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.
Power train, Feb 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon shifting from reverse(R) into drive(D), the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that both the transmission warning light and shifter cable fault warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact called the dealer where she was informed that the shifter cable bushing was missing and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was 101,000.
Engine, Feb 7, 2023
The check engine light came on my 2018 Ford Fusion on 2/6/23. On 2/7/23 the car was diagnosed by a Ford dealer as having a coolant intrusion issue. Upon doing research, Ford was aware as early as 2019 that that the 2.0L EcoBoost engines have this common problem. They Issued a Technical Service Bulletin detailing the problem. However, Ford is not recalling these vehicles. They have told me that the only fix for the problem is to remove the engine and replace the long block for $8000. Vehicles like mine with the 2.0L EcoBoost engines have a defect that cause coolant to leak into the engine’s cylinders, which can cause corrosion, oil dilution and contamination and engine failure. Furthermore, this defect creates a safety risk because the lack of coolant created by the leaks causes overheating and can result in the cylinder head cracking, total engine failure, or worse an engine fire. If there is a risk that the engine could catch fire on all these vehicles, that puts my life, my passengers lives and others sharing nearby roads lives in danger. I am urging the NHTSA to investigate this claim and the numerous consumers that have these faulty engines. Please hold Ford accountable and force them to replace these engines to keep us citizens safe.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Feb 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the EVAP valve failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.
Power train, Jan 31, 2023
Started parked car and when shifted into drive the shifter automatically reverted back to Park position and could not be driven. Inspection showed that transmission shifter bushing had popped off. Same problem has happened in other model year Fusions and recall has been issued but not for the 2018 model I have. Problem was verified and repaired by Ford dealer at my expense.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 7, 2023
While driving down the road the car suddenly flashed engine coolant is over-temperature warning and shut off and lost power. Inside of my vehicle the car was not showing it was running hot on the temperature hand. I was on a blind curve and barely made it to a pull off before the car completelyshut off. There have been no signs of over heating before this. There is a coolant intrusion in the cylinder and the engine block needs to be replaced. 120000 miles and out of warranty.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 5, 2023
When I stop to get fuel/gas for my car, I am unable to turn the ignition off because if I do, the car will not restart immediately or at all. There is also a jerking motion immediately after fueling and while driving. There is a "wailing" noise immediately proceeding the car shutting down. The check engine light is on.
Power train, Nov 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission failed to shift into the intended gear, with the "Shift System Fault" message displayed and the transmission warning light illuminated. Additionally, the transmission inadvertently shifted into park(P). The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission bearing needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the transmission bearing. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine, Oct 26, 2022
Misfires on cylinder 2. Engine burning oil slowly. Mileage is only 64,390.
Power train, Oct 24, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after reversing out of the driveway, the vehicle failed to shift out the reverse(R) after multiple attempts. The contact stated that the gear shifter indicated the vehicle was in park(P). The contact heard an abnormal clunking noise coming from the gear shifter as the shifter fault message appeared on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a defective shifter cable bushing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
Power train, Oct 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the gear shifter detached, and the contact was unable to shift into the intended gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission shifter cable bushing was missing and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
Wheels, Oct 16, 2022
At a. Recent appointment at local Ford dealer, I was told that tires could not be rotated due to swollen lug nuts. I perceive that as a safety concern as in event of a flat out out on the road, I would be stranded. Dealer quoted a price of over $250 to replace. Seems to me that this should be Fords responsibility. I feel uneasy driving my Fusion now.
Power train, Sep 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while his wife driving 5 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the flex plate on the flywheel was fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Fuel system, Other, Sep 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at 50-55 MPH, she heard an abnormally loud sound coming from the front the of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to her residence, where she turned off and restarted the vehicle. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the flywheel needed to be replaced. The part was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred a year later. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the flywheel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline and a case was filed. The failure mileage was unknown.
Other or unspecified, Sep 24, 2022
Dial on gear shift kept saying "shift fault, see manual " after investigating, bushing from shifter cable bushing was missing. Many other fusions have had this complaint and recall was issued for certain years. Possibilities are car going out of gear while parked and rolling away. This is a safety for the Ford fusion.
Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 8, 2022
Fuel vacuum system failure. Results in the check engine light coming on. Vehicle has died in the middle of the highway. Took vehicle to mechanic and they stated that this is a very common issue they have fixed in over half of the ford fusions he has seen. Vehicle will cut off and will not start. Shows a code for fuel/emissions.
Other or unspecified, Sep 8, 2022
I have had this issue twice now. The vehicle says shift sensor fault or shift sys fault or something. The bushing on the transmission has failed for the 2nd time. Both times stopping me from being able to drive my vehicle to be able to get to my place of employment.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 30, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated with a message stating "Engine Coolant Over Temperature" displayed. Additionally, the engine sputtered while the vehicle was being started and there was gray smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The contact stated that the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that coolant was leaking into cylinder #1, causing damage to the engine long block. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 112,000.
Electrical system, Aug 24, 2022, crash
Son was driving 20 mph and Vehicle acted like it shut off, door chime started dinging, steering and brakes locked up and my son crashed into a group of trees, totaling the car. It had electrical issues prior and had shut off once before while he was in a parking lot. The auto shut off at stops worked correctly for a while and stopped working. Parking lights would come on while driving. Just a bunch of weird electronic things before final crash. The car had been repaired from a previous accident, but had been acting odd before that. I think previous owner had crashed it also and I’m wondering if that crash could have been caused by the same malfunctions. Also, air bags never deployed in either of his accidents which was very odd.
Other or unspecified, Aug 22, 2022
Calling this a safety issue may be a stretch, but I can see where a potential exists. In my 2018 Ford Fusion the trunk frequently pops open of its own accord while the vehicle is parked and ignition is off. It happens often enough that I am afraid to leave anything of value in it. My wife is afraid that it could happen someday while we're driving the vehicle. A trip to my local Ford dealer yielded nothing, and they told me that they had never heard of such a thing happening. They did offer to "troubleshoot" it for me at their full labor rate! Nothing found on the Ford website. A Google search, however, revealed that this has occurred frequently in the Fusion and in other Ford vehicles, as well as in vehicles from other manufacturers. I love the car and would hate to get rid of it because of this vexing problem, but I'm afraid to leave my golf clubs in the car while I run into a store. Also, the fear that it could pop open while vehicle is in operation leaves me with fear that something could fly out of the trunk and cause an accident or injury. Same Google search has shown a number of reports of this happening.
Engine, Aug 17, 2022
I am a retired mechanic with over 13 years of professional experience working at multiple dealerships. I purchased my 2018 Ford Fusion with 2.0L Ecoboost on 6/29/2022 with 73,555 miles. Two days after delivery, within 1 minute of leaving home, the CHECK ENGINE light was illuminated. When I returned home, I used my diagnostic scanner to find code P0300 set. What I found interesting is that the scanner indicated that the code had been cleared 298 miles earlier, which indicated either the prior owner cleared the code, or the dealership cleared the code prior to marketing it for sale. Two days ago, on the way home from work, the CHECK ENGINE light came on again, and I was able to determine that the code was a P0302, misfire on cylinder 2. I checked the coolant level of the car, and it was below the minimum mark on the reservoir. I removed the spark plug from cylinder #1 and cylinder #2 for visual inspection and comparison. Visual inspection of the plugs had a normal carbon build-up on the piston in cylinder #1 and on the ground electrode of the same spark plug, whereas on cylinder #2 there was no carbon buildup on the spark plug nor on the top of the piston; it was "wet looking". I reinstalled the spark plugs, and topped the coolant off and bled air out of the coolant system. I did utilize a combustion gas leak detection tester marketed by Blue Point that I have used in the past to diagnose faulty head gaskets, but the results were inconclusive. On my drive to work the next day, the CHECK ENGINE light was no longer illuminated. This morning, I examined the coolant reservoir, and there is a noticeable decrease in volume of coolant in the reservoir from the day before, along with the misfire on startup and illumination of the CHECK ENGINE light, with code P0302 being set. To date, the selling dealership and Ford have denied my request for any extended warranty assistance for replacement of the defective designed 2.0L engine. I now have a car I cannot use at all.
Power train, Engine, Aug 17, 2022
There is a coolant leak into the cylinder which causes it to misfire. Ford is aware this is a known problem!!
Steering, Aug 17, 2022
I just bought my car almost 2 months ago. It has 32,000 miles. Having steering issues.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 12, 2022
My car shuts down for some reason while I’m driving and has been running rough for the last couple of days. Also my horn does not work at all. This is a hazard for not only me but everybody. My vehicle have not been inspected, or not that I know of. When I first brought the car 2 years ago I noticed the horn was weak but was told that’s how they sound. I forgot when my check engine light came on but it had to be 2 or 3 months ago. Just recently my car started to stop on me while I’m in traffic, the first time it happened was in June. I also went to Autozone to see why the check engine light, but it only says small EVAP leak.
Electrical system, Aug 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated during acceleration and then stalled with the transmission warning light illuminated. The doors were unable to open after the failure. AAA inspected the battery and informed the contact that the battery was not properly installed while the battery and bolts were the incorrect sizes. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 44,126.
Power train, Aug 6, 2022
Went into reverse to back out of a parking spot and the gear shift went back into park while reversing. After research of the issue it was determined that the bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission detached from the transmission. If the parking brake is not applied, a degraded shifter cable bushing that detaches from the transmission could result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury or crash. There are already recalls issued for the same type if vehicle but my vin number does not populate a recall. I am having a safety issue.