2016 Ford Fusion
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 1,705 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 15 Fusion model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 61 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 32 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, manual transmissionJun 9, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Campaign 26V376000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraOct 13, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
Campaign 25V695000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchNov 17, 2023
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015 Fiesta, 2016 Fusion, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component inside the door latches may break, which can make it difficult to latch or possibly allow the doors to open while driving.
Vehicle doors opening unexpectedly while driving can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect the door latch date codes and if necessary, replace all four side door latches, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-177.
Campaign 23V775000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsMar 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.
A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 23V162000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl)Jun 10, 2022
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Campaign 22V413000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchMar 23, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fiesta, 2014-2016 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Ford will notify owners, and Ford or Lincoln dealers will replace the side door latches, free of charge. The recall began September 21, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15.
Campaign 20V177000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemAug 29, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.
Campaign 19V632000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, lever and linkage, floor shiftMay 13, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles equipped with 2.5 liter engines. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S16. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made. This recall is an expansion of 18V471.
Campaign 19V362000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, lever and linkage, floor shiftJul 16, 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S20. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.
Campaign 18V471000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, steering wheel/handle barMar 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.
A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 18V167000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, frontDec 5, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured November 2, 2012, to July 31, 2014, and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 14, 2012, to July 31, 2014. In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pretensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail.
If the driver or front passenger seatbelt cables cannot properly restrain the front seat occupants, they would be at an increased risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable, free of charge. The recall began May 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S42.
Campaign 16V875000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, front, anchorageApr 27, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured from March 10, 2016, through March 16, 2016. The front driver seat track assembly's rear riser may have been improperly welded to the seat track rail, and as a result, the driver may not be adequately restrained in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 207, "Seating Systems" and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
An improperly welded driver seat riser may fail to adequately restrain the driver during crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford quarantined the affected vehicles at dealerships prior to their sale. Dealers will replace the front driver seat track rail, free of charge. The recall began on May 19, 2016. Ford's number for this recall is 16C05.
Campaign 16V250000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storageOct 1, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 13, 2015, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a fuel tank that may have insufficent wall thickness. As a result, the fuel tanks may crack in the event of a crash and thus the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
A fuel tank that cracks may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C11.
Campaign 15V618000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
1,705 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Feb 8, 2023
Electronic systems in my car just slowly stopped working
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 7, 2023
I've had my ford for almost a year and found that coolant was getting into my engine and causing it to overheat and went to get it checked out at a Ford dealership only for them to tell me I would have to buy a new engine I can't afford. I've been looking online at all the problems that could arise if I don't switch the engine like the car starting on fire in hot summer days and can't afford to buy a new car as I had to get a loan for it and can't even drive it much for worry of anything happening. It's my main source of transportation to work and without it I could lose my job. I can't afford to get a new car and another loan for that as well while paying for my ford's loan. I've tried to do research for a recall on the engine but nothing seems to be showing up and I don't know what to do but just keep driving the car and continuously filling the coolant waiting for the day my engine fails on me or it starts on fire and maybe my insurance will cover the costs. I really enjoy the car and have had other ford's before but for the dealership to sell me a car that would fail on me and have me pay more for an engine is not right. This isn't okay and I'm in a situation I can't get out of without being put more into debt with getting more loans.
Latches/locks/linkages, Feb 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the driver’s side rear door had malfunctioned and failed to lock securely. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the door was replaced. The failure reoccurred on the driver’s side door. The vehicle was returned to the dealer and diagnosed with a similar failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.
Exterior lighting, Feb 1, 2023
The brake lights stay on even after the car has been turned off. There was no warning. The brake bushing? had to be replaced. This is a known problem of 2012 - 2015 models and I believe 2016 has the same issue.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jan 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH in a parking lot, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond and went onto the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal failed to respond after several attempts. The contact engaged the electronic parking brake and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the front brake flexible hose needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 22N02. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the local dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.
Air bags, Engine, Jan 25, 2023
The airbag sensor keeps popping on and off in the car… Also, the car is not shifting properly between gears… There is supreme hesitation involved.. there is so much noise coming from the steering column and/or the airbag system.. just out of the blue
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jan 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic due to brake failure. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the front driver’s side rubber brake hose was torn, causing brake fluid to leak. The contact stated that all brake hoses were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 163,619.
Power train, Jan 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The contact stated that moments later the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was not available.
Engine, Jan 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the engine started to misfire, and the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the power steering and brakes functioned as needed. The contact was able to pull over safely. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle after numerous attempts however, the RPM’s were fluctuating. The contact stated that the engine was idling rough for about 15 minutes. The contact stated that the misfire and stalling failure were intermittent but were more frequent during cold weather starts. The contact had not taken the vehicle to be diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact had been advised over the phone by a manufacturer’s representative that the failure was known and diagnosed in Technical Service Bulletin Number: 192139. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
Air bags, Jan 4, 2023, crash
Air bags failed to deploy during a roll over accident. Vehicle is in the possession on State Farm insurance.
Engine, Jan 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was flashing on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that the vehicle was losing coolant very quickly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine, Dec 31, 2022
Two days ago on 12/29/22 I noticed white smoke coming from tailpipe. Later that day noticed the coolant level very low. Later on that day started the vehicle and it violently shuttered for about 5 or 6 seconds after starting. This same thing had happened to my daughter the day before. On 12/30/22 was at mechanics discussing catalytic converter issue due to an alarm and he noticed the smoke. I told him about the low coolant level and the violent starting. He said these motors (1.5l Ecoboost) are notorious for having a cracked cylinder wall and that I probably had that or a blown head gasket. He said he determined this due to the white exhaust smoke and smell and the coolant level being low and the violent startups. I came home and began online research. There are thousands of these claims on these motors as well as a lawsuit against Ford, which my vehicle falls into.
Engine, Dec 29, 2022
Flex Plates in Ford Fusions with EcoBoost engines are continuously breaking. They have a recall issued for Ford Edge 2016 with the same engine as Ford Fusion 2016 but none for the Fire Fusion. Once these break you can lose power while driving which can be extremely dangerous if on a highway. There is clearly an issue with the flex plates used and a recall should be issued to fix these.
Engine, Dec 28, 2022
I took my 2016 Fusion in to have the timing belt changed after crossing the recommended 125,000 miles. I received a call from the head mechanic telling me that they had halted all work due to evidence of coolant leaking into the engine. He told me that this was a common defect/design flaw found in these cars that Ford has yet to issue a recall on. He then quoted me an exorbitant number for complete engine replacement. A number I cannot afford. Another Fusion was in their bay that day with exactly the same problem. They had already extracted the engine from it and showed me the area of the engine that was so poorly designed. I took photos, as it was the same engine in my vehicle. The channels for coolant to flow between cylinders in the block were made too large, thus causing the block walls to become compromised, allowing coolant to flow INTO the block, which will eventually seize the engine, which is terrible dangerous and costly. There were no signs that this was occurring with my engine (not lights, not driving issues that I am aware of as a layman). Missing coolant was likely refilled during my oil changes, and no one informed me that my coolant was always low. After looking up the problem online, I found a HUGE community of Ford owners (not just Fusion owners) who have or have had the same problem with the EcoBoost engine. Thousands. Perhaps millions. This MUST be remedied. There are outstanding lawsuits that have not yet been resolved, and I will likely be joining one of the Class Actions if something is not done soon.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Dec 22, 2022
Received a mssg on the car panel that car temp was too high & this vehicle was in the shop for several weeks back in July for something related to the engine.
Wheels, Dec 22, 2022
I had a flat tire. When I went to get the lug nut wrench it was not there. Since this was the first time that I removed the spare tire and the lug nut wrench was not there it appears as though the car never came with one. I called AAA and they had to destroy the outer coating of the lug nut in order to remove it as it seemed to have swollen 1/2 size. I took the car to my service provider and he said that all of the lug nuts were the same and no wrench would fit them. I had to have all lug nuts replaced with ones the correct size and I had to buy a new Lug Wrench to make up for the one I never got. The total cost was $337.02 which I would like Ford to compensate me for.
Other or unspecified, Dec 20, 2022
I've noticed that coolant is leaking from somewhere in the vehicle. There's no obvious drips. I went online to see if anyone else had this issue with the specific model car and it seems as if quite a few people have had this issue. And from what I saw most people said the coolant is leaking into their cylinders. It was actually suggested that I come to this site and make this issue known because a recall is in order if that is the case. Also the recall that was listed for this vehicle before this page was never addressed or fixed on my vehicle. I would like to know how to go about getting it done.
Latches/locks/linkages, Dec 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the driver's side front door latch was inoperable. The driver's side front door failed to close as designed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V177000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The manufacturer was contacted and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
Electrical system, Dec 19, 2022
Temporarily Lost communication with the Climate System. When this error appears on the dash the following doesn’t work: AC and Heat are shut off completely. None of the controls on the bottom half of the center console panel work. This includes the heated seats, radio knobs, or any climate control button, rear defrost doesn’t work. The climate control quadrant, the lower right, on the touch screen doesn’t work. The outside temperature doesn’t work. The control buttons on the door don’t work, can’t adjust mirrors, seat recalls or control the windows. When there is no AC and can’t lower the windows, this is very bad in the summer can cause heat stroke. Bad in the winter can’t keep the windows free of ice. Happens very sporadically, even while driving it turns off. So far, the trouble shooting seems to indicate a wiring harness under the driver seat as the problem. Numerous owners have reported this problem. The dealers have not been able to resolve the issue. Even after paying 1000s of dollars.
Other or unspecified, Dec 19, 2022
This past July my front passenger door would not latch, I was unable to close and secure the door. I called San Tan Ford, and they initially said this was a known problem with my make and model and that there was a recall on the door latches. When I went down to have the repair I was told that my particular car was not included in this recall, even though they agreed I had the exact door latch failure. I went ahead and had the door latches repaired at my own cost since I had no way to keep my door closed and locked. Would like to be reimbursed for this cost $828.63 and need to be sure that anyone else who has my make and model of car be aware of this being a problem for them as well. If you are not able to help, would appreciate being directed to someone who could. Thank you
Engine, Dec 15, 2022
Engine coolant leaking from the head gasket due to poor engine design. Safety of passengers in and outside the vehicle. Vehicle was running hot and possibly could have caused A major malfunction and blew the engine. This has been confirmed by a dealership and an independent service dealer. The check engine light only threw codes for a cylinder 2 misfire. After replacing all spark plug. the problem of the leaking coolant was then noticed without a warning light.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was overheating. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that there was no coolant in the reservoir. The contact added coolant to the reservoir. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic stated that cylinder #2 misfired and the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 77,200.
Other or unspecified, Dec 10, 2022
Trunk will just randomly open. Parked with no keys in it. Also when driving down the road.
Power train, Dec 8, 2022
Flex plate “Flywheel” has been replaced 3 times due to cracking. First time replaced the end of 2021 the two other replacements have occurred in 2022. There is a re-call for the same issue but only on the 1.5L and 1.6L Ford Escape Ecoboost. This recall should have been across all models with these motors. This issue causes a safety hazard due to motor running rough and loosing power and stalling while operating. Nov 21, September 22 and December 22 months of occurrence.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 5, 2022
The drivers side sun visor will fall down in front of my face when I try to adjust it. It will dangle from its wires on the left side (main pivot point). This is very dangerous when it happens while driving. It cannot be put back in its place without stopping the car and repositioning it back in the whole that it fell out of. And it Will fall out again when moved. It has happened several times to me and my wife.