2016 Ford Fusion Complaint Log

Driver side seat belt suddenly stopped working. Initially it was stuck and would not deploy. Eventually it released and was able to be drawn and buckled, but does not restrain passenger when tested manually; driver was not restrained when the car was braked quickly. rom 35 mph to a full stop. There is a December 5, 2016 NHSTA recall on front seat belts May not restrain Occupants (NHSTA Campaign number 16V875000) and and a Ford Recall number 16S42. Car was purchased from a Ford dealer in 2018-2019 as a used vehicle. Current dealer indicates it may cost from $400-1200 to replace the seat belt.

My 2016 Ford Fusion SE 2.0L Turbo has been emitting some white smoke, then the other day it would not start right away. When started it ran rough for a few minutes on idle and when driving it does not have much power anymore and it would hesitate a lot if trying to accelerate. SO getting on the interstate that morning I nearly got rear ended by a semi-truck because I could not accelerate up to speed. The check engine light came on shortly and I took it to a mechanic who did tests to diagnose. The diagnostic showed misfiring in cylinder 2 most likely due to coolant intrusion. After doing some research it was evident that many owners have had this happen and had to replace their entire engine for 6000+ dollars. My car only has 114,000 miles on it and it should function properly. I have seen cars with 250,000+ miles easily.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after her son started the vehicle, the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (STEERING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

Ford has a recall on 2016 Ford Fusion transmission cable shifter. My car is not under the recall but displays the issues the recall states. My car jerks during acceleration and difficult to park. Can please help me resolve the issue with Ford. They refuse to fix the issue because my car VIN# was not placed under the recall. It is not fair for me to pay for an mechanical issue that was defective by Ford causation.

Shift Lever Does Not Select Accurate Gear Due To Worn Bushing (NHTSA 22V-413, OEM 22S43): A degrading bushing attaching the shifter cable to the transmission in certain 2013-2019 Ford vehicles, including the 2016 Fusion, may detach, preventing proper gear selection and potentially causing unexpected movement. Dealers will replace the bushing and add a protective cap.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V162000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) and 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). However, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The message "Rear-view Camera not Available" was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased in 2025, and the rearview camera was not functioning as intended. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rearview camera was intermittently inoperative. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was an internal short and that the rearview camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched and became aware of an unknown NHTSA recall; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Started car and out of nowhere it began sputtering. Then Engine light came on and when tested the diagnostic said “cylinder 2 misfire. I didnt drive anywhere and light was off today when I crank it. well started driving and light is flashing. Ford dealership said this is a common issue from poor design engine but my car only has 40,000 miles. This seems to happen to ALOT of the 2016 eco models. Says coolant goes into engine. I’m aware most of these models have recalls but not 2016 why!!!!! It’s clearly a faulty engine problem if so many people are having the exact problem and code.

Backup camera seldom works. It will often display an error once gear is shifted into reverse that the camera is unavailable. Other times it will glitch into a blue screen and then display the error message, or it I’ll work with no issue. This issue began about three weeks ago.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the assist fault error and an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with steering gear failure. The contact was informed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,263.

Rear passenger seat belt will not release lock/tension/broken. Will not allow rear occupants to buckle in. Safety issue. Seems to happen on most 2013+ ford vehicles specifically trims like titanium with a 'inflatable belt" This issue should be recalled free of charge, It is a major safety issue not to be able to use a seatbelt. The best remedy would be inspect and replacement of broken components. Both occurred over 80k miles one being a truck (entirely different vehicle)

Coolant intrusion causing engine failure per diagnostic TSB 22-2134 applies.

The plastic part on the transmission melted. I had to get my transmission rebuilt. This has been a problem for many Ford vehicles with this engine type because who makes a transmission out of plastic!?

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, there was smoke coming from the exhaust. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle was shaking abnormally before losing motive power. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with a faulty engine block. The contact was informed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

Back Up Camera cuts in and out, sometimes works correctly, other times doesn't come on at all, other times comes on and in the middle of backing up shuts off, this has been going on for years and now I am seeing recalls by Ford of other models being recalled for back-up camera failures and I believe the recall should include 2016 Ford Fusions

Coolant intrusion into cylinder 1, low coolant and Engine DTC P0301. Multiple TSB's by Ford recommend engine replacement as a remedy for the Cylinder head - open deck cooling problem. Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 addresses this problem in similar cars/engines. Has this been expanded to cover this vehicle with the same 2.0L engine? From Ford TSB 19-2346 "Issue: Some 2015-2018 Edge and 2017-2019 Fusion/MKZ/Escape/MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure steps to replace the long block engine assembly."

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently decelerated, and the vehicle stopped unintendedly. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that nearby drivers assisted with pushing the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact's boss's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 246,000.

The coolant was leaking i to the engine and caused a crack in the block leading to the need to replace the engine

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinders, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

Engine spontaneously became extremely rough, losing power while at the same time engine light started flashing. Had car towed to auto shop. Which stated cylinders 2 and 4 were misfiring. Sought second opinion from different auto shop which confirmed that cylinder 4 was not performing and cylinder 2 was performing minimally. Engine has 47,000 miles on it. Ford customer relations contacted which provided case # [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The back up camera does absolutely nothing to notify the driver if it's getting too close to something or someone. It does not show the green, yellow or red lines as you're reversing and it does not even beep when approaching something too closely. It's just there. No purpose. There luckily had been no incidents so I put today's date as I fill in this form.

I purchased a 2016 Ford Fusion S new from the dealership in 2016. Earlier this year, multiple indicator lights turned on including "Service AdvanceTrac", ABS light, steering and hill assist lights. As time progressed, the Power Steering has become more of an issue to a point now that it is difficult to make tight turns going at low speed. I never received a recall notice, but when I did a search of the 2016 Ford Fusion S vehicle, there is an outstanding recall on similar models in 19V632000. The list of states include the state of Missouri which is where the vehicle was purchased from. At the time the recall notice was sent out (August 28, 2019), the vehicle would have been registered in Kansas. A search by the VIN number does not show a recall notice for it. Presently, the vehicle is registered in Iowa. I hope to get review of my VIN number to see if this recall should have included my vehicle as there are similar models distributed in similar states, with exact issues pertaining to my vehicle which was not included in the initial recall. I have service scheduled for this vehicle at an authorized Ford dealership on July 17th, 2025 which was the earliest I could get the car in. I'm concerned as this is a substantial issue that puts the vehicle at risk for a serious malfunction should the power steering fail completely while being operated. This is a relatively low mileage vehicle for the year which likely why the issue hasn't arose until this point. I appreciate your time and consideration on this matter.

I have never had this issue before with this car. I started the car up to go to the store and saw all these lights on my dash. I keep my car maintained well. Tires, oil, tune up etc… and when I saw the lights on the dash it said service advance trac and steering loss stop safely with 2 other icons above it. So I didn’t know what that was so I sent to get power fluid not knowing it wasn’t a reservoir. I know Ford had/has a recall on 2016 ford fusions model for THIS EXACT ISSUE! My steering cannot turn at all I need my car, PLEASE I am on disability and it’s not right that the recall won’t cover all ford of this model with this issue. I beg, I need my car fixed.

The rear camera change to black screen

While backing up, the rear came will show a black screen on the display or a message to contact the dealership. This isn't a constant issue, but comes whenever. I took it to the dealership a few years ago, but because it wasn't happening then, they said there was nothing they could do.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle was shuddering abnormally. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was an internal coolant intrusion into the cylinders and that the engine needed to be replaced. The independent mechanic made the contact aware of an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,385.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned on, the contact attempted to change the spark plug; however, the spark plug was stuck. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that there was a hairline fracture in the engine, and there was coolant intrusion into the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that on two occasions when the vehicle was started and running, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the engine overheated and the vehicle started shaking. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle after approximately 30 minutes. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that there was a misfire in cylinder #3, and the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

Coolant leak caused head gasket and block damage. No warning lights ever on to indicate issue. Car simply wound not start one morning. Was towed and received diagnosis of needing new engine. 57K miles on vehicle.

When key is in ignition and either In on position with engine off or In accessory state the dash starts to click and the hood then releases and opens Does not happen when key is not in the ignition and driver door is open or when car is running or when car is locked but does happen if key was just removed from ignition and door has not been opened yet There are not service lights on and all trunk buttons still work when pressed

Back up camera is saying unavailable or shows a blue screen

Coolant intrusion into cylinder 4. Engine light on. Reads Codes: p0304 and p0316. Recommended replacement of an entire short block. Common problem on their ecoboost engines. Officially diagnosed by Ford dealership on 04-08-2025.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera displayed a live image and a black image intermittently, with the message "Rearview Camera Issues - See Dealer" displayed on the infotainment screen. Additionally, the contact stated that upon shifting to drive(D), the rearview camera live image remained displayed for approximately 3 seconds. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

I was driving my car one day and as I was coming down the road the car jerked and picked up speed like on its on and I had to really stop abruptly to stop the car. I thought that was strange, I didn't have any warning lights or any indication that anything was going on I just thought it was weird, then like 2 days later as was driving the car would do this random jerk but again no lights on any indication anything was wrong so I went to work car seemed fine, got on the high way to go pick up my grand kid after work and when I signaled to change lanes attempted to accelerate to pass, the car just hummed and my speed started to diminish and I immediately coasted to nearest exit because I could not accelerate more than 15 mies, I coasted to a strip mall turned the car off waited til I thought the car settled for a moment and attempted to start the car and when I put the car in gear it jerked but as I tried to accelerate it just hummed and no speed overc15 . So I left the car got it towed the next day to another shop because any ford dealerships I called to see if I could tow for diagnostic test said they had extensive waiting period like one had weeks before they could look at the car. So I had it towed to another car lot who had a good business rating to be told that it seems to look like something had came loose from the transmission. That i may have to get it replaced, this car starts right up, didn't give me any indication of a problem and doesn't even have a hundred thousand miles on it. Where did ford drop the ball on this car? Im very disappointed , I attempted to drive the car around the corner one day trying to explain to my neighbor the weird behavior of the car and the transmission piece I was told that cane loose, and the car ran fine for about 20 minutes even picking up speed and everything then the moment I got back on my block its like it got warm and then we had to push it back on the driveway it went back to not being able to accelerate.again

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the transmission was in park(P), but the vehicle rolled backward. The contact depressed the brake pedal, to stop the vehicle, but after releasing the brake pedal, the failure recurred. The contact depressed the brake pedal again and attempted to shift gear, but the transmission seized. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. A transmission message was displayed. The contact activated the parking brake and pressed the manual shift button from reverse(R) to drive(D) to move the vehicle. After shifting into park(P), the transmission seized again. A bystander helped to push the vehicle into a parking space and then activated the parking brake, preventing the vehicle from rolling. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V362000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

FORD ALREADY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH ENGINES IN THE SE ECOBOOST,, THERE IS A MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 3.INSTEAD OF THEM RECALLING ALL OF THOSE ENGINES THEY ONLY RECALLED A FEW PUTTING EVERY ONE ELSE SAFTY AT RISK .PLEASE HAVE THEM RECALL MY ENGINE . THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES I HAVE BEEN CALLING THE LOCAL FORD SINCE LAST YEAR TO CHECK ON RECALLS FOR THIS ENGINE. I WAS TOLD THEY DIDNT HAVE RECALLS ONLY TO FIND OUT THEY DID HAVE SOME RECALLS ON THIESE ENGINES MY CAR STARTED OVERHEATING IN THE MEDIAN OF THE HIGHWAY I ALMOST CRASHED TRYING TO HURRY AND PULL OVER TO A SAFE PLACE. PLEASE DO A RECALL ON MY ENGINE

For over a year my reverse camera is malfunctioning. Initially it seemed like hot days but now its almost all the time it is not working. In October it was recalled and I had my car serviced shortly after and was told they were expecting a resolution to it in December. Still no resolution.

The car apparently leaked coolant into the engine was given an estimate of $9425.09 to replace the long block assembly. Apparently this is a no issue from Ford Motor Company. I did write a letter to Ford as well as spoke to someone on the phone. He acknowledged that this was unknown issue and that they were in no position to do anything financially to help.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, and the power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Car has white smoke coming from exhaust smells sweet. Coolant continues to be low, even after filling up check engine light for misfire. This is due to coolant intrusion common with the 1.5 L engines on the fusion. There was a recall for the 2017 but mines a 2016 and has the same issues. This is an ongoing issue with this car. There is a This is an ongoing issue with this car. There is a class action lawsuit and it’s been acknowledged by Ford that this is an issue

Our 1.5 EcoBoost engine overheated on 3/20/25, my daughter was driving and the vehicle started shaking and it slowed way down, for a moment she feared for her life, she said it had a message and the check engine symbol was illuminated and the vehicle would not accelerate, when she got it was leaking coolant and white smoke, I took my OBDII scanner, one code was P1299 Cylinder Over temp Protection Active, it now emits white smoke and overheats and looses fluid. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 1.5L EcoBoost - Low Coolant, White Exhaust Smoke And/Or Illuminated MIL - Built On Or Before 10-Jun-2019 20- 2100 01 April 2020 This bulletin supersedes 19-2375. Reason for update: Replace Awareness/Interim Message Model: Ford 2014-2019 Fusion Engine: 1.5L EcoBoost 2017-2019 Escape Engine: 1.5L EcoBoost Summary This article supersedes TSB 19-2375 to update the Service Procedure and Parts List. Issue: Some 2014-2019 Fusion vehicles built on or before 10-Jun-2019 and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles built on or before 08-Apr-2019 equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with only diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. To resolve the condition, follow the Service Procedure to replace the short block and head gasket. Action: Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition on vehicles that meet all of the following criteria: • One of the following vehicles: - 2014-2019 Fusion built on or before 10-Jun-2019 - 2017-2019 Escape built on or before 08-Apr-2019 • 1.5L EcoBoost engine • At least one of the following conditions: - Low coolant level - White exhaust smoke - Runs rough condition with or without an illuminated MIL with only DTCs P0300, P0301- P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in PCM

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that his wife informed him that upon starting the vehicle and attempting to shift to drive(D), the gear shifter was stuck in park(P). The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the shifter cable bushing was missing. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V362000 (Power Train); however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the shifter cable bushing had rotted away. The dealer recommended the shifter cable bushing be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was concerned that the repair was temporary because the dealer repaired the vehicle with the same part. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 145,068.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal knocking sound was coming from the vehicle. The contact's husband changed the spark plugs; however, the failure persisted. The failure persisted, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder, resulting in engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Several dealers were notified of the failure; however, each dealer informed the contact that there were no recalls related to the VIN. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided a case number. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, an abnormal sound was coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion into cylinder #2, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the back over prevention camera malfunctioned and displayed a solid black image or a distorted image. The contact stated that the failure created a visibility hazard for the driver. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall, and that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.

The power steering failed suddenly while driving. The vehicle became nearly impossible to steer and control. Our safety and the safety of others vehicles or pedestrians was put at risk because the car could not be steered or controlled properly. The failure could have easily caused a serious and perhaps life threatening accident. Luckily, due to circumstances, we were able to pull over safely without causing an accident. It suddenly became extremely difficult to steer the car to a safe stop. No warning lamps were illuminated until the problem was actually happening. The warning lamps read "power steering assist fault; pull over safely immediately". The car was towed to a auto mechanic. The mechanic was able to "reset" the power steering but could not diagnose the problem. We then took the car to a Ford Dealer for further inspection. The Ford Dealer diagnosed the car and said it needs a new Power Steering Rack. We were told the original part is "failing" from the inside. The repair at the Ford Dealer is priced at $3170. The car is 9 years old and the mileage is approximately 80,000. For about two days before this incident we noticed that the steering occasionally felt slightly "jerky" while making turns but there was no warning lamps until the power steering completely failed.

rear view camera works ( sometimes ), The rear view camera worked fine for years, but I brought the car in for basic service at the Ford Dealer > oil change, tire rotation, fluids topped off > and after this repair, my rear view camera wasn't working.. I brought it back to the dealer, and they claimed what they did had nothing to do with the rear-view camera.. The service manager said a new camera would cost $ 800, but they would do the repair for $ 500 ( which seemed odd, but that's a story for another day ). Regardless... with all the news I'm reading about Ford recalls, including rear view cameras... I feel this rear view camera issue started years before they think, or will admit to, and should be investigated. I can bring my car into any nearby location for inspection if requested.

Lug nuts are swollen and need replacement. Ford service department informed me that lug nuts are aluminum clad steel and over time swell and are unusable. Further informed that this is a common problem with ford products, but ford will not replace the lug nuts. Safety risk: Consumer would be unable to remove & reuse factory original lug nuts if a tire replacement were necessary away from a ford service facility. This condition is only diagnoseable when attempting to remove the lug nuts for service. I feel that any competent engineer could foresee that mixed metal will develop an electrolytic reaction and, further, that ford willingly continues this practice.

I have had road salt contamination with the electrical wiring to the power steering causing the wires to become brittle and break causing a power steering failure in a right curve which caused the steering wheel to jerk the car to the left nearly causing a collision. The power steering failed again due to high friction inside steering gear and has a broken bolt on the EPAS motor to the steering gear.

My engine is misfiring and now i have to replace my engine.