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, May 31, 2026
I recently now am having to replace my engine a second time in 2 years due to a coolant intrusion problem
Service brakes, May 22, 2026
NHTSA claim # 11739491 update 05/22/2026 Young Ford Ogden Utah is refusing to execute the remedy for open safety recall 23S12 on my vehicle. They are refusing to run diagnostics test to honor the recall without paying $100 and up fee.
Electrical system, May 22, 2026
The vehicle's electrical system intermittently fails while driving. The entire instrument cluster and electronics shut off (speedometer, gauges, and all warning indicators go dark) while the engine continues running. On one occasion this occurred at night on a highway, with sudden loss of dashboard and electrical function until the vehicle could be pulled to safety, rendering the vehicle essentially invisible. The failure has worsened over time and now includes audible relay clicking near the center console and failed remote-start commands. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by an authorized Ford dealer. After multiple prior visits where the dealer could not reproduce the fault, the dealer verified the concern and connected a scan tool, finding that all modules on the HS1-CAN communication bus stopped communicating. The dealer checked technical service bulletins, performed pinpoint tests, and verified connector pin fitment. The dealer's diagnosis is a failed Gateway Module, with replacement recommended. The vehicle remains available for inspection. Warning symptoms preceding the failures include the dashboard going dark, electronics resetting, fault codes appearing on restart, and remote start malfunctioning. This is a serious safety risk: loss of the instrument cluster, lighting, and electrical systems while driving, particularly at highway speed and at night, eliminates the driver's ability to monitor speed and warning indicators and can result in loss of visibility. This failure pattern is widely reported by owners of this model and appears consistent with Gateway Module defects addressed by recall on newer model-year Fusion vehicles.
Power train, May 22, 2026
While pulling into my parking garage at work I put my 2017 Ford Fusion into park to open the door and scan my card. When I tried to shift out of park the gear shifter indicated a shifting fault that required service. The car was towed to a Ford Service Center where the problem as diagnosed to be the shift control linkage, specifically the shift cable bushing. I have come to understand that this part has had issues in the 2013-2016 Ford Fusion models resulting in a recall. This issue appears to also be in the 2017 Ford Fusion as the results of the fault are identical to those of the 2013-2016 models. The component has been diagnosed by a certified ford service center. There were no warning lamps or prior indicators of this issue. Warning lamps only turned on after the issues occured.
Power train, May 22, 2026
The rotary gear shift knob occasionally gets stuck and refuses to rotate back to Reverse (R). This intermittent failure has occurred 3 times within this month. The dashboard does not show any warning lights or error codes during the incident. This is a severe safety hazard as it could leave the vehicle stranded in traffic or unable to back away from danger. Took the vehicle to the Ford dealership(Citrus Motors Ford) for inspection, but they returned it as "Could Not Duplicate" because no active diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) were stored. However, the physical shifting malfunction remains an active threat.
Service brakes, May 22, 2026
NHTSA recall 23V-162/Ford recall 23S12 Vehicle suffered secondary failure of recall remedy part which caused an immediate loss of braking ability. Ford dealer refused a safety tow unless I paid for it upfront which forced me to use my personal roadside insurance. After calling local dealer to assure vehicle had arrived after being towed, dealer said they couldn't look at vehicle until Tuesday , five days later because of the weekend and holiday.
Engine, May 17, 2026
The car overheated due to coolant leaking. Found out vehicle has a coolant intrusion requiring a new engine now.
Power train, Service brakes, May 11, 2026
I was driving and the car just stopped it wouldn't let me put in park or drive it just stayed in neutral. And I was stuck it kept the the emergency break on. Then it wouldn't turn off all the way which caused the car to drain battery.
Other or unspecified, Engine, May 10, 2026
Coolant leak into engine block, ford dealership said $8,000 to replace engine cars only at 65k miles. Problem is from manufacturer defect in the 2.0l TT turbo engines in fusions and should be recalled as it’s not the owner/operators wrong doings.
Engine, May 1, 2026
Coolant intrusion, problem.
Power train, Apr 24, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the rear end of the vehicle unexpectedly locked up. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle became inoperable and was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V102000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine, Apr 17, 2026
Component/System: Engine — 1.5L EcoBoost short block coolant intrusion leading to catastrophic engine failure. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Vehicle overheated while in operation, creating risk of engine fire, loss of vehicle control, and stranding of occupant on a public roadway. Ford's own TSB 22-2322 acknowledges this defect creates a fire risk. Confirmed by dealer/shop: YES Inspected by manufacturer/police/insurance: Ford Motor Company was contacted on 17APR26 and opened case number XXX but denied coverage citing vehicle assembly location [XXX] ) despite the defect being present in all 1.5L EcoBoost engines regardless of assembly plant. Warning symptoms: Vehicle exhibited overheating warning prior to failure. Coolant intrusion into cylinder bores is a known documented defect covered under Ford Customer Satisfaction Program XXX and TSB XXX for identical engines in US-assembled vehicles. Mileage at failure: Approximately 65,000 miles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Apr 16, 2026
Coolant light and check engine lights kept coming on. The car was diagnosed by the Ford Dealership as Ford TSB 22-2229, which is a design flaw in specific EcoBoost engines, where an "open deck" block causes coolant to leak into cylinders 2 and 3, leading to severe engine failure. To fix this issue, the TSB requires replacing the entire long block assembly with a redesigned version featuring enhanced sealing surfaces. The cost for this new engine was quoted as $8000 to $9000.
Engine, Apr 15, 2026
Dec 2022 I purchased a 2017 Ford Fusion. In June 2023 the engine needed replaced which was covered under warranty. In March 2026, the flex plate breaks and now needs to be replaced. This is the original part for this car as I confirmed with the dealer that this part isn't required to be replaced when the engine is replaced. So it's not covered under vehicle warranty or the motor repair warranty. However, there is a known issue of these flex plates breaking and there is Customer Satisfaction Program 22N12 for Ford Fusions regarding this known issue that only covers years 2019 & 2020. I want the 2017 year to be added to this as a known issue.
Other or unspecified, Back over prevention, Apr 6, 2026
Rear Backup Camera keeps malfunctioning. The display screen from camera glitches or goes black and eventually it will state that rear camera is not available.
Engine, Mar 27, 2026
Engine failure due to coolant intrusion.
Engine, Mar 19, 2026
2017 ford fusion started to drive rough and minutes later the check engine light illuminated. The car was immediately turned off and taken to a mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed it with coolant intrusion and advised to check for recall. There are no active recalls associated with the VIN. The car needs a new engine at 70,000 miles.
Engine, Mar 14, 2026
Coolant Intrusion caused my engine to be blown.
Engine, Mar 11, 2026
2017 Ford fusion with the 1.5 L eco-boost engine with a coolant intrusion. Coolant links into the cylinders due to a flaw engine block design.
Power train, Mar 8, 2026
The bushing on transmission cable to transmission is missing. We cause shift lever not to work, not being able to put transmission in gear or out of gear. Same problem as earlier ford fusions with automatic transmissions
Power train, Feb 27, 2026
I pulled in and got gas. I put the car in drive but it wouldn't stay in drive, it went back to park. So I had it towed.there were no warning before this happened!no it wasn't inspected. No it has been reproduced. I was stuck in an parking lot. The bushing for the shifter cable was missing. U would have to contact the dealership for the parts.
Steering, Feb 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The vehicle was started; however, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact moved the gear shift lever to reverse(R), and the steering wheel seized. The tow truck driver had a difficult time trying to move the vehicle onto the flatbed truck. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that high friction on the gear and the entire steering alignment needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Engine, Feb 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to a local dealer, and the transmission was replaced; however, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking abnormally while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer provided the contact with a rental vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinders #2 and #4, DTC: P0316; and associated the failure with Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact associated the failure with TSB 22-2322; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,322.
Electrical system, Feb 21, 2026
Horn, randomly sounds off
Steering, Feb 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel detached and was left hanging. The driver moved over to the side of the highway. The contact stated that the steering wheel was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (STEERING); however, the failure occurred. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.