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, Oct 5, 2023
Vehicle was being driven. Heard clunk noise. Vehicle no longer went into drive. Could not shift or anying. Had to have vehicle towed to repair shop. Ford could not review vehicle at time and was 30+ days out. Vehicle was then brought to another mechanic where they disassembled vehicle and found that the torque converter studs were no longer in place and created an issue where metal shards are in the transmission causing the transmission needing to be rebuilt along with shards being located in cooling system. Ford was contacted and advised to put a claim in with the NHTSA as this is a known issue for this vehicle year make and model however is not listed for this specific vin. There were no warning lights while driving the vehicle to indicate any issue. Vehicle currently not driveable. Our safety was put a risk as we were driving on the road during heavy traffic and caused a mess on the road and could have potential caused an action as vehicle was in drive when it stopped working.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 29, 2023
The contact's daughter owned a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitating while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and discovered that the rear main seal was defective. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the rear main seal was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was discovered that coolant from the head gasket had leaked into the engine cylinder, resulting in engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
Engine, Sep 26, 2023
Ford recall for customer satisfaction program 21N12 for coolant leaking into cylinder damaging short block does not provide enough coverage. 2017 ford fusion with 61,000 miles has an estimated of $7,800 to repair this mfg defect. The extended coverage on this fix on failure is 7 years and 84,000 miles. I have missed the window by 2 months! This problem has been occurring since 2014-2018 models. My car had a resale value of $15,000, but is now worth nothing and I only got 60,000 miles out of this. It is not fair that their known defect has put me in this position.
Engine, Sep 26, 2023
I purchased a used 2017 Ford Fusion SE Ecoboost with 77790 miles on August 4, 2023. 2 days after purchase, the check engine light illuminated. I brought it into a local mechanic to run a diagnostic test. The diagnostic showed “misfire-cylinder 1”. The mechanic recommended replacing all spark plugs and the cylinder 1 coil pack. Repair was done and seemed to have been running well. 2 days later, the check engine light came back on. Brought it back into the same mechanic. The diagnostic showed “misfire in cylinder 2”. The mechanic recommended replacing the remaining coil packs but thought that the problem could possibly be a blown head gasket. I decided to replace the remaining coil packs in hopes that this would remedy the issue. 2 days after bringing the car home, check engine light came back on. I brought the car to a different mechanic for a second opinion. This mechanic diagnosed that “misfire in cylinder 2” was happening again. They mentioned that this ecoboost model is known for issues with carbon buildup. They used an intake cleaner to clean out the carbon and saw noticeable improvement. Later that afternoon, I came to pick up the car, and noticed that the cold start was much rougher than before. Once again, when driving home from the mechanic, the check engine light came on. Next day, took a short drive and a warning stating that the engine was overheating and coolant was low appeared. I filled the coolant and brought car to another mechanic. That’s when I was told that the engine needs replaced due to coolant leaking into cylinders. Still waiting to hear back from Ford to see if they will help with cost of repairs. Quoted $6300 to fix. This is my primary source of transportation and now I’m without a vehicle. This is also a hardship due to the fact that this vehicle was just purchased with no additional funds to pay for repairs. Please help!
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Sep 19, 2023
Turbocharger leaked oil into the engine causing irreparable damage to the engine. Oil leaking cause engine failure, smoke coming out of the tailpipe, several blown gaskets and steering wheel malfunction. Cars computer system froze, enabling vehicle to move forward. Motor mounts were faulty, loose and unstable. Grinding sounds coming from wheels, vehicle alignment is unsteady. Issues with this vehicle previously reported under NHTSA ID #11534780 updated information being reported after repairs have been repaired.
Engine, Sep 12, 2023
Ford Fusion 2017 SE 2.0L Engine with 100,000 Miles. Check Engine Light came on, and a warning that the engine was overheating. Within a few seconds, the car would return to normal. This process would repeat continuously every few moments. The car was taken to a Ford Dealership, and it was noted that there was a blockage & leak that would cost $8,000 to repair. I called Ford Corporate and they said that the recall applying to hundred of thousands of Ford Fusions for this same issue did not apply to my car. Ford recalled 2013-2014 Fusion Vehicles (1.6L engine) for this issue. Ford recalled 2013-2019 Fusion Vehicles (1.5 L / 2.0L Ecoboost engine) for this issue. Why are certain vehicles omitted from this dangerous recall though this is a documented issue with Ford Fusions?
Engine, Sep 11, 2023
FORD FUSION 2017 DANGEROUS DEFECT ENGINE ISSUES The Engine Light went on in my Ford 2017 Fusion car with only 64,000 miles and I became very nervous about my Family’s safety driving in my Ford 2017 Fusion car. The Ford Dealership was unable to take my car for two weeks, so I had no choice but to take it to an outside Mechanic to look at my car to see what was wrong because it was dangerous to drive the car and I could not wait two weeks. I missed work because I was unable to drive my car in this dangerous state with the Engine Light on. The outside Mechanic said the 3rd Cylinder misfired and then replaced the 4 spark plugs and coils to see if that helped and charged me $350.00 for his Service. Then a few days later the Engine Light went on again, so that Service did Not fix this dangerous problem & the Mechanic told me to go to Ford to fix this problem. When I looked on the NHTSA Website, there were “157 Complaints” on the same problems that I was experiencing with my Ford 2017 Fusion. These Complaints were expressing that their Ford 2017 Fusions had Faulty Head Gaskets causing coolant to leak into the pistons causing the cylinders to misfire and then their Engines needed to be replaced resulting in a flaw Cylinder Block causing an Engine Block. Many of them did not have their Engine Replaced because there is no Recall on these defective parts & they did not have the money to fix their Ford 2017 Fusion. I also do not have the money to fix my Ford 2017 Fusion with Ford’s defective parts causing dangerous safety Engine damage. These defective parts are high RISK causing Accidents, Fire and even Death which will be the fault of Ford Corporation for not Recalling these defective parts & fixing the damage these defective parts causes. I also found out that there was a Recall on the Ford 2013–2014 Fusions with the same problems. Now there should be a Recall on the 2017! HELP!
Engine, Sep 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering, jerking, and overheating, and the engine was misfiring. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The contact veered to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs, and ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where the spark plugs and ignition coils were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine cylinders were misfiring, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
Engine, Sep 4, 2023
My car has a overheating due to a faulty head gasket that is causing coolant to leak into the pistons.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 3, 2023
On August 10th 2023 while traveling at highway speed on Il Rt 80, The vehicle started shaking violently. There was heavy vibration coming from the engine, & service engine light began to flash. Car was pulled off the road immediately into a gas station. This incident was abrupt, Isolated & nothing prior indicated an issue. My daughter and her friend were in the vehicle and very fortunate to have safely pulled off a busy highway without accident or injury. The vehicle has since been inspected by a Ford Dealership & a licensed auto repair shop. It has been reported that the engine has failed due to internal engine components in the lower portion of the motor. It is not feasible to rebuild this part of the motor. It has been advised I get a new replacement engine by the dealership & shop.
Engine, Sep 1, 2023
Engine was running rough, and had a check engine light. The code came up as P0302, which is a cylinder 2 misfire code. White smoke coming out of the exhaust. My mechanic confirmed that cylinder 2 had coolant leaking into the chamber and sent me a photo. I called both the dealership and Ford directly. Neither would help, as the car had 94,000 miles and an extended warranty was not purchased. Had this engine failed at speed, losing power could have increased the likelihood of an accident.
Engine, Aug 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that there was a rough idle while starting the vehicle, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, a misfire code was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that there was coolant leaking into the cylinder and that the small block needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
Engine, Aug 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact was unaware of a warning light being illuminated. On another occasion while starting the vehicle, the vehicle overheated, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and waited until the vehicle cooled down, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that coolant was leaking into cylinder #2, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 104,000.
Engine, Aug 12, 2023
Engine light indicator started displaying in June 2023. Palmetto Ford dealership (Charleston, SC) inspected and confirmed through diagnostics coolant intrusion into Ford Ecoboost 2.0 combustion chamber. Entire engine (Long Block) needs to be replaced. Estimate of repair cost pending. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Loss of coolant results in engine overheating and fire hazard plus potential sudden malfunction while driving placing vehicle occupants at risk of harm. The manufacturer, Ford Motor Company is well aware of the defects associated with its Ecoboost engine in several Ford models.
Engine, Aug 11, 2023
Coolant intrusion into cylinder 3 on 2.0L ecoboost motor. The original motor was replaced under factory warranty at roughly 58000 miles. The replacement motor now has roughly 18,000 miles and 18 months on it and the same problem is occurring. Ford is refusing to stand behind their product and cover the repair/replacement of the defective replacement long block.
Engine, Electrical system, Aug 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while reversing from a the driveway, the vehicle was sputtering as if the cylinders had misfired. When the vehicle was shifted into drive, there was slow acceleration. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that spark plugs misfire in cylinder 2. The independent mechanic advised the contact to go to the dealer because it was an engine issue. The vehicle was driven to the dealer where it was diagnosed that a spark plug misfire in cylinder 2. The vehicle was not repaired due to a fee. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer under Warranty. The failure mileage was 98,500.
Engine, Aug 8, 2023
The component that failed is the engine. A coolant intrusion problem on cylinders causing coolant to access the combustion area. This is causing large amounts of white smoke to be emitted from tail pipe. Also there is a cylinder miss that shakes the vehicle while driving. This is very frightening by the driver. I am afraid of the day it breaks down on the side of the road, leaving me stranded and a hazard to other drivers. Vehicle was taken to the dealer only to find that the entire engine needs replacement due to a design flaw of the cylinder block. This is not a single incident issue, but rather a widespread issue in vehicles manufactured from 2015 to 2019. Vehicles listed is also for the 1.5 and 2.0 liter engine. It is stated in Ford's Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. This is for the 1.5 liter engine. No program has been issued for the 2.0 liter which leaves many vehicles with potential engine failures still on the highway.
Power train, Engine, Aug 5, 2023
Ford Fusion 2.0 is currently at 71,000 miles and experiencing signs of coolant intrusion. Rough cold start with white smoke coming out of the exhaust. Check engine light illuminated showing a P0301 code (misfire in cylinder '1'). Still trying to research a reputable dealer/repair facility that can perform the repair without any hassle. The engine is drinking about 1/4 cup of coolant per day as of writing this. This is a well-documented issue plaguing the EcoBoost engines and is a very costly repair, let alone very dangerous if left to fester.
Engine, Aug 3, 2023
Engine light came on so took the car into a Ford dealer. They told me the engine block was cracked and I needed a whole new engine costing $5700. The car could overheat and catch on fire. Mileage is only 50,00 miles.This is a defect in Ford EcoBoost engines that Ford has been aware of for years but refuses to do anything to remedy.
Engine, Aug 1, 2023
Vehicle check engine light continues to turn on. Auto Zone diagnostics show engine misfire. Ford states that coolant is leaking into the engine and that vehicle needs a new engine. Engine coolant overheat message continues to pop up, car shakes and engine is HOT. Engine fire could occur, car could break down in an instant, putting my family's safety at risk. Ford previously recalled certain 2013 and 2014 Ford vehicles equipped with the 1.6L engine for a very similar issues under recall campaigns 12V551 and 17V209. However, no such recall exists for the similar issues reported by consumers with the 1.5L and 2.0L Ford Ecoboost engines. Please help me hold Ford accountable for safely recalling & fixing this vehicle!
Engine, Jul 31, 2023
This 2017 Ford Fusion is equipped with the 1.5L Ecoboost engine. This engine experienced a catastrophic engine failure due to coolant intrusion into cylinder #2. Check engine light comes on and flashes indicating it should not be driven. This was confirmed by factory service at Corwin Ford in Spokane WA. The vehicle has just over 80,000 miles. Dealer says this is a known issue where the engine block is machined so thin between the cylinder wall and the water jacket that the block cracks and coolant leaks into the cylinder. Ford knows about the issue and at one point issued "Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12" to address the issue. However the window of coverage is so narrow and notification to owners was not made. Ford knows about this issue and it is a safety concern. The potential for total loss of power while driving can result in an unsafe driving condition. The intrusion of coolant into the cylinder and potentially the oil system can pose a fire hazard. Ford should recall this engine and replace with a redesigned engine block.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Jul 27, 2023
My car started smoking out of nowhere, smoke was coming out of the tail pipe. My cars check engine light begin to blink. The whole entire car begin to shake. It was making a rattling sound, the car begin to slow down on its own, even though I was pressing the gas. It wouldn’t go any faster than 65 miles an hour as the car begin to shake and make a loud rattling noise. My AC went out all of a sudden this was two hours after getting it serviced.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 25, 2023, fire
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 75 MPH, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the vehicle was overheating. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the road, and after a visual inspection of the engine compartment, it was observed that the coolant overflow container was empty, yet upon removing the container cap, coolant suddenly flowed back into the container, filling it. The overheating warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. Later, the contact stated that, after starting the vehicle, she observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment and, upon visual inspection, noticed a small fire within the engine compartment that she was able to extinguish alone. No fire or police report was filed, and the vehicle suffered insignificant damage. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the CPV valve. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who replaced both the fuel injector and thermostat, but again, the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Ford's TSB 19-2346 (Engine and Engine Cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 115,000.
Engine, Jul 21, 2023
The new Flywheel has a crack causing problem with the transmission, it can't be driven. Does the flywheel has a recall on it or do it has some failure problem with the flywheel to cause the transmission to go bad .Need to replace the flywheel and transmission
Engine, Jul 17, 2023
Check engine light came on. Cylinder 2 misfire. Then an overheat message appeared. Took it to mechanic and found Coolant leak and crack in the block from Ford Design defect in engine block. Vehicle only has 40,000.