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, Mar 28, 2022
My son was driving home from work and his engine overheated setting off steam and displaying red warning icon. He pulled over to side of interstate which happened three times from his work to independent car repair service. Blessed he was not hit sitting on side of interstate or that engine didn't lock up potentially causing loss of control. Both of these issues would have put my son at risk of death or bodily injuries. Both Independent Car Service and Ford Dealership confirmed failure caused by engine head gasket flange design flaw allowing coolant into cylinder head. This resulted in having to have the engine replaced which Ford declined to cover. Ford has recently changed this flawed head gasket flange design to prevent coolant from entering cylinders. It's difficult for me to understand why Ford or NHTSA hasn't taken action on this issue that can potentially put lives at risk. There are multiple years of Ford Vehicle platforms and engines that have this same faulty design. I have multiple children driving and I will make sure not to put them in a vehicle that puts them in potential harm. Regards
Latches/locks/linkages, Mar 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while parked in a parking lot, the latch inside the door failed to latch securely and the door failed to close as needed. The contact drove to a local mechanic and the vehicle was diagnosed with a faulty interior door latch. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 73,540.
Steering, Mar 25, 2022
Hello, I was driving towards the hotel I was staying at when I heard some squeaky noises when I was turning my car (this was at night). The next day, I was leaving the parking garage, about to drive onto a main road when my power steering went. I got the car towed to the auto dealership and it turns out that there are three recalls out on my car. One of which has to do with the steering bolts becoming corroded and the steering gear detaching and the the power steering going as a result. Yet the dealership is saying that the bolts are not corded so it is an internal issue. My car only has 66k miles on it … for the power steering to go while you are driving is very scary. It seems like this is a common issue and Ford is avoiding the issue with the steering gear by blaming it on just the bolts to the steering gear. The codes that the dealer said were being thrown are as follows: u0420:00 u0420:86 C102d
Fuel system, Gasoline, Mar 24, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed with the fuel tank half-full, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure reoccurred after refueling the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Other or unspecified, Mar 21, 2022
I was driving on the highway and as I was making a turn on an off-ramp, my passenger side door swung open and almost hit a person on a bike. I immediately pulled over to check on the young man. As I tried to secure the door, it appears the door will not latch and secure itself. The door was latched and secured. I had no warning lights or notifications. The door latch just gave way and stopped working.
Power train, Mar 18, 2022
At a fuel stop I put shifter into park and turned off engine. When refueling was completed car would not come out of park. Dash shift indicator showed car was in neutral. Car was towed to local Ford dealer where inspection showed shifter cable had detached from transmission. The Ford dealer service department repaired the issue by replacing shift cable bushing (part number DG9Z*7K340*A) and cap (part number DG9Z*7S004*A). It is unknown if the replaced parts are available for inspection since I do not know if the service department retained them. It is unknown if components have been inspected by others. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. After researching this problem this appears to be the same issue that prompted a recall of the 2016 Ford Fusion with 2.5L engine.
Steering, Mar 16, 2022
steering wheel attachment bolt came loose
Seat belts, Mar 10, 2022
A number of times last summer when really hot with the car out in the sun, the driver side seat belt would not pull open enough to allow buckling. One time I had just enough room to buckle, but it was a very tight and uncomfortable restraint. Must be the spring retracting mechanism? Was fine all fall and winter, but can’t risk not being repaired/replaced.
Seat belts, Mar 10, 2022
Driver front seat belt locks into position making it difficult to pull out. It also gets locked once the seatbelt is in place. This is an ongoing problem and happens whether the vehicle is on or off.
Engine, Mar 10, 2022
My vehicle is currently overheating. As I started checking and inspecting my car I noticed leaks into my cylinders. I went online and notices many forms of discussion as Ford owners requesting a class action to resolve this issue. This can be very expensive as I may have to repair my motor.
Other or unspecified, Mar 9, 2022
While driving to get into an Interstate Highway, the car key was tapped and suddenly the car engine shut off, panel blacked out and showed a message “ Transmission not in park”. Tried to accelerate and was not able since car was already moving I had enough acceleration to pull over if not probably i would cause an accident.
Engine, Mar 8, 2022
I had a check engine light appear on the dash. I took the vehicle to AutoZone to have the warning read. The reading came back as a misfiring spark plug. I had an appointment to get the spark plugs changed during my next oil change. A few days after I had the engine light read, the check engine light turned off. It was off for 1-2 days and then came back on. A few days later, while I was driving, I had a warning light that the vehicle was overheating. I pulled over and checked the coolant and the reservoir was empty. There were no signs of leaking coolant (externally). I let the vehicle cool and added coolant. At this point, I tried to start the vehicle and the vehicle wouldn't start. I had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic to have it looked at. They indicated that the coolant was leaking into the engine and recommended having the vehicle towed to Ford for a detailed diagnosis. Ford diagnosed the vehicle and indicated that the engine needed to be replaced. All within a span of 10 days.
Power train, Mar 7, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V362000 (Power train) and the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for recall repair; however, the local dealer informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle because the vehicle was not affected by the recall. The contact stated that a year later, the vehicle started lunging forward while shifting into drive. Additionally, the contact stated that the gear shifter would emit vibrating sounds and the vehicle would shudder while driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had increased in intensity and frequency. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer and the manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine, Mar 7, 2022
This engine needs to be recalled. Ford shame on you. You know there is a problem with the coolant and by not taking care of the people who were deceived in buying your vehicle is so horrible
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 5, 2022
I had a brake hose blow out to the right front caliper causing failure of the brake system. Luckily I was driving in a parking lot at low speed so no injuries or damages occurred but this can cause serious injuries or death if the circumstances had been different. As a professional mechanic I have not seen brake hoses fail this quickly, the car is only 6 years old and has been well maintained. There were no signs of damage to the hose. I'm reporting this in case this is possibly a defective part which would put other drivers at risk.
Other or unspecified, Back over prevention, Mar 3, 2022
Driver side safety door lock latch gave out and door does not close to lock. Door opened in the middle of traffic. Used a rope to tie door closed in inside but door ajar light comes on still. Will not lock closed. They have recalls on this same problem just not my vehicle even though it’s the same part. Safety Rear left cross traffic sensor just gave out and flashes code on dash now. Will not sense vehicle approaching on drivers side now as well.
Power train, Feb 28, 2022
We have a 2016 Ford Fusion. We’ve already had major engine work done on it by the dealership about 2 years ago. Then about a year later, the transmission wouldn’t go into gear. We took it in to have looked at and they said that the bushings failed and the shifter cable detached from the transmission. They charged us 184.00 and sent us on our way. They failed to tell us that this can damage the transmission cause now a year later they are telling me I need a new transmission on a 2016 Ford Fusion. This is the 2nd Ford Fusion I’ve had that had a transmission go early. I’ve also had a F-150 with Transmission problems. I was assured that they fixed the problems from the older years when I purchased this new from The dealer. The Ford Fusion has had a recall on the shifter cable and knew that it was going to cause problems down the road and didn’t say anything. I shouldn’t have to pay 6,000 dollars for a new transmission when they knew this was going to happen after the shifter cable disengaged from the transmission
Power train, Feb 22, 2022
Shift cable broke. clip broke and end of cable.
Wheels, Feb 22, 2022
Took car in for service. The technician said my lug nuts are swollen. Wanted $180.00 to replace. Ford service technician said it was due to Ford using a 2 peice lug nut.
Engine, Feb 22, 2022
On February 20, 2022 I was driving down a busy road when my car out of nowhere just started jerking and would not accelerate. I was stuck in the middle of the road while cars had to slam on breaks and go around me. My car would not move. I had to then turn my car off and restart it in order to get it to a parking lot for safety. I didn't have, and still don't have any warning lights on the dashboard that indicated anything was wrong or going on with my vehicle. I had to have it towed to my mechanic who confirmed my transmission was "shot". It was done. I have always kept up on maintenance and oil changes on my car.
Steering, Feb 16, 2022
While we were driving all dashboard lights came on and the power steering stooped working. This car had only 37841 miles, the shop had to replace complete steering gear/electronic
Power train, Feb 16, 2022
I put my car in park and it stayed in drive even though I remove the key and there was no chime or warning. It would roll away unless the emergency break was applied. it seems to be the same exact issue as recall numbers: 18S20, 19S16 and 18V471.
Steering, Feb 15, 2022
On Saturday Feb 5th, while driving our vehicle on the highway, the steering wheel started coming loose. By the time we parked the car in our driveway, the steering wheel was rocking in all directions at an inch. We had the steering wheel bolt replaced in 2018, because of this part being recalled. After being towed to a dealership, their claim is that it was caused by the bolt not being properly torqued during the recall. That seems unlikely, due to the time that has passed.
Engine, Feb 12, 2022
Check engine light came on but no symptoms at that point. Mechanic pulled codes and replaced plugs. Car started skipping and starting harder, so brought in again. Replaced coil on cyl 4. And also used fuel cleaner in case fuel injector was clogged. Still no change except that the heat was not working. After a week or so. Called mechanic who said it sounded like coolant may be low so filled it and made appt. To replace fuel injector. Replaced that and noticed that coolant was low again. Star still skipping and starting hard. Brought it back and he mentioned coolant may be leaking into cylinder and they’d check if gasket blown/cracked. I expressed frustration and asked if I should bring to Ford. He said yes and actually reimbursed me $638. I made appt at Ford but they were a month out. Then I brought to friends mechanic and told him story and he determined it was definitely leaking into cylinder and likely will need new engine. Told me about TSB and all the complaints. Said I should bring to Ford to do work in case recall is issued and I’d get reimbursed.
Power train, Feb 11, 2022
Cable from gear selector and transmission failed. Car countined moving once put in park. This problem is known to affect 2016 Ford Fusions. No. No warning lamps or sounds, the car just continued to roll.