NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Fusion. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
I had an oil change and drove the car for a week no leaks in my driveway. Then a week later at 6am driving in traffic the red engine light comes on, the car slows down, I pull over and turn the car off. It would not turn back on. I had to have it towed and now I’m told I need an engine. How? The car has been maintained and I didn’t hit anything or run over anything. The oil pan is in tack. This could have been serious as I work over night.This needs to be a recall on the 2016 Ford Fusion Titanium AWD 2.0 eco boost.
air bag light comes on sometimes not other car panic alarm goes off at random times backup camera sometimes work sometimes glitches
My airbag light suddenly came on this morning and my light blinking off for the airbag was blinking my whole trip to work. I've also had my catalytic converter replaced and my check engine warning still says their is an issue when everything has been replaced Lights on my mirrors also don't cut on when someone is in my blind spots the symbol is there but they don't light up My back up camera has not worked correctly since a few weeks after I got the car. I have taken it to the dealership and their stating it happens in these vehicles sometimes.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera was flashing on and off with a blank image. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
I was sitting at a red light and thought I felt my car very lightly shift out of gear. The light changed, I took my foot off of the break and pressed on gas car revved slightly but didn’t move. I placed it in park went back through the gears to drive pressed on the gas and the vehicle went into limp mode was able to pull over to the side of the road. Vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who advised I need a new transmission. There were no warning indicators no messages NOTHING!
I take good care of the car, went in for a check up with engine light on, said I needed new spark plugs, they replaced those. Then it didn’t go off, so then brought it to a master mechanic and he said I have a coolant intrusion and need a new engine. This happened out of nowhere.
The backup camera screen is black or dhows a distorted image and sometimes shows an error message like Camera not available. This is very dangerous!
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped, the engine started to rev. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove into a gas station and the vehicle shut off while parking the vehicle. The contact's brother arrived at the scene and restarted the vehicle; however, the revving persisted. The contact was informed by another owner of a similar vehicle that the failure was related to the fuel system. The vehicle continued to rev, and the contact opened the fuel tank which allowed fumes and air pressure to be released from the gas tank. The vehicle resumed normal operation while the contact drove home; however, the failure returned the next time the contact drove the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic code reader showed a defect with the evaporative canister vent solenoid. The vehicle was advised to stop driving the vehicle and the vehicle was towed back to the residence. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
My car is hard crank when put fuel in it. It also puffed out blue smoke.My check engine light is on.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at a slow speed, the steering wheel started to wobble with the "Power Steering Assist Fault Service Now" message displayed. The contact pulled into a parking lot and the “Loss of Power Steering - Pull Over to the Side of the Road for Safety" and "No ABS" messages were displayed. The contact attempted to read the safety manual but found no information about the failure. The contact called her husband who had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic later called the contact and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be serviced because no fault codes were found. The vehicle was later towed to a dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact called the manufacturer and was provided a case number and the contact was then transferred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 180,000.
My car is a 2016 Ford fusion and it was working fine until February of 2025. There was a message that appeared on the dashboard as soon as I started the car. The message was “steering loss, stop safely” making it extremely difficult to turn. The steering can’t even turn left or right. It’s locked in place. I had to get it towed and now it’s undrivable. I can’t even get it fixed because my specific VIN # is not listed for a recall and I’m unsure what to do. I need help what can I do?
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the message steering loss was displayed on the instrument panel and the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the failure was temporary. The vehicle then regained power steering functionality and the contact continued driving. The contact stated that the following morning while starting the vehicle, the failure recurred. The vehicle then became inoperable. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
I have an engine coolant intrusion so my car is misfiring
The transmission failed suddenly. To my understanding there have been reported issues with the transmissions for this vehicle having sudden failures without warning. My car slipped out of gear while driving 60mph. I have had the car towed and checked by a certified mechanic who confirmed that the transmission has failed, and its poorly built. My mechanic used to be a mechanic for FORD and is familiar with the poor build quality of the engine, transmission and turbo. I have not had the component inspected by anyone else. There were no symptoms or warning lights before this failure. The car was driving fine and then, the transmission slipped and failed.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rearview camera would display a blank image intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was made, and the contact was given an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to a recall. The manufacturer notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a vehicle safety complaint. The failure mileage was unknown.
My trunk pops open randomly and will not stay shut
Engine has total failure due to coolant in cylinder 2. Ford is horrible
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to immediately start, and the check engine warning light was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the vehicle had experienced coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was covered under the Manufacturer's Extended coverage related to the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Electric rack and pinion steering failed while driving. It will not be available because the core need to be exchanged for the new part. I could not steer the car. I had no power to the steering. Luckily I could get it into my driveway before it completely locked up. Yes the garage I had it towed to had to push the car into the garage because it was not drivable. No one but the mechanic has inspected the part. I received a warning stating my power assist steering needed attention, and please drive slowly to a stop. I do not have any repair invoice because my vehicle is still being repaired The reason I am filing this complaint is that Ford has had problems with this steering component and was recalled in other Fusions but when contacting them, they said that mine was not covered under the recall for what appears the exact same reason.
Electric Power Steering Motor Attaching Bolts Corrode (NHTSA 19V-632, OEM 19S26): Corrosion of bolts in the electric power steering system can lead to loss of power steering assist in 2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles in certain states. Dealers will replace bolts and apply a sealant, or install a new steering gear.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "Loss of Power Steering - Pull Over to the Side of the Road for Safety" was displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized, which prevented the contact from pulling to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence of a family member. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the power steering pump and the power steering harness had failed due to internal friction. The vehicle was then towed to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack had failed due to internal friction and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that after the steering rack replacement, that a four wheel alignment needed to be performed, and the TCM and the ECM needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired and was in the process of being shipped to the contact's State of residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 84,036.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the engine RPMs would sporadically increase and decrease between 500 and 2,000 RPM and the vehicle would not properly accelerate when pressing the accelerator pedal. Also, the check engine light began to intermittently blink on and off. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the engine coolant was present inside engine cylinder number two. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 111,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate and lose motive power; symptoms of which the contact attributed to a cylinder misfire, prompting him to discontinue driving the vehicle. After reaching the residence, the failure persisted for several weeks until the vehicle ceased to start and run. Upon a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the engine was almost completely without engine oil. The contact stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20–2132. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 171,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention camera displayed a solid black screen or a partial screen, with the message "Contact Dealer" displayed. The contact indicated that the failure created a visibility hazard for the driver. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 163,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera failed to display an image, and occasionally displayed a blank image. The message "Camera Unavailable - Please Contact Dealer" was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the year, model, and VIN were not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.
Backup camera intermittently goes out for a few seconds when backing up, resulting in a blank screen. Putting the driver at risk of property damage or injuring others. I have a small dog & am aftaid of i juring him when backing into driveway. The issue has been recreated by independent service tech but not inspected by any parties. The components/vehicle are available for inspection. There are no warnings or symptoms that I have observed prior to camera cutting out.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that while in reverse(R), lines appeared on the screen. The contact stated that over a while the lines on the screen became worse. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine failed while driving on the highway due to a known defect with a coolant leak into the engine. My safety, and the passengers that were in the auto were put into danger when the engine malfunctioned due to the fact that we were on the highway, traveling at 65-70 mph, when the car suddenly started shaking, emitting white smoke from the exhaust and eventually stalling and not drive able. The only indicator that came on was the check engine light. There was no low coolant light to indicate that the auto was low or leaking coolant. There was no messages or codes to indicate a low coolant level in the car. The vehicle has been inspected and diagnosed by my a certified mechanic.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel felt loosened. The contact stated that the steering wheel made it difficult to turn to the left or the right. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the power steering module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 142,178.
Unknown, but believe that is it coolant leak related as the vehicle has been losing coolant. We have been needing to fill with coolant. The fan was running occasionally. The vehicle has no power. This is dangerous because the vehicle could have shut off while driving. The vehicle has not yet been seen by the dealership but will been getting an appointment to do so. There were no warning lights or any other warnings.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. 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 had not experienced a failure.
Car had to be towed to dealer due to engine failure. The car was diagnosed with coolant leaks into two cylinders, which could have caused a fire. The engine failure happened as I was driving the vehicle, putting my safety and the safety of others at risk. The problem has been confirmed by a Ford dealer. Error codes for misfire appeared right before. Vehicle was inspected shortly before malfunction and was told everything was great with the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the engine was misfiring, causing the vehicle to stall occasionally. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact became aware that the coolant level was abnormally low. The contact stated that the vehicle was scheduled to be towed to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,700.
The ABS module is faulty and light will come on at random times and makes steering hard and braking on right side of vehicle is hard. I have taken it to Raceway Ford of Hartsville and they are having a hard time getting the part due to it being called obsolete but I think it needs to be on the recall list as well due to it being a safety concern on my vehicle.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle experienced rough starts and failed to properly accelerate. The contact self-diagnosed a cylinder misfire in the engine and replaced the spark plugs and ignition coils, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was later taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that coolant was present inside the engine and advised the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under an Extended Warranty for the failure. The failure mileage was 75,380.
My 2016 Ford Fusion 1.5L EcoBoost has developed Fords known Coolant intrusion into the head gasket and block issue. I’m currently experiencing dangerous misfires, violent shaking, with EVAP/O2 codes (not sure if related). I got it towed and received diagnosis and the car will be needing a new engine. 124K miles on vehicle at the time. We demand immediate NHTSA investigation and a Ford recall.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was heavy white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where a code reader retrieved information for a defect with the EVAP system. The EVAP system was replaced by another independent mechanic; however, the check engine warning light returned several months after the repair. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic, where it was discovered that coolant was leaking into the spark plugs. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning illuminated, and the message to change spark plug #2 was displayed. The contact stated that whenever the vehicle was started, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #2, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that weeks before the failure, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the solenoid and ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Trunk automatically opens while driving numerous times. Pulled over when able and noticed that the actuator clicks continuously until I turned the car off.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that the engine was overheating, and the vehicle started to shake with the coolant warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was referred to the manufacturer for further assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25v695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the back-over prevention camera would black out intermittently. The failure had become more persistent over time and would fail whenever in reverse. While reversing out of a parking space, the back-over prevention camera displayed a black screen. The contact continued in reverse, and another vehicle ended up hitting the vehicle in the center of the rear bumper. The crash caused damage to the other vehicle's front bumper. There were no injuries and no medical attention needed. The air bags deployed. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the remedy was not available. The damage to the vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed the same as the dealer. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
I was told by the Suburban Ford of Ferndale dealer that I have a coolant intrusion problem in the engine. The repair is $13,000. I was advised that there could be engine fire, failure, etc. Prior to my taking the vehicle to the dealer, the check engine light illuminated, then the temperature gage climbed to indicate overheating.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The Advance Trac warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an auto repair shop where it was diagnosed and determined that the rack and pinion steering system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was white exhaust smoke coming from the exhaust pipe while inspecting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the vehicle was not included in the Ford Customer Satisfaction program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. While the contact’s son was operating the vehicle, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed, with white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated that the vehicle started shaking before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted and later driven to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant inside the engine cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 77,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that intermittently while reversing, the screen was blank. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
For 2 1/2 months, every time I pump gas, I couldn't get the car to start without revving the engine. I took it to the Ford service center, and they informed me that it's the Canister Purge Valve that needed to be replaced. They also mentioned that they have seen a lot of cars with the same issue.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking erratically with an engine misfire. In addition, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact parked the vehicle, opened the hood, and noticed that the engine was shaking erratically. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a detached piston skirt inside the engine. The contact was informed that the piston and the piston skirt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,780.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal slushing sound coming from the dashboard and doors. Additionally, after adding coolant, the coolant level was low again two days later. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 247,700.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the exterior brake lights remained on after turning off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V011000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026