AI Damage2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid filed 132 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 132
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 33% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 26% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 9% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 6% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 5% of all complaints
- Steering: 43 complaints (33% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 34 complaints (26% of all).
- Service brakes: 24 complaints (18% of all).
- Engine: 12 complaints (9% of all).
- Powertrain: 12 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 132 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 43 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 34 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Sister was driving a 2011 ford fusion hybrid home from work on the freeway going about 80mph as she lost power steering. She went up an embankment and flew threw the air and hit a pillar. We know advance trac light was coming on the day before that from her google activity.
The contact stated that while attempting to park, the vehicle surged forward without the accelerator pedal being depressed, causing the vehicle to crash into a guard rail. The vehicle was not included in the nhtsa campaign number: 14e028000 (equipment). The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed.
The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the powertrain control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
The contact drove the vehicle without power steering functionality downhill. The service power steering immediately message was displayed. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Additionally, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with steering rack failure. The contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired.
There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove in a circle and slammed on the brakes, and the vehicle responded. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure could be related to the ABS module.
The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering and jerking inadvertently. The accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The power train warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot.
The contact was informed that the Service Brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle eventually came to a rolling stop as the contact depressed the brake pedal to the floorboard. The vehicle resumed normal operation after being restarted.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 2,931 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Fusion Hybrid has 109 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 132, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, air bags, service brakes. Total complaints: 132. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (26%), warning lights, check engine (26%), loss of power / limp mode (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2011 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.