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
1,110 reports, newest first.
Engine, Aug 31, 2024
#4 cylinder has fouled 3 spark plugs in the last 5 months. Car sputters at start, anti-freeze is missing bit no visible leak, blue smoke from exhaust. Took to dealer for diagnostic and was told engine rebuild/replace is needed and was quoted cost of $7465. My car is just over 91k miles and my extended warranty expired in March of this year.
Engine, Aug 30, 2024
2.0l EcoBoost engine illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) diagnostic trouble code indicates presence of coolant intrusion into one or more cylinders. defect causes corrosion, misfires, engine failure, and fires.
Engine, Aug 30, 2024
Shaking of the vehicle and resistant to accelerate on so dangerous to drive especially on highways. Check engine light on. Both independent service center and Ford dealership confirmed spark plugs are damaged, leaking oil, need new engine and this is a known issue with this ford engine.
Power train, Aug 29, 2024
The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degraded and detached. Similar issue that was on recall for the 2013-2016 Ford Fusion.
Power train, Aug 29, 2024
While driving my Ford Fusion on the highway at a constant speed of 65 mph, a service light appeared on the dashboard, and the car suddenly lost power to the wheels even though the engine was still running. Fortunately, I was able to pull over to the side of the road safely since there wasn't much traffic at the time. However, had this been a busy road, it could have caused a major accident. I turned off the car and restarted it. However, the problem still persisted, and the car would not shift gears (it has an automatic transmission with a center console shifter dial). I had my car towed to my Ford dealer, and they determined that the transmission had failed. The Ford service manager stated that the transmissions on this particular era Ford Fusion were poorly designed and that many of their customers needed to replace their transmissions on this model as well as several models of the Ford Explorer from the same time period. The vehicle ran perfectly fine for many years previously. Just before the transmission failed (perhaps about 20-50 miles worth of driving before it failed), I had experience several instances of the car having trouble shift out of neutral into drive and reverse, often with a delay in shifting and a slight jolt, which was barely noticeable, when it did shift. I had brought the car to the dealer, and they weren't able to find any problems and said that it worked fine. There were no error codes generated to indicate that there was a problem either. My vehicle is only a little over 5000 miles beyond its 60,000 mile warranty, and the service manager stated that he tells owners that owners "are lucky if they their car makes it to 70,000 miles before the transmission fails". Given that there were few symptoms (which I believe would go unnoticed by most drivers) of a potential failure, the sudden loss of power to the wheels, and that this is a known common issue by Ford, this is major safety issue that must be addressed.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was leaking into the cylinder and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Power train, Aug 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond and made an abnormally loud sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where an oil change was performed; however, the failure persisted while driving. The contact stated that the following day, she noticed that oil was leaking from the vehicle onto the ground. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the oil change was performed correctly. The dealer diagnosed that oil was leaking from the transmission. The dealer informed the contact that the transmission needed to be taken apart to determine the source of the leak. The dealer advised the contact to trade the vehicle in due to the significant cost of labor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.
Other or unspecified, Aug 27, 2024
My vehicle Check Engine light came on and after taking it to the Ford dealership they said that there is a coolant intrusion and the short block needs to be replaced as well as the cylinder head gasket. The repairs they told me would be over $10,000. I am not able to make that payment happen and the car is now sitting in the yard. I am the only owner. I never received anything about something being wrong with these parts and then they tell me about it being messed up. I did some research and they did issue a recall on these same exact issues, but my Vin was not apart of it so my car will not be getting fixed. I would like to see why my car was not included in it and how I can get it fixed.
Power train, Aug 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while shifting from park(P) to drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle responded as needed after the second attempt. The power train warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while shifting to drive(D) and to reverse(R) in a drive-thru. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission shifter cable bushing had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 98,500.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly vibrated, and there was excessive white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated that the message "Low Coolant Level" was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the spark plugs. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the fuel injectors. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed there was a misfire in cylinder #2. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, Aug 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on several occasions, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to a coolant intrusion into cylinder #1. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
Engine, Aug 23, 2024
There is a coolant intrusion into the vehicle’s engine, which has in turn created the need for a new engine entirely. This issue is known in 2017 Ford Fusions and vehicles have been recalled but only those made in certain manufacturing areas. The car is currently at the ford dealer for service and the dealership informed us this is a known issue and the engines have been recalled previously. After our own research it is clearly a known issue and should be recalled across the board. This vehicle is under 100,000 miles and inoperable, due to a manufacturer error. This needs to be made right and be an active recall for the 2017 ford fusion. There was no warning. I was driving one day at about 50 mph when the car lost all power to the engine and immediately slowed down on me. There is nothing safe about this and I would expect a company such as Ford, to make this right.
Engine, Aug 21, 2024
The coolant leaked into the engine. The dealership said it needs a new engine. I had no problems with the car until all of a sudden the overheat light came on. Regular maintenance has been done. The car is in great condition. Less than 72,000 miles.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Aug 20, 2024
My brakes are faulty sometimes I’m not able to stop like I should. I also have transmission problems. When I put the car into reverse or drive I hear a loud boom. It is getting worse by the day. I see that the transmission is on a recall as well.
Engine, Aug 19, 2024
Engine ran rough on startup. Coolant temperatures increased causing the car to reduce power while driving on the freeway at 60MPH. Refilled coolant as the levels were low. The check engine light appeared on the instrument panel. The code was a P0301 which is a cylinder #1 misfire. Replaced all spark plugs and ignition coil for cylinder #1. The vehicle was taken to an independent service center where a diagnostic test was performed. The diagnostic showed coolant intrusion into engine cylinder #1 which resulted in engine failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Engine, Aug 19, 2024
Engine coolant leaks into the cylinder block due to a manufacturing defect. Car needs a new engine.
Engine, Aug 19, 2024
I drove through a strip mall shopping center on 8/13/2024, without warning, my 2017 Ford Fusion's engine shut down and I could not re-start the engine. There was no "Check Engine" light. The shutdown later proved to be caused by the failed Mas Air Flow (MAF) sensor, Ford Part #Part #: AFLS195 (8V2Z12B579A). My understanding is that the MAF sensor sends data to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) to deliver the specific amount of fuel that’s proportional to the airflow and without that information, the engine just stops. I read, the MAF sensor failure shutdown occurs in vehicles of many makes. I was in a shopping center when the engine shut down, leaving me stranded in the traffic, but minutes before I was in 45 MPH speed limit traffic on a main multi-lane thoroughfare. Had the engine shut down had occurred then. I may have been in a dangerous situation. In fact, an Auto Zone general information article on MAF failure stated, "These issues can create dangerous situations causing accidents and injury." There needs to be a fail safe that, when the sensor fails, like for example that causes the PCM to default value that does not cause a shutdown while activating the "check engine light."
Engine, Aug 16, 2024
while trying to pass another car, my car stalled and would not speed up, then the high temp light came on then it cut off. it has been diagnosed with coolant intrusion by Kirk Brothers which is where I bought it.I can't understand why ford will not do something about this. I guess someone will have to get killed before something gets done. I can't afford to get the car fixed and it's my only vehicle. I commute 40 miles every day to work and have no other option than to drive this unsafe car. I'm scared for my life but if I don't go to work, I cant provide for my family or pay for this car. my car has all the criteria i see on the ford's customer satisfaction page, why is it not on recall. And it was made at the Hermosillo, Mexico plant which has a recall but not on my car.. i don't understand why.
Engine, Aug 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds occasionally, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic for a second opinion where it was confirmed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2134: however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,554.
Steering, Aug 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH and making a left turn, the power steering failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized and became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with rack and pinon failure. The contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,236.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started running abnormally rough, after which the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the spark plugs and ignition coils, resulting in an engine misfire. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started overheating, after which there was a burning odor inside the interior of the vehicle, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway to turn the vehicle off. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed with head gasket failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 19-2375. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 85,000.
Power train, Aug 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and shifting to drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission shifter cable bushing had failed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) because the VIN was not included. The dealer informed the contact that a fee would be charged for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, Aug 9, 2024
twice while driving my motor stalled and the engine light came on. once the motor shut off completely. white smoke comes from the tail pipe. I took the car to kirk brothers ford greenwood Ms. which is where i bought the car and they diagnosed it as having coolant leaking into the engine. They will not fix it because they say there is no recall. I bought the car in November of 23 and it had less than 80,000 miles on it.
Structure, Aug 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while placing her grandchild in the car seat in the rear of the vehicle, she became aware of mold inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side and the trunk had mold. The contact stated that water had leaked into the vehicle from the overhead light. The contact stated she was constantly sick and had ear infections. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The vehicle was inspected; however, the contact was unsure of the results. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was a known issue; however, the repair would be an out-of-pocket expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Engine, Aug 9, 2024
Excessive blue smoke from tailpipe, car overheats on road, fails emission tests. Local repair shop diagnosed as bad head gasket due to improper engine block engineering design, known problem Ford 2017 1.5 Ecoboost Engine, per mechanic.