Ford Fusion Years to Avoid
Based on federal records, the Ford Fusion years to avoid are 2017, 2013, 2014: the 2017 alone has 0 NHTSA owner complaints and 254 manufacturer service bulletins on file. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2009 and 2012 model years.
Sources: NHTSA complaints, manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-10-11 · By CarWhere Research
| Model year | NHTSA complaints | Service bulletins | Recall campaigns | Avg. price buyers paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009BEST | 0 | 19 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 56 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 55 | 0 | — |
| 2012BEST | 0 | 51 | 0 | — |
| 2013AVOID | 0 | 190 | 0 | — |
| 2014AVOID | 0 | 189 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 0 | 163 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 153 | 0 | — |
| 2017AVOID | 0 | 254 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 160 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | 159 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 94 | 0 | — |
Methodology: complaint counts are owner reports filed with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; service bulletins are manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA; counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year).
Common Ford Fusion problems by year
2017 Ford Fusion: 0 owner complaints, 254 service bulletins, 0 recall campaigns.
2013 Ford Fusion: 0 owner complaints, 190 service bulletins, 0 recall campaigns.
2014 Ford Fusion: 0 owner complaints, 189 service bulletins, 0 recall campaigns.
2009 Ford Fusion: cleanest recent federal record (0 complaints, 19 bulletins).
2012 Ford Fusion: cleanest recent federal record (0 complaints, 51 bulletins).
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FAQ
What are the worst years for the Ford Fusion?
Based on federal records, the Ford Fusion years to avoid are 2017, 2013, 2014: the 2017 alone has 0 NHTSA owner complaints and 254 manufacturer service bulletins on file. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2009 and 2012 model years. Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA complaints, manufacturer communications, open recall campaigns) and are not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Ford Fusion?
Among recent model years, the 2009 and 2012 Ford Fusion show the lowest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
Is the Ford Fusion reliable?
The Ford Fusion's reliability varies by model year. Across 0 NHTSA owner complaints on federal record, 2017, 2013, 2014 stand out as the years to avoid, while the 2009 and 2012 model years show the cleanest records — see the year-by-year table above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Ford Fusion?
Owner complaints for the Ford Fusion are summarized by model year above; see the table for the federal record.
How do I check a specific Ford Fusion before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Where does this data come from?
Three federal sources — NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA, and open recall campaigns — plus CarWhere's verified buyer-paid transaction prices. Counts are presented raw and refreshed regularly.