NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ford Fusion. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. The contact stated that the power steering assist and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 202,000.
Power steering went out on my car while driving it
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the electric power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the electric power steering rack and gear. 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 notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 140,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that her daughter had parked the vehicle, and when she returned and started the vehicle, the steering wheel almost locked and was difficult to turn. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven to a local repair shop. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the steering gear and sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised by the repair shop that there was a recall associated to the year, make and model. The contact called a dealer and was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.
We are experiencing a loss of power steering with the car, which is dangerous as you never know when it is going to happen. When it does happen the car becomes so hard to steer you can hardly turn the wheel. Right now the loss of power steering is intermitent. We're afraid to drive the car for this reason. I contacted my local dealer's Ford service manager and Ford Customer Service and they will not cover any repairs. The Advancetrac light came on and a power steering assist fault displays when it you loose the power steering. The vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer as we just started having this problem. The service manager said it would cost around $2000.00 to fix it. The 2012 Ford Fusion SEL with the 2.5L I4 engine has 149,818 miles on it.
The electric power steering assist (EPSA) function of the car is no longer functional. It is available for inspections upon request. The vehicle began intermittently losing power steering when the vehicle would start. The problem can now be re-produced each time the vehicle is started. The problem is a known issue with this model Ford Fusion and was part of a previous recall. This vehicle was serviced by the Ford dealership during the times the recall was in place and had the EPSA re-programmed. The issue still persists, and the vehicle is unsafe to drive. The recall is no longer in effect and Ford will not remedy the issue.
I am having problems with the POWER STEERING DEFAULT SYSTEM CAN NOT STEER VEHICLE
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the electronic power steering. 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 notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
Bought this car in January of 2024. 2 weeks after purchase, my steering wheel became hard to turn while I was on the road. The Power Steering Assist Fault light came on, so I decided to fix the issue by taking my car to a well-rated mechanic in my area. The issue was fixed, but only temporarily as the same issue occurred two months later while I was on the road, leading myself and anyone else around me to be in danger of me losing control and crashing into them. Luckily, I made it home safely, and researched the problem only to find out many vehicles similar to my make and year had the same issue with a lot of recalls. I already paid 1000 dollars to fix it once, I'd like to have a recall in order to fix it again.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving from the driveway, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault” was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the electric power steering assist had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 44,529. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver's side door failed to open using the interior door handle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the driver’s side interior door handle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred three years later. The contact stated that on the second occasion, the driver’s and front passenger’s side windows were rolled down and the door was opened using both outside door handles. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,945.
This is an open recall that I'm sure has been stated many times, but the dealerships are not accepting the recall or granting it. The power steering aka. Steering assist system failed. Which is an ongoing issue with my vehicle model and year. It has caused me so many "almost" bad accidents and making it so I have lost an incredible amount of income due to my vehicle being down for repair and unsafe to drive and too expensive to fix. Especially when there is a recall about said thing. I need help.
While pregnant wife was driving the vehicle, the steering completely stopped working. When she reached safety, wife pulled over and turned car off. After letting car set for a couple of minutes and turning back on, steering still wouldn't work. When taken to the dealership, Ford said that car didn't meet the customer satisfaction program warranty of 10 years or 150,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated a message that the “Advance-trac System Failure - Service Required” message was displayed. The contact drove the vehicle home, turned off the vehicle, and noticed that the steering wheel was locked. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure occurred on two prior occasions and was diagnosed as an Advance-trac system failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 207,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the traction control and advanced traction warning lights illuminated. In addition, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed steering gear. The contact was informed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the failure was like safety Manufacturer Communication Number: 15N01 and NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not associated with the recalls. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. Additionally, the contact was advised to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 87,508.
Unknown electric power steering shut down while traveling leaving me with no power steering
Driver side impact and passenger side curtain airbags deployed but not driver side that was hit.
Power steering went out. The steering rack has now gone bad in this vehicle twice. The first time it was covered under a recall, 15S18, and then there were further issues, so they issued a customer satisfaction recall with the number 15N01. 2012 ford fusion with 110,000 miles, two steering racks, but because the customer service recall is expired, they won’t replace my second bad steering rack, and it is going to cost me 3,000 dollars, more than half the worth of the car according to KBB. I find this to be incredibly unfair that Ford can put a crappy part that costs 2000 dollars in a vehicle, and then say because the customer service recall is expired, it’s my job and responsibility to spend 3,000 dollars fixing their crappy part.
I was driving along, going about 55mph, and all of a sudden the service advancedtrac pops up on my dash. A few minutes later service power steering now came across the screen. I noticed a difference in the steering. It was getting harder but it was manageable. I had to make a stop and turned the car off. When I crunk the car back up and started to drive the steering was very stiff. It took all I had just to pull out of a parking space. Ford really needs to extend the recall for this issue to other years.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. The power steering service now and advanced track system warning lights are illuminated. The vehicle was undrivable. The contact was able to safely pull the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed determined there was no communication between the steering wheel and the power steering. The steering wheel sensor needed to be replaced and possibly the control module and the rack and pinion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
Power steering went out and couldn't turn wheel. It is available for inspection. Tried to turn right at intersection and power steering was just gone. I had my wife and granddaughter in the car. We were lucky no vehicle was coming thru the intersection at that moment. Got it off the road and back to my house since I had only went about a quarter mile.The vehicle has not been inspected since its undriveable. There was first a power steering assist fault and then changed to Advancetrak Fault. It showed power steering fault about 3 weeks ago but I turned off car and restarted it, and it drove fine until [XXX]. We were headed to lowes and had just left our house when we pulled out at a red-light to go right and it locked up. Went to Ford dealership. They said extended warranty was 10 years from date or 150000 miles. They basically said it wasn't there problem. So now we have an excellent condition car that we can't drive. Thank You for your time. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
1.My daughter was driving her Fusion in Los Angeles, California when the power steering gave out. 2. Fortunately she maintained control of the car but had it towed to the shop. 3. The car is impossible to drive safely with the steering so defective. 4. The repairs are prohibitively expensive [$2754.33]. 5. Ford has not placed this defect as a recall but has acknowledged this dangerous condition under its "Customer Satisfaction Program campaign # [XXX]. 6. Ford refuses to pay for the repair as it claims some sort of time limit has expired. 7. [My daughter may supplement this report to give finer details, as I am not sure on the dates or exactly how the incident happened.] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
When I started my vehicle to drive, a warning on my dashboard came on that said "Power Steering Assist Fault" and my steering wheel is now unable to turn in any direction.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the message "Service Electronic Power Steering" displayed, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering gear had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) in 2019. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 111,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering feature was inoperable. The contact stated that the failure had occurred two weeks ago. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed power steering assist. The contact was informed that the power steering assist needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 162,250.
Power steering has completely quit working and no error codes are coming up when checked. This is putting my family and everyone on the road at risk as it is very hard to steer the vehicle and near impossible to drive defensively. This has been inspected by a repair shop. No codes are found. No warning before this happened. Power steering failed and a notice in the car came up on the screen at the same time to have it fixed.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated after starting the vehicle, the Power Steering Fault message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact restarted the vehicle, and the message was no longer displayed. The VIN had been included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that because the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) was already updated, a diagnostic test nor the software update was not necessary. After the recall was removed from the VIN, the contact stated that after parking the vehicle and then restarting the vehicle, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the power steering assist fault message and the Service Auto Tech Issue messages were displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle had been returned to the dealer where it had been diagnosed that Power steering rack had failed. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 15N01; however, the vehicle had exceeded the 10-year limitation. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been made aware of the failure and denied coverage under Customer Satisfaction Program: 15N01. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000.
Power steering
On January 13 went a school function. When leaving the function the power steering assist light went on and the power steering cease to function making it hard to control. I was able to to control the vehicle and prevent it from getting in any type of accident. Some of the vehicles have been recalled because of faulty power steering. Ford will not pay the cost of the repair.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle became extremely difficult to steer the vehicle. The power steering assist light was illuminated. The contact stated that the steering assist failure started 4 years prior to the failure and as per the dealer, the vehicle was not under recall. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer yet. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
on 1/6/2024 my car steering went. There was a recall on certain cars that the 2012 Ford Fusion has a recall for this but the dealer is saying there is not for my car. This seems to be an extensive problem with his car and a expensive repair. Electric steering rack failed
The transmission seems to be slipping losing power and just plain failing if ford knew about this and stil put them out for years in different cars already had a recall on the transmission can we get this one recalled cause ain’t no way anyone should have to pay 2500 + to get a transmission replaced in a car with only 80000 miles on it .. and I’m still financing the car as well this just seems ridiculous they can get away with not fixing faulty parts they decided to go ahead and put in there and release the car anyway .. this lose in power has cause me to almost wreck or get hit a few times when I go to pull out and it wants to slug out into the intersection
I currently have the Airbag indicator light on my car lit up. I was recently recalled, and the work done in February of 2023. I do not have confidence in the dealership that completed the work initially due to circumstances that occured with my same car a few months later. The circumstances are that later in the year, my car was in the same shop for 48 days, and they could not diagnose, or fix the problem with the car. (not related to airbags, but my trust is broken) I then brought the car to a different dealership, and they were able to diagnose, and fix within 48 hours, not days. My concern is that the car was not properly put back together, and that I still have an Airbag issues, which is a safety concern for me, and potentially a passenger. My request is that, a recall is reissued on my car for Airbags, so that I do not need to go to the same dealership to complete the work, that should have been done correctly the first time.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking lot and attempting to merge into traffic, the steering wheel became extremely difficult to steer the vehicle. The contact attempted to reset the power steering however, the functionality failed to return. The contact continued to drive without power steering assist. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the power steering module had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) and referred the contact to the dealer for the repair. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The failure mileage was 162,067.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the TPMS warning light illuminated. The contact stopped at a local gas station and inflated the driver's side front tire. The contact stated that after inflating the tire, the Advancetrac error and power system failure warning lights were illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and proceeded to drive the vehicle to his destination; however, the power steering seized and became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed steering gearbox. The contact was informed that the steering gearbox needed to be replaced, and the tires needed to be rotated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
At about 98500 miles, power steering stopped working. 2 alternating dash warning lights kept flashing; Service Advance Trac, Power Steering Assist Fault. This sounded like it related to a known recall for electronic steering problem for my year and model but, Ford said my Vin was not included. I brought it to the dealer, with white knuckles, as it was very hard to turn the wheel and if I had to make a quick steering move to avoid an accident, I don't think I would've been able to. The dealer (Balise Ford, Hyannis MA) performed an expensive repair as follows: They said steering angle sensor signal invalid and PSCM internal failure. They replaced steering rack, tie rods and jam nuts. They performed PMI and configured PCSM. Aligned vehicle. I still think my service should have been performed with compensation from Ford but, they did not.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the husband was driving approximately 40 MPH the electric power steering suddenly malfunctioned and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed that the steering gear needed to be replaced and the steering control module needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 103,103
Power steering assist stopped working, it is available for inspection upon request. Risk of injury or death from potential crash. As driving lost power steering on highway as following a left curve at 58 mph, heard beeping and light came on that power steering assist fault came on, then I was shot across the highway into oncoming traffic lane and left tires hit the gravel and dirt, I was able to correct the vehicle but still no power steering working. No confirmation from dealer or service center yet. No inspections yet. First appeared on 12/09/23, power assist fault warning came on, shut car off let sit 5 min, then worked fine until 12/11/23 where incident above happened. Has not worked since then.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the "Power Steering Assist Fault” message was displayed, and the contact became aware that the electric power steering was not functioning properly. The traction control warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 125,000.
A few days ago, I drove my car to college and on my way there, a message about the Service Advancetrac popped up on the dashboard. I parked my car, and when I was done with my classes, I returned to my car and turned the ignition on. At that point, another message appeared on the dashboard: SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW, and my steering wheel became hard to maneuver. Despite the difficulty, I was able to drive home safely.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when her daughter shifted the vehicle in reverse the steering wheel was stiff. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was diagnosed by a mechanic at the residence and the contact was informed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to help. The contact believed that the failure to be associated with an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 204,297.
I was driving, the power steering failed and caused me to start to lose control of my vehicle while turning on the freeway, which caused me to slightly crash into the side wall and almost go over the highway into the water. I also hit my head on the driver side window and felt very dizzy for a while afterwards. Because I was so in shock and scared, I wasn’t able to drive the car home for hours, so I pulled onto the side of the road and called my family to let them know what happened. When I purchased the vehicle I wasn’t informed of any issues with the model. Both this model and several others were included as part of a recall, and the car was taken into the shop and “repaired” by past owners, yet the power steering failed again. There is no active unrepaired recall because the car was brought in before and worked on by Ford mechanics who then cleared the recall after fixing the car because they deemed the issue to be addressed. However, the issue is still ongoing. It is not fixed at all. I purchased this car last year, and if I would’ve known this would happen or that the car had so many issues I never would’ve bought it. I’ve taken the car to several dealerships that have said the problem is a complete failure of the steering gear, yet when I take it in to ford dealerships they state that the “extended warranty is expired” and that they can’t do anything about the vehicle needing a recall. I almost lost my life, I have a car that I cannot drive and have not been able to drive ever since the incident occurred. Why am I being punished because my car has been refused to be repaired, and because Ford has refused to provide me any reimbursement for the problem? To whoever reads this, thank you so much for taking the time to read and help me with this problem, as my vehicle is how I’m able to ensure survival and I’ve been struggling to survive without any type of vehicle.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 20-25 MPH in a parking lot, the steering wheel seized. The message "Service Power Steering Now" was displayed. The contact parked the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. An unknown dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 156,070.
Dashboard displays 'Power Steering Assist Fault', and the steering wheel is locked (unable to turn it) It appeared on the dashboard when car was started to drive back home from work on Nov 27, 2023. It was the first time this message has appeared. There were no other warning signals about steering issues before this event. All other systems appear to be working (Engine start, Throttle, Gear change, Brakes, etc.). Because steering is locked the vehicle is not drive-able. It was towed to Northampton, MA, Ford dealership for troubleshooting. Ford dealer said the remedy is to replace the steering system. Their rough estimate for the repair is $2600. They also said there is a recall to replace the steering system for this 2012 Ford Fusion. Upon checking with Ford company (Case# [XXX]), they refused to cover the cost of replacement due to time limits, even though it is clearly their design/manufacturing defect. The vehicle has about 110,000 miles and has been well maintained as per Ford's recommended service schedule. Based on industry standards and my own experience, the car should have a lot of remaining years of service. Ford should accept ownership of the problem and replace the steering system at no charge to me - their customer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Unknown the light just popped on asking me to service power steering now
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 154,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the Power Steering Assist Fault message was intermittently displayed, causing the steering wheel to become firm. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved DTC Code: U3000-49 and determined that the power steering control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V250000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Intermittent loss of brakes, with pedal going to the floor. Couldn't stop when a deer ran out in front of me!! Entire brake system looks good. Is there a recall??
I have several issues related to its steering system, particularly the Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS). The problems include the power steering assist failing, making the steering wheel very difficult to turn, and various error messages such as “Power Steering Assist Fault” displaying on the dashboard. This happen at any moment and the dealer refuse to fixed.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact became aware that the power steering assist fault and an audible warning chime sounded. The contact stated that he was able to drive the vehicle back to his residence. The contact drove the vehicle to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering assist module and the rack and pinion gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026