What 2,781 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Fusion Energi

I need help to get the recalls done on the vehicle I purchased and was never warned of any issues and now stuck and ford service is dwnyinf the repair recalls and I cannot afford or find financing. Please help

NHTSA ODI 11709842

While driving on a state highway at approximately 45 miles per hour got a message on the dash saying “service power steering now”. Drove another mile and a half and then suddenly lost all power steering. Steering was stiff annd difficult but I was able to drive another half mile to home and then had the car towed to a mechanic for repair. Mechanic stated that my 2011 Ford Fusion has EPAS (electric power assisted steering) and the steering rack had to replaced to fix the issue at a cost of $1900. Apparently there is a recall for this issue on 2010-2012 Ford Fusions but my VIN was not included in the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11709277

I was driving down the highway, when my power steering failed it almost caused me to crash. I took it into a ford dealership and they are refusing to honor code 15S18 to replace the power steering box. Stating that it’s past warranty but for a safety recall it should not have an expiration date please help make this right.

NHTSA ODI 11708516

Turning into a parking lot, power steering disengaged and warning message "Power Steering Assist Fault" appeared. Took the vehicle to an O'Reilly's auto store to have the DTCs read and the printed sheet listed code C1277-20: steering angle sensor signal failure. This issue was dealt with under the recall 15S18 and then customer satisfaction 15N01 for Ford, but I can't tell after calling Ford if my vehicle was part of the recall or not and they say it's not covered. I can't get any real answers one way or another.

NHTSA ODI 11706483

Power steering no longer works.

NHTSA ODI 11697550

Electric power assisted steering failed while driving. There was no accident , but had to react quickly to avoid mishap. Back in 2015, there has been a recall for Ford Fusions (2010-2011) that were manufactured from the Hermosillo facility. My vehicle was built at the same location and is a 2011, but does not qualify for a recall based on the records of Ford. I can’t find any record if the previous owner the vehicle serviced or if Ford ever sent me notifications. Between 2015-2017, I was deployed to Afghanistan and then reassigned duty stations,in which I changed my registration to Louisiana to Arizona . Between being oversees and having different addresses, I am not sure if I was ever notified. Currently, I don’t qualify for the customer program due to being over 10’years and having over 150,000 miles. Please help me in any way possible and ensure this doesn’t happen to others.

NHTSA ODI 11696248

am filing this complaint regarding a serious safety defect in my 2011 Ford Fusion. The vehicle’s electric power steering (EPAS) intermittently fails while driving, causing the steering to become extremely heavy and sometimes lock up. The dashboard displays a “Power Steering Assist Fault” warning. Restarting the car temporarily restores steering assist, but the problem recurs. This is a direct safety hazard. Driving the vehicle in this condition is dangerous, as the steering can fail at any time, including at highway speeds. They say The vehicle was previously repaired under recall but the issue has recurred. I have contacted Ford Customer Service and a Ford Safety Supervisor multiple times, and they refused to perform any further repair, citing that the recall occurred over 10 years ago and my VIN may not be in the current “recall bin.” I am requesting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate this issue and require Ford to repair the electric power steering under a recall reoccurrence / safety escalation program, at no cost to me. This is a critical safety issue, and the current refusal by Ford puts me at risk of serious injury or death while driving.

NHTSA ODI 11695486

Abs module is bad

NHTSA ODI 11695147

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty and was above the 150,000-mileage limit. The contact referenced an unknown recall which had a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not associated. The contact stated that, fortunately, the vehicle was not being driven on the highway during the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 240,000.

NHTSA ODI 11694708

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with power steering failure. Additionally, the contact was informed that the failure was the result of a computer and sensor failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The independent mechanic reset the fault codes; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,020.

NHTSA ODI 11691881

Complete Loss of Electric Power Steering (EPS) Assist. This is a direct recurrence of the Federal Safety Defect under Recall 15S18 (NHTSA 15V-340), creating an immediate crash risk due to high steering effort at low speeds. Prior recall service (Feb 22, 2016) was only a software reprogram, which failed to correct the fundamental hardware defect. Current confirmed DTCs (U3000:49, U3000:72, U3000:96) mandate steering gear replacement. The replacement is covered under CSP 15N01, specifically Supplement #3, which requires a steering gear replacement, regardless of age/mileage limits, if replacement under Recall 15S18 is still required, which it is. [XXX] ht approval using Ford Corporate Case: CXH-05687349-N3W2T6. Ford SSSC denied the mandated repair, failing to remedy a safety defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11691664

About 6 months ago my steering failed then I cut the car off and restarted it and it was fine until about a month ago and now I have no power steering at all and I don’t understand why it can’t be covered under fords recall warranty this is not supposed to happen and if I get in a wreck because of no power steering I will be filing a lawsuit because they still have 2744 complaints plus mine now that they have not fixed and I personally feel like it’s there fault and they should fix it and I can promise u I will never own another ford and will tell everyone I know to do the same . I think ima paint lemons all over it and drive it like that

NHTSA ODI 11691746

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Sensor Fault" was displayed, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. Additionally, while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that while attempting to rotate the tires, the lug bolts fractured and needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 170,000.

NHTSA ODI 11689523

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse out of a parking space, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The power steering failed, and the "Steering Assist Fault" warning light was illuminated. The contact previously received notification of Warranty Extended Coverage, NHTSA ID Number: 10236689 (Steering); however, at the time the notice was received, May 3, 2022, the dealer informed the contact that a failure had to occur before the repair could be made. After experiencing the failure, the contact called the dealer and was informed that the Extended Warranty Coverage had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 168,958.

NHTSA ODI 11689089

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact and her husband met her son on the side of the road, and the contact's husband drove the vehicle to the residence without power steering functionality. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the failure reoccurred. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was no longer covered because the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11688910

The electronic power steering failed.

NHTSA ODI 11684843

The contact's boyfriend owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved a fault code for a failure with the canister purge valve. The contact called another independent mechanic and was given an estimate for repair. The mechanic also referred the contact to Technical Service Bulletin: 15S34. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the TSB did not apply to the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11682960

The contact owned a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, there was an abnormal gasoline odor coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle with a scanner and received an EVAP system error code. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact stated that while refueling the vehicle, there was fuel leaking from the vehicle near the fuel tank. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

NHTSA ODI 11679854

My car has lost steering And idk what's wrong with it It's throwing a code on the dash that says steering assist fault code

NHTSA ODI 11679049

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the front driver's side wheel lug nuts fractured, causing the wheel to detach and the vehicle to shudder. The contact decelerated to 15 MPH, and the vehicle stopped. The driver and the two children that were occupying the vehicle had not sustained any injuries. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V574000 (Wheels). The contact called the local dealer, who confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. Additionally, the contact was informed that the recall covered steel rims however, the vehicle was equipped with aluminum rims. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who contacted the local dealer to confirm the recall details. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11678143

My daughter was at the gym with the car. She left to come home. Went to the car and started it. It starts fine, but then she got all these warning bells and flashing on the dash panel that power steering failure. Her wheel was so tight she couldn't drive. Luckily she was parked when this happened and not driving. We looked up that there is recall for this issue. We called Ford and had it towed there. I spoke with Ford the next day. They did acknowledge a recall but said since the car is past the 10 years or 150k miles the recall does not apply anymore and we'd be paying out of pocket. They quoted me around $2300 for the repair.

NHTSA ODI 11677795

I was backing and the steering wheel was impossible to turn. The car was on the recall 15S18, was served and obviously still a safety issue. I requested today July 30,2025 for a goodwill repair and was denied.

NHTSA ODI 11677191

I am writing to file a complaint regarding a serious and potentially dangerous issue with my 2011 Ford Fusion. Recently, my vehicle completely lost power steering while in use. In the past, I had experienced intermittent problems where the power steering warning light would appear upon starting the car, and the steering would be stiff. Typically, turning the car off and restarting it temporarily resolved the issue. However, this time, the power steering has failed completely and restarting the vehicle does not fix it. Upon researching this issue, I discovered that Ford issued a Customer Satisfaction Program (15N01), which extended the warranty on the power steering gear due to known defects. The extension covered up to 10 years or 150,000 miles from the original purchase date—whichever came first. Unfortunately, I only recently became aware of this program, well after my vehicle passed both the 10-year mark (August 2021) and 150,000 miles (I’m currently at 103,000). I never received any notification from Ford about this issue or the extended warranty. Had I known, I would have addressed the problem while within the eligibility window. Ford is now refusing to cover the cost of repairs, despite this being a well-documented issue caused by faulty components. I believe it is unacceptable for a manufacturer to acknowledge a defect, offer limited corrective action, and then leave customers to deal with costly and dangerous consequences when their notification system fails. This failure of power steering poses a serious safety risk, especially at higher speeds or in emergency maneuvers. I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate this issue further and hold Ford accountable for properly notifying affected vehicle owners and ensuring this defect is repaired, regardless of arbitrary mileage or date limits—especially in cases where owners were never notified in the first place.

NHTSA ODI 11677066

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The service power steering warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the contact was informed that the recall had expired. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11676195

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction, and the steering wheel seized. The steering fault warning light was illuminated. The driver coasted the vehicle into a nearby parking space. The contact arrived at the location where the vehicle was parked, and the vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with electronic power steering module failure. The contact was informed that the electronic power steering module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact referenced an unknown recall however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

NHTSA ODI 11676204