2012 Ford Fusion Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after coming to a stop, the vehicle stalled. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was restarted, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the battery had failed and there was battery acid on the shifter cable and connector. The dealer replaced the battery, the shifter cable, the connector, the rear parking light bulb, and the purge valve. The dealer also completed the recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 92,343.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in park, the vehicle rolled backward with no warning light illuminated The contact engaged the parking brake pedal, and the vehicle stopped. The contact also noticed that the transmission shifter cable had dislodged from the vehicle. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
The transmission seems to be slipping losing power and just plain failing if ford knew about this and stil put them out for years in different cars already had a recall on the transmission can we get this one recalled cause ain’t no way anyone should have to pay 2500 + to get a transmission replaced in a car with only 80000 miles on it .. and I’m still financing the car as well this just seems ridiculous they can get away with not fixing faulty parts they decided to go ahead and put in there and release the car anyway .. this lose in power has cause me to almost wreck or get hit a few times when I go to pull out and it wants to slug out into the intersection
When I started my vehicle to drive, a warning on my dashboard came on that said "Power Steering Assist Fault" and my steering wheel is now unable to turn in any direction.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started shaking and jolted with the transmission shifting into gear. The contact stated that the jolt was more violent when the vehicle was first started and shifted into drive(D). The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated before moving forward and then jolted into gear. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was recurring. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in park, the vehicle rolled backwards. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact activated the parking brake, and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the shift cable needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contact. The failure mileage was 113,000.
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING NO WARNING LAMP OR CODE
Transmission issues continue to appear without warning. Car shutters at times and fails to shift properly at low speeds. When exiting the freeway and coming to a stop, car wants to surge forward, even with brakes firmly applied. I have had the wrench light come on briefly two times. Took the car into a local transmission shop and requested diagnostic scan for codes and trouble shoot. No codes were found for transmission or any other system on the car. As the car had 100K miles, shop recommended a Transmission fluid change, even though Ford does not recommend this until 150K miles. Shop noted that fluid color was still red in color and no foreign debris was found in the old fluid. There is no evidence of fluid leaks either. Transmission shop recomended that I contact Ford delearship to see if they can reprogram or update Transmission Control Module. Contacted local dealership and was told that they would charge a minimum of $242.50 to run another diagnostic scan, but that there were no guarantees that this would solve the problem. A simple Google search shows that there are many "known issues" with this Ford Transmission that is in my vehicle, but Ford has not issued any recalls to remedy the problem. I feel that I am stuck between a rock and a hard place with an unreliable vehicle that Ford "knows" has transmission problems but chooses to ignore their customers.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated during acceleration. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission fluid was black in color and the fluid level was low due to a leak. The mechanic drained the transmission fluid and added new transmission fluid, then sealed the driver's side front transmission. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 68,882.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the transmission warning light was illuminated. While driving at an undetermined speed, the transmission was slipping and failed to shift into the proper gear. The vehicle intermittently lost motive power. The contact called the local dealer who informed him about the diagnostic test and also about parts not being available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V523000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the power steering became inoperable and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. The VIN was not available.
I currently am the owner of a 2012 Fusion Hybrid. My transmission is not shifting properly. I have had the PCM updated as an attempt to correct the issue. It will rev high, like a race car, and drives like a race car. It does not shift into higher driving gears as designed. My son, who is a student driver, isn't safe to drive it. I believe that this is an issue that Ford is aware of and the dealership is wanting $5000-$6000 to fix. There are no warning lights on, so the dealership gets almost $200.00 for a diagnostic. This is not fair to the consumer.
Transmission shuddering, 1st to 2nd gear shifts shake the entire vehicle, especially when cold. Abbrupt downshift. Gear searching from 5th to 6th when highway driving.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND REGAINED POWER STEERING FUNCTIONALITY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO UFTRING SUBARU (500 FAIRLANE DR, EAST PEORIA, IL 61611) TO BE DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V340000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED IN 2012. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 114,396 MILEAGE DURING ROUTINE CITY STREET DRIVING.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that after reversing the vehicle, the gear shifter failed to shift into drive. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact called roadside assistance. The tow truck driver arrived and repaired the vehicle. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, WHEN DEPRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FORCEFULLY VIBRATE WHEN APPROACHING 30 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE SLOWLY TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 79,393.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO PROPERLY ACCELERATE WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL VALVE AND POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. PECHELES FORD LOCATED AT 4010 US-264, WASHINGTON, NC 27889, WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,100.
CAR LEFT IN PARK IN A PARKING LOT. RETURNED TO FIND CAR HAD ROLLED ACROSS AISLE INTO ANOTHER SECTION OF THE PARKING LOT. CAR WAS FOUND TO BE IN PARK, ATTEMPTED TO JUMP, WOULD NOT START. TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTED CAR WAS IN REVERSE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO JUMP THE CAR. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO LOCAL MECHANIC, HE STATED TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CAR HAS LESS THAN 25,000 MILES ON IT. CAR CURRENTLY IN SHOP BEING REPAIRED. THIS DEFECT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME ONE THAT RESULTED IN RECALL #19S16 (EXPANSION OF 18V471). RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE 2012 MODELS (2013-2016 ONLY). *TR
TRANSMISSION REVS HIGH BEFORE SHIFTING? IT ISN'T SLIPPING BUT IT ISN'T DRIVING HOW IT SHOULD BE.
AFTER DRIVING A DISTANCE, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE, BUT WAS STILL SHOWING IN PARK. I HAD TO QUICKLY SLAM ON THE BREAKS AND SHUT THE CAR DOWN. HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY IN REVERSE , THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. IT HAD TO BE MANUALLY PUT IN DRIVE SO I COULD GET SOMEWHERE SAFE. VERY DANGEROUS.
A SHIFTER CABLE THAT DETACHES FROM THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT ALLOWING THE GEAR STATE TO GO INTO PARK. HOWEVER THE GEARSHIFT POSITION SHOWS IT IN PARK.
TRANSMISSION HAS DELAYED GEAR SHIFTING, GEAR SLIPPING AND THE ENGINE REVS WITHOUT THE CAR ACCELERATING. TO PUT IT SIMPLY THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. TWICE!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ENGAGED IN PARK, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR BECAME STUCK AND WOULD NOT MOVE. RUSSELL BARNETT FORD (4055 TULLAHOMA HWY, WINCHESTER, TN 37398, (931) 967-2277) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE GEAR SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT GAIN SPEED. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN TOOK IT TO CABRERA AUTO (LOCATED AT CARR #2 KM 82.2 SALIDA EXPRESO HATILLO, PR-2, 00614, PUERTO RICO, +1 787-333-8410) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. *BF DESCRIPTION IN SPANISH. *JB
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Quick Summary
The 2012 Ford Fusion has 87 Power Train complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.