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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

What owners actually said

438 reports
148,000 miles · Oct 28, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was running rough, jerking, and shaking. The transmission and coolant temperature warning lights were illuminated. The message "Engine Overheating - Reduced Power" was displayed, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. Th…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was running rough, jerking, and shaking. The transmission and coolant temperature warning lights were illuminated. The message "Engine Overheating - Reduced Power" was displayed, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was coolant intrusion in the engine, a blown head gasket, and a cracked engine block. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.

NHTSA ODI #11696086

Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 2025
Back Over PreventionElectrical SystemUnknown Or Other

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The APIM (Accessory Protocol Interface Module) appears to have failed. The vehicle's infotainment/play screen is completely blank and unresponsive. This module controls key systems including climate control, navigation, hands-free …

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What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The APIM (Accessory Protocol Interface Module) appears to have failed. The vehicle's infotainment/play screen is completely blank and unresponsive. This module controls key systems including climate control, navigation, hands-free calling, and the backup camera. The component is available for inspection if needed. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This failure compromises several safety-critical functions. I am unable to adjust climate settings, use GPS navigation, make hands-free emergency calls, or see through the backup camera. These features are essential for safe driving, especially in adverse weather or while reversing. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not yet confirmed by a dealer, but the issue has been consistent. I have attempted both soft and hard resets, and verified the fuses are good. All symptoms point to an APIM failure. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No formal inspection has been done by the manufacturer, police, or insurance. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lamps or messages. The issue started intermittently about two months ago. Resets worked temporarily, but the screen is now completely unresponsive.

NHTSA ODI #11694300

Mileage unknown · Oct 16, 2025
Engine

Engine replaced due to flaw in design. I had my 60,000-mile service done and after it was completed, I started having serious issues with my vehicle. Kept getting check engine light cylinder 2 misfire. I took my Fusion back to the dealership, and they advised me that my engine had to be replaced. Apparently when they put my…

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Engine replaced due to flaw in design. I had my 60,000-mile service done and after it was completed, I started having serious issues with my vehicle. Kept getting check engine light cylinder 2 misfire. I took my Fusion back to the dealership, and they advised me that my engine had to be replaced. Apparently when they put my vehicle under pressure during the service it caused the coolant to leak into my engine. I have researched this and found many complaints with the same problem. Unfortunately, the owners of the other Fusions (like me) found out their vehicle was no longer under warranty, and they had to foot the entire bill. Luckly for me, I had purchased the Ford Extended Warranty, and my out-pocket pocket is $100. I was told by the dealership that Ford is aware of this issue but has not issued a recall. My service advisor was absolutely shocked when Ford authorized the necessary repairs in a couple hours berceuse it normally takes a few days to get authorization. I have owned this car since it was new and have always kept up with the required maintenance. They gave me a rental vehicle and said it would be about 7 days before the repairs are completed.

NHTSA ODI #11693749

Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 2025
Unknown Or Other

Went to back up to park . The shifter would not properly work kept going back to park .I couldn't get it into neutral to push it. No warnings. Had to 1st pay for towing from where it happened to a parking space. Then called roadside service to take it to Bay Lincoln in Panama Beach.i will send the results from dealership. It cou…

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Went to back up to park . The shifter would not properly work kept going back to park .I couldn't get it into neutral to push it. No warnings. Had to 1st pay for towing from where it happened to a parking space. Then called roadside service to take it to Bay Lincoln in Panama Beach.i will send the results from dealership. It could of been real serious and caused a bad accident maybe even death. I know ford had a recall on a earlier model fusion for shifter cable. If it's the same issue I want reimbursement.

NHTSA ODI #11692736

Mileage unknown · Oct 3, 2025
Electrical System

Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) malfunction. Causing sluggish response when attempting to accelerate which has nearly caused an accident on multiple occasions. Other vehicles near the date of manufacture of this vehicle are reported having the same symptoms including potential for fire. There is a recall on similar ve…

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Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) malfunction. Causing sluggish response when attempting to accelerate which has nearly caused an accident on multiple occasions. Other vehicles near the date of manufacture of this vehicle are reported having the same symptoms including potential for fire. There is a recall on similar vehicles: Fusion Energi Recall Issued: 2019-2020 - BECM Fire Risk (NHTSA: 23V440, Ford: 23S33) NHTSA Reference: NEF-107DM 23V-440 The date range of vehicles affected most likely needs to be modified to include vehicles manufactured earlier than December 2017. My vehicle, in particular, was manufactured in August 2017 and exhibits the same BECM issue, however, is not currently included in the recall.

NHTSA ODI #11691275

84,112 miles · Sep 16, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine with white smoke coming from the exhaust system, with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the message “Service Vehicle Soon” was displayed. The vehicle was take…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine with white smoke coming from the exhaust system, with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the message “Service Vehicle Soon” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty due to coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 84,112.

NHTSA ODI #11687692

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2025
Engine

Coolant is leaking into the cylinders and causing overheating and no start.

NHTSA ODI #11686629

73,000 miles · Aug 20, 2025
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle was idling roughly with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who suggested that the spark plugs be replaced and a tune-up be performed based on the mileage. The dealer performed the spark plug replacement and tune…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle was idling roughly with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who suggested that the spark plugs be replaced and a tune-up be performed based on the mileage. The dealer performed the spark plug replacement and tune-up, and the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated; however, the vehicle was still idling roughly. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the rear brakes and rear brake rotors needed to be replaced due to a brake fluid leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall or special programs for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

NHTSA ODI #11681793

Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2025
EngineFuel/propulsion System

I would like to respectfully request that my 2018 Ford Fusion, with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine, be considered for inclusion in the customer satisfaction programs related to the engine issues I'm experiencing. Despite my vehicle not being initially listed, the problems I've encountered, including the diagnostic trouble code P0302 a…

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I would like to respectfully request that my 2018 Ford Fusion, with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine, be considered for inclusion in the customer satisfaction programs related to the engine issues I'm experiencing. Despite my vehicle not being initially listed, the problems I've encountered, including the diagnostic trouble code P0302 and the coolant leak into cylinder #2, suggest that it may be suffering from a similar defect or design flaw that the program aims to address. Given the safety risks associated with the current condition of my vehicle, I believe it would be fair and reasonable to include it in the program and provide the necessary repairs or replacements to ensure the vehicle is safe to operate. I would appreciate your assistance in facilitating this process and exploring options for resolving this issue in a manner consistent with the treatment of similar vehicles.

NHTSA ODI #11681721

59,851 miles · Aug 8, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after the engine was replaced, there was an abnormally loud banging sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with a cracked engine flex plate. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer …

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after the engine was replaced, there was an abnormally loud banging sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with a cracked engine flex plate. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 59,851.

NHTSA ODI #11679360

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.