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.
Power train, Jul 23, 2021
Plastic bushing broke off transmission linkage. This cause the car to be unable to change gears. Luckily for us it happened when we parked the car, therefore it was stuck in park and had to be towed to the dealership. If it happened while driving, might have been more dangerous. There is a recall for this, but only for 2.5l engines for some reason. I have the 1.5l engine.
Engine, Jul 20, 2021
Vehicle overheats. Filled up coolant reservoir twice in one week. Checked coolant, coolant low, no leaks, no water going into the oil, coolant evaporates and causes car to overheat.
Engine, Jul 14, 2021
Coolant leaking into engine, 5 year old car with only 50K miles. Tons of information online about similar issues around the country but Ford has not acknowledged that it’s a design flaw. Local dealer wants 10K dollars to replace engine.
Other or unspecified, Jul 13, 2021
After backing into the road to leave a driveway I shifted the gear shift down into the drive position but the transmission only shifted to neutral. The car would not shift into drive or reverse and had to be pushed out of the road. With my car in the road I had to get out and wave other vehicles around my vehicle while calling for assistance to get my vehicle out of the road. My attempt to keep other vehicles from hitting my car, or hitting me while it was unable to be driven off the road to safety. After getting my car to a Ford dealership I was informed that a bushing had deteriorated on the shifter cable causing it to detach from the transmission. When I look this problem up online it says there is a recall for Ford Fusions manufactured at the Hermosillo plant between Feb. 9, 2012 and April 4, 2016. My car was manufactured at the Hermosillo plant in January of 2016 but my VIN is not included in this recall. I called Ford customer service, but all they can say is my car isn't included in the recall and they are unwilling or unable to provide with the the details that would exclude my vehicle. I would like to file this as a complaint that this vehicle should be covered under the recall and requests the specifics of the recall so that I might understand why my vehicle is not included. It is the right year, make, model... made at the assembly plant included and has the very specific problem for which the vehicles were recalled.
Power train, Jul 12, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was in park and idling, the contact shifted the gear shifter into reverse however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact shifted the vehicle into PARK when the vehicle started rolling backward. The parking brakes were activated to stop the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that the shifter cable had detached. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 77,000.
Electrical system, Jul 8, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle, he was unable to link his phone to the vehicle’s computer module without warning. While researching the issue, the contact discovered a manufacturer’s recall for similar vehicles regarding the failure. The dealer was contacted about the failure and was informed that they were unable to assist him. The contact was referred to the manufacturer. Once the manufacturer was notified of the issue, the contact was informed that there would be no assistance because the Vin was not included in the recall. The contact was given a case number and was referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Other or unspecified, Jul 8, 2021
The transmission shifter bushing is made of plastic, degraded and broke off. Please look at other Ford Fusion trims from 2013-2016. Ford posted this as a recall for some trims but for some reason not for my vin but it’s the same crap design.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 6, 2021
We purchased a used 2016 Ford Fusion with about 11,000 miles on it. Within the first 2 weeks we started having issues. These issues have been going on for several years with no fix from Ford. The issues involve the dash not working, no heat, AC, no power steering, no break lights, no headlights, no turn signals. We go to start the car and the main screen never turns on. Basically we have the ability to use the gas and brake and nothing else. We’ve had the car back to the dealership multiple times. Each time they’ve hooked the computer up to the car they’ve said it throws so many codes they don’t know where to start. They wipe the codes, give us the car back and say if it does it agin bring it back. Well we did just that and the usual process repeated. They told us today they couldn’t fix what was wrong unless the problem happened while they’re driving it. 2 times now I’ve narrowly avoided an accident because of the cars electrical system dying while driving it. This car is unsafe to drive as this happens randomly. Ford has been less than helpful at resolving this issue since we’ve bought the car. We’ve got several warranties on this car and it seems to be all for nothing. We also have video and picture proof of these incidents. Ford refuses to look at them stating they need the vehicle to do it while they’re driving it after the massive amounts of codes are cleared.
Other or unspecified, Jul 5, 2021
Gear shift not working t
Wheels, Jul 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the factory lug nuts were swollen and difficult to remove the tires when needed. The contact had not spoken with a dealer nor a certified mechanic. The contact intended on replacing the lug nuts replaced with a better-recommended type. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 67,490.
Electrical system, Jun 30, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the electrical system malfunctioned causing the instrument panel to become inoperable. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the dealer was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the vehicle as well. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 52,000.
Wheels, Jun 29, 2021
Ford made defective wheel lug nuts. I noticed a nail in my tire & decided to get a new set of tires. The tire shop could not remove the tires because the lug nuts were swollen. Depending on where I am this could be safety issue. I called Ford customer care 3 times (2 hang ups by their reps) and a local dealer. All of them could could care less about the defect.
Power train, Jun 22, 2021
the shifter cable comes off. Now it's permanently broken off. Why is Ford using a cheap plastic bushing that degrades rather quickly? I was sitting in a local restaurant's drive-thru line, I put my car in park so the torque converter is not actually spinning while the car is idling still. When the line moves up, I place the car in drive and I get no movement. I pop my hood in the middle of a busy drive-thru line only to see my transmission cable is no longer connected to the transmission itself to even move.,
Air bags, Jun 14, 2021
2016 FORD FUSION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AN ISSUE WITH THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. THE CONSUMER STATED IN 80 DEGREE WEATHER THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN AND THE A/C WAS INOPERABLE. ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE RADIO BECAME INOPERABLE, THE DISPLAY SCREEN WENT BLACK, THE DOOR LOCKS FAIL, AND THE HEATING/DEFROST/COOLING SYSTEM FAIL.
Power train, Jun 9, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while shifting the vehicle into park, the gear shift indicator indicated that the vehicle was in neutral. The vehicle rolled backwards. The contact also stated that the shifter would cease not allowing the contact to change gears. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer nor an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19V362000 (Power train). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Latches/locks/linkages, Jun 1, 2021
Passenger door is not latching. The latch mechanism is loose and will not hold the door close. The problem has not been inspected by the dealer. The problem is observed on other Ford Fusions of similar year but my car is not on the recall list.
Back over prevention, May 30, 2021
The infotainment computer in the dashboard stopped working. When the car is turned on, the computer restarts itself several times before finally shutting down. This is a safety concern because the backup camera no longer functions.
Engine, May 27, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while turning on the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was a misfire detected in cylinder # 1. the check engine warning light was reset. The independent mechanic suggested that the vehicle be driven for a couple of miles to see if the check engine warning light would reappear. During the drive, the contact noticed that there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe and an overheat alert message appeared on the display. The contact researched online and saw that there was a technical service bulletin related to the failure and had the vehicle towed back to the same independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the long block was cracked and the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 61,907.
Power train, May 27, 2021
The bushing that attaches the shifter cable degraded and detached from the transmission. We were driving to our vacation rental (4.5 hours away from home at this point) and we went to put the car in park to get gas. The gear was in Park, but the car read it was still in Drive. We had to use Emergency Brake to keep it in place. We were stranded for almost 2 hours as dealerships and rentals were closed. A body shop owner happened to pull in front of us and helped us temporarily fix it. There was a recall for 2.5 liter engine for this issue in 2019 so my car was not covered. However, the EXACT same issue occurred. There were no warning signs whatsoever prior to failure.
Power train, May 20, 2021
Gear shift was placed in park. Car stayed in reverse, reverse showing on dash as well. Could not fully turn car off. Red shift lever under the console did nothing. The bushing/ball is completely missing from the shift linkage. Has not been inspected by "authorized" repair center. Husband was able to see the problem and manually shift it into drive to get it home. Ford has informed me this vehicle does not have the same problems as the others recalled, yet it IS the exact same issue.
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 19, 2021
Canister purge valve malfunction. I had trouble starting my car a couple of times and it would randomly stall out. But after getting gas this last time, I noticed a humming/grinding sound coming from the gas tank. When stopped at a red light (in rush hour traffic) the car stalled completely and wouldn't start. Had to wait a few seconds and try starting again and again, when it finally started again the noise was still there. I called a friend and we ran diagnostics on it and it returned the error of the canister purge valve malfunction. This has been a recall on other Ford cars in the past but not showing on my VIN....
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, May 18, 2021
I bought my 2016 Fusion two years ago with 75,000 Miles on the odometer. The first day it went into fail safe mode while in the passing lane. I had no engine power and had to pull over in traffic. Code P2111 Throttle body stuck open. I cleaned the throttle body and maf sensor with a $10 two pack of spray cleaner. My car now with 110,000 miles just did the same thing yesterday 5/17/21 while in traffic code P2111. I cleaned the throttle body again even though it didn't look dirty compared to the first time. My car shut down three times today while in traffic. Each time I had to pull over with no power shut off the car and restart the engine. I will replace the throttle body but believe this is very serious defect and should have never happened at 75,000 miles or even at 110,000. Very dangerous and scary to drive far from home knowing how much it would cost to be towed and have to pay a shop to repair. Kind regards, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Latches/locks/linkages, May 17, 2021
My driver side door will not close. I noticed this when I tried to shut the door and it just bounced open. No Warning! I do not feel safe driving around, knowing my door can open and have myself flung from the vehicle. Same issue as the 20V177000 recall but somehow my car is not under this recall. I purchased this car in New Hampshire but have lived in Arizona since 2017.I see this recall is due to high temperatures and know this is the issue as I take care to never slam my doors. I’ll be taking it to Jim Click Ford dealership for repairs ASAP but I hope to be reimbursed for this in the coming months.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, May 8, 2021
AT APPROXIMATELY 125000 MILES, THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND WAS EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY RESTARTING AFTER REFUELING. LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE CODE READER DISPLAYED ETC P1450. ONLINE RESEARCH POINTED TO A FAULTY CANNISTER PURGE VALVE. THIS FAULT AND ACCOMPANYING SYMPTOMS WERE OUTLINED IN RECALL # 18S32. THIS RECALL IS NOT CURRENTLY APPLICABLE TO MY VIN. DIAGNOSIS PERFORMED BY SANDERS FORD IN SWANSBORO, NC CONFIRMED FAULTY PURGE VALVE.
Engine, May 6, 2021
MY 2016 FORD FUSION HAS A COOLANT IS LEAKING IN THE CYLINDER DUE TO HEAD GASKET CAUSING MISS FIRING, OVERHEATING AND SPUTTERING. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE OVERHEATING LIGHT CAME ON CAUSING ME TO PULL OVER TO LET ENGINE COOL DOWN TO PULL OFF ONTO A EXIT. ONLY HAS 120K MILES.