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 and engine cooling
88 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated the vehicle was low on coolant and failed to start. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact stated that there was an increase of white smoke coming from the exhaust. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light 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 determined that coolant intrusion had damaged 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: 19B37. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 76,000.
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 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 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, 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.
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 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, 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 and engine cooling, Feb 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion into the engine had damaged 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, 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 164,000.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Jan 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 5-10 MPH, the message "Coolant Level Low" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the roadway and added coolant to the vehicle; however, the same message was displayed the following day while driving. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that cylinder #2 was misfiring due to coolant intrusion. The mechanic replaced 1 coil, 1 spark plug, and the coolant reservoir hose; however, the check engine warning light turned off temporarily and the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant intrusion in cylinder #2, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under Ford TSB: 22-2229. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine was running rough. Additionally, the A/C was making a loud squealing sound while activated. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the coolant level was low. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer it was purchased from, and the water pump kit timing belt was replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer. The contact was unable to confirm that the vehicle had been repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12; however, the campaign had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 18, 2023
Purchase car in 2019. 4 years later my car is overheating due to a cylinder crack. No recall was found using my vin number but with a cylinder crack and car overheating this is a safety issue.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Dec 9, 2023
I have a 2018 ford fusion 2.0L ecoboost with around 77k miles and started to see coolant loss with no visible signs in engine bay or below.car, rough start with error P0316 and occasional misfire. White smoke comes from exhaust on start sometimes. Also have to fill coolant every other day or so. It looks as coolant intrusion issue very common with these engines.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Dec 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating, and the vehicle briefly shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the head gasket and turbo charger. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 75,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle into the dealer for an oil change, the contact was informed that the engine was empty of coolant. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined coolant intrusion had caused damage to the cylinder head, requiring a replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 47,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, he observed excessive smoke coming from the engine compartment as well as the rear exhaust. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined there was coolant intrusion into the engine cylinder that caused damage to the cylinder head. 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, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 89,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. The engine overheating warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined coolant intrusion had caused damages to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 96,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the engine was running rough while the vehicle was idling. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated the following day. The contact stated that the failure recurred while the vehicle was idling. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine cylinders, causing the engine to misfire. The dealer related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 22-2322 and informed the contact that the short block 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 approximately 69,900.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Oct 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust tip. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle the following day, she noticed an abnormal odor. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge relayed that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was idling, the engine overheated. The temperature gauge increased to HOT. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The high-temperature indicator light was flashing, and the fan was engaged. The vehicle was running rough. There was white smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a crack in the engine block and that cylinder #3 had a misfire. The engine block was replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 188,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling at a stop light, the vehicle started to shake. The coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that while operating the air conditioning system, hot air started to blow from the vents. The contact stated that she was concerned for her safety. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the cylinders and the cylinder head was cracked; however, the contact then stated that she was informed by the mechanic of corrosion at an unknown location of the vehicle. The contact was unsure of what needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall and provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Coolant System Temperature Above" was displayed, and the vehicle stalled. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be repaired. 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 approximately 90,000.