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: power train
312 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Oct 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after reversing and shifting back into drive, the vehicle failed to move or respond as needed. The contact stated that the “Shift System Fault” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Power train, Oct 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while reversing out of her driveway at approximately 3 MPH, the transmission slipped out of reverse(R) and shifted into neutral(N). The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had also occurred while in drive(D) and had become a recurring failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic; however, she had watched videos online on how to replace the damaged shifter cable bushing. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Power train, Oct 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH the vehicle began jerking. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.
Power train, Oct 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon shifting into drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond. The power train warning light was illuminated, and a message indicating the gear shifter failure was displayed. The contact attempted to shift into park (P), but the gear shifter remained stuck in drive(D). The contact stated that she was able to manually move the shifter cable, and the vehicle shifted into park (P). The contact stated that the shifter cable bushing was replaced by a family member. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal after the part was replaced, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated to respond. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a fee would be charged for the diagnostic test and the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Power train, Oct 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after shifting from the reverse position to the drive position the transmission would not go into gear and the vehicle would not drive forward. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission cable bushing had failed and needed to be replaced. The transmission cable bushing was replaced and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.
Power train, Sep 20, 2023
Shift cable bushing issue. Same as recall 22s43 for 2012-2016 Ford Fusions.
Power train, Sep 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter failed to operate as needed and the contact was unable to shift into the intended gear. The message to “See Owner’s Manual” was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the shifter cable bushing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Power train, Sep 11, 2023
Shift cable bushing on the top of the transmission was found disintegrated upon inspection and only small remnants were found. Due to this issue, the cable was also found to be disconnected from the transmission. Prior to the inspection, a “Shift Sys” and “See Manual” error appeared on the dash screen with a yellow wrench while changing gears 3 separate times. The transmission then became stuck in neutral. This could cause myself or others to be stuck in a gear unable to safely leave their vehicles at their destination. This could also cause the reverse and leave myself or others stranded at their destinations. Research found that this same part and issue is under recall for all models 2013-2016 Ford Fusions. I believe this recall should be extended to the 2017 model as well. I have tended to the issue and replaced the part, using OEM part from dealer, within my vehicle to continue commuting safely.
Power train, Sep 5, 2023
Driving down the road transmission started shifting erratic people behind me had to slam on their brakes almost causing an accident as I had to pull over because it would not shift into the next gear. The vehicle only has 84,000 miles on it and I don’t know how this is going to be safe to drive with my kids in the vehicle. I called to see if there is any recalls and they Said no. When I look it up online, there is many complaints, including torque, converter and transmission.
Power train, Sep 5, 2023
Failure to shift properly, RPM’s increasing while transmission is changing gears. No warning lamps, messages. Symptoms increasing over a 3 week period. Took car to Ford Dealer on 7/15/2023; diagnostics done indicating failure of torque converter and transmission pump. As of today, 9/5/2023, car is still at dealership with no repairs made. Dealer says unable to get parts for repairs, and they have no idea when parts might be available.
Power train, Sep 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while reversing from the driveway, the shifter knob linkage detached. As a result, the vehicle failed to move. The power train wrench symbol illuminated and went off. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The contact stated that the failure was similar to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Power train, Sep 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to operate properly after shifting out of park(P). The contact stated that the transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed twice to the dealer. The contact stated that on the first occasion the shifter cable bushing was replaced, and on the second occasion the cable was replaced. The contact stated that after the repairs the failure returned after shifting into reverse(R). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not under recall. The contact was also informed that she would not be reimbursed for any prior repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 132,563.
Power train, Aug 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle made a beeping sound and independently shifted into neutral(N). The contact was able to coast the vehicle into a parking lot and shifted into park(P). The contact stated the vehicle failed to respond while shifting into drive(D) or reverse(R). The gear shift indicator light indicated that the transmission was in park(P). The power train warning light was illuminated, and a message indicating a transmission failure was displayed. The vehicle was towed to a transmission specialist, where the transmission shifter cable was replaced; however, the failure recurred 3 weeks later. The vehicle was towed to the transmission specialist. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under an unknown recall because the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 127,746.
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.
Power train, Aug 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when attempting to park the vehicle to refuel it, the gear shifter was stuck into drive (D) position. Additionally, the contact stated that the gear shifter was later stuck into park (P) position. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission shift cable bushing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V413000 (Power Train), 19V362000 (Power Train) and 18V471000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recalls. The failure mileage was approximately 79,921.
Power train, Aug 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the engine revved but failed to respond as intended. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she drove the vehicle off the highway and onto an exit ramp and eventually the vehicle stalled on the side of the road. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer, who diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact then had the vehicle towed to a transmission specialist who replaced the transmission with a refurbished transmission. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that recently the transmission failed again, and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Power train, Jul 29, 2023
Similar to the 2016 Ford Fusion (June 10, 2022 / NHTSA CAMPAIGN #: 22V413000) The 2017 Ford Fusion also has issues with shifting gears. Vehicle has been locked in park and is unable to move.
Power train, Jul 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine and the engine short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that a Customer Service Satisfaction letter was mailed; however, the program had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Power train, Jul 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon start of the vehicle, the vehicle failed to move forward as the shift sys fault service required message was displayed on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where the contact was informed that the shifter cable bushing was defective and needed to be replaced. The contact's husband linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and was informed that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was 101,413.
Power train, Electrical system, Service brakes, Jul 19, 2023
Due to transmission issues from what in hearing. The cars front end locked up while i was driving. I could not push the car out of the steeet. It is stuck in park. Luckily I wasn't on the freeway. But I was on a busy street and the police had to block the road.
Power train, Jul 18, 2023
While driving 2017 Ford Fusion, the car began to jerk violently. After a few feet the car would only rev and would not accelerate. The car was restarted where it went into gear but after a few feet it jerked into the next gear violently and then would only rev. There were no lights on at the time of incident. Car had to be towed to dealer where it would not go into gear at all and at time of drop off the ABS and Traction control lights came on. Car has 112,000 miles and has already had the motor replaced due to the coolant leak into engine block. Was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with failed torque converter, pump, and solenoid repair quoted $4900.00. New transmission quoted at $6100.00.
Power train, Jul 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and inadvertently made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with torque converter failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,023.
Power train, Jun 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to shift the vehicle into drive however, the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic who stated that the shifter cable and the shifter cable bushing were missing and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that there were no recalls on the VIN for the failure. The failure mileage was 89,661.
Power train, Jun 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, it was difficult to shift the vehicle into drive(D). After restarting the vehicle, the contact stated that he was able to shift the vehicle into drive(D) and the vehicle was driven to the residence. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed from the residence to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the shifter cable bushing had detached and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V376000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 97,800.
Power train, Jun 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the gear shifter failed to shift out of park(P). The powertrain warning light was illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing of the accelerator pedal while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, a DTC code reader failed to retrieve a fault code to determine the cause of the failure. The mechanic then informed the contact that the failure was related to the transmission shifter cable bushing. The mechanic had reached out to the manufacturer and was informed that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.