10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 31 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 18 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 89,388 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Car lost power steering as I was turning, pulled hard right, causing car to hit a small tree. Minor damage; cracked headlight lens and front nose piece detached from fenders. The car was restarted and the steering appeared to be fine. However, since this happened, the steering appears to be harder to control and the car has a hard pull when accelerating similar to torque steering. The car never had a problem with torque steering prior to this incident. The car also developed a sway when hitting the smallest road bumps, such as coming off a bridge.
- Winter Haven, FL, USA
For months I have been resetting my cars "power steering assist fault" by turning my car off and turning it back on and the power steering would suddenly work again. Last night my car took a couple turns on and off for it to work which is the first time it took more than once to reset. Today after church I turned my car on and off 10 times and it still wouldn't reset so I was forced to drive my car home with no power steering, thinking about the fact that if a car served or a kid ran out in front of me, I wouldn't be able to swerve to avoid them. Besides the fact that I can't drive my car to get to and from work this way, I don't have 1500 dollars to fix a problem that should be recalled in my 2010 Ford Fusion as well as the 2011-2012 years. This problem is obviously a result of faulty equipment used in manufacturing and not because of the driver.
- Greer, SC, USA
I was driving home from work, had to stop and drop some items off for my daughter at summer camp. When I was leaving camp the steering felt like it wanted to pull to the right, a few miles down the road all power steering was lost. Service advanc-trac warning message was being displayed on the dash board. I pulled over at a convenient store to investigate the problem, could not find anything. It was raining so I carefully drove home without any power steering. Took car to local dealership where they diagnosed the problem as a rack& pinion failure, total cost to repair $1,641. The dealer stated they had not seen this problem before. After a short search I found hundreds of similar problems reported. I read where this same problem initiated a recall on the 2011 Ford Fusion, but no help referenced to the 2010 Ford Fusion. If they identified the defect in the 2011 models, shouldn't they fix the problem from the previous models with the advance-trac system. No dealer will touch this vehicle with its defect as a trade-in, meanwhile I'm still paying on a car that I can not drive safely.
- Mauk, GA, USA
I have had same sterring issue as the 2011 Fusion and was told the only recorse was to replace the whole rack. And the rack I put in had the same issue. The recall needs to be extended to every car and year that has that type of unit in
- Waterford Mi, MI, USA
While driving my 2010 Ford Fusion into parking lot, the service advance trac warning appeared. I parked and went into a store. After shopping, I was ready to back out of the parking space and couldn't. I had no power steering and the warning light said "service power steering now". I had my young daughter and my mother with me, so thank god we were already in a parking lot and not in traffic or at a higher speed!! (I'm also so thankful my newly licensed son wasn't driving down the highway when this happened.) I had to leave my car there since it's not safe to drive and call for a ride. I will be taking it for service on Monday, most likely by tow truck. I have found many other cases online just like mine where the exact same thing has happened. I can almost bet the problem is the power steering rack. With so many reports, why hasn't Ford issued a recall for this? this seems like a very expensive problem and I think Ford should have to pay to have it fixed. When I bought this car in 2011, I did not expect to have to worry about major safety issues like this. I really though I was getting one of the safest cars on the market, but apparently not.
- Winchester, KY, USA
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. While driving at 10 mph, the power steering failed. The instrument panel indicated that the power steering assist failed. The contact turned off the vehicle and restarted the engine and the warning indicator disappeared. The contact was able to drive normally for about two more miles before the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000. Updated 8/31/15 updated 10/30/2017
- Troy, MI, USA
The power steering froze and I was unable to steer the car. The power steering fault indicator came on in the display area. I have experienced this, briefly, many times right after starting the car. This was the first time while the car was already in gear. Luckily I was just trying to get off my driveway at the time.
- Collegeville, PA, USA
Advance steering service light came on, once I stopped and restarted the car had no power steering. I let the car die and let it reset itself (battery disconnected) and put it back together still no steering went to a shop they saw 2 codes one was to due with the electronic steering the other was transmission failure due to the the steering code issue.
- Ypsilanti, MI, USA
My wife was driving home from work when suddenly she experienced a loss of power steering in her vehicle. After trying to keep from being in an accident she was able to pull her 2010 Ford Fusion into a parking lot. After she turned into the parking lot she turned off the vehicle and let it sit for a few seconds then she restarted the vehicle and she was able to proceed a little further. Then it happened for a second time. Once again she turned the ignition off, let it sit for a few moments then restarted the vehicle. She was able to drive a little further until it once again happened as she was turning into our driveway. On the morning of Saturday 6/13/2015 I went out to the vehicle and started it up and tried to back it out of our dive way when the service the advance trac system message appeared. I turned the vehicle off the restarted the vehicle and then a different message appeared. This time it was the service power steering assist message. I then turned off the vehicle and contacted the local Ford dealer and was told that it was a common problem with the Fusion and that I would need to schedule an appointment to have the power steering rac replaced and it would cost around $1,800 to replace. I told the man that was ridiculous for a vehicle that has only 56,787 miles on it. I have researched this and have found that many other owners have experienced this same issue. I feel that this is a major safety issue and if it was not for my wife's quick thinking she may have been involved in an accident. Please research this issue before it happens to someone else and unfortunately cost someone their life. Please feel free to contact me anytime for additional information.
- Parkersburg, WV, USA
While my wife was driving home from work on 6/12 the power steering went out. She had a very difficult time trying to steer the car. It happens twice on her way home first time nearly caused an accident but she was able to coast it into an empty parking lot. She turned the car off and let it sit for a few. She then started it up again and tried to continue home when she got a block away it happened again I had one hell of a time trying to get it to turn into our driveway. Got up the next morning as still the same issue advance trac needs seviced. If Ford wants to turn out a substandard part I won't be buying another Ford product again. No I'm being to it needs a new rack at 55000 miles and will cost around $1800. This is complete bs for a vehicle to need a new rack at that low of miles. This is very dangerous a Ford needs to have a recall for this issue before someone gets hurt or causes an accident. If not sounds like I need to contact an attorney.
- Parkersburg, WV, USA
Driving 2010 Ford Fusion sel V6 home at night at around 70 mph, suddenly message came up "advance track, service power steering now". we had seen this message before. This is the fifth occurrence. The vehicle maintains its steering ability (going 70 mph), but upon arrival at our destination, and the shut off of the engine, all power-steering assist is lost. This has happened five times before. The Ford dealer can clear all of the error messages and the car will have its power steering ability again; however, when the Ford mechanic diagnosed the error messages and the problem, his solution was to replace the electrical rack and pinion steering assist at a cost of $1200 plus labor. I declined, as I am sure that the problem will recur. How do I get rid of this car" how can I sell it and not declare its ugly persistent problem?? why doesn't Ford act on this" the mechanic stated that he didn't know of any other cars with this problem.
- Gillespie, IL, USA
The steering went out in the vehicle January 2014, power steering went out with no warning. The repair shop stated that the steering rack needed to be replaced and would cost about $2000. They also made mention the power steering with the Ford Fusion's have had alot of problems in this year. Once again May 4th, 2015 23,000 miles later, I felt the steering wheel binding and locking. My service power steering now indicators came on. Ford claims when you loose power steering the car will go into a manual mode. This is true to some extent. You are fighting to steer the car because you are fighting with the gears in the rack. The steering locks and I almost crashed several times to get to a safe location, I went into oncoming traffic, because the steering locked. I had the car take to Ford dealer for repairs and was told the steering rack was bad again, and once again had to make repairs. There is no resaon I should of had to put two steering racks in within 20,000 miles. The recall done was for 2011 vehicles. The NHTSA needs to look into the 2010 models. The company I work for owned 5 Ford Fusion all the same model, we have all had the same problems.
- Browns Mills , NJ, USA
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. While driving 15 mph, the steering wheel seized and the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The power steering gear and rack and pinion assembly was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000. MA 08/10/15 updated 8/14/15
- Water Valley, MS, USA
I have been pulling out of my driveway and the car will start beeping, screen on dashboard says power steering assist fail your steering wheel locks you have to shut off the car then turn it back on and it is fine. This has happened pulling out of stores, work, and my house multiple times. Yesterday driving down the road at 45 mph it starts beeping and I can't turn!!!!! thank god no one was behind me as I have to come to a stop on a road and shut it off and turn it back on. I have 3 small children and this isn't safe. I will be contacting everyone I can. Ford needs to recall this and fix my car.
- Breezewood, PA, USA
When trying to turn the steering wheel when starting from a stopped position, the power steering was not working and a service advance track warning came on. If I did not have the physical power to turn the wheel, I could have very easily have hit another vehicle. I took the car in for a car wash, and the power steering came back on about 5-10 miles down the road. It went out and back on intermittantly during the next few months. It totally went out somewhere around the end of March or beginning of April. According to "Ford power steering failure reports investigaterd by federal regulators/oregonlive.com" dated October 6, 2014 at 8:46 am "Ford says it's cooperating with the investigation and anyone experiencing power steering problems with their vehicles should contact their dealer". May 12, 2015 I took the vehicle to the Ford dealer and they pulled codes 100410 - unable to communicate with power steering system. Checked for powers and grounds, power and grounds ok. Referred to interactive vehicle diagnostic. They found power steering module/rack failure. Recommended replacement at a cost of #1647.79. They said it was not on the recall at that time. When the mechanic brought the car forward, he also informed me that models produced six months earlier have the old power steering with the fluid. He said I have the electronic one that the newer models have. I recently checked the recall that Ford was having on the Fusion. My VIN # shows 0 recalls. The Fusion recall mentions road salt and other contaminants can cause corrossion and breakage. I live in Wisconsin and feel that my car should be included in this recall. My wife hauls kids and has a hard time trying to drive this car. For safety sake, I feel it should be recalled and fixed immediately.
- Greenville, WI, USA
Driving home from the store the service power steering now light came on. Power steering went out. My wife and son were also in the car, luckily we were able to make it home without issue. Reading online it turns out this is a very common and expensive issue with other Ford owners and needs to be addressed by Ford immediately.
- Memphis, TN, USA
I was driving home from work (70 or so miles away from where I live) at about the halfway point I heard car ding and a warning popped up on my dashboard saying "powersteering assist fault" and "service advancetrac" and right away I immediately could feel the steering wheel being unable to turn. I was going 50 miles an hour and as soon as the warning popped up my steering wheel became nearly impossible to turn. I went right into a field as the road turned into a curve and the steering wheel was too hard to turn. I went off the road and into a field. No air bags went off and I slammed my head into the steering wheel. After the shock of what happened I shut my car off and called my fianc crying freaking out as I was still another 40 or so miles away from home. My head hurt but I did not relieve medical attention. He told me to calm down and he would see if there was anything on the internet about this issue with my car. And he found out it is an ongoing issue with many people. He told me to leave my car off for a while and turn it back on. When I did the powersteering worked again and after taking a few deep breaths I was able to get out of the field and rice the rest of the way home without any more incidents that day. 2 days later on May 12th 2015 the powersteering failed again and has since continued to not work. I was inches away from going into a guardrail at 65 mph before I slammed on the breaks and pulled the wheel to the left as hard as I could to get away from the guard rail, thankfully there was no car coming in the left lane.
- Florence, VT, USA
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. While driving approximately 45 mph, the steering wheel became very difficult to steer and was unable to turn causing damage to the electric motor and the front tires. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering wheel electric motor needed to be reprogrammed and the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,000. Updated 7/28/15 updated 10/17/2017
- Mesquite , TX, USA
Power steering went out while husband was turning onto a neighborhood street resulting in hitting a parked vehicle on approximately 8/5/2014. As of today, 5/28/2015, power steering/vehicle has not been repaired and has aggravated/caused neck injury to wife from having to drive without power steering. Wife is currently seeing a neurosurgeon as well as pain management for neck pain, compressed spinal cord, bulging disc, spasms. Wife is currently waiting on epideral steroid injections.
- Choctaw, OK, USA
- Hampstead, NC, USA