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
440 reports, newest first.
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.
Wheels, Mar 19, 2024
Went to got a normal free oil change. They told us they could not do a tire rotation because the lug nuts were swollen. On a 2018 car the cheap 2 piece lug nut swollen so a normal 19mm socket could not fit over to took off the tire. No recall and no free fix at the Anderson SC Ford Dealer.
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)
Power train, Feb 25, 2024
Torque converter ar60,000mi and needs whole transmission at 104000 mi
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.
Power train, Feb 20, 2024, crash
Terrible car, after long thinking about it the last accident in this car I think was caused from the transmission literally as soon as I put it in reverse it acted as if I was accelerating and proceeded out of the parking spot a little bit, another scary thing I pulled out of a parking lot and almost got hit because the car acted as if it was in neutral when the car was in drive with on coming traffic!!!!!!!! One time it wouldn't allow me to go into drive it started rolling back wards. Transmission was replaced in 2020 and the car has been parked since late 2022 because of this issue while still peeing $6,000 on a damn car I can't even drive and seeing the same similar issue about this stupid car everywhere is ridiculous and I don't see how there's not a recall on this transmission or buy back issue or something how do you go buy a almost $30,000 car and every 60 thousand miles the transmission goes out if your able to even walk away from an accident to be able to even get the damn thing fixed
Power train, Feb 18, 2024
So first and foremost, this has been a issue before, first time I had this vehicle serviced because the car was shifting terrible I would be driving and the car would slip out of gear and act as if it's in neutral which does not allow the car to accelerate, which occured driving on the highway and everywhere!!!! Ford helped fix the first transmission and I had to assist on partial amount, Going 65 miles an hour and then have to merge and the car is in drive but did a jerk and it was just cruising and acted as if the car was in neutral and just reving the engine almost got me hit because a car was behind me!!! Like I said Ford assisted with the first one!!!! NOW IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN!!! I OWE $6,000 ON A CAR I CANT EVEN DRIVE THAT JUST SITS IN MY DAMN DRIVEWAY! IVE ASKED FORD WHAT I SHOULD DO AND NO ONES REACH BACK OTHER THAN GETTING IT LOOKED AT AND NOT ASKING ABOUT ANY HELP AT ALL!!! This time because I've already dealt with this issue once I noticed it started to mess up again I pulled out of a parking lot to a main street, cars were coming but I was clear to go and had plenty of room!! WHY DID THE CAR DO THE SAME THING AND ACT AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL AND THEN DIDNT ACCELERATE to where I had to hurry turn my hazards on and then after I did that the car jerked real hard and like threw me back and it went I tried to drive it a month or so ago to see if it still did it and the car wouldn't go in reverse wouldn't go in drive nothing!!!!!!!!!! SO A BRAND NEW CAR I BROUGHT NOW IS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY UNDRIVABLE!!! AND I HAVE NO fix other than paying to have it looked at and fixed my self!!!!! Working at a dealership for five years! A Ford dealership at that, I seen how many damn fusions came in with transmission problems and it's a shame there's no damn recall on these transmission, maybe if the people would of hit my car maybe there would have been but why keep taking the damn chances!!!! I almost got rear ended both times because of this stupid fucking car!!!
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.
Power train, Feb 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and attempting to move the gear shifter, the gear shifter remained stuck in park (P). The contact stated that he disconnected the battery for 10-15 minutes, and the computer was reset. The contact stated that the vehicle then operated as needed. The contact stated that the failure recurred on another occasion, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was repaired; however, the failure recurred 30 minutes later after parking the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the gear shift module (GSM) needed to be replaced. The GSM was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer determined that the transmission gear shifter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 1, 2024
car knob shifts into reverse or drive without being touched when sitting in park at random times, have nearly hit basketball pole due to being unprepared to hit break. The knob makes a robotic type sound, an automated turning type sound & switches without being touched, has happened several times but not every time
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 1, 2024
Trunk pops open randomly often. It’s popped open while driving and will cause accidents if items fall out, it’s happened multiple times without any possibility of button being hit.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 1, 2024
The entire computer system does not function. The screen, radio, everything has turned completely off in the middle of driving on the highway. It’s concerning what this will cause at some point. It used to do this intermittently, now it’s completely off and I’ve had it to multiple mechanics who have checked everything thoroughly and cannot find anything wrong. Two mechanics told me in 20-30 years as a mechanic theyve only seen this once or twice but couldn’t be fixed. I owe a ton of money on my car, it my only transportation for myself kids and elderly mother, my daughter is a new driver and having everything electrical shut down while driving is going to cause an accident and panic.
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, Feb 1, 2024
Coolant is leaking into the engine, , Service Advisor (Lapalce Ford) said engine would need to be replaced, Said no warrantly would cost $10,000.00 to replace, Issues began in early 2023 with spark plug miss fire, Had a tune up done, but problem persisted, An engine warning light came on indicating that misfire in one of the coils, Had the spark plug and coil replaced during June of 2023, Problem persisted and warning light came on again, brought to ford to look and as was told that it was coolant leaking into the engine and that it would need to be replaced September of 2023.--I got a second opinion from Roy's Auto Tech in Marrero la and had them replace the engine with a new ford engine. $9720.59. Other than this issue this vehicle is was like new. --It has to be a mechanical defect with the design of the engine, and ford is aware as there have been multiple complaints of the exact same issue long before my problems arose.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 29, 2024
Coolant is leaking into my oil.