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 and engine cooling
133 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact waited for a while and then made several attempts to restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The failure occurred frequently and had become more persistent over time. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the engine had failed due to the intake manifold gasket fracturing the seal, which caused antifreeze to leak into the engine. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer opened a case and offered to pay a portion of the repair cost. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the vehicle was overheating, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant reservoir was abnormally low and refilled the reservoir. Within three days of refilling the coolant reservoir, the failure reoccurred, after which the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-2100. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 74,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the vehicle was overheating, and the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and it was determined that the engine block had cracked due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 131,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle eventually stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that coolant was present inside the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a misfire in cylinder #2 caused by coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 63,000.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Nov 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that there was a leak in cylinder #3. The vehicle was included in Manufacturer Communication NHTSA ID Number: 10213732 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and had the remedy completed. After the vehicle was repaired, the check engine warning light became illuminated. The contact returned the vehicle to the dealer who confirmed that there was a leak within cylinder #1 and that the repair needed to be performed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Nov 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the message that the engine was overheating was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where a repair was performed for an unrelated safety failure. The repairs were covered by the insurance company; however, during the inspection by the insurance company, it was discovered that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. As a result, the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle overheated while driving and while idling. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing abnormal coolant consumption. The contact had been adding coolant to the vehicle after 5 miles. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under Ford Campaign Number: 21N12 because the vehicle was not covered. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 74,900.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Oct 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started to shake. The contact allowed the vehicle to idle for one minute before driving. The battery and the check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle currently failed to start. The contact used a code reader to diagnose the vehicle where an undisclosed code indicating that the failure was engine related. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light had remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed a misfire the engine cylinder number 4. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine short block was faulty due to coolant intrusion and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the manufacturer's customer satisfaction campaign for the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000.
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 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 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 and engine cooling, Engine, Jun 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine misfired, causing the vehicle to jerk while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that white colored smoke was coming from the exhaust pipe with the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic who discovered that coolant had leaked into the engine block. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer who confirmed the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jun 26, 2023
The contact's partner owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while his partner was driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the temperature gauge started rising. The driver stated the vehicle started to vibrate and lost motive power while attempting to accelerate. The driver continued driving to the residence. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed the engine short block needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, May 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the ABS warning light illuminated intermittently and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact there was a failure with the serpentine belt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, May 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that there was internal engine failure. Additionally, antifreeze was leaking into the spark plugs and the engine was overheating. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Apr 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, with a message that the #2 cylinder was misfiring. Additionally, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking and vibrating, and the coolant level was low. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that there was water and coolant in cylinder #2, causing severe damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 86,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 27, 2023
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption. The contact used a personal OBD reader to retrieve a DTC code for cylinder #2 misfire. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to Ford Technical Service Bulletin Number: 22-2229. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for additional diagnostic tests and repairs. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the Engine Long Block and its subcomponents needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while having a routine oil change performed on the vehicle, the mechanic noticed that coolant was leaking into the engine, and that cylinders #2 and #3 were miss firing. The spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. On another occasion, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle would not start, with the check engine warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the timing belt was worn and that the timing belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted but offered no assistance. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was 139,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the coolant level was low, and the engine was overheating. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the engine was misfiring. The contact was referred to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the coolant was leaking into the cylinders and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 149,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 24, 2023
The contact’s son owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and the engine misfired. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into cylinder #3, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was transferred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle started losing motive power. There was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact drove the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the long block and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the engine failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Sep 30, 2022
The contact's son owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle would fail to start up after multiple attempts. Additionally, the vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds without warning. The contact also stated that white and blueish colored smoke was coming from tailpipe. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and a diagnostic test discovered that coolant had leaked into the engine cylinder. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion The contact stated a more than normal amount of coolant constantly had to be added to the vehicle. After a while, the vehicle began to run rough. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The contact would turn off and restart the vehicle and the vehicle would operate as needed. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact spoke with a certified mechanic who stated that the failure was related to NHTSA ID Number: 10169807 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the Technical Service Bulletin. The approximate failure mileage was 107,212.