2012 Ford Fusion airbags problems

Updated from NHTSA data · How we count

46 owners have reported airbags problems with the 2012 Ford Fusion, 6% of all complaints about this model year. The typical problem appeared around 96,500 mi.

Airbags complaints
46
Crashes
6
Fires
0
Injuries
2
Related recalls
4
Median mileage
96,500 mi

Specific components reported

Airbags covers: Frontal, side and curtain airbags, sensors and warning lights.

ComponentComplaints
Air bags46

Airbags complaints across Ford Fusion years

132006322007162008242009502010382011462012172013152014162015292016132017420183201942020
Airbags complaints by model year. The 2012 is highlighted.

Mileage when the problem appeared

1Under 10k110k–30k130k–60k460k–100k3100k–150k4150k+
Complaints that list mileage, grouped by odometer reading.

Related recalls

  • Recall 21V158000Mar 10, 20212,602,668 vehicles
    AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

    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 high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: 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 passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.

  • Recall 21V081000Feb 16, 20211,067 vehicles
    AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

    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 a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    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 death.

    Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.

  • Recall 19V001000Jan 7, 2019782,384 vehiclesDo not drive
    AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

    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. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles and 2011-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2010-2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, and 2010-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: 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 recall began February 13, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall 19S01.

  • Recall 17V024000Jan 10, 2017654,695 vehiclesDo not drive
    AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford Ranger, Edge, Fusion and Mustang, Lincoln MKX, MKZ and Zephyr and Mercury Milan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Ford is recalling certain 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ, 2005-2008 Ford Mustang and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: 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. Interim letters informing owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available began mailing March 1, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.

What owners say

  1. Filed Oct 2, 2025ILAirbagsTransmission & Drivetrain
    On [XXX] ,I was driving in my car heading home with my [XXX] son in the backseat when my steering wheel just locked up on me and didn't want to turn and it was just stiff. I turn off my car immediately and waited about ten minutes to turn on. The car started up and the steering wheel became un loosen but this situation is off and on and it's scary . It's the third time now it happened. Next im experience a airbag warning symbol on my dashboard today [XXX] and that's even…
    NHTSA complaint #11691106 · source
  2. Filed May 5, 2025310,000 miMSAirbagsSteering
    The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 15V34000 (STEERING), 19V001000 (AIR BAGS), and 21V158000 (AIR BAGS); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not yet made aware of the issue.…
    NHTSA complaint #11658940 · source
  3. Filed Jun 7, 2024CAAirbags
    The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V001000 (Air Bags) 21V158000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
    NHTSA complaint #11593140 · source
  4. Filed Jan 31, 2024MSCrashAirbagsAcceleration & Cruise Control
    Ive had multiple accidents trying to get this car repaired . There are recalls all the way up to 2010 yet 2011 are also having the same hydraulic issues and ABS issues .This is outrageous i have to spent over 3000 dollars and the issues still is resolved especially when im paying for manufacturers error.I am not hard on any of my cars but this one is HORRIBLE
    NHTSA complaint #11568931 · source
  5. Filed Dec 26, 2023KSAirbags
    I currently have the Airbag indicator light on my car lit up. I was recently recalled, and the work done in February of 2023. I do not have confidence in the dealership that completed the work initially due to circumstances that occured with my same car a few months later. The circumstances are that later in the year, my car was in the same shop for 48 days, and they could not diagnose, or fix the problem with the car. (not related to airbags, but my trust is broken) I then…
    NHTSA complaint #11561893 · source
  6. Filed Nov 28, 2023MSAirbags
    Since I bought my car in 2000, the dash where the passenger airbag comes out is broken. I have to turn the airbag off if anyone sits there. I'm afraid it will pop out at any time
    NHTSA complaint #11557179 · source
  7. Filed Jul 13, 2023SCAirbags
    Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
    NHTSA complaint #11532141 · source
  8. Filed Nov 24, 2022WI1 injuredAirbagsEngineSteering
    The power steering assist randomly went out and caused me to almost crash into a wall when I was on the freeway taking the car home. The previous owner had gotten into an accident with the vehicle which had also resulted from the power steering randomly going out, and the power steering is now out completely on the vehicle and yet seems to come on randomly while having to manually steer the vehicle. I just got the vehicle and am the most recent owner, but since the vehicle…
    NHTSA complaint #11494808 · source
  9. Filed Nov 17, 2022150,000 miMNCrashTowedAirbags
    The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while his wife was driving 60 MPH, a deer jumped in front of the vehicle causing the contact to strike the deer and damage the front end of the vehicle. None of the air bags deploy. No one was injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage 150,000.
    NHTSA complaint #11493990 · source
  10. Filed Sep 20, 202275,000 miVAAirbags
    The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the recall was related to the driver’s side air bag and not the passenger’s side air bag. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
    NHTSA complaint #11485407 · source
  11. Filed Aug 26, 2022VAAirbags
    Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. After performing a VIN check online, it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer and local dealer were not made aware of the issue. The contact had…
    NHTSA complaint #11481370 · source
  12. Filed Aug 19, 2022191,353 miVAAirbagsSteering
    The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering), 21V158000 (Air Bags) and 19V001000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The power steering assist and air bag warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the power steering linkage and power steering module…
    NHTSA complaint #11480251 · source

Other 2012 Ford Fusion problem areas

Back to all 2012 Ford Fusion problems →

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology