2011 Ford Fusion FWD

[JL7456]

We are considering purchasing a used 2011 Ford Fusion SEL FWD with 25K miles as a toad and second car. Last week we were looking at a new Honda CRV but have found that the 2011 Fusion 2.5 liter l4 16V is towable. This will fit into the budget much easier.

I would like to hear from others that tow this Ford Fusion and get some input on what people think. Thanks in advance!

[JL7456]

Thank you DouglasC for the information on the Fusion and your tow dolly incident. It sounds like you now prefer the four down method of towing. That is what I am also familiar with but with the two vehicles I currently own (2012 Escape and 2011 Ford Fusion) and the transmission problems I have been reading about I am reluctant to set up one of the cars for towing and then have a transmission problem that Ford will not cover.

Lately we have been seeing a lot more two wheel tow dollies behind motorhomes and thought this might be a way to tow a car as an alternative to four down. The number of cars that a towable four down keeps dropping from year to year. This year (2014) there are only 75 new cars and trucks out there. Thanks!

[DouglasC]

Congratulations! I think that you will like the Fusion. My daughter-in-law has a 2009 Fusion SEL with the 2.5L engine and now has over 120,000 miles on the car. She has had VERY few problems with the car - - just normal replacement items like tires and battery.

As far as a dolly is concerned, I had one over 20 years ago and didn't replace it after it was stolen out of my back yard. I had disliked it so much that my friends jokingly told me I probably paid someone to steal it so that I could buy a Remco transmission lube pump and tow my Ford Escort 4 wheels down. I did outfit the car with a tow bar and the Remco pump - - but I didn't pay anyone to steal the tow dolly!

[JL7456]

Well we bought the 2011 Ford Fusion 2.5 liter, FWD, automatic as a second car and not so much for towing it "four down". We are now considering getting a tow dolly to tow the Fusion. The owners manual says it can be done. Does anyone have any experience with a dolly and is towing the Fusion?

[Hank85713]

we purchased a 13 hyundai elantra, and I am not certain but they seem to be the cars that the small fords are based on (kia also). So far we have almost 2000 miles on the tow and it has been going well. Ford tried to buy kia sometime back but the parent co is hyundai thus the reason the 2 cars look so similar. But look at the small fords and they are identical. So if looking look at the hyundai or kia standard trans are 4 down towable.

[willald]

..What Doug said.

If you like the Fusion and want to tow one four down, look for a hybrid Fusion. Ford's eCVT transmission used in their hybrids (Fusion, Cmax, and Escape briefly) has been flat towable for several years with no issues.

[DouglasC]

Ford had so many transmission problems with the '09, '10, '11 & early '12 Fusions and Escapes that they stopped certifying them as towable 4 wheels down as of Februrary 28, 2012. This applies to the 6 speed automatic transmission.

The Fusion hybrid with the ECVT has always been towable 4 wheels down (as has been the Escape hybid) and to my knowledge no one has ever reported having had problems with the transmissions of these vehicles.

[JL7456]

After posting this yesterday I have read of all of the transmission problems that some owners have had with the Fusion. This was the same concern that I had with my 2012 Ford Escape lease car and decided not to set it up to tow for that reason. I still have that car.
Now I may have to go back to square one and rethink this again.