What are the most common problems with the 2009 Ford Fusion?

Brakes lead the complaints, followed by air bags, then structure and engine issues. See the problems section above for what owners describe.

Does the 2009 Ford Fusion have recalls?

Yes. The by-year data shows recalls on file for this model year. The Recalls section lists each one by code and shows whether a remedy is available.

Is the 2009 Ford Fusion reliable?

Owners filed 1,023 complaints with NHTSA. Complaints are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a guide to what to inspect rather than a verdict.

What is the gas mileage of the 2009 Ford Fusion?

See the Fuel section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is 2009 the best year for the Ford Fusion?

See the by-year comparison on this page, which lines up complaints and recalls for each model year.

2009 Ford Fusion Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 1,023 owner complaints on file for the 2009 Ford Fusion^[1]. Brakes lead the list with 531 complaints^[2].

1,023owner complaints^[1]

6recalls^[3]

20–23MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Owners filed complaints across several parts of the car, and these groups stand out.

Brakes. 531 complaints^[2]. Owners describe rear brakes that drag or seize, pads and rotors that wear out early, and a few stories of pedal feel that vanished while driving.
Air Bags. 359 complaints^[5]. In the stories we read, owners describe air bags that stayed shut in a crash, and dash panels that lifted or warped above the passenger air bag.
Structure. 42 complaints^[6]. Owners describe trunk lids that are hard to close or that drop down on their own, plus door handles and inside door releases that broke.
Engine. 37 complaints^[7]. Owners describe stalling, warning lights, throttle trouble and a few sudden engine failures with little warning.
Speed Control. 33 complaints^[8]. This group is smaller, so read it as a side note next to the leaders.

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2009 Fusion is necessarily included.

Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module (21V158), March 2021. About 2,602,668 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[9]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (21V081), February 2021. About 1,067 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, a crash, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[10]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module (19V904), December 2019. About 600,166 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[11]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (18V046), January 2018. About 327,796 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[12]
Remedy pending
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (17V024), January 2017. About 654,695 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, death. The remedy was not yet available when this record was filed.^[13]
Remedy pending
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (16V384), May 2016. About 1,892,343 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, death. The remedy was not yet available when this record was filed.^[14]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Fusion AWD, 3.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[15]	17 / 25 / 20	$3,350
Fusion FWD, 2.3L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	20 / 29 / 23	$2,900
Fusion FWD, 2.3L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	20 / 28 / 23	$2,900
Fusion FWD, 3.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	18 / 26 / 21	$3,200

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD/AWD^[18]	n/a	n/a	n/a	5	9.2%

Engine and size

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
FUSION SE/SEL 4DR SEDAN 2.3L V4^[19]	190 in	72 in	57 in	107 in	3,150 lb
FUSION SEL V6 4DR SEDAN 3.0L V6^[20]	190 in	72 in	57 in	107 in	3,150 lb

How 2009 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Fusion model year. The 2009 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2006	730	4
2007	1,064	4
2008	1,353	5
2009	1,023	6
2010	5,639	11
2011	2,926	7
2012	2,617	5
2013	1,957	20
2014	1,432	20
2015	1,066	14
2016	1,724	13
2017	1,202	4
2018	508	2
2019	473	4
2020	235	3

NHTSA's counts for the Fusion show 1,023 complaints and 6 recalls for 2009^[3]. Among the 15 model years listed, 4 have fewer complaints than 2009 and 10 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2020 (235) and the most are for 2010 (5,639)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2009 Fusion?

The 2009 Ford Fusion has a clear pattern in the complaint data. Brakes and air bags account for most of the paper trail^[2]^[5]. The rest is spread thinly across other groups, such as structure and engine^[6]^[7]. These are unverified owner reports and they are not adjusted for sales^[1]. A used one deserves a careful brake inspection and a check of any open recall work before you buy^[3].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Ford Fusion?: Brakes lead the complaints, followed by air bags, then structure and engine issues^[2]^[5]^[6]^[7]. See the problems section above for what owners describe.
Does the 2009 Ford Fusion have recalls?: Yes. The by-year data shows recalls on file for this model year^[3]. The Recalls section lists each one by code and shows whether a remedy is available.
Is the 2009 Ford Fusion reliable?: Owners filed 1,023 complaints with NHTSA^[1]. Complaints are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a guide to what to inspect rather than a verdict.
What is the gas mileage of the 2009 Ford Fusion?: See the Fuel section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is 2009 the best year for the Ford Fusion?: See the by-year comparison on this page, which lines up complaints and recalls for each model year^[3].

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Ford Fusion

2008 1,353 complaints, 5 recalls
2009 this page
2010 5,639 complaints, 11 recalls
2011 2,926 complaints, 7 recalls
2012 2,617 complaints, 5 recalls
2013 1,957 complaints, 20 recalls
2014 1,432 complaints, 20 recalls
2015 1,066 complaints, 14 recalls
2016 1,724 complaints, 13 recalls
2017 1,202 complaints, 4 recalls
2018 508 complaints, 2 recalls
2020 235 complaints, 3 recalls

Compare all model years of the Ford Fusion

Other Ford models from 2009

2009 Ford Flex 181 complaints, 1 recall
2009 Ford Focus 229 complaints, 0 recalls
2009 Ford Mustang 181 complaints, 5 recalls

All Ford models

Similar cars from 2009: midsize cars

2009 Acura TL 42 complaints, 3 recalls
2009 Cadillac CTS 167 complaints, 5 recalls
2009 Chevrolet Malibu 1,534 complaints, 5 recalls
2009 Lexus ES 173 complaints, 5 recalls
2009 Mazda 6 386 complaints, 9 recalls
2009 Mercury Milan 226 complaints, 6 recalls

All midsize cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 1,023 owner complaints on file for the 2009 Ford Fusion (65 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 40 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
531 complaints name the brakes component group (42 crashes, 1 fires, 9 injuries, median mileage at failure 100,700). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Ford Fusion model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Fusion FWD, 2.3L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 29 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
359 complaints name the air bags component group (20 crashes, 0 fires, 12 injuries, median mileage at failure 89,500). NHTSA vehicle records
42 complaints name the structure component group (5 crashes, 1 fires, 12 injuries, median mileage at failure 75,540). NHTSA vehicle records
37 complaints name the engine component group (2 crashes, 3 fires, 7 injuries, median mileage at failure 101,000). NHTSA vehicle records
33 complaints name the speed control component group (7 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 47,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 21V158, filed March 10, 2021: Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 21V081, filed February 16, 2021: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V904, filed December 18, 2019: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock / Traction Control / Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit / Module . NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V046, filed January 11, 2018: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 17V024, filed January 10, 2017: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V384, filed May 31, 2016: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Fusion AWD, 3.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 25 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Fusion FWD, 2.3L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 28 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Fusion FWD, 3.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD/AWD: rollover 5 stars; rollover risk 9.2%. NHTSA vehicle records
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, FUSION SE/SEL 4DR SEDAN 2.3L V4: length 190 in, width 72 in, height 57 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 3,150 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, FUSION SEL V6 4DR SEDAN 3.0L V6: length 190 in, width 72 in, height 57 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 3,150 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2009 Ford Fusion: problems, recalls and fuel economy