← New search

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 →

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
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2024
Engine

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 warn…

Read full complaint

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.

NHTSA ODI #11571274

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2024
Engine

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 co…

Read full complaint

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.

NHTSA ODI #11569268

Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

Coolant is leaking into my oil.

NHTSA ODI #11568621

Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2024
EngineUnknown Or Other

In November 2023, within 2 weeks of having all my oil/other fluids changed/checked/replenished for normal maintenance, the engine light to my 2018 Ford Fusion Titanium with EcoBoost engine came on suddenly. I let the car cool for several hours, then looked under the hood and could see I still had ample engine coolant. So I ca…

Read full complaint

In November 2023, within 2 weeks of having all my oil/other fluids changed/checked/replenished for normal maintenance, the engine light to my 2018 Ford Fusion Titanium with EcoBoost engine came on suddenly. I let the car cool for several hours, then looked under the hood and could see I still had ample engine coolant. So I called my nearest official Ford Dealership/Service center, and their soonest appointment was a week or so away. The day of, I could not start the car. After dozens of attempts to start the car, it finally did start, but would not accelerate more than 5-10mph, and a warning message: "Reducing power to lower engine temperature" - but this made no sense as the engine had not been running at all for 12+ hours overnight. When I finally got the car towed to the Ford dealership, they took multiple days to diagnose, even though I had scheduled this appointment more than a week prior. Finally the Director of Service at this Ford Dealership texted me: "VERIFIED CONCERN. SCANNED FOR CODES AND FOUND P021D P0303 P0316 P06E9 P1026 P1285 P1299 P164D. LIVE DATA POWER BALANCE SHOWED DEAD MISFIRE ON CYL 3 AND MULTIPLE MISFIRE ON ALL OTHER CYLINDERS. FOUND COOLANT RESERVOIR EMPTY. REMOVED CYL 3 IGNITION COIL AND SPARK PLUG AND FOUND COOLANT INTRUSION IN CYL 3. WILL NEED TO REMOVE AND REPLACE LONG BLOCK ENGINE ASSEMBLY WITH NEW." The quote for this was over $12,000 and non-negotiable. Other texts from Ford's Director of service: "The 1.5 and 2.0 have a bad design... EcoBoost are known to have issues" ... "Even if you took care of the head gasket odds are the engine would still have failed down the road." Ford ADMITTED to me by text to foreknowledge of MAJOR engine design flaws, EXTREME safety concerns, likelihood of engine fires. As has been documented by thousands of other Ford owners, this INACTION by Ford could have cost me, my RideShare passengers, anyone in the car, OUR LIVES. I now have no car, no job, and no way to pay off my auto loan. HELP!

NHTSA ODI #11567788

Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2024
Engine

I purchased a 2018 Ford Fusions on [XXX]. After two days check engine light came on. The code was showing misfire of 3rd cylinder. I took it to Angela Krause Ford Dealership, in Alpharetta, Ga. The are saying coolant is getting into the cylinders and that the short block needs to be replaced. After doing research, I have found t…

Read full complaint

I purchased a 2018 Ford Fusions on [XXX]. After two days check engine light came on. The code was showing misfire of 3rd cylinder. I took it to Angela Krause Ford Dealership, in Alpharetta, Ga. The are saying coolant is getting into the cylinders and that the short block needs to be replaced. After doing research, I have found this is a big problem for Ford. A customer Satisfaction Program has been out concerning this issue. ([XXX]). In this program it states the year range, plant manufactured, and mileage that is included in this program. My car is a 2018 Ford Fusion and fits the plant manufactured location and is under mileage threshold. Ford is saying my Vin is not registered for this program. My car is having exact issues and fits the criteria perfectly. I need help to get this covered by Ford. A clear issue, that they have had and recognized. My Car fits the exact profile. Please help get this Vin registered under the program or help get this covered. I believe this could have been an issue before I purchased car. Although Bulletin says coverage is transferred to subsequent owners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11567775

94,000 miles · Jan 9, 2024
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 5-10 MPH, the message "Coolant Level Low" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the roadway and added coolant to the vehicle; however, the same message was displayed the following day while driving. Additionally, the check engine warning light was i…

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 5-10 MPH, the message "Coolant Level Low" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the roadway and added coolant to the vehicle; however, the same message was displayed the following day while driving. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that cylinder #2 was misfiring due to coolant intrusion. The mechanic replaced 1 coil, 1 spark plug, and the coolant reservoir hose; however, the check engine warning light turned off temporarily and the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant intrusion in cylinder #2, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under Ford TSB: 22-2229. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA ODI #11564481

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

I went on a road trip to see family which needed 5 hours of travel. After returning and parking the car, I noticed a knocking noise coming from the engine bay when it was started and was idling. After doing what I could to rule out possible problems I concluded the Flexplate might be the culprit due to Recall 22N12 with Ford. A …

Read full complaint

I went on a road trip to see family which needed 5 hours of travel. After returning and parking the car, I noticed a knocking noise coming from the engine bay when it was started and was idling. After doing what I could to rule out possible problems I concluded the Flexplate might be the culprit due to Recall 22N12 with Ford. A short time later, my car started to stall if I did not keep my RPM's high enough while my vehicle was stopped. After getting an inspection done with a dealership they confirmed that it is the Flexplate. The symptoms gradually got worse which is what ultimately led me to bring it in to a dealership instead of a different shop. The problem is that this repair estimate I got says this repair is going to cost me $3,000. I am arguing that my vehicle should have been on Recall 22N12. After contacting Ford and going back and forth for 2 and a half hours they told me i'm out of luck and that there was nothing they can/will do about this.

NHTSA ODI #11563144

Mileage unknown · Jan 2, 2024
EnginePower Train

At 80,000 miles my car displayed Error codes that read “Cylinder misfire”. After taking it to a mechanic, I replaced spark plugs and ignition coil. After about 1 month I received a message that said “coolant engine overheating”. The message disappeared after 5 seconds. Shortly after, my car’s engine started to fail. The accelera…

Read full complaint

At 80,000 miles my car displayed Error codes that read “Cylinder misfire”. After taking it to a mechanic, I replaced spark plugs and ignition coil. After about 1 month I received a message that said “coolant engine overheating”. The message disappeared after 5 seconds. Shortly after, my car’s engine started to fail. The acceleration wasn’t working and I was forced to pull over. After a few minutes I restarted my car and drove home. When I arrived home I noticed that all the coolant in the coolant reservoir was empty. I refilled the coolant to drive my car to a local mechanic. Once I arrived the coolant reservoir was half way empty. There were no external leaks. The mechanic confirmed that the head gasket was ruined because of the overheating due to the coolant leak. He confirmed that that the leak had caused the original “cylinder misfire code” and coolant had leaked into the engine. My safety was put at risk because my car engine could have over heated or started a fire due to the coolant leak. I cannot drive my car anymore due to the coolant leaking into the engine

NHTSA ODI #11563030

Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 2023
Engine

Block cracked internally inside cylinder number 2 causing a misfire, white smoke on start up, coolant lose, and overheating. Problem is called coolant intrusion. Safety is at risk is the car dies on the interstate. It has a check engine light for misfire on cylinder 2. Ford is aware of this problem but says my vin is not affecte…

Read full complaint

Block cracked internally inside cylinder number 2 causing a misfire, white smoke on start up, coolant lose, and overheating. Problem is called coolant intrusion. Safety is at risk is the car dies on the interstate. It has a check engine light for misfire on cylinder 2. Ford is aware of this problem but says my vin is not affected by this problem even though I have this problem.

NHTSA ODI #11560850

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2023
EngineVehicle Speed Control

I heard fluid from what seemed like my dashboard and a puff of white smoke, no sensors came on. My Ford fusion continued but ran rough. I was pulling out of a parking lot onto the street and my Ford fusion was nearly t-boned because it would not accelerate. Later that day my overheat sensor came on and my fusion left me stranded…

Read full complaint

I heard fluid from what seemed like my dashboard and a puff of white smoke, no sensors came on. My Ford fusion continued but ran rough. I was pulling out of a parking lot onto the street and my Ford fusion was nearly t-boned because it would not accelerate. Later that day my overheat sensor came on and my fusion left me stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with a baby in 100 degree heat. I called a local mechanic, he put water in it and drove it to his shop. After 400 dollars worth of work the problem persistent, he then checked it for the notorious coolant intrusion issue and confirmed a misfire and coolant intrusion in cylinder 2. It's now parked and has not been driven in 3 months.

NHTSA ODI #11559505

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.