2,716 of the
28,743 complaints filed about the Ford Fusion
are about the braking system —
9% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2008.
I would like to make a complaint for malpractice during a recall repair. I was notified on aug 4, 2026 that after the dealership did the recall 23S12 brake hose that during the test drive that my master seal and brake booster started to leak and needs to be replaced. They asked me if i have had any brake problems and we have not. They wanted to charge me over $1000. I declined because i had no issues prior to my vehicle going to them. They then stated they would complete the job for a little over $600. i declined. They said they reached out to Ford to see if they could cover the master seal and brake booster but they said FORD declined. However, they never asked ford. I have the OASIAS report verifying that information. They did not inform me that this is a saftey issue, they never said do not drive the vehicle, the documentation they gave me does not warn this is a issue. However, on the way home I realized I had no brakes. I assumed my vehicle would be in the same shape as i had it taken in and I would have brakes. I do not. I brought my vehicle to my home called the dealership who basically said unless i want to pay for the job in full i am on my own. I need help. I have the information on July 30 when they did the original inspection and they did a brake inpection and there is no mention of any brake issues. However, after the recall the inspection was done, they took a camera went into the brake booster and master seal. All of this was done with out informing us until it came time to pay.
NHTSA complaint #11756989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2012 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 stated that the brake pedal was soft and spongy. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard before the vehicle stopped. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that an inspection was completed, and the brake pads and rotors were in good working order. The contact stated that the failure had occurred two months after the brake pads and rotors were replaced by an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.
NHTSA complaint #11755210 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The brake booster vacuum pump coupler broke off of the vacuum pump and a piece of the coupler was left stuck in the camshaft. This caused the brakes to become very stiff and hard to push down to stop the vehicle. It wasn't inspected by anyone. No warning messages or icons appeared on the dash. Car had to be towed.
NHTSA complaint #11753536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The engine experienced a sudden failure that caused the vehicle to become completely inoperable. Prior to the failure, the vehicle exhibited intermittent hesitation, rough idling, and loss of power during acceleration. These symptoms began several weeks before the complete failure. No warning lamps were illuminated at first, but shortly before the breakdown, the vehicle displayed a check engine light and a “Service Engine Soon” message. While driving, the vehicle abruptly lost power and became unsafe to operate. I was forced to pull over immediately, which created a safety risk to myself and other drivers due to the sudden deceleration and inability to maintain speed in traffic. The vehicle would not restart afterward. A repair facility has confirmed that the engine has suffered a major internal failure and requires replacement. The estimated cost of repair starts upwards of $5,000. The vehicle is currently non‑drivable and remains available for inspection. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by an independent service center. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. However, I have found multiple similar complaints from other owners reporting the same type of powertrain failure, suggesting a potential pattern or defect affecting safety.
NHTSA complaint #11752956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I had the Ford brake recall work completed in 2023, but the same brake issue has returned. This appears to be the same HCU problem covered by the recall, and Ford is now refusing to repair it. I am concerned because this is a serious safety issue, and the recall repair did not permanently correct the problem.
NHTSA complaint #11751872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving home from work. I heard a pop and seen smoke coming from my tire. I pulled over and seen fire behind the wheel. After looking it over the emergency parking brake motor that attaches to the brake caliper was blown apart. The pistons in the caliper pushed so hard against the brake pad that it was bent to a 90 degree angle. Had to replace pads, rotors, and calipers in both sides.
NHTSA complaint #11748680 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car does not always respond when the brakes are tapped. They are soft/squishy at times and I have to push the pedal all the way to the floor for the car to stop. This issue has been occuring off & on for approximately 3 years though it's been more frequent since June of 2026. I have never seen any warning or failure light/notification any of the times this has happened. The issue was determined to be a faulty master cylinder by the service department at Colley Ford in Glendora, CA.
NHTSA complaint #11747816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 minor road bump, causing the ABS to momentarily engage. Immediately following the bump, the brake pedal lost all hydraulic resistance and dropped severely to the floorboard. The vehicle experienced an immediate, drastic reduction in stopping power and an extended braking distance, nearly causing a collision. This sudden loss of braking capability puts the driver, passengers, and other motorists at immediate risk of a severe accident. There were absolutely no warning lamps, error messages, or symptoms prior to hitting the road bump. The braking system functioned completely normally until the exact moment the ABS was triggered by the uneven road surface. The vehicle and its components have not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. This identical safety-compromising failure mode (loss of pedal pressure immediately following ABS activation on a bump) is a thoroughly documented defect covered by Ford under Safety Recall 19S54 and Customer Satisfaction Program 21N11. However, because this specific vehicle has a production date falling just outside of Ford's arbitrary manufacturing window (which cut off on July 15, 2009), the vehicle is barred from receiving the safety remedy. This vehicle uses the exact same layout and suffers from the exact same dangerous safety defect. The NHTSA needs to investigate and force an expansion of the vehicle build dates for this recall before this known defect causes a fatal crash.
NHTSA complaint #11746335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brake system. Pedal is soft and braking force to stop is reduced. Yes, at first they thought it was the brake booster, and know thinking it is the master cylinder, now they aren't even sure what it might be. Ford dealership techs. No, pedal was "squishy" when braking
NHTSA complaint #11746316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 stop the vehicle. Several warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an ABS module failure. The contact was informed that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer made two attempts to replace the part with an aftermarket part. The ABS module was shipped out for the repair; however, the dealer was informed that the part could not be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
NHTSA complaint #11744151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA recall 23V-162/Ford recall 23S12 Vehicle suffered secondary failure of recall remedy part which caused an immediate loss of braking ability. Ford dealer refused a safety tow unless I paid for it upfront which forced me to use my personal roadside insurance. After calling local dealer to assure vehicle had arrived after being towed, dealer said they couldn't look at vehicle until Tuesday , five days later because of the weekend and holiday.
NHTSA complaint #11739491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA claim # 11739491 update 05/22/2026 Young Ford Ogden Utah is refusing to execute the remedy for open safety recall 23S12 on my vehicle. They are refusing to run diagnostics test to honor the recall without paying $100 and up fee.
NHTSA complaint #11739621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving and the car just stopped it wouldn't let me put in park or drive it just stayed in neutral. And I was stuck it kept the the emergency break on. Then it wouldn't turn off all the way which caused the car to drain battery.
NHTSA complaint #11737001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V162000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) and 19V632000 (STEERING), but the failure persisted. A month after the recall repairs were completed, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake warning light was illuminated and blinked, and the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact used force to veer the vehicle to the side of the road. Once the contact was able to pull to the side of the vehicle, the engine was turned off. The contact called her boyfriend, who drove to the site of the incident and assisted the contact and pushed the vehicle to the residence. The dealer was contacted and at first refused to inspect the vehicle. The contact called the dealer again, and the dealer sent a mobile mechanic to the residence. However, no cause for the failure was found. The contact was informed that a diagnostic test would be performed on the vehicle. However, the contact would be responsible for the bill. The vehicle remained at the residence unrepaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11736657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2010 Ford Fusion has been having issues with the ABS system/module showing the fault code, Service Advance Track System. After checking the recalls on this issue, I learned that Ford did have a recall for this make/model, recall # 19S54, BUT only from cars out of a certain plant during a certain time. I was told by the local Ford dealer as well as Ford Motor Co. that my vehicle was not included even though a recall was released on the same make, model, and year Fusion. I was told by the local Ford dealership that I was free to make a service appointment for the issue. I feel like this is a known issue that Ford is aware of and is using any means necessary to avoid taking the proper responsibility to service a vehicle under a recall for the exact same issue.
NHTSA complaint #11732625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.