Most common 2009 Ford Fusion problems
Share of the 1,023 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Fusion complaints by model year
Best Fusion years: 2006, 2007, 2020. Years to avoid: 2010, 2011, 2012. Compare all years →
2009 Ford Fusion recalls (6)
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal
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.
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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 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.
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.
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…
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California,…
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2009 Ford Fusion:
Extended Braking Distance
On December 20, 2016, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 16-017 to investigate reports of braking concerns in model year 2007 through 2009 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles.Complainants report that after an ABS braking event (caused by braking on a slippery or uneven surface) the brake pedal moved towards the floor and the distance in which the vehicle stopped increased…
Accel Pedal Interference - Acc Floormat
Unsecured mats may interfere with accelerator pedal return to idle. A heel blocker in the floor pan provides a platform that may lift an unsecured mat into contact with the pedal. Ford introduced new pedals as a running change early in model year (MY) 2010 vehicles. Analysis of complaints received by ODI and Ford show elevated rates of pedal entrapment incidents in MY 2008 through early 2010 production vehicles.
Extended Braking Distance
On April 18, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) 18-002 to investigate reports of braking concerns in model year (MY) 2006-12 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, and MY 2006-11 Mercury Milan vehicles manufactured with Continental Automotive System?s ABS hydraulic control units (HCUs).
Floor mat interference with accelerator
On May 27, 2014, Ford Motor Company submitted recall 14E-028 (Ford recall #14S07) to correct a safety-related problem with certain driver's side Ford optional all-weather floor mats sold for use in model year 2006 through 2011 model year Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr, and Lincoln MKZ vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant (HAP) from November 9, 2007, to October 31 ,2010.NHTSA testing determined…
What 2009 Ford Fusion owners say
Brakes all 531 →
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate to stop upon the depression of the brake pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the brakes were bled; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, she attempted to stop the vehicle but the brakes failed to operate. The contact rear-ended another vehicle and the airbags failed to deploy. There were no injuries as a result of the crash and no medical attention was needed. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle away from the scene; however, there was severe front-end damage to the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing extended brake pedal travel while driving. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal traveled down to the floorboard, causing the braking distance to be extended. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while her husband was pulling into the garage, the brake pedal was depressed. Still, the failure recurred, causing the vehicle to crash into the garage wall. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was drivable. The contact later received notification of Ford Campaign Number: 21N11. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the brake fluid and the brake fluid cap were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the dealer had not replaced the HCU. …
Air bags all 359 →
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate to stop upon the depression of the brake pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the brakes were bled; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, she attempted to stop the vehicle but the brakes failed to operate. The contact rear-ended another vehicle and the airbags failed to deploy. There were no injuries as a result of the crash and no medical attention was needed. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle away from the scene; however, there was severe front-end damage to the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 35-45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle was slow to respond. The check brakes system message was displayed. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 21V158000 (Air Bags); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The dealer completed the air bag recall and diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the brake module and HECU module were corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 96,970. Parts distribution disconnect.
Body & structure all 42 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Ford Fusion. While the vehicle was parked, a small fire on the passenger side floor ignited. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police and a fire report were filed. There were no injuries. The contact was informed that the charger cable that was plugged into the accessory power outlet cable (underneath the front passenger side floor mat) became hot and melted and burned a hole in the carpet, which ignited the fire. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 115,681. The VIN was unavailable.
Takata recall I had made an appointment for 3/28/19 we had an accident on 3/26/19 a car hit us at a red light totaled the car the airbag hit me in the chest bruises and cuts . I was the passenger my husband the driver he lacerations mostly . I also had broken ankle on the right foot and a sprain on the left. The car was totaled. Car was in motion.
2009 Ford Fusion engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Ford Fusion a good car?
Based on 1,023 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Fusion rates better than average: 43% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Fusion at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Ford Fusion?
The brakes — 531 complaints, 52% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock › abs warning light. Next are the air bags (359) and body & structure (42).
How many recalls does the 2009 Ford Fusion have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2009 Ford Fusion, the most recent from March 10, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Fusion?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2007 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010, 2011 and 2012. See the full Ford Fusion years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Ford Fusion problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 97,000 miles; 13% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.