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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Engine complaints

201 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 7, 2024
Engine

2018 ford fusion 1.5 L coolant intrusion at 65,000 miles. Ford refuses to help us in this matter. Our vehicle was not placed under their recall list which was for 2013-2019 escapes and fusion 1.5 L ecoboost motors for design flaw causing coolant intrusion. Our car has that EXACT motor and exact problem. It has a cylinder 3 coola…

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2018 ford fusion 1.5 L coolant intrusion at 65,000 miles. Ford refuses to help us in this matter. Our vehicle was not placed under their recall list which was for 2013-2019 escapes and fusion 1.5 L ecoboost motors for design flaw causing coolant intrusion. Our car has that EXACT motor and exact problem. It has a cylinder 3 coolant intrusion.

NHTSA ODI #11587395

131,768 miles · Apr 30, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the tailpipe. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to a safe location and parked the vehicle. The contact checked the oil level and…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the tailpipe. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to a safe location and parked the vehicle. The contact checked the oil level and confirmed that the oil level was adequate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak into cylinder #3. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 131,768.

NHTSA ODI #11586200

Mileage unknown · Apr 26, 2024
Engine

My 2018 ford fusion is suffering an engine intrusion problem as a result of horrible engine design. Ford did NOT disclose or announce this very well known problem. My engine has overheated multiple times caused me to pull over on the HIGHWAY in fast moving traffic. Not only is the overheating a danger to my safety but so is sitt…

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My 2018 ford fusion is suffering an engine intrusion problem as a result of horrible engine design. Ford did NOT disclose or announce this very well known problem. My engine has overheated multiple times caused me to pull over on the HIGHWAY in fast moving traffic. Not only is the overheating a danger to my safety but so is sitting in a sedan on the side of the highway with tractor trailers passing me at speeds of 70mph.

NHTSA ODI #11585507

89,000 miles · Apr 16, 2024
EnginePower Train

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 Custome…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11583352

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2024
Engine

When driving our 2018 Ford Fusion on vacation my wife and I were 10 hours away from home when the motor began to fail. The check engine came in and began flashing, while driving at 75 mph on [XXX] near Tifton Georgia our engine lost all power and the car began smoking profusely. The car developed a very serious misfire and was s…

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When driving our 2018 Ford Fusion on vacation my wife and I were 10 hours away from home when the motor began to fail. The check engine came in and began flashing, while driving at 75 mph on [XXX] near Tifton Georgia our engine lost all power and the car began smoking profusely. The car developed a very serious misfire and was struggling to stay running. My wife was driving and had to cross 4 lanes of traffic in a vehicle lacking power and profusely smoking from under the hood reducing visibility. Two service centers have now diagnosed the car with a bad head gasket and block and informed us that the engine will need to be replaced. Ford has now informed us that our vehicle qualified for the [XXX] customer satisfaction campaign but we were never notified and now they are refusing to cover the engine due to us being 10,000 miles over their qualifications. The vehicle had issues previously with engine oil level raising as driving. When questioning the dealership they told us it was normal and there was no coolant or fuel in the oil. We have now found records that the dealership reprogrammed the power train control module according to their [XXX] campaign and cleared codes related to these coolant intrusion issues. This issue was caught and we were blatantly lied to about the coolant going into our oil. Because of this and Ford’s failure to notify us my wife and I were put into a dangerous situation traveling at a high rate of speed in a vehicle that lost majority of its power suddenly with no warning. We then put ourselves and other motorists around us at risk by having to cross 4 lanes of traffic in a cloud of white smoke in order to get ourselves to a safe place to stop. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11582473

88,000 miles · Apr 11, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The contact stated there was white and black smoke coming from the tailgate and the hood area. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addi…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The contact stated there was white and black smoke coming from the tailgate and the hood area. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that a family friend who is an independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was informed that the repair would not be covered under an extended warranty. The contact was also informed that there were no available recalls associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

NHTSA ODI #11582451

94,444 miles · Apr 11, 2024
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her son was driving 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle began to run rough, and the driver veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the local Nissan dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was no coolant in cylinder #…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her son was driving 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle began to run rough, and the driver veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the local Nissan dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was no coolant in cylinder #2, and the head gasket was blown. The driver was referred to the local Ford dealer. The driver called the local dealer and was informed that there was no recall or Customer Satisfaction Program coverage for the repair. The vehicle was shipped back to the contact's residence. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that an engine replacement was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had been contacted and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 94,444.

NHTSA ODI #11582336

Mileage unknown · Apr 9, 2024
Engine

My car is over heating, having trouble starting, shacking, and blowing white smoke out of the tailpipe. It's saying mis fire so I replaced the spark plus and it's still doing it.

NHTSA ODI #11581980

Mileage unknown · Apr 7, 2024
Engine

P302 code. P1299. Overheating, coolant in number 2 cylinder. Head gasket failure due to engine block design flaw. Catastrophic engine failure Not covered under warranty due to mileage limitations past 84,000 on vehicle and a repair cost beyond retail value of the car.

NHTSA ODI #11581532

Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 2024
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

I PURCHASED THE CAR [XXX], FEW WEEKS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN DISAPPEARED, I WAS ALSO EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT COOLING FUNCTION, AS THE TOUCH SCREEN CONTROLS WAS SHOWING THAT THEY WERE BOTH ON AND IT WAS STILL WINTER/RAINY SEASON OUTSIDE. I TOOK THE CAR INNTO FORD DEALER AT SAN BERNARDINO CA, THEY TOL…

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I PURCHASED THE CAR [XXX], FEW WEEKS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN DISAPPEARED, I WAS ALSO EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT COOLING FUNCTION, AS THE TOUCH SCREEN CONTROLS WAS SHOWING THAT THEY WERE BOTH ON AND IT WAS STILL WINTER/RAINY SEASON OUTSIDE. I TOOK THE CAR INNTO FORD DEALER AT SAN BERNARDINO CA, THEY TOLD ME THAT MOST LIKELY IT WAS JUST A DASHBOARD LIGHT MALFUNCTION BECAUSE THE DIAGNOSTICS RESULTS CAME OUT FINE AND AFTER RESEARCHING IN OTHER MANUALS EVEN THOUGH THE SEAT COOLING FUNCTION WAS SWITCHED TO "on", THE CAR DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH SEAT COOLING ONLY HEATED SEATS. 3 WEEKS LATER AFTER TAKING MY CAR HOME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN ON Y DASHBOARD, I BOUGHT AN OBDII DIAGNOSTIC TOOL, THE RESULT CAME BACK WITH 2 DIFFERENT POWERTRAIN CODES THAT WERE STRICTLY MANUFACTURER CODES. 1ST CODE WAS P1450 WHICH IS DEFINED AS UNABLE TO BLEED GAS TANK - EXCESSIVE VACCUM. 2ND CODE WAS P2196 WHICH IS DEFINED BY O2 SENSOR STUCK TRYING TO CORRECT 1ST CODE. THE P2196 EVENTUALLY CLEARED ON ITS OWN BUT THE P1450 BECAME PERMANENT. I HAD A DIAGNOSTIC MECHANIC TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND HE TOLD ME THE SAME THING, EXCEPT THAT THE MAIN CULPRIT IS THE PURGE FLOW VALVE, WHICH IS A RECALL ISSUE ON OTHER FORD FUSIONS. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, I WAS SHOWED THAT THE CAR HAD NO RECALLS BUT THE "MYFORD" APP AND OWNERSHIP DIDNT TRANSFER TO ME RIGHT AWAY UNTIL 30 DAYS AFTER THE PURCHASE, WHICH IS WHEN IT FINALLY LET ME VIEWED THE CARS PRIOR SERVICE / MAINTANANCE HISTORY AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR SALES LADY SHOWED ME VIN RECORDS WHERE IT SAYS THERE IS NO RECALLS AND IT HAD NO ACCIDENTS, RECORDS THAT SHE SHOWED ME 30 DAYS PRIOR TO ME GAINING ACTUAL OWNERSHIP THRU "MY FORD" WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE "MY FORD" APP STATES THAT IT SEEMS AS IF THE CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN THE PAST BECAUSE ALMOST $8000 WENT INTO REPAIRS TOWARDS TRANSMISSION AND OTHER MAIN COMPONENTS. CALIFORNIA SMOG CHECK RECORDS SHOW THAT THE CAR HAS ONLY HAD 1 TEST IN CA LAST SEPT 2023. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO

NHTSA ODI #11580810

Official recalls

2

23V162000 · 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

1

RQ22004 · 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.