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: power train
106 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Mar 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after his girlfriend was occupied and parked in the residence, while attempting to reverse the vehicle the gear shifted independently into park. The contact mention he lifted the front end of the vehicle, and he noticed the shifter cable detached from the transmission shifting arm. The contact was able to attach the shifter cable on the transmission shifting arm but also noticed the shifter cable bushing has detached from the transmission as well. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired however the contact mention the vehicle will be getting repaired on March 29th. The contact related the failure to the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000(POWER TRAIN). The insurance company had not been contacted yet. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure they informed the contact that NHTSA calls the manufacture to have recalls on their VIN. The contact was referred to NHTSA to file a complaint on the failure. The failure mileage was 102.000.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 24, 2025
My car had a bad shifting linkage which I paid for out of pocket. My 2.0 Ecoboost engine is leaking coolant into my oil and makes a very loud concerning ticking noise, along with reduced engine power and sporadic/random loss of brakes. There has been recalls for these issues on most other Ford Fusion models and this one NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. My engine is going to blow any day now and I will be stuck paying for the rest of my car loan for a vehicle I cannot drive. All of the Ecoboost engines should be recalled for poor design.
Power train, Engine, Mar 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the "WRENCH" symbol was displayed. The contact was unable to shift the transmission into drive(D). The contact had to wait for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before attempting to restart the vehicle before shifting into drive(D). The contact stated that the failure recurred, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Power train, Engine, Mar 3, 2025
At 135,815 miles, my 2018 Ford Fusion SE experienced a sudden transmission failure while driving, with no prior warning signs. The vehicle was towed to Certified Transmission, where technicians confirmed: Transmission fluid level was correct but black/degraded. Multiple failure codes were present. Transmission pump whined and stopped functioning. Diagnosis: Internal transmission failure (6/17/2024). The shop stated this issue is common in these transmissions. The entire transmission had to be replaced. At 141,164 miles, just 5,349 miles later, the engine shut off on the highway while driving, again with no warning lights. After pulling onto the shoulder, it restarted after 10 minutes but was smoking heavily. Coolant was critically low in the reserve tank. Diagnosis: Cracked cylinder head due to coolant intrusion, a known defect in 1.5L EcoBoost engines. I contacted Ford Customer Care about CSP 21N12, but they refused assistance since my vehicle exceeds 84,000 miles, despite this well-documented defect. Safety Concerns: Unexpected transmission & engine failure while driving creates a serious risk. Engine shutoff on the highway could have led to an accident. Coolant intrusion in 1.5L EcoBoost engines is a known issue, yet Ford has failed to notify all owners. This issue affects many owners and creates major safety risks. I urge the NHTSA to investigate and consider a mandatory recall to prevent further incidents.
Power train, Feb 11, 2025
Transmission cable shifter bushing was defective and popped off of transmission shifter. This subsequently caused the transmission control module to overwork and fail.
Power train, Jan 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while at a stoplight, the vehicle hesitated and jerked. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. The service vehicle message was displayed. There was a highlighted rectangle displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and DTC: P0218/P177S was retrieved, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Academy Ford Sales (13401 Baltimore Ave, Laurel, MD 20707); where it was diagnosed that the transmission, intermittent clutch, and shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the transmission 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 70,000.
Power train, Jan 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle hesitated, and the transmission failed to shift into third gear. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,433.
Power train, Nov 16, 2024
Transmission issues, I had my transmission replaced right out of warranty so Ford assisted 4 grand to assist the repair because the dealership took a mmtj to get my car in, i didn't know it was going to go over the trade in program replacements in miles. The car shifts weird, in drive the vehicle acts as if it was put in neutral randomly and it jerks you hard into gear throwing you and passengers into the back of the seat a,pay got hit two times it also when you start the car, put it in drive it throws it's self back into park then you put it back into drive or reverse and it grooms and goes as if I'm accelerating which i got hit once backing out of a sppt because of this i hagea friend who has the same issues why is theee not a recall on their ford fusions or them getting sued????
Power train, Oct 29, 2024
The vehicle started jerking violently out of nowhere while being driven only 35 MPH. It immediately became unsafe and unable to be driven without any warning whatsoever. No lights on the dash or anything leading up to this issue. After being diagnosed we were told the transmission needs to be completely replaced. Also after doing some research we have discovered that this is a well known issue with this vehicle that has not been addressed with this year model, but was with previous model years.
Power train, Oct 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after her son had placed the vehicle into reverse(R), the vehicle failed to respond when shifted into drive(D). The contact stated that the WRENCH (Transmission) warning symbol appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The contact was informed that the shifter cable bushing and the shifter cable bushing cap needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NTHSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Oct 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while his wife was driving 60 MPH, the wrench symbol became displayed. The power train fault warning light was illuminated. The vehicle started to shake with the check engine warning light illuminated. The power steering was inoperable. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Power train, Sep 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the transmission independently shifted into the park(P) while driving at speeds of 30 MPH or exceeding the speed. The gear shifter had detached from the vehicle while driving over rough road surfaces. The contact had to manually maneuver the gear shifter to move the gear shifter to the desired position. The wrench symbol was displayed on the instrument panel, indicating that the vehicle needed to be serviced. The vehicle had been taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the gear shifter had a detached that needed to be repaired. The vehicle had been repaired; however, the failure persisted. The dealer had been contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Power train, Sep 19, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced twice. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The power train warning light was illuminated. The messages "Shift System Fault”, “See Owner’s Manual" and "Take Vehicle to Service Center Immediately" were displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that while shifting to drive(D) or to reverse(R), the gear shifter independently shifted back to park(P). The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure milage was approximately 89,000.
Power train, Sep 14, 2024
After reversing out of my driveway I could not get me fusion to go into drive. After getting the car back into my driveway my fusion starting putting the emergency brake on I would take it off and it would automatically put the parking brake back on. After looking at a video of problems with the shifter I popped my hood and found that the shift cable had come off. There is a recall on fusions for this issue but my year is not included.
Power train, Sep 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond, jerked, and experienced hard shifts while responding. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The power train warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal transmission damage that caused clutch B to fail. The dealer determined that the transmission 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 80,559.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Aug 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the engine started to overheat, and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The message "Vehicle Temperature Overheating" was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure recurred several times while driving. The contact pulled to the side of the road several times until arriving to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the PCM had failed. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed there was coolant intrusion in the engine cylinders. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 181,000.
Power train, Engine, Aug 5, 2024
Originally, the car had Cylinder 2 misfire followed by the engine overheating. No crash, thankfully. have had this car for approximately 2 years, and put less than 30,000 miles on it. I took the car to Kings Ford Services where they discovered the engine block had been miscast resulting in engine coolant to enter cylinders 2 and 4, thus killing the engine. Spoke with Eric Hutton, Service Advisor Kings Ford Inc, (513)-683-0220 ext. 219, who said he has seen this happen multiple times with Ford Fusions and that the 1.5L has been recalled, but not the 2.0L which my car has. Per Kings Ford Repair Receipt: "Inspected the engine base part number to confirm it I'd 206 then with the engine at normal operating temperature, pressurized the cooling system to 20 PSI FOR 5 hours and the pressure dropped more than 4 PSK. Removed the spark plugs, used a borescope and found coolant has entered the cylinders. Removed the engine and replaced the long block assembly using all of the approved Ford gasket removers, parts cleaners, shampoo and metal surface prep wipes to clean all related mating surfaces per the workshop service manual. Also replaced all other related seals, gaskets, and non reusable hardware and reinstalled all components Removed for repairs in the reverse order of removal. Evachated, pulled system into vacuum, and recharged thr air conditioning system to service the engine assembly." I called Beechmont Ford who filed a claim with my warranty, but the warranty refused to aid and gave many excuses that were not true to the problem such as "it was a gasket issue not an engine" despite Mr. Hutton telling them multiple times it was the engine. I found out later their excuses were just that as Ford Inc. said the warranty expired within a year of having the car. They also had heard of this happening before, as well. Ford Inc. who was willing to pay a portion of the bill, $5,000, despite it being a manufacturing issue. Car was fixed and returned to me on 08/01/2024.
Power train, Jul 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the flex plate. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 22N12. 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 116,000.
Power train, Engine, Jul 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced two years after purchasing the vehicle brand new. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and was significantly sluggish while the RPMs were significantly elevated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal. The power train and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while shifting to reverse(R), a message indicating that the transmission was in reverse(R) was displayed, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring increasingly. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and 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 79,225.
Power train, Jun 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to shift between gear. The contact also stated that the vehicle automatically shifted into neutral and rolled backwards. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the transmission shift 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 164,000.
Power train, May 14, 2024
The flex plate is cracked at 87,000 miles and causing the vehicle to make a loud rattling noise near the bottom of the engine toward the back of the transmission. While driving the vehicle it drags while accelerating on turns and gives a hard shift in gears from park. The vehicle was inspected by Aamco transmission and several Ford dealers where i was told that this seems to be a common issue with the ford fusions according to several ford dealers but the ford manufacturer is refusing to place a recall for this matter. There is no warning indicating the issue is near or has occurred until the flex plate has already caused damage.
Power train, May 5, 2024
Upon shifting the gear to put the vehicle in park, the shifter automatically put itself in neutral and the parking brake enabled. A warning came on the dash, saying SHIFT SYS FAULT Service Required. A wrench light was illuminated as well. The bushing securing the shifting cable was gone, as if it crumbled to pieces. I have replaced this bushing a few times within the last year.
Power train, Apr 26, 2024
Vehicle throws a system shift error when shifting vehicle. Due to loose transmission shift cable. Missing retention clip. Reported error on previous Ford fusion models. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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.
Power train, Apr 5, 2024
Failed transmission. Hard shift from 2-3, and 4-5. Also transmission is slipping. Only 40,600 miles on the car. Car is a dealership for evaluation, they recommend replacing the transmission.