IllustrationAccident caused by brakes slipping and failing to stop even when pushed all the way down to the floor. Air bags failed to deploy. Resulting in a total loss estimate after accident.
2018 Ford Fusion
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2018 Ford Fusion do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 1,109.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Fusion years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
110–25K
1625–50K
3050–75K
5375–100K
68100–150K
10150K+
188 reports with mileage · 250 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 201 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 106 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 88 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
5 reportsI went to head on to a light pole and my passenger side airbags did not deploy
I WAS HIT BY A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ON HWY 12 CA WHILE WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN. THE TRUCKS APPOX. SPEED 40 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR,SPRAIN NECK,LOWER BACK SEVER PAIN REPTURED BREAST IMPLANT KNOCKED FRONT TOOTH IMPLANT OUT ..AIR BAGS DID NOT COME OUT CAR IS TOTALLED.I WAS AT A DEAD STOP. I WAS ON HWY THERE WAS A SHERIFF RIGH…
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I WAS HIT BY A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ON HWY 12 CA WHILE WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN. THE TRUCKS APPOX. SPEED 40 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR,SPRAIN NECK,LOWER BACK SEVER PAIN REPTURED BREAST IMPLANT KNOCKED FRONT TOOTH IMPLANT OUT ..AIR BAGS DID NOT COME OUT CAR IS TOTALLED.I WAS AT A DEAD STOP. I WAS ON HWY THERE WAS A SHERIFF RIGHT BEHIND THE GUY WHO HIT ME HE WAS ON CELL PHONE. MY PASSENGER PULLED REAR OUT ENOUGH TO GET IT TO MY HOUSE SO IT WAS NOT TOWED. I WENT TO EMERGENCE AFTER I GOT HOME
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A WRENCH SENSOR POPPED UP ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR AND THE CAR STARTING DE-ACCELERATING AND SHAKING AND I HAD TO PULL OVER. I WENT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DIRTY SO THEY CLEANED IT AND THEY CLEARED THE CODE BUT IT RECENTLY HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES.…
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I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A WRENCH SENSOR POPPED UP ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR AND THE CAR STARTING DE-ACCELERATING AND SHAKING AND I HAD TO PULL OVER. I WENT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DIRTY SO THEY CLEANED IT AND THEY CLEARED THE CODE BUT IT RECENTLY HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES. WHEN IT HAPPENS IT MAKES THE CAR NOT ABLE TO START AS EASILY. IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT MAKES IT TO WHERE THE CAR WILL JUST NOT ACCELERATE AND IF YOU ARE ON THE HIGHWAY THERE ARE CARS FLYING RIGHT PAST YOU. THIS HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF 3 OR 4 TIMES.
TAKATA AIRBAG. RECEIVED NOTICE OF AIRBAG RECALL OVER TWO YEARS AGO (JULY 2016). STILL TO REMEDY. WE WANT TO USE THE VEHICLE FOR VACATION TRAVEL BUT ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PERSON IN THE PASSENGER SEAT.
Official recalls
223V162000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Mar 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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
18V167000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Mar 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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1RQ22004 · Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures
Opened Aug 8, 2022 · Closed Mar 24, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
On August 8, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 50 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging front brake jounce hose ruptures on model year (MY) 2013-2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A ruptured front brake hose results in a brake fluid leak. As a result, the driver may experience an increase in pedal travel and a reduction in the rate of deceleration, increasing the risk of a crash. It should be noted that the subject vehicles identified fell outside the scope of NHTSA Safety Recall 20V-469, which addressed front brake hoses rupturing on certain MY 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The result causes a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needing to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.On March 10, 2023, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted to NHTSA Safety Recall 23V-162 (Ford Recall 23S12) to address front brake jounce hoses that may rupture. Ford found the rupture occurs from a localized failure of the internal reinforcement braid due to cyclic fatigue through tensile/bending and torsional inputs during suspension and steering articulations. The supplier for the front brake jounce hoses is Hitachi. This recall affects the subject vehicles equipped with non-hybrid engines and the suspect front brake jounce hoses (a total of 1,280,726 vehicles). The recall covers subject vehicles built from February 3, 2012 to July 19, 2017 when the suspect hoses were used in vehicle production. The remedy is for dealerships to replace both front brake jounce hoses with new hoses that have a revised braid material at no cost. The vehicles equipped with hybrid engines are excluded from the recall because the internal hose pressure is much lower due to the regenerative braking provided by the hybrid brake system. No failures of brake hoses on hybrid vehicles have been reported to ODI or Ford.Ford's actions address ODIs concerns at this time. Hybrid vehicles will be monitored for related failures. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by new circumstances.The 103 ODI numbers cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ID numbers:11511014, 11510867, 11510318, 11509030, 11505993, 11504989, 11504400, 11502147, 11502082, 11501820, 11501283, 11498439, 11498296, 11496842, 11496335, 11494931, 11494851, 11494252, 11493001, 11492084, 11492070, 11491444, 11491274, 11488858, 11488027, 11487627, 11487416, 11487233, 11486150, 11484924, 11484526, 11484080, 11483948, 11483926, 11483739, 11483723, 11482773, 11482690, 11481077, 11480788, 11480294, 11480052, 11479338, 11479334, 11479252, 11479247, 11479187, 11479094, 11479048, 11478985, 11478953, 11478729, 11478216, 11476892, 11476282, 11470558, 11468994, 11467109, 11466294, 11462746, 11461217, 11456065, 11455367, 11444848, 11436419, 11436376, 11430685, 11428329, 11425083, 11421026, 11420738, 11420735, 11420298, 11418197, 11403926, 11397549, 11366991, 11366757, 11361016, 11359968, 11354569, 11352165, 11350344, 11348799, 11343929, 11343205, 11331947, 11329020, 11319596, 11310529, 11292271, 11288455, 11254787, 11253479, 11253244, 11234622, 11230669, 11230050, 11228240, 11221111, 11143630, 11129392 and 11120228.