2011 Ford fusion tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2011 Ford Fusion, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225/45R18 OEM | R18 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
Best all-season
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
all-season touring, UTQG 800, 80,000-mi warranty
Best budget
Goodyear
Assurance MaxLife
Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 820
Best quiet
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
68 dB cabin noise (EU label); quietest in this size
Best winter
Bridgestone
Blizzak WS90
Dedicated winter (premium compound); ice/snow grip
See the best tires for the Ford Fusion, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Ford Fusion →
Compatible alternative sizes for 225/45R18
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
195/65R16 |
0.03% | alternative | Safe |
215/35R20 |
-0.18% | plus 2 | Safe |
255/30R20 |
0.20% | plus 2 | Safe |
255/35R19 |
0.21% | plus 1 | Safe |
255/40R18 |
0.23% | wider | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 225/45R18 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 225/45R18 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 255/35R19; one rim size up, 0.21% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 215/35R20; two rim sizes up, -0.18% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 2011 ford fusion sport
The 2011 Ford Fusion Sport ships from the factory on 225/45R18 tires mounted on R18 wheels. Only one approved fitment is documented for this model year, so replacement options should match the original size exactly unless a plus-size upgrade is being considered. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Ford Fusion comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 2011 Ford Fusion Sport owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 2011 Ford Fusion Sport, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 2011 ford fusion
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (3) · TPMS (1)
Reported across: 2011 – 2011 (1 year)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 21% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 91 reports covering every model year of the Ford Fusion that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 21% | 20% | 1.0× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 15% | 9% | 1.7× |
| Sidewall failure | 12% | 15% | 0.8× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 7% | 6% | 1.1× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 7% | 8% | 0.8× |
| Tread or belt separation | 3% | 13% | 0.2× |
Mileage at failure
49 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 17,500 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 1,954 and 84,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Ford Fusion. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS SINCE PURCHASING A 2013 FORD FUSION WITH 235/40 19 CONTINENTAL TIRES (CONTIPROCONTACT) I HAVE HAD 3 SIDEWALL BLOWOUTS WHILE TRAVELING AT LESS THAT 20 MPH ON PAVED ROADWAYS. THIS TIRE CHOICE FOR THIS CAR MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE SINCE IT HAS A RELATIVELY SMALL (40) ASPECT RATIO.
I WAS TURNING ONTO THE STREET AT ABOUT 25 MPH AND AS I APPROACHED MY HOME, THE ADVANCE TRAC SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW LIGHT CAME ON. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AS I TRIED TO TURN INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND I RAN OVER THE CABLE BOX ON THE CURB BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO TURN AT THAT POINT. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES AT LEAST THREE TIMES. LIGHT CONTINUALLY CAME ON INDICATING LOW TIRE PRESSURE. CAR WAS PURCHASED ON NOVEMBER 2, 2013. DEALERSHIP OFFERED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, WE SIGNED PAPERS FOR IT. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO USE IT, THE WARRANTY WAS NOT THERE. WE DIDN'T SIGN ANY CANCELLATION PAPERS FOR IT. NOW WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH A BOGUS DEALERSHIP/FINANCE COMPANY AND PAY FOR A PART THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE NEEDED.
I SENT MY WIFE TO A FIRESTONE STORE TO GET A SET OF ALL SEASON TIRES. WHAT WAS SOLD TO HER IS NOT EFFECTIVE IN ADVERSE WEATHER AND I BELIEVE THAT FIRESTONE BRIDGESTONE IS FALSELY MARKETING A PERFORMANCE TIRE AS ALL SEASON. THE TIRE IS A POTENT RE970 POLE POSITION AS.
I HAVE JUST HAD THIS FIXED 2 WEEKS AGO FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. JANUARY 24, 2013 MY POWER STEERING AND ADVANCE TRAC LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANICS TODAY AND THEY TELL ME THAT THE TIRES MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED AND I HAVE EVEN DONE 60,000 MILES ON THE TIRES-YET THEY ARE WORN OUT ALREADY. I KNEW I NEEDED TIRES, MY INSPECTION IS DUE NEXT MONTH. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND I AM ALREADY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT. I'M ANGRY! I THOUGHT FORDS WERE BETTER BUILT NOW-A-DAYS. WRONG............I'M SO DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CAR. FAIRLY NEW AND HAVING WHAT I CONSIDER MAJOR PROBLEM.
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 2011 Ford Fusion?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2011 Ford Fusion?
Where can I buy tires for my 2011 Ford Fusion?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2011 Ford Fusion?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2011 Ford Fusion?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2011 Ford Fusion?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Ford Fusion is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2011 Ford Fusion.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-09-02.