repaired · 2023 Q1
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
2008 Ford FusionProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,353 owner complaints about the 2008 Ford Fusion, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-024 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 21, 2026. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 Ford Fusion has problems
1,353 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
638Air bags19 crash/fire/injury
479Service brakes28 crash/fire/injury
82Structure
74Service brakes, hydraulic
47Power train
39Engine
28Electrical system
24Vehicle speed control
14Latches/locks/linkages
6518 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 638 | 19 |
| Service brakes | 479 | 28 |
| Structure | 82 | 4 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 74 | 2 |
| Power train | 47 | 3 |
| Engine | 39 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 28 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 24 | 5 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 14 | 0 |
| 18 other systems | 65 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2008 Ford Fusion recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2022 Q4
Air bags: frontal
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other…
repaired · 2023 Q1
Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Risk. If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2019 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Show 1 more recall
repaired · 2019 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
83kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 173 air bags complaints. 61% were reported before 100,000 miles.
8under 30k miles106under 100k miles67100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Service brakes
46 owners mentioned a cost$1,100median
Middle half: $625 – $1,697
Air bags
10 owners mentioned a cost$1,500median
Middle half: $1,000 – $1,500
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2008 vs. every other Fusion year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Fusion median. How we score
'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2008 Ford Fusion safety ratings
2008 Ford Fusion 4-DR. w/SAB (Later Release) in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 5 stars (9.2% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
5 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2008 Ford Fusion, and the recalls they led to.
- Floor mat interference with acceleratorLed to recall 14E-028
- Extended Braking DistanceLed to recall 19V-904
- TIRE VALVE CRACKINGNo recall
- Accel Pedal Interference - Acc FloormatNo recall
- Extended Braking DistanceNo recall
In owners' words
What Fusion owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.…
The contact owned a 2008 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list as the vehicle had been totaled. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted.
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the car was parked outside in the sun, the passenger’s side dashboard nearby the air bag became deformed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The…
Own a 2008 Fusion?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.