2020 Ford Fusion
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 182 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 15th highest complaint count among 15 Fusion model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 10 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Equipment, electrical, engine block heaterOct 10, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Campaign 25V685000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, softwareJun 27, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
Campaign 25V442000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, propulsion system, traction battery, management system/energy control module (bms/becm)Jun 23, 2023
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Fusion PHEV vehicles. The battery energy control module (BECM) may become damaged due to excessive voltage and current flow.
A damaged BECM can result in a loss of drive power or fire, increasing the risk of a crash.
Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the battery and update the BECM software for free, or Ford will repurchase the vehicle. If your vehicle is currently operating normally, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the fuse block and a software update as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). As an alternative remedy, Ford is offering a vehicle refund. Please see Ford's owner notification letter or contact Ford for full details. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S33.
Campaign 23V440000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
182 reports, newest first.
Engine, Nov 13, 2023
Failure of the Flywheel. It’s broken in pieces according to the dealership at greenway Ford. Did some searching on line and other people have report the same issues. The problem is they installed crappy plates that crack between 60k-90k miles. As others have reported the Luckily for them It was at an intersection and could pull over to the side of the road but imagine if this happens to you while on the freeway!
Power train, Nov 7, 2023
Car has the same 6f35 transmission issues as previous years and nothing is being done about it my car has 63k on it with a dead transmission because of the flexplate issue from previous years
Fuel system, Gasoline, Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the contact became aware that the vehicle was losing motive power. The contact stated that the RPM was fluctuating. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled but was able to be restarted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred three other times. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the tube assembly fuel vapor separator (9D289) needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,495.
Air bags, Oct 13, 2023, crash
As I was crossing an intersection, a vehicle ran through a red light and hit the front of my vehicle. There was significant damage to the whole front end and my vehicle was shifted to the left due to the impact. My air bags did not deploy. I injured my head and neck by striking the sun visor which cause a laceration and a cervical strain. My vehicle has been maintained well and there was no indication of air bag malfunction prior to the crash. Insurance adjuster has not inspected the vehicle yet.
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 11, 2023
APIM is faulty per the ford dealer ship. (Rusty Eck Ford) They state that it is a known issue but there has not been a recall. This affects the SYNC, navigation, instrument panel, connectivity to ford connect app, etc. In order for some things to be used temporarily, it has to be hard reset on the console. Nothing leading up to the issue.
Back over prevention, Oct 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that on several occasions while in reverse, the proximity warning alert did not sound as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Power train, Oct 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal rattling sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start the following day and was parked. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the flywheel had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Ford Campaign Number: 22N12 because the campaign had exceeded the required mileage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 120,251.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Sep 27, 2023
At first the check engine light was on and the car would not start. The dash would display all the lights and at one point it turned off while driving luckily I was going 20-30mph. Took it to the dealership and they said an Intake Valve had to be replaced and it was covered by the warranty. Next the engine light was on and a MAP censor had to be replaced which wasn’t covered. Once again the engine light and service light came on and the code is saying the same censor needs to be replaced. Each time it has effected how the car drives and is dangerous especially on the interstate because it will not go over 20mph. When the car is in reverse it will shake and turn off displaying auto start stop issue and place the car in park. It will then turn off. It is hit or miss on when the check engine light and maintenance light will come on and each time the symptoms are the same. No one has provided a solution. This has been on going for almost a year.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 24, 2023
the first time the incident happened I was driving home from work, i took and a turn and lost power, the car indicated a message that read " Auto StartStop Shift to P, then restart Engine. I tried starting my car a few times and it turned on. A week later I was driving on the highway and it happend. I pulled over and same thing. I took it to a Ford dealership and they couldn't replicate the problem.
Engine, Aug 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was making an abnormally loud sound. The vehicle then failed to shift into drive or reverse. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the cam shaft thrust plate was damaged and there was damage to the crank shaft. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 99,964.
Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 9, 2023
After every fuel up on the vehicle since I bought it in October 2022 car was sluggish to start, it proceeded to get worse as weeks went by and car refused to turn on until multiple attempts. Days later as I was driving and came to a stop light the car was struggling to stay on. The check engine light finally turned on after a few months of struggling with being able to turn vehicle on after fill up. Upon taking it to the Ford dealership to inspect code P0496 AND P0456 were found. Upon further inspection I was quoted to need VMV and charcoal canister with reprograming to VMV totaling 1500 worth of repairs. After two days of waiting dealership advised that parts, primary charcoal canister are in back order as "this is a common problem with these cars". Telling me that there is no way of knowing when I will be able to get the parts. Being that my car is a 2020, I don't comprehend why this is even an issue and why is this not a recall.
Steering, Power train, Service brakes, Jul 12, 2023
2020 Fusion Compressor one, delivered from factory went out-repaired Compressor 2 just went out Needs 3rd compressor now in 3 years or 38,000-Pending I was very concerned each time the compressor went out (x2) I was on the highway when it ceased up and I lost the ability to effectively control the vehicle. I was put in an unsafe position with the ceasing up and with excessive heat buildup with smelling burning. This was very scary and was unsafe and this part should be investigated for potential to cause harm and injury to those in the car should it happen to anyone else. Limited control of car, notice no more Belt as well after i was able to stop. It appaired to in tiny pieces as small as bee bees all over the car. Not even recognizable as a belt. This has happed 2 times (this is not normal in 38,000 miles, having very limited control of car and breaking and steering and no power with smell of fire/burning.
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Jul 7, 2023
Issues with Ford Sync Infotainment system have been occurring for over a year now, with the latest being on May 25th. Backup camera stays on when in drive, and then turns to a blue or black screen that says contact dealer. GPS will fail randomly and will show my vehicle driving off roads and not following the route I am driving. A/C will randomly stop working and show a Fan Speed of 0 no matter how many times you try to increase the fan speed, then once you are able to adjust the fan speed after restarting the car it will only blow very hot air at any temperature setting except in Max A/C. Which even in Max A/C the air coming out is not very cold. The backup camera staying on is dangerous you are not able to control any other functions of your vehicle because the vehicle believes its still in reverse, and at night when the screen is bright blue it impairs visibility. The GPS failure does not allow for proper navigation when traveling. The A/C issue is dangerous during the summer time when you are unable to cool your vehicle with passengers, especially young children from the over 100F temperatures you can experience during the summer. The dealership has seen the A/C issue, and I have videos of the backup camera and GPS issues. Dealership has inspected the vehicle and has been unable to diagnose the issue. They have reset and updated the software, but issues are still intermittent. Multiple calls with Ford and they are unable to provide additional assistance without there being any fault codes or the issue being present. When the A/C issue was present at the dealership, they were unable to diagnose the issue and Ford did not respond back to customer service inquiries to know who at Ford to contact for additional support. No warning signs about the issues. Will just happen randomly at times with no advance warning of anything happening. Most of the time the issues happen after starting the vehicle, but A/C and GPS issues have occurred during middle of a drive.
Power train, Jun 26, 2023
Tapping / knocking coming from the driver side of the engine bay . Slow engagement now knocking while parked and in gear ...was told it was the transmission which is a known issue for this car now my car won't move ... Wondering why this year model and setup has not been recalled
Power train, May 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while exiting a parking lot, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted; however, no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 75,002. The VIN was not available.
Service brakes, May 4, 2023
CONSTITUENT WRITES REGARDING AN ISSUE WITH THEIR BRAKES ON THEIR 2020 FORD FUSION.
Air bags, Mar 27, 2023
The driver steering wheel air bag moves to easily that could cause to eventually go off
Power train, Engine, Mar 3, 2023
The car seems to lose power sometimes when you are going down the road. My engine light came on but it brings up a fuel cap code, and a emission control sensor. The extended warranty covered the emissions control purge valve. This started around 70,000 miles.
Power train, Feb 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while attempting to drive forward after reversing the vehicle, the vehicle failed to move. The wrench symbol displayed stating there was a system malfunction however, the contact was unsure of the system failure. The contact stated that the diagnostic App linked to the vehicle stated that there was power train malfunction causing reduced power. The contact stated that someone mechanically inclined inspected the vehicle and informed her that the cable shifter bushing had detached causing the gear shifter to move from drive to park. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
Power train, Feb 8, 2023
Fusion is surging while shifting or lack of. Some of them being more violent than others, sometimes pulling the steering wheel to the left or right. When coming to a stop in city driving when the fusion doesn’t shift the fusion stalls. The initial shift is also very rough into any gear (drive, reverse, and/or back to neutral.
Service brakes, Feb 7, 2023
Brake fluid completely empty?
Electrical system, Feb 2, 2023
According to dealership, the 12-volt, 7 year battery passes all testing and has a "Good" (best) rating (battery is only 3 years old). Diagnostics reveal batter at 80%. When battery falls below 85% (such as frequently happens in cold weather), the computer program shuts down several features including remote car starting. Electrical programming must be changed to when a battery falls below 50%...when a car battery should be changed out. Please recall these vehicles and require Ford Motor Company to reprogram the electronic system. Thank you.
Wheels, Dec 28, 2022
Finish on inside of wheels flacking off and rusting
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 28, 2022
If the car is parked in directly sunlight and I start the car a "Front camera temporarily unavailable" message will appear. It happens more when the outside temperature is warmer.
Other or unspecified, Dec 18, 2022
My 2020 Ford Fusion has a broken shift bushing. Which is causing my dial box to revert back to park after changing gears.