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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

Power Train complaints

106 reports
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81,000 miles · Mar 2, 2021
Air BagsPower TrainUnknown Or Other

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A WRENCH SENSOR POPPED UP ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR AND THE CAR STARTING DE-ACCELERATING AND SHAKING AND I HAD TO PULL OVER. I WENT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DIRTY SO THEY CLEANED IT AND THEY CLEARED THE CODE BUT IT RECENTLY HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES.…

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I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A WRENCH SENSOR POPPED UP ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR AND THE CAR STARTING DE-ACCELERATING AND SHAKING AND I HAD TO PULL OVER. I WENT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DIRTY SO THEY CLEANED IT AND THEY CLEARED THE CODE BUT IT RECENTLY HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES. WHEN IT HAPPENS IT MAKES THE CAR NOT ABLE TO START AS EASILY. IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT MAKES IT TO WHERE THE CAR WILL JUST NOT ACCELERATE AND IF YOU ARE ON THE HIGHWAY THERE ARE CARS FLYING RIGHT PAST YOU. THIS HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF 3 OR 4 TIMES.

NHTSA ODI #11398638

40,000 miles · Jan 29, 2021
Power TrainUnknown Or Other

GEAR DIAL STUCK IN PARK MODE. GEAR DIAL I WILL NOT MOVE. WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED THEN TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF AND TRYING OVER AND OVER I WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO GEAR. THIS LAST TIME THAT DIDN'T WORK. ATTEMPTED TO GET THE CAR IN NEUTRAL USING THE NEUTRAL OVERRIDE METHOD BUT IT FAILED. CAR HAD TO BE WENCHED ONTO THE TOEI…

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GEAR DIAL STUCK IN PARK MODE. GEAR DIAL I WILL NOT MOVE. WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED THEN TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF AND TRYING OVER AND OVER I WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO GEAR. THIS LAST TIME THAT DIDN'T WORK. ATTEMPTED TO GET THE CAR IN NEUTRAL USING THE NEUTRAL OVERRIDE METHOD BUT IT FAILED. CAR HAD TO BE WENCHED ONTO THE TOEING TRUCK WHILE STUCK IN GEAR. PROBLEM BEGAN OCCURRING AT 40,000 MILES. THE BATTERY IN THE CAR DIED FROM LEAVING THE LIGHTS ON AND THIS SEEMED TO 'RESET' THE PROBLEM AND NO ISSUES FOR 6 WEEKS. ORANGE WRENCH WARNING SIGN APPEARED AGAIN AND NOW THE CAR IS STUCK IN PARK AND HAVE TO TOW IT TO A FORD DEALER. I ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED THE BLUE ANTI THEFT LIGHT CONSTANTLY FLASHES. AFTER THE BATTERY DRAINED AND THE PROBLEM RESET THEN I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE LOCK BUTTON TWICE AND THIS IS WHEN THE BLUE LIGHY STARTED FLASHING AGAIN AND I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK MODE. WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT 40,000 MILES I WAS DRIVING THE INTERSTATE AND THE BLUE ANTI THEFT LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND THE CAR ALARM SOUNDED WHILE I WAS AT A 75 MPH SPEED. I HAD TO STOP THE CAR, TURN IT OFF, HIT THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON MY KEY FOB TO GET THE. ALARM TO STOP SOUNDING. I BELIEVE THE TWO ISSUES MAY BE RELATED AS THEY HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME. THE ORANGE WRENCH ONLY APPEARS WHEN THE CAR WILL NOT GO IN GEAR. WHEN THE CAR HAS EASILY GONE IN DEAR THE ORANGE WRENCH IS NOT PRESENT. AGAIN, I AM UNABLE TO ENGAGE THE NEUTRAL OVERRIDE BY USING THE KEY IN THE OVERRIDE SLOT. THE LIGHTS WILL FLASH ON THE DIAL BUT THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO NEUTRAL, IT REMAINS STUCK. I HAVE TRIED MANY TIMES AND HAD OTHERS TRY IT AS WELL SO I KNOW IT'S NOT USER ERROR. CAR ALARM GOES OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE.

NHTSA ODI #11390731

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2021
Power Train

2018 FORD FUSION. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, SIDE ROADS, AND THROUGH TOWN A ORANGE/ YELLOW WRENCH SYMBOL WOULD POP UP WITH 'SEE MANUAL.' LOOKED IN MANUAL AND SAID POWERTRAIN/ ENGINE FAULT. GOT THE VEHICLE SCANNED AT A SHOP AND CAME UP BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK(BTSI). THE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF. BEEN TOLD MANY PEOPLE HAVE…

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2018 FORD FUSION. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, SIDE ROADS, AND THROUGH TOWN A ORANGE/ YELLOW WRENCH SYMBOL WOULD POP UP WITH 'SEE MANUAL.' LOOKED IN MANUAL AND SAID POWERTRAIN/ ENGINE FAULT. GOT THE VEHICLE SCANNED AT A SHOP AND CAME UP BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK(BTSI). THE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF. BEEN TOLD MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS COMPLAINT AND STILL NO RECALL. GUY AT THE SHOP TOLD ME THEIR SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THEM AS HE THOUGHT IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS THEIR WAS. LOOKED IT UP AND BY WHAT IT SAYS ONLINE, THAT IT BASICALLY KEEPS IT FROM SHIFTING OUT OF PARK WHILE FOOT IS NOT ON BRAKE.

NHTSA ODI #11386925

66 miles · Sep 15, 2020
EnginePower Train

2018 FORD FUSION SE 1.5L ECOBOOST 66K MILES- 8/27/2020 I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE MY CAR FELT AS IF IT WERE GOING TO STALL OUT, VERY ROUGH SHAKY IDLE, AND IDLING AT 800 OR LESS RPMS. ON GREEN, I ATTEMPTED TO GO AND MY CAR WAS HAVING TROUBLE ACCELERATING, AGAIN FEELING AS IF IT WAS GOIN…

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2018 FORD FUSION SE 1.5L ECOBOOST 66K MILES- 8/27/2020 I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE MY CAR FELT AS IF IT WERE GOING TO STALL OUT, VERY ROUGH SHAKY IDLE, AND IDLING AT 800 OR LESS RPMS. ON GREEN, I ATTEMPTED TO GO AND MY CAR WAS HAVING TROUBLE ACCELERATING, AGAIN FEELING AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL DUE TO LITTLE POWER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS FLASHING THEN WOULD STAY LIT, FLASHING EVERY SO OFTEN. AIR CONDITIONING WOULD GO IN AND OUT WARM TO COLD AND IT WAS ROUGH AND SHAKY TRYING TO GET THE CAR TO GO. I TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE IMMEDIATELY WHERE I GOT THE P0302 READING INVOLVING IGNITION COILS AND SPARK PLUGS. WE REPLACED ALL 4 PLUGS AND COIL PACKS THAT NIGHT AND THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND THE CAR WAS STILL IDLING ROUGH AND HAVING TROUBLE ACCELERATING. TOOK CAR TO A MECHANIC SHOP 8/29/2020 WHERE IT WAS LOOKED AT 8/30/2020. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS FOR SURE CYLINDER 2 MISFIRE AND THAT THE SPARK PLUG WAS COVERED IN OIL (WHICH WAS BRAND NEW COILS, NO OIL WHEN THEY WERE REPLACED JUST DAYS BEFORE). HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT AT 9/1/2020 AND IT WAS INSPECTED THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE VERDICT WAS VERTICAL SCORING PRESENT ON CYLINDER WALLS IN CONSISTENT WITH PISTON AND PISTON RING CAUSING OIL CONSUMPTION AND PRESSURE LOSS; NEEDS A NEW LONG BLOCK. THIS WAS NOTHING I HAD DONE TO THE VEHICLE, NO PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE, UP TO DATE ON ALL OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE BUT MY WARRANTY HAD RAN OUT. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO MANY 1.5 L ECOBOOST ENGINES AND FORD IS AWARE OF THE DEFAULT IN THE ENGINE. THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE BEFORE I TOOK POSSESSION OF THE CAR. THERE IS REPROGRAMMING OF SOFTWARE TO BANDAID THE PROBLEM BUT NOW THIS IS MY PROBLEM THEY WANT ME TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR.

NHTSA ODI #11355165

Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 2020
Power Train

ON 3/6/2020 WE TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALERSHIP. THEY PERFORMED OIL CHANGE AND REPROGRAMMED PCM DUE TO RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED ON MY VEHICLE. 2 DAYS LATER WE STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH GAS MILEAGE SENSOR. DEALERSHIP TO US TO RESET. VEHICLE CONTINUE TO HAVE USSUES WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON, NOW WE HAVE PARASITIC DRAIN. CAR WONT STAR…

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ON 3/6/2020 WE TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALERSHIP. THEY PERFORMED OIL CHANGE AND REPROGRAMMED PCM DUE TO RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED ON MY VEHICLE. 2 DAYS LATER WE STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH GAS MILEAGE SENSOR. DEALERSHIP TO US TO RESET. VEHICLE CONTINUE TO HAVE USSUES WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON, NOW WE HAVE PARASITIC DRAIN. CAR WONT START. WE HAVE GOTTEN JUMP START NEXT DAY VEHUCLE WONT START. WE WERE TOLD BATTERY IS GOOD. ISSUE IS WITH MODULE. I WENT THROUGH ON LAST FORD VEHICLE AND AFTER 4 REPAIRS, SPENDING OUT OF POCKET THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THEY NEVER FIXED FORD FOCUS SO I PURCHASED FORD FUSION AND NOW THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. IT ALSO MAY LOUD SOUND DURING JUMP START. VEHICLE HAS BEEN DISABLED SINCE 3/27/2020.

NHTSA ODI #11319661

Mileage unknown · May 22, 2019
Power Train

CHANGES GEARS ON ITS OWN EXAMPLE-AFTER GETTING IN THE CAR PUTTING SEAT BELT ON, PUTTING FOOT ON BRAKE AND STARTING THE CAR, PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE,CHECKING MIRRORS USING THE BACKUP CAMERA I LOOK ONE MORE TIME. I WAS IN A BUSY PARKING LOT. LET MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE WHEN IT WENT INTO PARK. AN OTHER TIME WAS AT THE BANK I PUT THE …

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CHANGES GEARS ON ITS OWN EXAMPLE-AFTER GETTING IN THE CAR PUTTING SEAT BELT ON, PUTTING FOOT ON BRAKE AND STARTING THE CAR, PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE,CHECKING MIRRORS USING THE BACKUP CAMERA I LOOK ONE MORE TIME. I WAS IN A BUSY PARKING LOT. LET MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE WHEN IT WENT INTO PARK. AN OTHER TIME WAS AT THE BANK I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO GET CLOSER TO THE WINDOW THEN TO GET CLOSER I PUT CAR IN DRIVE IT WENT BACK TO PARK. AN OTHER TIME I HAD PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY STOP TO PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN IT WENT BACK TO PARK. EVERY TIME SOMETHING WENT WRONG IT GO BACK TO PARK. I WAS JUST SETTING IN THE CAR ONCE WITH MY FRIEND THAT I WAS SHOWING HER MY CAR WHEN THE PARK FLASHED IT ALSO HAPPEN TO ME WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT SOMETHING AT THE BANK WHEN THE PARK LIGHT FLASHED. THE DAY I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER SERVICE TO TELL THEM I DIDN'T,WANT TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY MORE I WAS TALKING TO THE SALEPERSON THAT HELP SALE THE CAR TO ME, HE TOLD ME MOVE THE TO NEXT LANE SO THE SERVICE PEOPLE COULD LOOK AT IT AGAIN WHEN THE GEARSHIFT MOVE IN MY HAND.I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES. ONE MANGER EVEN TOLD ME TO GO TO A DR.FOR HEAD BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. FORD IS HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THEIR CARS A LOT WITH THE GEARS SHIFT TOO. WHAT IF SOMETHING GO WRONG WHEN I AM GOING 60 TO 70 MILES DEATH! SHOW HER MY CAR WHEN THE PARK LIGHT FLASHED I REALLY AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. AS FOR THE DATE YOU ASK FOR BELOW. IT HAS HAPPEN TIME MANY TIMES SINCE DEC 2018 ALSO ON CITY STREETS, AT HOME AND IN PARKING LOT. ALSO IN MOTION

NHTSA ODI #11209160

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.