Ford Fusion Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Ford Fusion fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 93,283 MOT tests across 11 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol
75%
Ford Fusion pass rate
85%
Ford average
82%
All-model average
The Ford Fusion has an average MOT pass rate of 75%, which is 10 points below the Ford average and 7 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Ford Fusions pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 7 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Ford Fusion Fails Its MOT On
Of the 19,576 MOT tests on the Ford Fusion that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
58%Cars and vans the same age: 48% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
32%Cars and vans the same age: 40% (the Fusion fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
27%Cars and vans the same age: 27% · Typical repair £80-£450
Body, chassis and structure
16%Cars and vans the same age: 18% · Typical repair £200-£1200
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
16%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Stop lamp: not working (19% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Position lamp: not working (12% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Rear fog lamp: not working (11% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Ford Fusion Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Fusion year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
- 2002: 70% passed, against 73% for all 2002 cars (3 points lower, 1,004 tests)
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Ford Fusion Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Petrol | 1.4L | 82% | 18% | 79% (+3) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 1.4L | 81% | 18% | 77% (+4) |
| 2010 | Petrol | 1.4L | 78% | 21% | 75% (+3) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 1.4L | 77% | 23% | 75% (+2) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 1.4L | 76% | 24% | 74% (+2) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 1.4L | 74% | 25% | 73% (+1) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 1.4L | 72% | 27% | 73% (-1) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 1.4L | 72% | 27% | 73% (-1) |
| 2004 | Petrol | 1.4L | 71% | 28% | 72% (-1) |
| 2003 | Petrol | 1.4L | 70% | 29% | 72% (-2) |
| 2002 | Petrol | 1.4L | 70% | 29% | 73% (-3) |
Ford Fusion Running Costs
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Ford Fusion FAQ
What are the most common Ford Fusion problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Ford Fusion that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (58% of the 19,576 failed tests), suspension (32%) and brakes (27%). The single most common fault was "Stop lamp: not working" (19%). Across 93,283 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 75% ended in a pass.
Is the Ford Fusion reliable?
The Ford Fusion has an average MOT pass rate of 75%, from 93,283 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 1 point of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Ford Fusion years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2002 (70% of 1,004 tests passed, against 73% for all 2002 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. The years that passed most often for their age were the 2011 (81% of 4,068 tests passed, against 77% for all 2011 cars), the 2010 (78% of 9,517 tests passed, against 75% for all 2010 cars) and the 2012 (82% of 1,264 tests passed, against 79% for all 2012 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Ford Fusion faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Ford Fusion typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Ford Models
Common problems pages for other Ford models