2012 Ford Fusion Brakes
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 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. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 134,021.
The abs control module failed at 59,000 miles. It's difficult driving on wet rainy roads with no ABS System, it's a Hughe safety risk especially on wet roads. The month of August was really rainy and it was extremely stressful driving. I have been looking for a repair but several auto repair shops including FORD can't get the part.
When coming to a stop the brake pedal went straight to the floor. No warnings were lamps were present. A mechanic checked the brake lines, master cylinder, and calipers and was not able to reproduce the issue. The mechanic deduced that the likely culprit was a faulty ABS control module. Had I been on the interstate or even had another vehicle infront of me, this would have been absolutely disastrous. This seems related to the recall for the older model fusions. This needs to be looked at.
Intermittent loss of brakes, with pedal going to the floor. Couldn't stop when a deer ran out in front of me!! Entire brake system looks good. Is there a recall??
I started slowing down because a car in front of me was turning left. My brake pedal went to floor with no pressure whatsoever. Thankfully the car turned before I hit them. I lived 2 blocks away and was able to coast into my drive. Brake pads are good, master cylinder is good, calipers good, and no fluid leaking. There has to be a recall for this because it is very dangerous!!!
After I went over a set of railroad tracks, my brake pedal went to the floor while driving. I was able to stop but it scared me so bad because I almost wrecked! After stopping, I pumped brake pedal a few times and then it worked fine. I have newer pads, rotors, and calipers. Brake fluid was still full, and no leaking. Master cylinder is good. No idea what the problem is but I have seen online that this happens to a lot of 2012 Ford Fusions.
I noticed a couple of months ago my brakes where acting weird one minute they were fine and then sometimes the pedal would go to the floor and one day I was behind someone who had stopped suddenly and I hit my brakes fast and they went to the floor, for me not to hit the person in front of me I had to run off the road I was doing 30 mph and nobody was hurt but if I didn't have the options to run off the side of the road I would have rear-ended the other car and would have put me and the other people in a dangerous situation now my brakes go to the floor all the time I had it checked and every time I hit the brakes while in park they hear air coming from the ABS module which needs to be replaced is what I was told there was never no warning light that came on and never have come on before, this incident would have been much more dangerous if I was on interstate doing 70 + and I could have not stopped I've learned that the same problem has a recall on the 2006 - 2010 Ford fusion and all the reviews I've read the same problem is happening for the 2012 Ford fusion also so why hasn't it been put on the recall list because this puts people's life's in danger and it is a very hazardous safety issue
While my Student Driver 15 year old son was practicing for his driving test, the Brakes went out. The dash was lit up like a Christmas Tree, and when the Brake pedal was depressed, it touched the floor. The car did slow down briefly, then there was no friction what so ever from the brakes. My son, and wife could have ended up in a horrible accident, as the only way to stop the car was by allowing the car to roll to a complete stop. This is actually a know issue for Ford Fusions from 2006-2010. I brought this car to a dealership, and they diagnosed it as the ABS ABS Hydraulic Control Unit. They have already completed the repairs. One of the comments that was made is that if it had been a 2006-2010, it would have been replaced under recall. After the Brakes went out the Service Advance Trac light, and Check Brake system shown on my Dash Light. This is a very dangerous issues especially since I live in a heavily populated college town. My family, and/or another innocent bystander could have been extremely injured or even killed. I feel like Ford knows about this problem, and should be responsible to replace it.
My braking has not been correct. The brake pedal goes, almost to the floor, unless I pump the pedal. It has put me in scary situations when I have to hit the pedal hard. When I hit the pedal hard, it starts to stop, then goes down to the floor. The pedal is very spongy most of the time, with little reaction when you put your foot on it. At a higher rate of speed, you cannot slow down fast. Advise me my next course of action please
Brake system failed while driving. Brake pedal went to the floor and lost all brake assistance. After diagnostics, it was determined to be the ABS control module and hydraulic module. This same model was subject to a recall that ended in 2010 MY however the same issues are persisting into the 2012 MY.
Brake pedal intermittantly sinks to floor; vehicle will stop but braking distance is substantially increased. No brake warning light comes on. Vehicle brought to dealer in November 2022 but dealer could not reproduce issue. Problem re-occured in January 2023; vehicle was towed to dealer. Again, dealer could not reproduce issue because it is very intermittant. At my insistance, and as a customer-pay repair, dealer replaced ABS HCU (hydraulic control unit) and ABS electronic control module. Note that there is a recall on older Fusion models for HCU failure but not 2012 model.
Reporting this issue after the fact as it closely resembles the events associated with earlier Ford Fusions documented under NHTSA Safety Campaign Number: 19V904000. After ABS was activated, the brake pedal felt extremely soft and the required braking distance greatly increased. This was initially fixed by replacing the master cylinder and flushing the braking system; however, that fix proved to be temporary. Soft brakes and large braking distance is now an intermittent issue. This car is available for inspection if needed.
Slippery/snowy conditions, applied brakes approaching a stop sign. ABS kicked in and brake pedal dropped to the floor. With reduced braking ability. This has continued since. This has happened the past 2 winters and will eventually just release and the brakes function normally, until the ABS is needed and then the same thing happens.
There is intermittent failure when brakes are applied. Periodically when we push the brakes they go all the way to the floor and the car keeps moving forward and not brake. I have researched this and it seems Ford has recalled some of the ABS components in this model of car but not for this year/VIN.
Shortly after a having the rear brake pads replaced, I noticed that the handbrake (or e-brake) would lose tension over night, but not always. Since this was occasional, then it appeared to be a hydraulic issue. About three months later (9/15/22), the brake pedal stopped working correctly and the pedal had to travel further, and be pushed to the floor to bring the car to a gradual stop. I almost went into the back of another vehicle, it's fortunate that I was travelling at a low speed when the brake failed. I took the vehicle to my Ford dealer/service shop and, following their inspection and diagnostic assessment, was told that there is a problem with the hydraulic control unit (HCU), and that the it would need to be replaced and the lines flushed. My vehicle is a 2012 Fusion. This sounds like the same HCU problem that lead to the recall for 2006-2010 Ford Fusion vehicles - refer Ford Motor Company (Ford) Recall No. 19S54 - https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V904-0442.pdf Per linked pdf, the NHTSA opened EA18-002 and included inquiry of 2006-2012 Fords Fusion vehicles. It appears that only the older 2006-2010 models were included in the recall. However, as the newer (2012) models reach a similar mileage or age, it may worth reevaluating and extending the scope of the recall in the interest of safety for the traveling public. Had the brake failed while traveling a higher speed, then my life, my children's lives and others would have been at risk.
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? Obviously Corporations, Federal Regulators & Insurance companys in Kahoots to dampen the blow back to the Automotive industry AT THE EXPENSE OF PEOPLES LIVES!!! DO THE RIGHT THING
Approximately three months ago the ABS system engaged due to applying my brake to avoid pedestrian crossing in front of me. After continuing to drive the brake pedal was very soft and traveled nearly to the floor of the car. The next day the system returned to normal. Several days ago, on 6/25/2022 this occurred once more when a hard brake was needed to avoid a suddenly stopped vehicle and the same problem became present with a soft petal and having to pump the pedal, my wife was the operator this time. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by any entity. I have inquired about this problem from my mechanic and also have researched the problem and see there is a recall > 19S54 also an update to the recall > EA18-002 that states my 2012 Fusion is included in the recall and will now contact the local Ford Dealership to have this concern corrected. In my research I see that is due to the ABS module sticking due to corrosion from the wrong brake fluid. I have had several close calls while operating my car, the recall states Ford advises it is safe to drive. This I strongly disagree with, particularly since my wife uses this vehicle and is not as skillful as I when it comes to mechanical issues such as this. There were no warning lights, or messages, the issue has now cleared up again and brakes are operating normally as before this incident. This vehicle is readily available for inspection on request.
On 08/07/2021 at approximately 3 pm while driving the vehicle low brake fluid level light indicated on dashboard. Stopped at a gas station and checked to make sure there was no brake fluid leaking and checked brake fluid level which was low. The cars brakes were still operating properly and we returned to the location we were staying to find an auto parts store to purchase brake fluid. At 6 pm, drove to the auto parts store to get brake fluid. We purchased the appropriate fluid and topped of the brake fluid reservoir. The low brake fluid light turned off on the dash after topping off the brake fluid. About 2 ounces were added. Upon leaving the auto parts store, we pulled out onto the road and when trying to brake, the brakes malfunctioned, the pedal went completely to the floor and the car did not stop normally and hit another vehicle. Police report attached. No injuries and minor damage to both vehicles bumpers Car was pulled off the road and was towed to shop for inspection as the brakes would not stop the car. Shop #1 replaced the master cylinder and the brakes still did not operate properly. Car was towed to shop #2 (Ford Dealer) and they diagnosed it as a failed ABS HCU unit in the vehicle that was not communicating with the onboard computer system. ABS HCU was replaced by the Ford Dealer and vehicle is now braking as normal. There were no warnings from the vehicle computer system that there were any issues with the brakes other than the low brake fluid level light, which was resolved by adding brake fluid. The 2006-2010 Ford Fusions have a recall for the ABS-HCU unit, but the recall did not include the 2011 and 2012 Ford Fusions, even though it appears to be the same ABS HCU unit. Upon doing research on the internet, this is a common problem with this year of Ford Fusion and there are no warnings or indications that this may occur. I feel the vehicle should be recalled and the brakes fixed.
A few weeks ago I went to slow to a stop at the end of my driveway at approximately 5mph. My brake pedal dropped to the floor and i had to repress on the brake pedal to come to a complete stop. It continued working properly for a week or so when it happened again. The same week I was backing out of another driveway slightly down hill and attempted to come to a complete stop to look for traffic. Luckily there was none because my stopping distance was around 12 ft or so going maybe 3mph with the brakes completely pressed. I have since had my brake pads changed and all other components checked and was told were working properly. Now my stopping distance at 10mph is at least 3-4ft. I am too afraid to drive my vehicle at higher speeds on any road due to the stopping distance issues.
I have a 2012 Ford Fusion and my breaks went out I replaced the master Cylinder in it as well as the brake booster and still didn’t have any brakes. While driving I couldn’t stop my Car had to go off to a ditch thankful that I didn’t have a accident I’ve been told that the ABS module might be the problem this should be a recall on this problem.
While Driving my 2012 Ford Fusion like any other day… As approaching a 4-way intersection my traffic light was changing to red. When I went to stop using my brakes, my car would not stop at all and went completely through the intersection, and oncoming cars at each directions we’re coming towards me and my children. The brakes were as if they were not there and went completely to the floor and would not or did not stop my car at all. After several times pumping the brakes and strongly engaging in pulling the emergency brake numerous times I finally got my car to somewhat stop. This was the scariest thing I have ever experienced. Most definitely the most dangerous thing I have ever experienced my entire life for myself and my young children. We are truly lucky to be alive from these brakes completely, and unexpectedly spur of the moment going out! No warning!!! Models 2006-2010 Ford Fusions have a recall on this same exact brake system and have the same exact problem with the braking system unexpectedly and dangerously going out!!! Please get the recall extended on past 2010 and include 2011 and 2012 Ford Fusions!!! As they have the same exact braking systems!!!
1) Brake Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) failure. Dealership removed and replaced HCU assembly and ABS module. All parts retained by Dealer. 2) HCU brake failure made stopping very difficult and slow to stop. Dealer recommended not driving until repaired. 3) Dealer confirmed HCU failure with computer code analysis. 4) HCU and effected parts not inspected by anyone other than Dealer. 4) numerous red ABS and brake warning lights upon backing out of garage to street. I shut the engine off and restart in the hope of correction, to no avail. Problem re-occurred. Vehicle could be stopped but with difficulty -- slow to stop and hard to stop. Dealer replaced HCU assembly and ABS module and added PM1C brake fluid (DOT3), This HCU failure apparently has been a problem in Ford Fusion and other Ford vehicles (see Safety Recall 19S54 -Anti-Lock Brake System Hydraulic Control Unit Valve Function -- 2006-2010 Ford & Lincoln Mercury). It doesn't look like the problem has been resolved. Note that brake fluid used is DOT 3 and not the NTSB recommended remedy DOT 4 brake fluid
UPON APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE, THE PEDAL MUST TRAVEL A SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE BEFORE ANY BRAKING IS FELT. MY CAR HAS HAD NEW BRAKES PUT ON, WHERE THE MECHANIC HAS SAID THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS WITH THE SAME CAR. BRAKING DISTANCE IS SIGNIFICANT AND I AM ABLE TO FEEL THE FLOOR WITH MY FOOT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE. FORD DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE A SOLUTION, SO THEY CONTINUALLY PUSH IT UNDER THE RUG. I HAVE VERIFIED THAT MY MASTER CYLINDER IS WORKING AS EXPECTED WITH NO AIR IN MY LINES. I DO A LOT OF FREEWAY DRIVING, BUT IN ORDER TO STOP ON TIME, I HAVE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY DOING 10 MPH LESS TO ENSURE I CAN BRAKE IN TIME.
THE BRAKES ARE "SPONGY". TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER TWICE AND THE BRAKES WERE STILL "SPONGY". HE LOOKED AT THE BRAKES AND THEY LOOKED GOOD. HE RECOMMENDED THAT THE ABS SENSOR BE REPLACED, BUT FORD WOULDN'T SELL IT TO HIM. SO, WE TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKES, CALIPERS, ETC. AND THE BRAKES REMAIN "SPONGY". THEY SAID THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER, BUT IT IS BRAND NEW.
WHEN IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE PEDAL HAS EXCESSIVE TRAVEL, ALMOST NEEDING TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOORBOARD BEFORE ANY BRAKING OCCURS. THE UNCERTAINTY OVER THE CAR'S BRAKING ABILITY MAKES IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. NO ERROR CODES OR ABS LIGHTS PRESENT. LOCAL REPAIR SHOP REPLACED BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS AND FOUND NO AIR IN THE SYSTEM WHEN THEY BLED THE BRAKES. THEY SPECULATED IT IS POSSIBLY THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT FOR THE ABS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON EARLIER FUSION MODELS FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT NOT 2012 MODELS FOR SOME REASON.
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Quick Summary
The 2012 Ford Fusion has 76 Brakes complaints on file. 10 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.