Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Ford Fusion owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that his wife was involved in a crash noting that while stopped at a traffic light upon traffic beginning to move forward, the contacts wife took her foot off of the brake pedal slightly however the vehicle continued to lurch forward and in the process bumped into the vehicle in front of her with the entire front end of their vehicle. No property damage was reported. The vehicles came to a stop upon impact. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer. No warning lights were illuminated however the following message was displayed on the instrument panel that read "Brake Failure". A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was not destroyed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was advised that the Anti Lock Braking System Module was faulty and would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
After Replacing some Calipers, Rotors & Pads I took My vehicle to Meineke Car Care Center in Lawrence, Indiana to have the Brake system Flushed ("Bled") I got my car back and immediately after pulling off I had NO PEDAL! ALMOST GOING THROUGH A FENCE! My Hand Brake saving me intime. I declined to have it reserviced at Meineke and had it looked at by a Local Mechanic I trust. He informed me After Bleeding the Master Cylinder, ABS Module with a Scan Tool and All Calipers that there was still no pedal. Which meant one thing The HCU on the ABS Module is Bad. Which was likely because 2006-2010 Models of the Ford Fusion have a Recall on the ABS/HCU for Loss of Brakes. WHY THE 2012 MODELS DO NOT HAVE A RECALL ASWELL IS BEYOND ME? Even though the 2012 Model Shares ALOT of Key components with the previous year's models. Including the ABS/HCU. Why is the 2012 not included? …
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH in a parking lot, the vehicle went over a traffic speed bump, the brake pedal was depressed she felt soft. The brake pedal had to be depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the brake failure had become constant. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake booster assembly, master cylinder, and vehicle suspension arms in the front wheels needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the brake failure recurred. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The failure mileage was approximately 72,000. …
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal felt spongy and required to be pushed down to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while responding, extending the braking distance. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact state that the failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, but the failure could not be replicated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring more increasingly. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the HCU had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. …
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to stop within a reasonable time. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he was able to stop the vehicle after pumping the brake pedal. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact continued to experience the failure. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and the brake lines were flushed several times. The vehicle continued to experience the failure. The contact took the vehicle back for the third time and was informed that the rear and front brake calipers, the ABS hydraulic control unit (HCU), and the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop before the pedal went to the floorboard. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who determined that the brake pads needed to be replaced. Additionally, the hydraulic system was bled. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and the vehicle was driven to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the hydraulic control unit (HCU) needed to be replaced. The contact was advised that the parts were on backorder. The contact was advised that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. …
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.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the traction control system, brakes, and power steering functionality became inoperable. The vehicle was restarted and worked as designed. While driving approximately 30-40 MPH, the brake warning light illuminated. Additionally, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The driver pumped the brake pedal several times before the brakes started working as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed him that the failure was not covered under the warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, he drove over a bump on a train track and had to depress the brake pedal down to the floorboard for the vehicle to come to a complete stop. No warning light was illuminated. A local dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the dealer did not service vehicles 10 years or older. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the ABS control module needed to be replaced. The contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
The braking system failed. Yes it's available upon request for inspection. The safety of myself and others were put at risk because it caused me to hit something in front of me. I stepped on the brakes and the pedal went straight to the floor. This has happened multiple times it is putting my safety as well as my children's safety at risk. When I step on the brake pedal there is nothing goes to the floor till I pump the pedal. Initial Lu when hitting the pedal it jerks the steering wheel out of my hand to the right every time. It's not only putting my children's, and my self in harms way but any other driver that might be even near me while driving considering it takes the steering wheel out of my hand uncontrollably.
Brake complaints in other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2012 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA has 113 complaints about the brakes of the 2012 Ford Fusion, 4% of the model year's 2,517 complaints. The component named most often is antilock › control unit/module (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Ford Fusion brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2012 Ford Fusion, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2012 Ford Fusion brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 15 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.