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.
Engine, Aug 4, 2022
Started noticing white smoke come from exhaust looked for a coolant leak and couldn’t see any. Was topping all fluids after oil change in July 2022 this is all when I started noticing the white smoke. Come to find out there is coolant intrusion in one of the cylinders. Talked to 3 master techs from different ford dealerships and they all had said that there is not amount of preventative maintenance that could have been done to try and stop the issue. If I would have known about issue before buying would not have bought the car. Ford says that if you replace the head gasket and there is no damage to from intrusion that the issue will happen again. But if you buy there new long block kit that will fix the issue. Not sure why this isn’t a recall when there was nothing that could have been done.
Power train, Aug 4, 2022
Car shifts and jerks between gears
Engine, Aug 3, 2022
At about 108,000 miles I had coolant intrusion into the engine. I was quoted $8,800 to replace the short block. My car was only worth $10,000 as quoted by CarMax so I will not be making the fix which is what most people with this issue are doing.
Steering, Aug 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, he became aware that the steering wheel was loose. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (Steering) which he linked to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
Service brakes, Aug 1, 2022
December 2021 right front brake hose failed. Was replaced. July 2022 left front brake line failed . in shop to be replaced. Brake failure puts all in vehicle at risk as well anyone in vehicle i was following. there was no warning just a "pop" and no breaks when pedal was pushed. December 2021 occurred at 87437 miles July 2022 occurred at 94040 miles this is a serious safety issue and needs to be addressed by NTSA. it is not the only report of this failure on this vehicle or vehicles of prior years and Ford Motor Company doesn't seem to care about the failure or the safety of their owners.
Other or unspecified, Jul 27, 2022
I bought a vehicle “as is” and the bumper keeps falling off. I went to go get it fixed a few different times and the last time I went to a mechanic and he told me not to order the parts that were necessary to fix the vehicle because it was a safety hazard to even drive around in it and can be deadly to anyone sitting in the back seat and that’s very unfortunate considering the fact that I always have my nieces and nephew with me. He also proceeded to say that the guy that sold me the vehicle should have never sold it to me or anyone for that matter. The guy that sold it to me refuses to refund me or replace the vehicle. I’ve been experiencing real bad anxiety since knowing that I’m riding in a safety hazardous vehicle. All I would like at this point is a refund because I’ve tried to go about this in a nice manner and the guy doesn’t even respond back to me anymore!
Wheels, Jul 27, 2022
I went to get oil changed and tires rotated. Expected to just pay for that. However, was told my lug nuts were swollen and ended up having to get them replaced as a safety issue. I have never heard of this issue before. I only have 50,000 miles on my car. I am retired, an have fixed income. Therefore, the price of $120 plus tax put quite the dent in my grocery allowance. This should be a recall. And all that have experienced this should be reimbursed. I have been a Ford owner all my life, but next car will be asking more questions about the lug nuts. Can't afford to do this every 4 or 5 years.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 26, 2022
The contact's mother owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. Additionally, the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the engine coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and turned off the vehicle. The contact restarted the vehicle and shifted to drive (D) however, the failure recurred. Additionally, the vehicle began to vibrate with an abnormal amount of exhaust coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the residence where an independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was a leak in the coolant system which caused coolant to leak into the exhaust system. The contact was not aware of what repair was performed. The contact stated a week later while driving the failure recurred. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired after the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine, Jul 25, 2022
Coolant leaking into engine. Engine light on. Engine needs to be replaced according to service center. Known issue with 2016 Ford fusions with 1.5L ecoboost engines. Safety at risk due to overheating.
Power train, Jul 23, 2022
When shifting in to any gear (reverse, neutral, drive, or speed), the shifter does not click into place. While shifting, the dash does not illuminate with the corresponding gear. The car stays in park regardless of acceleration being applied or not. This poses a safety hazard while driving as this can switch at any point, posing potential harm to other drivers as well. I am filling out this form prior to contacting the dealership. I am unsure at this time of the specific issue.
Wheels, Jul 22, 2022
Lug nuts are swelling and tires will not come off.
Back over prevention, Jul 21, 2022
When placing the vehicle in reverse, the backup camera image intermittently turns to a black screen with a message saying to contact the dealership.
Engine, Jul 21, 2022
Check engine light came on and code shown was for the turbo. I had the turbo replaced then check engine light came on again and it was showing missfire on a cylinder. This has been an ongoing battle with the turbo going out again because the engine is burning so much coolant. Recently I lost engine power driving on a main road and was almost hit from behind. This engine is flawed and should be illegal for it to be used in any vehicle. I have had nothing but trouble out of this car from the time I purchased it.
Engine, Jul 20, 2022
Vehicle has been diagnosed with water intrusion in cylinder #4. TSB from Ford shows an known issue that requires replacing the block. Even though my safety was not in question, this know problem should be up for a recall. Thank you.
Power train, Jul 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon the start of the vehicle, he attempted to shift the vehicle out of park(P) into drive(D); however, the gear shifter seized in the neutral(N). No warning lights were illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to his residence due to the failure. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer had been notified of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 19, 2022
Recall on the shift cable caused my vehicle to completely stop working/ moving while I was out with my son. No notification was ever giving to me in regards to this problem. This has caused so many issues, specially not given a rental car to be able to to move around. My vehicle is not drivable all because of a recall from Ford company. Ford refuses to provide a rental or any assistance. Being a single mother, Making it hard for me to go to work or even see my kids.
Latches/locks/linkages, Jul 18, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the dealer had previously replaced the passenger's side rear door latch assembly; however, the failure recurred on the passenger's side front door. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 17, 2022
Upon start up of the vehicle the vehicle sputtered . I would give it some gas and then a large grey cloud of smoke come out the exhaust.
Power train, Jul 17, 2022
My 2016 Ford Fusion Titanium with the 2.0 EcoBoost has 75k miles. A couple of days ago, it started misfiring on cylinder 1 while driving. The vehicle started jerking when trying to accelerate onto the interstate. White smoke started pouring out of the exhaust and the vehicle was violently shaking. The check engine light illuminated and started flashing. I was stranded on the interstate waiting for a tow truck as the vehicle wouldn't start after I turned it off. The shop the vehicle was taken to stated the was a crack on the engine block causing coolant to get into the cylinder. Now I have to pay over $6k out of pocket for a long block replacement. This is a common issue with EcoBoost engines, and now the consumers are stuck forking the cost of a replacement. Ford knows this is an issue... More importantly, the fact I was stranded on the interstate with people passing me doing 85 mph and the hazard that it caused it what infuriates me the most. I really hope somebody is able to get Ford to remedy this.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 40-50 MPH, the warning message "Vehicle Overheating" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road to allow the vehicle to cool down and the continued driving; however, the failure reoccurred several times while driving. Upon arriving at her residence and parking the vehicle, the contact noticed that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. The contact refilled coolant reservoir: however, upon attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The dealer advised the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under an unknown recall as the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic who provided the same diagnostic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.
Other or unspecified, Jul 12, 2022
The APAM system which controls the blue tooth speaker phone access has quit functioning and FORD offers no solution. This is a safety hazard since several states have outlawed holding a cell phone for calls. A vehicle this age should not have experienced this type of failure and the cost of repair is rather large.
Engine, Jul 12, 2022
The engine failed to start due to engine coolant leaking into the engine compartment. While this occurred while the vehicle was parked, the engine could have failed while driving and endangered the driver and any passengers. The problem has been confirmed by a Ford dealer as a complete engine failure requiring engine replacement outside of the warranty but too soon for normal wear and tear. There were warning lamps for overheating and engine misfiring.
Other or unspecified, Jul 12, 2022
After owning this fusion my dashboard is severely warping I’m assuming due to outside summer temperatures. It’s caused it to warp in a way that my windshield defroster is lacking to clear my windshield of any condensation, my HUD collision warning light and passenger airbag light are not being visible at all times when driving.
Engine, Jul 11, 2022
While driving all the coolant drains into the engine causing the engine to over heat. I have read many reviews about this same issue. While driving this happened to me and I had to pull over VERY quickly on a dual lane highway (very unsafe)! Almost got hit by a semi in the process of having to pull over twice! Contacted Ford many times and they stated this is not a recall and all expenses would have to be paid out of pocket! VERY UNHAPPY CONSUMER!
Power train, Other or unspecified, Jul 10, 2022
When we put the car into reverse there are times the transmission jerks a bit.