2017 Ford Fusion
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 1,110 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 15 Fusion model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 37 involved a crash and 8 involved a fire. 30 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
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
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
Power train, automatic transmission, torque converterJul 6, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Edge and Fusion vehicles. On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.
If the torque converter weld studs fail, the torque converter will not be connected to the engine flexplate and the vehicle will lose the ability to move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford or Lincoln will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S16.
Campaign 17V427000 on NHTSA.gov
Seats, mid/rear assemblyDec 5, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 27, 2016, to September 28, 2016. The left rear seat backs pivot pins may have been improperly welded.
During a crash, the improper welds may fail, allowing any stowed luggage to move into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left hand, second row seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began January 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S43.
Campaign 16V874000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
498 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, May 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The spark plugs were replaced; however, the following day the check engine warning light illuminated again. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant leaking into the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Engine, May 21, 2024
I recently experienced a problem with my 2017 Ford Fusion. The check engine light came on and the car was riding rough. I took it to a local mechanic and he determined that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. He replaced them and did a tune up and the car seemed fine. Two days later the check engine light came on again and the car started riding rough again. I took it back to the same place and he said one of the spark plugs blew again. He did some more research and found a TSB regarding my issue. Their is a known design flaw in these cars that were manufactured between 2017-2019 that allows coolant to leak into the engine. I made an appointment with a Ford dealer to confirm and I was told that my engine would need to be replaced. At this point, when I started the card, white smoke started billowing out of the exhaust and the coolant light illuminated. I have no choice but to replace the engine at my own expense since my warranty has expired. I did extensive research on this and found cases where people's cars have caught on fire. There are also reports of the car shutting down while on highways. Ford is aware that this is a design flaw but has not issued a recall. Thank you.
Engine, May 21, 2024
Coolant intrusion into cylinder 2 cause misfires and lead to failure 2.0L fusion platinum with 90,0000 miles Noticed low coolant level, sloshing novices behind the dash). Machine said the did hear any, I was quite loud for 6 months. Always on excel and sometimes waterfall sounds at stops. Flushed and replaced coolant. Pressure tested 40 min. Sloshing noises started 3 days later. Level Dropped again and caused a missfire. All plugs replaced. Pressure test overnight, no leaks or coolant drop per dealer. Sent home with a nice bill and statement saying nothing is wrong. Rep gets frustrated why I keep asking why and were is the coolant going. Recommended I buy an extended warranty plan. 3rd time same misfire. Called and told me there is coolant in the cylinder and is $9,500 to replace. I wish the customer could she the photos from the scopes. It’s just hard to trust people The cars not worth that going to another dealer to trade in
Engine, May 20, 2024
HELP My vehicle is experiencing the 2017 Ford Fusion 2.0 EcoBoost coolant leak. Seems to be common among thousands of ecoboost engine since 2010. Proven engine defect & current class action law suite. My dealer wants $8000. That is a lot of money for us. To replace engine (May 15th 2024). Can you help with information, what should I do, signing up for Class action lawsuit. I’m probably going to pay the $8000. Because dealer is refusing to cover cost and we are desperate to get vehicle back in use. Also my vehicle when VIN is ran shows no recall but clearly fulls into recall category???? Confused on that. Can you please contact me with ANY help
Engine, May 13, 2024
2017 ford fusion se with roughly 70,000 miles blew its engine in route to Wisconsin from Illinois. Less than 1.5 hrs into the drive, highway, steady speed, sudden drop in speed and white smoke out the back. Immediately pulled off road and happened to be within minutes from a Ford dealership so I dropped it there. Today, [XXX] they advised that the engine rebuild + new turbo would be a 12,000 repair. The car itself is worth about $10-12k in good condition. This car has had no major issues and has been regularly maintained at a ford dealership. Regular oil changes and any repairs were done with Ford! Now, the 3rd cylinder has heavy scoring which is causing pressure issues and oil blowing out the dipstick. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, May 11, 2024
2017 Ford Fusion engine failed while driving in heavy traffic on I10 due to low coolant level/high engine temperature as described in campaign 22-2229 (vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL)). Replaced engine assembly (62,897 miles) at the direction of Ford Dealer.
Engine, May 10, 2024
White smoke started to come out the tailpipe. Check engine light came on a day later. Had codes run, misfire cylinder 4. Changed the spark plugs. Cleared up for a couple of days. Came on again when car struggled to start. Noticed coolant was low after engine temperature warning came on. Pulled over immediately. Checked the coolant and oil for cross contamination. Had my car towed to a shop to look at. Found out it had a blown head gasket causing coolant to leak. Have had the car a couple of years and love it. Was made aware of potential coolant intrusion issue (that is known in fusions and escapes) months after I bought it. The repair from ford will be, replace the short block and head gasket, which will cost me several thousand dollars. Car is at 135k miles.
Engine, May 3, 2024
1. Vehicle went into "limp mode" while driving on the highway. 2. Safety was at risk - Starting slowing down immediately in rush hour traffic. Could not accelerate. Pulled onto shoulder. 3. Dealer could not reproduce. 4. Not inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance. 5. No warning lamps lit prior to incident. Vehicle running normally prior to incident. Restarted the car and issue was no longer present.
Engine, May 2, 2024
My vehicle is exhibiting the same defects that are included in the NHTSA customer satisfaction program 21N12 regarding a coolant intrusion. When hooked up to a scanner it reports DTCs P0300 and P0301-P0303. Is my understanding that this is a safety concern as it could cause the engine to fail and a fire to erupt. Unfortunately by the time this was brought to my attention as of today's date May 2nd 2024, My bed has not been recalled and it does not meet the stipulations of the customer satisfaction program as the current millage exceeds the 84,000 mi specified. I have noticed The coolant needing refilled several times over the years I have owned the vehicle. And this is the third time that I've had issues with misfirings, that required changing of spark plugs and ignition coils to correct. The frequency of the misfirings and some concerns that my mechanic had or what led me to research the issue, though now it seems it may be too late. I am concerned because it is a safety issue.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine and engine cooling, May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electronic stability control (ESC) and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair, and it was determined that rodents had chewed the soy-based ESC wiring harness. The contact was informed that the ESC wiring harness and purge solenoid valve needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the engine needed to be cleaned due to rodent droppings and that mothballs needed to be placed beneath the hood to deter rodents from entering the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 138,546.
Engine, Apr 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when his daughter started the vehicle, the vehicle started shaking violently. Additionally, the contact stated that she observed white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that coolant needed to added daily due to the message indicating that the engine was overheating. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle with a friend, it was concluded that there was an internal leak and that the engine might have experienced damages to the cylinders. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,950.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 19, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced rough start-ups. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes, and it was discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the engine had experienced coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Engine, Apr 19, 2024
I am the only owner and driver of vehicle with just under 70,000 miles. The vehicle has regular service maintenance with original dealership purchased from and no leaks or major problems have been detected during any visit. On Saturday 4/13 after battery was replaced, the check engine light came on. Engine coolant temperature too high warning came on shortly thereafter. Upon arriving to destination and car sitting for 4 hours, both lights went off. No issues the next two days with very minimal driving. On Tuesday 4/16 car was driven about 30 minutes and had issue restarting after sitting for about an hour. Upon restart, both warning lights reappeared. When car began to sputter at 65mph highway speeds, a flashing coolant warning was coupled with audio warning. Hazard lights and light traffic allowed car to be safely driven back to street, but eventually vehicle lost all acceleration. It was then parked in open lot and towed to independent service center after hours. (Normal service provider estimated two week delay before for any diagnosis.) On the following day, initial diagnosis was extremely low coolant and need for tune up. No leaks were detected, no battery issues, coolant was topped off, and vehicle was deemed drivable. Thursday 4/18 the vehicle was brought back for recommended tune up and also an oil change. Technician noticed smell of coolant coming out of exhaust and coolant level was considerably lower than previous day. Final diagnosis is coolant leak into motor resulting in blown head gasket. At minimum, replacement of affected cylinder, water pump and hoses is recommended. Most common course of action is complete motor replacement.
Engine, Apr 16, 2024
Last week (today is April 16, 2024) I noticed when I start my car lots of smoke is coming out the back. Days later the engine light appears and starts flashing then my car starts to shake and stall as I’m driving putting me and others on the road at risk. Before I break it starts to stall so I try to break way ahead of time before needing to so I don’t put cars in front of me at risk. I’ve taken it to a mechanic and he’s telling me it seems to be a manufacturing issue with the engine. My 2L engine head gasket #2 cylinder on a 2017 Ford fusion seems to be the problem. This is very unfortunate as I have been in love with my car since I first purchased it brand new in the beginning of 2018. I have a service appointment with ford in two weeks
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the contact became aware that the defroster was not working properly on the vehicle. The contact stated that the windows were very foggy and made it very unsafe to drive. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and used the window scraper to remove the fog. The contact waited 20 to 25 minutes to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the coolant was very low, and the check engine warning light was followed by DTC: PO302. The dealer referenced TSB: 22-229 (a 2-liter engine might need the long block to be replaced). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the temperature gauge displayed that the engine was overheating. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle for leaks, but none were found. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir and was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who performed a pressure test, but no leaks were found. The independent mechanic diagnosed that there was a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnosis. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion) and Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2229 (Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke And/or Illuminated MIL); however, the VIN was not included in the Customer Satisfaction Program and the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Apr 14, 2024
I have the 2.5 liter engine in my 2017 ford fusion but it’s also experiencing the same coolant leak symptoms of other engine models of this year of vehicle. Car has no visible leaks but coolant levels keep dropping. Temp gauge goes up and down back and forth. Car seems to be sputtering while driving. Currently just passed 100,000 miles this week. I’ve had the vehicle for 7 years and it seems like recall after recall.
Engine, Apr 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle began to shake and vibrate. The contact pulled over, opened the hood, and noticed that the engine was vibrating violently. The check engine warning light was illuminated and blinking. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 18L02. The failure mileage was approximately 82,601. The contact stated the estimated Engine shortblock replacement is $9211 including parts, and requesting into why this vehicle was not included in the recall. and labor.
Engine, Apr 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the tailpipes. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the coolant reservoir had to be refilled every four days. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the spark plugs and coil packs were replaced. The coil packs were replaced twice. The failure reoccurred, and the independent mechanic agreed to replace the coil packs another time. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 98,275.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Apr 2, 2024
While driving on the interstate car began to excessively shake and check engine light flashed for almost a minute then stopped. Was approaching exit to residence location and was able to get there. Once at home, car was then sluggish to start but no check engine light was on. Attempted to drive car in a safe area to see if it would repeat or light would come on. This was on a Sunday, therefore the dealership was closed. Light did come back on solidly and took car to dealership that next day, Monday. Was told coolant intrusion into the engine. After the incident and in doing research, appears to be a known issue in this vehicle.
Engine, Apr 1, 2024
Engine had to be replaced due to a faulty design by Ford of coolant intrusion and a misfire of the cylinder
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated he was noticing oil spotting on his driveway. The contact stated that he also smelled the odor of motor oil in the passenger cabin when he used the air conditioning. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the oil pan and gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated however that the leaking was again happening and returned two more times to the same dealer to have the failure repaired. The contact stated that on the last visit the oil pan, oil pan gasket, and valve covers were replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact had been informed by the dealer that the failure was related to the manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin: 23-2075 Oil Leak from Engine Oil Pan RTV Seal (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Mar 26, 2024
Coolant intrusion - coolant leaking into the motor because of the engine block design and the head gasket failing. Can cause fire
Engine, Mar 22, 2024
The local Ford dealership has confirmed that the engine has an internal issue causing misfires in cylinder 3. It has recommended an expensive full engine replacement, approximately $10,000. Misfires shake the vehicle while driving, which may cause serious accidents and injuries.