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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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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

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2024
EnginePower Train

Originally, the car had Cylinder 2 misfire followed by the engine overheating. No crash, thankfully. have had this car for approximately 2 years, and put less than 30,000 miles on it. I took the car to Kings Ford Services where they discovered the engine block had been miscast resulting in engine coolant to enter cylinders 2 and…

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Originally, the car had Cylinder 2 misfire followed by the engine overheating. No crash, thankfully. have had this car for approximately 2 years, and put less than 30,000 miles on it. I took the car to Kings Ford Services where they discovered the engine block had been miscast resulting in engine coolant to enter cylinders 2 and 4, thus killing the engine. Spoke with Eric Hutton, Service Advisor Kings Ford Inc, (513)-683-0220 ext. 219, who said he has seen this happen multiple times with Ford Fusions and that the 1.5L has been recalled, but not the 2.0L which my car has. Per Kings Ford Repair Receipt: "Inspected the engine base part number to confirm it I'd 206 then with the engine at normal operating temperature, pressurized the cooling system to 20 PSI FOR 5 hours and the pressure dropped more than 4 PSK. Removed the spark plugs, used a borescope and found coolant has entered the cylinders. Removed the engine and replaced the long block assembly using all of the approved Ford gasket removers, parts cleaners, shampoo and metal surface prep wipes to clean all related mating surfaces per the workshop service manual. Also replaced all other related seals, gaskets, and non reusable hardware and reinstalled all components Removed for repairs in the reverse order of removal. Evachated, pulled system into vacuum, and recharged thr air conditioning system to service the engine assembly." I called Beechmont Ford who filed a claim with my warranty, but the warranty refused to aid and gave many excuses that were not true to the problem such as "it was a gasket issue not an engine" despite Mr. Hutton telling them multiple times it was the engine. I found out later their excuses were just that as Ford Inc. said the warranty expired within a year of having the car. They also had heard of this happening before, as well. Ford Inc. who was willing to pay a portion of the bill, $5,000, despite it being a manufacturing issue. Car was fixed and returned to me on 08/01/2024.

NHTSA ODI #11606488

116,000 miles · Jul 9, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the flex plate. The vehicle was not repaired. After inv…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the flex plate. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 22N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 116,000.

NHTSA ODI #11600608

79,225 miles · Jul 2, 2024
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced two years after purchasing the vehicle brand new. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and was significantly sluggish while the RPMs we…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced two years after purchasing the vehicle brand new. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and was significantly sluggish while the RPMs were significantly elevated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal. The power train and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while shifting to reverse(R), a message indicating that the transmission was in reverse(R) was displayed, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring increasingly. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and 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 assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 79,225.

NHTSA ODI #11598235

164,000 miles · Jun 18, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to shift between gear. The contact also stated that the vehicle automatically shifted into neutral and rolled backwards. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the transmission shift cable …

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to shift between gear. The contact also stated that the vehicle automatically shifted into neutral and rolled backwards. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the transmission shift cable bushing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000.

NHTSA ODI #11595128

Mileage unknown · May 14, 2024
Power Train

The flex plate is cracked at 87,000 miles and causing the vehicle to make a loud rattling noise near the bottom of the engine toward the back of the transmission. While driving the vehicle it drags while accelerating on turns and gives a hard shift in gears from park. The vehicle was inspected by Aamco transmission and several F…

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The flex plate is cracked at 87,000 miles and causing the vehicle to make a loud rattling noise near the bottom of the engine toward the back of the transmission. While driving the vehicle it drags while accelerating on turns and gives a hard shift in gears from park. The vehicle was inspected by Aamco transmission and several Ford dealers where i was told that this seems to be a common issue with the ford fusions according to several ford dealers but the ford manufacturer is refusing to place a recall for this matter. There is no warning indicating the issue is near or has occurred until the flex plate has already caused damage.

NHTSA ODI #11588808

Mileage unknown · May 5, 2024
Power Train

Upon shifting the gear to put the vehicle in park, the shifter automatically put itself in neutral and the parking brake enabled. A warning came on the dash, saying SHIFT SYS FAULT Service Required. A wrench light was illuminated as well. The bushing securing the shifting cable was gone, as if it crumbled to pieces. I have repla…

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Upon shifting the gear to put the vehicle in park, the shifter automatically put itself in neutral and the parking brake enabled. A warning came on the dash, saying SHIFT SYS FAULT Service Required. A wrench light was illuminated as well. The bushing securing the shifting cable was gone, as if it crumbled to pieces. I have replaced this bushing a few times within the last year.

NHTSA ODI #11587051

Mileage unknown · Apr 26, 2024
Power Train

Vehicle throws a system shift error when shifting vehicle. Due to loose transmission shift cable. Missing retention clip. Reported error on previous Ford fusion models. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11585453

89,000 miles · Apr 16, 2024
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the temperature gauge displayed that the engine was overheating. The transmission warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who related the failure to Custome…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the temperature gauge displayed that the engine was overheating. The transmission warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion) associated with the VIN; however, the mileage exceeded the warranty coverage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was advised to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

NHTSA ODI #11583352

Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2024
Power Train

Failed transmission. Hard shift from 2-3, and 4-5. Also transmission is slipping. Only 40,600 miles on the car. Car is a dealership for evaluation, they recommend replacing the transmission.

NHTSA ODI #11581384

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.