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2018 Ford Fusion

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Ford Fusion do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 1,109.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

188 reports with mileage · 250 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 201 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 106 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 88 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

88 reports
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111,700 miles · Oct 16, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered and white smoke came out of the exhaust pipe; there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The "Engine Coolant Overtemperature" message was displayed on the instrument panel and the check engine warni…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered and white smoke came out of the exhaust pipe; there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The "Engine Coolant Overtemperature" message was displayed on the instrument panel and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The failure occurred on several different occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant leak intrusion into the cylinder and that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer made the contact aware of Technical Service Bulletin Number: 19-2346. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the failure; the manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,700.

NHTSA ODI #11620141

122,000 miles · Oct 11, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs had failed and needed to be replaced. The veh…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

NHTSA ODI #11619297

120,000 miles · Oct 9, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started sputtering. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the engine. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagno…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started sputtering. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the engine. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the engine. The dealer determined that the short block needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was related to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12; however, the vehicle was not covered due to the mileage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a notice for Ford Campaign Number: 21N12 was previously sent; however, the contact had not received the notice. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #11618969

76,422 miles · Sep 16, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was smoking with the engine overheating. The wrench symbol was displayed and was flashing on and off. The engine warning light was illuminated and flashing on and off. The contact stated that the failure was related to Cust…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was smoking with the engine overheating. The wrench symbol was displayed and was flashing on and off. The engine warning light was illuminated and flashing on and off. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the thermostat housing was leaking. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and informed the contact that there was no recall coverage for the failure. The contact was referred to the local dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 76,422.

NHTSA ODI #11614758

120,000 miles · Sep 10, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced rough starts and there was a slushing liquid sound coming from inside the dashboard. Additionally, while operating the vehicle the check engine warning light remained illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the local de…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced rough starts and there was a slushing liquid sound coming from inside the dashboard. Additionally, while operating the vehicle the check engine warning light remained illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine block was cracked and causing coolant to leak into the engine. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #11613795

97,000 miles · Sep 4, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 45-50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket was blown. The dealer determined that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independ…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 45-50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket was blown. The dealer determined that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where the engine was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

NHTSA ODI #11612525

56,000 miles · Sep 3, 2024
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire, and the low coolant level warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #2 and engine failure. The contact was informed that the …

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire, and the low coolant level warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #2 and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

NHTSA ODI #11612416

181,000 miles · Aug 16, 2024
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the engine started to overheat, and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The message "Vehicle Temperature Overheating" was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The contact was able…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the engine started to overheat, and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The message "Vehicle Temperature Overheating" was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure recurred several times while driving. The contact pulled to the side of the road several times until arriving to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the PCM had failed. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed there was coolant intrusion in the engine cylinders. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 181,000.

NHTSA ODI #11608975

135,000 miles · Aug 16, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled occasionally and returned to normal operation once the contact had turned off and restarted the vehicle. In addition, there was smoke coming from the tailpipes. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehic…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled occasionally and returned to normal operation once the contact had turned off and restarted the vehicle. In addition, there was smoke coming from the tailpipes. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was drivable and was driven to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak, and the mechanic suggested that the vehicle be taken to a Ford dealer. The vehicle was towed to a Ford dealer where it was confirmed that there was a coolant intrusion into the cylinder head gasket. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

NHTSA ODI #11608956

87,000 miles · Aug 14, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the message "Turn Engine Off" was displayed, and the engine temperature gauge indicated that the engine had overheated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion into the cylind…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the message "Turn Engine Off" was displayed, and the engine temperature gauge indicated that the engine had overheated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The contact was advised that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

NHTSA ODI #11608474

Official recalls

2

23V162000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Mar 10, 2023

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.

18V167000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar

Mar 12, 2018

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

RQ22004 · Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures

Opened Aug 8, 2022 · Closed Mar 24, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

On August 8, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 50 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging front brake jounce hose ruptures on model year (MY) 2013-2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A ruptured front brake hose results in a brake fluid leak. As a result, the driver may experience an increase in pedal travel and a reduction in the rate of deceleration, increasing the risk of a crash. It should be noted that the subject vehicles identified fell outside the scope of NHTSA Safety Recall 20V-469, which addressed front brake hoses rupturing on certain MY 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The result causes a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needing to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.On March 10, 2023, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted to NHTSA Safety Recall 23V-162 (Ford Recall 23S12) to address front brake jounce hoses that may rupture. Ford found the rupture occurs from a localized failure of the internal reinforcement braid due to cyclic fatigue through tensile/bending and torsional inputs during suspension and steering articulations. The supplier for the front brake jounce hoses is Hitachi. This recall affects the subject vehicles equipped with non-hybrid engines and the suspect front brake jounce hoses (a total of 1,280,726 vehicles). The recall covers subject vehicles built from February 3, 2012 to July 19, 2017 when the suspect hoses were used in vehicle production. The remedy is for dealerships to replace both front brake jounce hoses with new hoses that have a revised braid material at no cost. The vehicles equipped with hybrid engines are excluded from the recall because the internal hose pressure is much lower due to the regenerative braking provided by the hybrid brake system. No failures of brake hoses on hybrid vehicles have been reported to ODI or Ford.Ford's actions address ODIs concerns at this time. Hybrid vehicles will be monitored for related failures. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by new circumstances.The 103 ODI numbers cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ID numbers:11511014, 11510867, 11510318, 11509030, 11505993, 11504989, 11504400, 11502147, 11502082, 11501820, 11501283, 11498439, 11498296, 11496842, 11496335, 11494931, 11494851, 11494252, 11493001, 11492084, 11492070, 11491444, 11491274, 11488858, 11488027, 11487627, 11487416, 11487233, 11486150, 11484924, 11484526, 11484080, 11483948, 11483926, 11483739, 11483723, 11482773, 11482690, 11481077, 11480788, 11480294, 11480052, 11479338, 11479334, 11479252, 11479247, 11479187, 11479094, 11479048, 11478985, 11478953, 11478729, 11478216, 11476892, 11476282, 11470558, 11468994, 11467109, 11466294, 11462746, 11461217, 11456065, 11455367, 11444848, 11436419, 11436376, 11430685, 11428329, 11425083, 11421026, 11420738, 11420735, 11420298, 11418197, 11403926, 11397549, 11366991, 11366757, 11361016, 11359968, 11354569, 11352165, 11350344, 11348799, 11343929, 11343205, 11331947, 11329020, 11319596, 11310529, 11292271, 11288455, 11254787, 11253479, 11253244, 11234622, 11230669, 11230050, 11228240, 11221111, 11143630, 11129392 and 11120228.