect the components resulting in a failure, this failure is huge for losing control of a 3,500 lb , slowing reaction time at low speeds, i.e. parking lots or neighborhoods with kids as it takes immense effort to turn even slightly, for refuses to fix the issue but is aware how detrimental it is to the safety of its drivers. Owners that had the "software reset" had the previous "CSP" cleared (15S18) still failed, as a result they refuse to follow through on the related supplement #3, this needs to be re-opened, and a proper recall issued before life is lost.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The power steering fault assist warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was like NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there were no associated recalls and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 200.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became firm and difficult to turn in either direction. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle was hauled to the residence, where a mobile mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the power steering control module (PSCM) and motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was contacted and provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.

Ford issued recall 15s18 for electrical issue in sterring gear in 2015 Our fords power steering system failed on 01/13/2025 Huntington Ford dealership refused to repair after diagnostic shows a power steering system fail claiming that we are not covered for the recall

Unexpected power steering failure, was driving on highway at 70MPH and my power steering failed, I was able to pull off and restart the vehicle, where an error code popped up for “Power Steering Assist Fault” when I begin driving I also get an error for “Service Advancetrac” this happening while driving is not only unsafe for me, but for other drivers on the road if I have to attempt to avoid and object in the road. There have been no outside factors for this, and the recall that was in effect during 2015 is no longer applicable to my vehicle

Vehicle loses power while driving, with no response when accelerator is depressed further. The engine continues to run but no throttle response. No engine warning light came on. No codes stored. Must stop, turn off engine and perform an engine restart to continue driving again.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brakes failed to engage. The contact stated that the parking brake was used to slow and stop the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,221.

Power steering went out while driving the vehicle. When I stopped at a light the tried to make a right hand turn. I could barely control the vehicle! It was very hard to move the front tires in the direction and space i needed to be in. I feel very lucky to have made it home, where the car is still parked! I do not dare drive it in this condition.

My car is showing power steering now and I was told it was just reset in September of 2015. I did not have the car around that time so I can’t confirm that it was except for what I’m being told.

I was going down the road around 50 mph and advancetrac lights came on , service power steering now . Showed up on dash . Couldn't steer vehicle almost crashed

I was driving down the road around 50 mph and the steering wheel locked up on me and has not let goes in any electrical in the car keeps glitching radio the dash light

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the steering motor sense fault message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel operated as needed; however, the contact was concerned about the message that was displayed and a possible failure while driving. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). Additionally, the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH in a parking lot, the steering wheel failed to move and became inoperable. The steering fault message was displayed after the failure. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was fifteen years old and there was no repair coverage available. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.

I have recieved error messages on starting my car for the last few months about a power steering assist fault. I lose power steering and it becomes extremely difficult to steer at any speed, not to mention extremely dangerous and took it in to a dealer. They confirmed the error code and defective module. Because my car is outside the 10 year warranty window and the previous owner didn't take care of it, they had to submit an approval request to have it covered, which is declined. The car started at 28,000 miles and I have just over 80,000 and I am left with a car I can't drive safely because Ford won't cover their recall and the previous owner didn't take care of. This should be a class action lawsuit on Ford end and would like this escalated and covered if possible.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The electronic power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the power steering control module. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign 15V340000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 205,000.

Lost power steering while turning into driveway causing impact with light pole.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized with the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated the steering wheel became difficult to operate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the vehicle had lost power steering functionality and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

3 times now the electronic power steering has quit while driving the car leaving the car very difficult to steer. Turning the car off and restarting brings the power steering back. Ford previously had a recall 15S18 and 15N01 for this issue but the recall period has expired. Under 15S18, my car was apparently "reprogrammed" in 9/2015 but is now experiencing the symptoms the recall was originally released to repair.

Driver door is not locking. Tried with manual key too but not successful. Tried to open door from inside but no success. Looks like door assembly or spring is faulty and designed poorly This can be a safety hazard as driver can't get out of car easily. Pls recall all Ford fusion 2012 and ask dealers to fix it. I checked few articles forums and YouTube videos and everywhere it says there might be a spring problem or some plastic issue in latch or door assembly.

Ford issued Program #15N01 EPAS STEERING EFFORTS in 2015 (information sent to PRIOR OWNER). Prior owner had PCM reprogrammed 02/15/2017. November 2024 - Power Steering Assist Fault Notice came on. Power Steering completely locked up and vehicle inoperable. Unable to steer vehicle and potentially cause accident and harm to self or others. Current owner (me) had vehicle towed to Ford dealership. Service tech advised that a new steering gear required and would submit request to have covered by Ford recall. Service tech advised that it SHOULD be covered based on info in their system. Per FORD Safety Recall Notice 15S185 Supplement #3, "This safety recall involves reprogramming the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM), or replacing the steering gear only if there is evidence that certain Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) exist or were previously set, but are no longer present, regardless of vehicle mileage or warranty start date. If the steering gear is not replaced, the owner will be provided extended coverage of the steering gear under program code 15N01. This extended coverage provides for one-time replacement of the steering gear if certain DTCs are present, for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, whichever occurs first. If a vehicle has already exceeded the mileage limit, this program will last through December 31, 2015 for eligible owners. The extended coverage is automatically transferred to subsequent owners". Ford denied the coverage and the cost was $3,100.00 to replace steering gear. The recall clearly states that the coverage exists if the reprogramming was done and the issue continued, regardless of the time frame.

Safety Recall 15S18 for the power steering control module on my 2012 Ford Fusion. I recently discovered that my vehicle is affected by this recall, and I would like to express my concern that I never received any notification about this important recall. I purchased my 2012 Ford Fusion on [XXX], and, since then, I have not been made aware of any issues related to the power steering control module. Unfortunately, my vehicle is now experiencing issues with the power steering, which has resulted in increased difficulty controlling the vehicle, creating a significant safety risk which has been confirmed by an independent service center. I am concerned that this malfunction could potentially lead to a crash, further amplifying the urgency of addressing this issue. I have taken my Ford to a dealership and spoke with multiple Ford representatives stating they will not honor the recall as is it past the date of recall actions. These safety recalls should not have an expiration and Ford should honor this recall and provide the necessary repairs at no cost to me, as my vehicle is clearly affected by this safety defect. My Case File with Ford is [XXX]. I can be reached at [XXX] or [XXX] if you need any additional information. I trust that Ford Motor Company values its customers and will address this situation in a timely and satisfactory manner. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your prompt response. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Warning light on dash indicating "Service Power Steering Now" suddenly while driving car. Nearly complete loss of steering.

I was driving to my drs appointment and as I was pulling up to the hospital I saw a message from my dash and my steering wheel locked up and I had to get it towed and then sent to the dealership but since I had made a few of previous attempts to get it fixed with u guys it wasn’t getting no response, so I had to go get it fixed force and I ended up with a bill..