2018 Ford Fusion
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 440 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 15 Fusion model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 9 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 6 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
Representative owner complaints: engine
271 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Apr 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the tailpipe. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to a safe location and parked the vehicle. The contact checked the oil level and confirmed that the oil level was adequate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak into cylinder #3. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 131,768.
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Apr 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure persisted. The contacted stated that the failure persisted, and the vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed as a malfunction with the gas cap. The contact was informed that the gas cap needed to be replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
Engine, Apr 26, 2024
My 2018 ford fusion is suffering an engine intrusion problem as a result of horrible engine design. Ford did NOT disclose or announce this very well known problem. My engine has overheated multiple times caused me to pull over on the HIGHWAY in fast moving traffic. Not only is the overheating a danger to my safety but so is sitting in a sedan on the side of the highway with tractor trailers passing me at speeds of 70mph.
Power train, Engine, Apr 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the temperature gauge displayed that the engine was overheating. The transmission warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion) associated with the VIN; however, the mileage exceeded the warranty coverage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was advised to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
Engine, Apr 11, 2024
When driving our 2018 Ford Fusion on vacation my wife and I were 10 hours away from home when the motor began to fail. The check engine came in and began flashing, while driving at 75 mph on [XXX] near Tifton Georgia our engine lost all power and the car began smoking profusely. The car developed a very serious misfire and was struggling to stay running. My wife was driving and had to cross 4 lanes of traffic in a vehicle lacking power and profusely smoking from under the hood reducing visibility. Two service centers have now diagnosed the car with a bad head gasket and block and informed us that the engine will need to be replaced. Ford has now informed us that our vehicle qualified for the [XXX] customer satisfaction campaign but we were never notified and now they are refusing to cover the engine due to us being 10,000 miles over their qualifications. The vehicle had issues previously with engine oil level raising as driving. When questioning the dealership they told us it was normal and there was no coolant or fuel in the oil. We have now found records that the dealership reprogrammed the power train control module according to their [XXX] campaign and cleared codes related to these coolant intrusion issues. This issue was caught and we were blatantly lied to about the coolant going into our oil. Because of this and Ford’s failure to notify us my wife and I were put into a dangerous situation traveling at a high rate of speed in a vehicle that lost majority of its power suddenly with no warning. We then put ourselves and other motorists around us at risk by having to cross 4 lanes of traffic in a cloud of white smoke in order to get ourselves to a safe place to stop. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Apr 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The contact stated there was white and black smoke coming from the tailgate and the hood area. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that a family friend who is an independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was informed that the repair would not be covered under an extended warranty. The contact was also informed that there were no available recalls associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Apr 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her son was driving 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle began to run rough, and the driver veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the local Nissan dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was no coolant in cylinder #2, and the head gasket was blown. The driver was referred to the local Ford dealer. The driver called the local dealer and was informed that there was no recall or Customer Satisfaction Program coverage for the repair. The vehicle was shipped back to the contact's residence. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that an engine replacement was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had been contacted and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 94,444.
Engine, Apr 9, 2024
My car is over heating, having trouble starting, shacking, and blowing white smoke out of the tailpipe. It's saying mis fire so I replaced the spark plus and it's still doing it.
Engine, Apr 7, 2024
P302 code. P1299. Overheating, coolant in number 2 cylinder. Head gasket failure due to engine block design flaw. Catastrophic engine failure Not covered under warranty due to mileage limitations past 84,000 on vehicle and a repair cost beyond retail value of the car.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 2, 2024
I PURCHASED THE CAR [XXX], FEW WEEKS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN DISAPPEARED, I WAS ALSO EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT COOLING FUNCTION, AS THE TOUCH SCREEN CONTROLS WAS SHOWING THAT THEY WERE BOTH ON AND IT WAS STILL WINTER/RAINY SEASON OUTSIDE. I TOOK THE CAR INNTO FORD DEALER AT SAN BERNARDINO CA, THEY TOLD ME THAT MOST LIKELY IT WAS JUST A DASHBOARD LIGHT MALFUNCTION BECAUSE THE DIAGNOSTICS RESULTS CAME OUT FINE AND AFTER RESEARCHING IN OTHER MANUALS EVEN THOUGH THE SEAT COOLING FUNCTION WAS SWITCHED TO "on", THE CAR DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH SEAT COOLING ONLY HEATED SEATS. 3 WEEKS LATER AFTER TAKING MY CAR HOME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN ON Y DASHBOARD, I BOUGHT AN OBDII DIAGNOSTIC TOOL, THE RESULT CAME BACK WITH 2 DIFFERENT POWERTRAIN CODES THAT WERE STRICTLY MANUFACTURER CODES. 1ST CODE WAS P1450 WHICH IS DEFINED AS UNABLE TO BLEED GAS TANK - EXCESSIVE VACCUM. 2ND CODE WAS P2196 WHICH IS DEFINED BY O2 SENSOR STUCK TRYING TO CORRECT 1ST CODE. THE P2196 EVENTUALLY CLEARED ON ITS OWN BUT THE P1450 BECAME PERMANENT. I HAD A DIAGNOSTIC MECHANIC TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND HE TOLD ME THE SAME THING, EXCEPT THAT THE MAIN CULPRIT IS THE PURGE FLOW VALVE, WHICH IS A RECALL ISSUE ON OTHER FORD FUSIONS. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, I WAS SHOWED THAT THE CAR HAD NO RECALLS BUT THE "MYFORD" APP AND OWNERSHIP DIDNT TRANSFER TO ME RIGHT AWAY UNTIL 30 DAYS AFTER THE PURCHASE, WHICH IS WHEN IT FINALLY LET ME VIEWED THE CARS PRIOR SERVICE / MAINTANANCE HISTORY AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR SALES LADY SHOWED ME VIN RECORDS WHERE IT SAYS THERE IS NO RECALLS AND IT HAD NO ACCIDENTS, RECORDS THAT SHE SHOWED ME 30 DAYS PRIOR TO ME GAINING ACTUAL OWNERSHIP THRU "MY FORD" WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE "MY FORD" APP STATES THAT IT SEEMS AS IF THE CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN THE PAST BECAUSE ALMOST $8000 WENT INTO REPAIRS TOWARDS TRANSMISSION AND OTHER MAIN COMPONENTS. CALIFORNIA SMOG CHECK RECORDS SHOW THAT THE CAR HAS ONLY HAD 1 TEST IN CA LAST SEPT 2023. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH after an oil change was performed on the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power an hour later. The contact was able to pull to the side of the roadway. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant intrusion in the engine and the short block needed to be replaced. The dealer determined that the failure was related to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered due to the mileage. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine, Mar 31, 2024
The engine of my car is subject to a critical design flaw. Coolant intrudes into the cylinders and is consumed at an unusually high rate which may cause severe overheating and can lead to fire. Ford Technical Service bulletin 22-2229 shows that Ford is aware of this significant issue but is leaving customers to discover if their car engine is subject to the flaw. They are leaving the customer to pay for the only viable and very expensive fix, which is complete engine replacement.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Mar 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while checking the coolant level routinely, the contact noticed that the coolant was significantly lower than expected. The contact stated that while the coolant level was low the vehicle was driving rough while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that coolant was leaking into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact became aware of Ford Customer Service Satisfaction Program Number: 21N12 (Vehicles Equipped with a 1.5L GTDI Engine – Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion) however, the VIN was not included in the program. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power and failed to restart; however, the contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine which caused the engine to become damaged. 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 and 19B37, 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 101,000.
Power train, Engine, Mar 29, 2024
Coolant reservoir is empty with no visible leakage and engine is no longer working
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while his son was driving at approximately 55 MPH, the check engine and low coolant level warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that his son added coolant to the vehicle and was able to drive to the residence The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, the next day. The independent mechanic tested the system for coolant leaks; however, no leaks were found. However, the head gasket was removed, and coolant was found in cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the local Ford dealer for engine replacement. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The contact stated that the manufacturer offered no assistance. The contact was informed that the case was closed and to call the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was at the dealer awaiting the repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Engine, Mar 28, 2024
Coolant leak into engine
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The contact stated that she had replaced the spark plugs herself; however, the failure recurred. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 45 MPH the vehicle decelerated independently, and the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle jerked and failed to exceed 5 MPH. The contact pulled to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption, but there were no signs of a coolant leak. The coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford TSB Number: 19-2375. The failure mileage was mileage was approximately 113,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Mar 13, 2024
See attached document for complaint
Engine, Mar 7, 2024
I have a 2018 Ford Fusion titanium 2.0. Upon start up thick white smoke was coming from the exhaust. Coolant level in resevoir dropping very low. Added coolant and five minutes of driving my check engine light comes on with code p0301 car ran sluggish and overheating light came on. I immediately pulled over and turned it off. Sure enough very low coolant in resevoir. No signs of leakage outside. I then took the car to a ford dealership for diagnosing. Sure enough I have coolant intrusion on number 1 cylinder. I reached out to FORD manufacturer and they will not assist with repairs/replacing the engine and all components that have been damaged due to the coolant intrustion. It will cost $9742.90 to replace all components and engine. My car only has 118013 miles on it. I am very disappointed with FORD knowing that they are aware of this coolant intrusion problem, yet do not want to fix their flaws. Enclosed is also a photo of the coolant intrusion on cylinder 1.
Engine, Mar 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
Engine, Mar 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 36 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
Engine, Feb 29, 2024
My car started with the Ck engine light coming on, then white smoke from the exhaust randomly, then my temperature gauge randomly going up then back down, my car then losing coolant but not leaking any coolant under my car when parked. Then it started acting like it was gonna stall while at a stop or in park. I thought at first I got bad gas somewhere. These are all things I’ve never experienced since purchasing my car new in 2018. I took my car this week to the Ford dealership to get a diagnosis. They told me my car had some coolant intrusion that was a defect with my engine. They told me that Ford was replacing the engines but that my car didn’t qualify because it was over the 84,000 miles. I couldn’t believe it. So a vehicle I bought brand new( my first ever brand new vehicle) and I just paid off early in January of 2024 now needs a new engine. To say I was mad and disappointed would be an understatement. I only have my income as my husband passed away 9 years ago. I’m not old enough to collect his pension as I was only [XXX] when he passed. I also took in my 2 nieces 6 years ago when my sister passed away. I can’t believe Ford does not have to repair these vehicles. Why should mileage matter if it’s a defect on their part. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Feb 22, 2024
At 100,000 miles the vehicle has experienced coolant intrusion in the engine resulting in the engine being seized. I was told by the Ford service rep that this is a known issue on this vehicle, but there is no type of warranty offered.
Engine, Feb 11, 2024
Purchased my car on 1/16/21. In mid-2023, I was having issues with hearing water running in my dashboard. During this time no warning messages appeared. Soon after my car started shutting off without notice again with no warning messages. It would shut off while driving or when stopped. Then it also started running hot with warning messages. Due to this, I took my car to a repair shop and was told that turbo boost oil had leaked into my engine. I was told I needed a long-block engine replacement for $12,000. I have never been in an accident that would impact my engine. I kept up on the maintenance of my car. After research, I learned that this is a problem for Ford's turbo boost engine and that Ford was aware of the possible issue.