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Ford Fusion HybridModel year report

2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid Problems

Compared with other Ford Fusion Hybrid years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

0/100 0.2× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
132filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
73,220miles, 97 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
38 mpgcombined, 2.5L 4-cyl · hybrid FWD · 41 city / 35 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report losing power steering assist, usually with a 'Service Power Steering' message and a steering wheel that becomes very hard to turn, and many link it to a steering recall campaign that did not cover their vehicle. A second frequent theme is intermittent brake failure, where the pedal travels to the floor or becomes hard to press and warning lights come on, often resetting after a restart. Airbag recall parts delays are also commonly mentioned, and complaints are spread fairly evenly from low to high mileage.

  1. Steering

    Loss of power steering assist (steering goes heavy)

    • 38 complaints (29%)
    • median 80,000 mi at 7.1 yrs old (37 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2024

    Complaints describe the 'Service Power Steering' or 'Power Steering Assist Fault' message appearing, often together with a Service Advancetrac warning, after which the wheel becomes very hard to turn. Sometimes it happens at start-up, sometimes while driving at city or highway speed, and several owners say restarting the car temporarily restores assist. Dealers commonly diagnosed a failed steering gear or steering rack and quoted a replacement; several owners noted their VIN was not included in the steering recall campaign and that no assistance was offered. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 24,000 to 160,000 miles, with many cases between 60,000 and 130,000 miles.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether the steering gear or rack has been replaced and whether any steering recall work was performed for this VIN. During a test drive, watch for the power steering warning message and check that assist is present at low speed after a cold start.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving right before entering the highway when my brakes suddenly went out and the service advanctrac and power steering lights came on. I stopped my car at the light and proceeded to turn it off and then back on. The problem seems to have went away; however, this is not the first time this has happened.”

    NHTSA complaint #11129342, filed 2018-09, 122,000 miles

    “Power steering failure after warning as vehicle was started. I was able to drive with superhuman effort directly to the nearest Ford dealer in escondido, california where we were when the incident occurred. Internet sources indicate that this failure is common and we identified a recall related to the issue. The dealer replaced the power steering rack and refused to apply the known issue recall. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11204156, filed 2019-04, 81,032 miles
  2. Brakes

    Brake pedal to the floor or hard pedal with warning lights

    • 23 complaints (17%)
    • median 78,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (23 state mileage)
    • filed 2015–2024

    Owners describe the brake pedal going to the floor or becoming very hard to press, with little or no stopping response, often accompanied by brake, ABS and Advancetrac warning messages. In many accounts the system returns to normal after the car is shut off and restarted, which makes it hard for shops to reproduce. Complaints frequently attribute the fault to the ABS module or brake booster, and some owners say dealers could not duplicate the problem. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 135,000 miles, at low speeds such as parking-lot or city driving as well as highway stops.

    What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the ABS module or brake booster has been replaced and whether any brake-related software update was applied. Have a mechanic check for stored ABS codes, since complaints note the symptom often clears after a restart.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Driving in city traffic, probably about 25 MPH and went to brake as someone merged into my lane but pedal went to the floor with no resistance. Warning lights went off on the dash regarding brake failure and ABS and advance trac. I was able to pull the emergency brake and move into the middle turn lane to avoid hitting the car in front of me. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11191665, filed 2019-03, 73,650 miles

    “My dash warning lights for the brake system, advanced traction control, brake failure, and check engine light came on all of a sudden and my brake pedal went straight to the floor when I was coming to a stop... Almost causing an accident. My brake pads and rotors are all in good shape. My tires are in great shape as well. There was no warning before the pedal went straight to the floor.”

    NHTSA complaint #11231854, filed 2019-07, 108,000 miles
  3. Engine

    Stall or loss of power with wrench and 'Stop Safely Now'

    • 19 complaints (14%)
    • median 61,000 mi at 6.3 yrs old (17 state mileage)
    • filed 2014–2022

    Complaints describe the orange wrench symbol, a red triangle and a 'Stop Safely Now' message appearing, followed by loss of power or a limit on speed, sometimes with shuddering and rattling. Owners report the car going into a reduced-power mode on the highway and needing a restart, and repairs described include throttle body replacement, EGR valve replacement, wiring harness work and hybrid-related diagnostics. Some owners note that a customer satisfaction program for the throttle body did not apply to the hybrid. Mostly reported between about 32,000 and 130,000 miles, often at highway speeds or during acceleration.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the throttle body, EGR valve or wiring harness has been serviced, and request a scan for stored powertrain codes before buying. Note that a service bulletin describes reduced electric operation and increased engine use as these hybrids age, along with diagnostic guidance at the time.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We had to have the throttle body replaced on our Ford Fusion Hybrid 2011 because the orange wrench light came up on the dash and the car shuddered and was not safe to drive. We also had to pay to have it towed. Ford's customer satisfaction program 13n03 covers the fusion 2011 model but explicitly does not cover the hybrid. Apparently they do not want their hybrid customers to be satisfied. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11114431, filed 2018-07, 78,000 miles

    “I got a stop safely now; check charging station alert while on the freeway and the car lost power. This happened several times. The dealer reported that the EGR valve was blocked and replaced it. Several days later, the stop safely now alert/loss of power happened after the repair. The dealer then reported these error codes: p0a0a, p1a10, p1a14, p1a0a, concern with high voltage interlock circuit, cited TSB 12-05-14, installed overlay wire harness.”

    NHTSA complaint #10864298, filed 2016-05, 53,000 miles
  4. Body and structure

    Interior door handle and latch failures

    • 5 complaints (4%)
    • median 68,400 mi at 6.2 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2014–2019

    Owners report the driver's interior door handle breaking so the door can no longer be opened from inside, requiring the window to be rolled down or another door used to exit. Some describe the door latch failing to hold the door closed and a hood latch that would not re-latch. Complaints note the repair was not covered and that replacement parts reportedly failed the same way. Reported from about 33,000 to 135,000 miles, typically during ordinary use rather than after an impact.

    What to check: Open and close each door from the inside and outside, and check that the hood latches firmly, since these are inexpensive to test but costly to repair.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Vehicle was stationary, I closed the front driver door and the latch broke and the door would not stay closed. I had to physically hold the door shut while driving until it was repaired at a cost of over 400 dollars. I noticed this part has been recalled on the 2013 and 2014 models. Any chance that the 2011 models will be included in this recall?”

    NHTSA complaint #11207315, filed 2019-05, 135,000 miles

    “Hood latch failed; hood would not latch firmly in the closed position. This occurred when I opened the hood to fill windshield washer fluid. Hood was fully closed. I pulled the hood release lever under the dash and then opened the hood. When I tried to close it, the latch mechanism would not engage. Dealer tells me that the latch and cable need to be replaced - over $400.”

    NHTSA complaint #10928873, filed 2016-11, 85,000 miles

Buying note. Have a pre-purchase inspection scan for stored steering, ABS and powertrain codes, since many of the reported symptoms are intermittent and clear after a restart. Confirm in writing that any open recalls, especially the airbag inflator, have been completed for the specific VIN.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 132 consumer complaints for the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid. 97 of the complaints include a mileage, and 18% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 73,220 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 2 an injury, 2 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 10 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 9 Ford Fusion Hybrid model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 0 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Equipment (1), Exterior lighting (1), Other or unknown (1), Seats (1), Suspension (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Steering: “Power steering failure . I lost power steering completely. Car only has 76.181 miles on it.brought into Ford dealer and they said it was a power steering failure. Cost of repair 1500.00 plus tax to replace. Its at keyser & miller Ford inc , collegeville pa to replace the whole power steering. Lot of complaints on this issue.is why isn't there a recall on this.....??? I shouldn't have to pay for this complete replacement”

NHTSA complaint #11104433, filed 2018-06, 2 miles

Air bags: “Takata recall : my spouse and I have been waiting on parts to come out for this recall since mid-2016, about two years ago, and received a letter in the mail as late as december 2017 saying that there has been a delay with the replacement parts' production. This is an absurd amount of time to have to wait for a safety replacement part. It harms the resale value of our vehicle and will potentially harm my wife, who often sits in the front seat passenger seat. Let's get some regulatory authority and force Ford to respect their drivers' safety and time!”

NHTSA complaint #11081203, filed 2018-03, 59,000 miles

Brakes: “Brake warning lights came on and total loss of brakes. This has happened twice in two weeks. Has been to a Ford dealer to have the problem looked at they found nothing, told me to drive the car and if it happens again they would put the car on an electronic tester. The problem did show up again on october 26,2014,I will be taking the car back to the Ford dealer.”

NHTSA complaint #10650106, filed 2014-10, 14,947 miles

Engine: “While driving on the freeway the car flashes yellow triangle, wrench and the stop safely now. The car loses all power causing you to try to drift to the side of the freeway. It has been in the repair shop for 5 months with certified hybrid mechanics. Was told it was the transmission, that was repaired. The throttle, repaired. Harness wiring replaced along with a new battery. This is an ongoing problem with no resolution. The safety of not just myself, but my family and others have been put at risk. I would like to speak with someone regarding this issue. The car has 125,000 miles on it.”

NHTSA complaint #10948472, filed 2017-01, 125,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

18% of the 97 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 56,280 and 99,000 miles.

1%0–105%10–2511%25–5036%50–7525%75–10016%100–1505%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (97 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 73,220 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

2015201732201920222024
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Fusion Hybrid · sedan FWD★★★★☆3 / 4444 · 10.5% risk

Neighbouring years: 2012: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Fusion Hybrid FWD2.5L 4-cyl · hybridCVT413538$1,750

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 10 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

Other model years of the Ford Fusion Hybrid

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2020851,0000—42—Not enough data
20193554,6460—4236 · TypicalRising
20185967,0000—4252 · TypicalRising
20177045,0000—4261 · TypicalRising
20165533,4750—4137 · TypicalFalling
20154658,5002—4148 · TypicalStable
20146550,0001—4161 · TypicalStable
201312654,981154182 · MoreFalling
20129662,000043855 · TypicalRising
201113273,22004380 · FewerStable
201051085,1000—3911 · FewerRising

All Ford Fusion Hybrid model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid?

Owners of this model year most often report losing power steering assist, usually with a 'Service Power Steering' message and a steering wheel that becomes very hard to turn, and many link it to a steering recall campaign that did not cover their vehicle. The issues reported most often: Loss of power steering assist (steering goes heavy); Brake pedal to the floor or hard pedal with warning lights; Stall or loss of power with wrench and 'Stop Safely Now'.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid have?

NHTSA recorded 132 consumer complaints for the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid is reported most often?

Steering is named most often, in 43 complaints (33% of the total), followed by air bags with 34.

Has the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid 4 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid (Fusion Hybrid FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl · hybrid) at 38 mpg combined, 41 city and 35 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,750 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid reported?

Among the 97 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 73,220 miles and the middle half falls between 56,280 and 99,000 miles; 18% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.