Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here.
Owners have filed 5,125 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Ford Fusion, and it carries 13 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1,356 | 26% |
| Air bags | 514 | 10% |
| Power train | 390 | 8% |
| Service brakes | 361 | 7% |
| Vehicle speed control | 236 | 5% |
| Engine | 154 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 145 | 3% |
| Power train | 129 | 3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 124 | 2% |
| Wheels | 106 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The traction control warning light was illuminated. The contact decelerated and
NHTSA complaint: Steering
I was driving my car down the road and all the sudden I couldn't steer my car It caused me to go off the road and hit a ditch
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The ABS Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) failed internally due to a stuck valve. The component remains on the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. While braking normally on a public road, the vehicle hit a m
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact depressed the brake pedal to
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The 2010 Ford fusion has 2584 complaints the second highest from 2010 to 2014; mine has been giving me intermittent issues for 3 years now and some times there is no error code and inspection cannot find anything wrong-
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Steering wheel will not turn. Tried to reset but that did not work. Mechanic diagnosed it as a power steering rack failure. Steering rack needs to be replaced.
NHTSA complaint: Steering
I was rear ended while parked at a stop light, the force of the impact drove me into the vehicle in front of me. During the accident my seatbelt pretensioner failed to work at the same time my sun visor unexpectedly drop
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
my car was rear ended in an accident somebody ran into the back of my car while i was stopped/parked at a stop light.. the impact was so hard that i crashed into another vehicle that was in front of me. I was wearing a s
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2010 Ford Fusion. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Vi
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The reca
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the pass
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as
Risk: 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 other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain air bag inflator and/or module replacement service parts that may have been used as part of a collision repair. The parts include certain driver-side air bag inflators and/or modules, designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang and Mustang GT500. It also i
Risk: 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 other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Fix: Ford will notify dealers that purchased the affected parts, and dealers will provide replacement parts to purchasers, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford custome
| Reliability raw | 29 | below average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 55 | average |
| Maintenance | 78 | good |
| Depreciation | 100 | excellent |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 36 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 5,125 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 1,356 of them (26%). There are 13 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 29/100 (below average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 55/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2010 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip, because the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here. Its overall ownership score is 59/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.