Steering failures and air bag recalls
The 2012 Fusion has about 1,085 complaints per 100,000 sold, more than twice the model average. More than half are about the power steering suddenly failing.
Updated November 2026 · based on 2,618 owner complaints and 6 recalls
1,085 2.1x the Fusion average
6 free to fix at a dealer
Every Fusion year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known problems on the 2012 Fusion
Top problems and what they cost
Power steering assist failure
The steering seizes or goes heavy with a warning light, sometimes at speed.
Fix: Steering gear $1,200 to $2,000; some cars covered by recall 15V340
Steering
Takata air bag inflators
Passenger air bag inflators covered by several recalls.
Fix: Free under recall 17V024 and 19V001
Air bags
Battery drain
The battery goes flat after the car sits for a week.
Fix: Diagnosis $100 to $200; battery $150 to $250
Electrical
Recalls
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or oth...
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or oth...
Complaints by part
Before you buy a 2012 Ford Fusion
- Confirm the Takata air bag recalls (17V024, 19V001, 21V158) show as repaired.Takata air bag inflators can rupture and throw metal pieces in a crash. The recall replaces them for free, so make sure it was done.436 of the 2,618 owner complaints about the 2012 Fusion involve the air bags (17%).
- Turn the wheel lock to lock at a standstill and listen for clunks.Turning the wheel fully both ways at low speed loads the steering hardest. Clicks, grinding or heavy spots point to a worn coupler, rack or power steering fault.Owners filed 1,339 complaints about power steering failure on the 2012 Fusion, one of the worst years for it.
- Check the steering recall 15V340 status by VIN.A recall is a safety fix the carmaker must do for free, even for later owners. Typing the 17-character VIN (on the dashboard and driver door) into nhtsa.gov/recalls shows any that were never done. Codes like 18V332 are recall numbers.The 2012 Fusion has 6 recalls on record, listed below.
Questions
Is the 2012 Ford Fusion reliable?
Steering failures and air bag recalls. The 2012 Fusion has about 1,085 complaints per 100,000 sold, more than twice the model average. More than half are about the power steering suddenly failing.
How many recalls does the 2012 Ford Fusion have?
6 recalls. Recall repairs are free at any Ford dealer, even for later owners. Enter the VIN on the free government recall lookup to see which are still open on a specific car.
What are the most common 2012 Ford Fusion problems?
Power steering assist failure; Takata air bag inflators; Battery drain.
Crash rating shown for the 2012 Ford Fusion 4 DR AWD. Repair costs are typical U.S. ranges for parts and labor, not quotes. How we score.