The Lemon IndexU3000 is a manufacturer-specific code, so its exact meaning depends on the make. Full U3000 page
24 owner complaints · the #5 code Ford Fusion owners name · 5% of Ford Fusion complaints that name a code (every car: 1.5%)
Middle of 101,000 miles · most between 75,000 and 125,000 (10 owners gave it)
Ford Fusion owners named U3000 in 24 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2012, 2010 and 2011 model years, at a middle of 101,000 miles. The part they name most is the power steering part (11 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Ford Fusion model years that report U3000
Owner complaints naming U3000, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
101,000 miles is the middle of what 10 owners entered. Half were between 75,000 and 125,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the power steering part, in 11 of the 24 complaints (46%). 10 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 3 say the problem came back afterwards. Next: engine software (a reflash) (3).
- Power steering part11 complaints10 mention a repair or replacement, 3 of them say the problem came back
- Software update (reflash)3 complaints3 mention a repair or replacement, 3 of them say the problem came back
16 complaints mention a recall.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with U3000
- Loses power or goes into limp mode25%6 of 24 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults12%3 of 24 complaints
- Brakes or ABS act up8%2 of 24 complaints
Share of the complaints naming U3000 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
C200D 3 U2011 2
Other codes named in the same Ford Fusion complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
- Steering rack replacement$1,8624 bills · middle bill
Repair bills owners named in these 24 complaints (4 in all). Owner reports, not a quote: costs vary by shop and region.
Recalls on these Ford Fusion years
- Steering · 2014 · issued 2019
Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts. NHTSA 19V632000 - Steering · 2014 · issued 2018
The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving. NHTSA 18V167000 - Steering · 2011, 2012 · issued 2015
The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault. NHTSA 15V340000 - Steering · 2014 · issued 2015
In the affected vehicles, snow or water containing road salt or oth. NHTSA 15V250000
4 recalls for the same systems (steering) on the Ford Fusion model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind U3000. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- U3000: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Ford Fusion reliability by year
- 2012 Ford Fusion problems and recalls
Other codes Ford Fusion owners report
P2111 P2112 P0302 P1450 P0301 P0303 P0300 C1277 P0316 P0304
U3000 on other cars
Honda Odyssey (51) · Ford Explorer (23) · Honda Pilot (20) · Ford Escape (15) · Acura MDX (11) · Honda Passport (11)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What U3000 means
U3000 is a manufacturer-specific code: each carmaker decides what it means, so the same code can point to different problems on different brands. We haven't verified its meaning for Ford yet. A dealer or a scanner with the maker's software can tell you exactly.
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11770975, 11766725, 11723349, 11691664, 11686303, 11679452, 11606625, 11603407, 11594320, 11561119, 11555492, 11544907 and 12 more.
Quick answers
Which Ford Fusion years have the most U3000 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2012 (9), 2010 (8), 2011 (6) Ford Fusion named U3000 most (24 complaints in all, 2010–2014). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes U3000 on a Ford Fusion?
Owners most often name the power steering part (11 of 24 complaints), then engine software (a reflash). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does U3000 show up on a Ford Fusion?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 101,000 miles; half were between 75,000 and 125,000 (10 owners).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name U3000 on the Ford Fusion, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.