NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Ford Fusion. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
2017 Ford Fusion. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was an internal coolant leak to cylinder #2. The dealer stated that the engine block needed to be replaced. The check engine warning light was illuminated, turned off and a few days later came back on. Engine temperature was moderate at first and then sporadically moved between moderate and hot. Per NHTSA: Coolant Intrusion is a common problem amongst 2.0 EcoBoost Engine. Current Ford fix is replace engine block with a new design. Ford is aware of the design flaw in these cars and refuses to make things right with current owners.
The vehicle's automatic transmission began started shifting "roughly" and the service engine light for the powertrain came on. I was told the transmission code was for the "Traction Plate" and that I needed to replace the transmission.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the tailpipes. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the coolant reservoir had to be refilled every four days. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the spark plugs and coil packs were replaced. The coil packs were replaced twice. The failure reoccurred, and the independent mechanic agreed to replace the coil packs another time. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. 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 98,275.
2017 Ford Fusion engine failed while driving in heavy traffic on I10 due to low coolant level/high engine temperature as described in campaign 22-2229 (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)). Replaced engine assembly (62,897 miles) at the direction of Ford Dealer.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the temperature gauge displayed that the engine was overheating. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle for leaks, but none were found. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir and was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who performed a pressure test, but no leaks were found. The independent mechanic diagnosed that there was a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnosis. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion) and Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2229 (Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke And/or Illuminated MIL); however, the VIN was not included in the Customer Satisfaction Program and the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
My brakes are grinding squealing/rattling and i have pads replaced, no rotor wear, not sure what’s wrong. I’ve brought my car in to be serviced 3+ times and have left with no fixed car and worse brakes. When i bring up issues with my car that are related to the recalls the car has, they tell me those recalls don’t apply to my car although im having the same problems. My brakes have progressively gotten worse/louder and the pressure on my pedals is not the same. I’m scared to drive my car and i have been trying to get it fixed for months. This is not the only problem im having, my gas tank “farts” constantly and my car will stall and shut off unless i turn off auto start stop. There is no recall on this yet it’s a KNOWN problem. It makes the car undriveable.
Back brakes are making a very loud noises and it’s hard breaking to come to complete stop
Manufacturer Recall Number23S12 NHTSA Recall Number23V162 Recall on my vehicle Ford has failed to attempt remedy as of December 2023.
The shifter cable bushing was no longer present and the shifter cable detached, causing my car to be unable to move out of park. I was actively driving the vehicle, backing it out when this happened, leaving me and my car stuck in the middle of the lane. This problem has caused a recall on earlier years of the car, making it a known issue. There were no symptoms prior to the problem, but many warning lights on the dash claiming to need repairs immediately following the incident.
Coolant Intrusion on Cylinder 1, common problem amongst 2.0 Ecoboost Engine. Current Ford fix is replace engine block with a new design. Ford is aware of the design flaw in these cars and refuses to make things right with current owners.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had been illuminated. Additionally, there was an audible chime indicating a possible oxygen sensor failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant was leaking into cylinder #2. The dealer stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a claim was filed for the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 86,849.
My vehicle is displaying severe symptoms as well as throwing code of the already noted recall for other trims of this car but my car isn’t on recall list. I’ve had to replace the canister purge valve 3 times in less than 2 years, the vacuum seal is affecting fuel tank and honking every 15-20 seconds…when canister gets stuck open, I can’t start my car which happened yesterday in a busy intersection. It’s dangerous and I’m afraid to transport my kids in my car.
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the power steering assist, traction control, and hill stop assist warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,720.
Vehicle will not stay in reverse or drive thus it will not shift out of park. When shifted to reverse or drive the shifter would blink red and automatically shift back to park repeatedly. The message “Shift sys fault service required” and wrench popped up. Had to have it towed 90 miles to dealer. Safety issues: vehicle may not have actually been in park after automatic shifting back to park, this could injure someone or something if the vehicle moved unexpectedly. Also, I could have been stranded in an unsafe place. This problem could be reproduced at the dealership service center. Inspected by service once I got there. There were no warnings or messages prior to this issue.
Coolant intrusion - coolant leaking into the motor because of the engine block design and the head gasket failing. Can cause fire
Engine light came on and heat and defrosters stopped working in vehicle. Took it into dealer and was told diagnostic code was for misfire in cylinder 3. They did a coolant leak test and immediately found coolant leaking into the engine. Was told this was a known issue with the 2.0L ecoboosts (TSB 22-2229 dated 6/9/22) and that I would need an entire engine block replacement. Due to being out of warranty I would be on the hook for $6,856 for the repairs. Car only had 45,000 miles on it at time of service.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced at the dealer, the contact was informed that the head gasket was fractured, which caused coolant intrusion into the cylinder and the engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had persisted and had worsened. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption and difficulty starting. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
I have brought our Truck and our Car to the dealer several times and had other service that I paid for completed and they refuse to perform Recall 20C19 I have attempted to contact Ford and they have refused to respond to my concern. Bell Rd Ford is the dealer I brought it to.
We were in reverse backing into a parking stall and tried to put the car into park. An error popped up something to the effect SHIFT SYS FAULT We were unable to put the car in park/drive/or any other gear. Parking brake was automatically applied. We were stuck, had to have it towed by a flat bed truck and repaired. Thank god this did not happen in the middle of a street where traffic would have been....could have been tragic. It was towed on a Friday 2/9/24 and fixed on 2/13/24 It was a shift cable bushing that wore out and cracked. Similar to this recall from 2016 ford fusions (Copied below). This should have also applied to ANY Fords that had a similar "plastic" piece that could crack and wear out causing the car to be inoperable. Campaign/NHTSA# 19S16/19V362 Issue Date 2019-05-13 Description On your vehicle, the bushing in the transmission shifter cable may degrade over time. This may cause the transmission shifter cable to not be able to fully move the transmission to the selected gear position. Safety Risk On your vehicle, the bushing in the transmission shifter cable may degrade over time. This may cause the transmission shifter cable to not be able to fully move the transmission to the selected gear position. Remedy If the driver attempts to shift to park in this condition, the transmission may not be in the park position even though the shifter position indicates the vehicle is in park, and the transmission not in park warning may not appear. This could result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury or crash
The antifreeze leaks into the engine due to a KNOWN manufacturer design flaw, is available to inspection upon request and appointment made. Mine and others safety are at risk due to the fact that if the engine seizes up while driving, could lead to a sudden crash. Problem confirmed by a local mechanic. Not been inspected by anyone else other than a different independent mechanic. The first sign of a problem is a check engine light, followed by a sputter in the engine and lack of consistent speed control, first appeared in February, and lead to 2 sets of spark plugs being replaced
Vehicle lost ability to drive forward & reverse on the freeway. Upon inspection, the torque converter had gone bad & contaminated the transmission fluid causing the transmission to go out. Now my vehicle needs a new torque converter & transmission. There was a recall "17V427000" but it did not include my vehicle; however, it looks like the same issue.
A couple of weeks ago, heater would not work and a very cold day. We stopped after a while for gas and then the heat went on. This went on every time we used the car. So we got an appt at local Ford place last week, where we bought car. Took them several days but turns out the coolant is leaking into the engine and we need a new motor to the tune of 7000 bucks. The car never warned us of any malfunctions. It only has 58,000 miles on it but because it is a 2017 it is out of warrantee. I later learned that the EcoBoost cars have a lot of problems with leaking coolant into the motor. Especially the Ford Fusion and we have a 2 L EcoBoost car.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the steering rack. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (Steering) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 69,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced rough start-ups. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes, and it was discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the engine had experienced coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 70,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty. The transmission was rebuilt and the failure was remedied. The vehicle later experienced engine failures causing the check engine light to illuminate, a slushing liquid sound was present inside the dashboard and the vehicle had experienced harsh driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine coolant was present inside the engine cylinders and 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 failure mileage was 78,000.
I went to my dealership because of a check engine light. After many hours of searching, I was told that a coolant leak had been found. I was informed that the head gasket was damaged and causing a leak into the engine. The cheapest repair would cost nearly $8000. The extended warranty that I purchased for the car has expired. Searching Google, I see that Ford is aware of the problem, and has known about it for some time. Ford should not be able to get away with this.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that coolant had leaked into the engine, resulting in engine damage. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the vehicle stalled. Upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to move forward or reverse. The system default warning light was displayed. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the vehicle was not covered under the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 77,432.
About 4 weeks ago my car lost the ability to move while driving. The wrench light popped up to see manual. Upon checking the manual it stated that the problem was with the power train. I took it to get looked at and the service center further confirmed that it was a piece inside the transmission. I see that there was a safety recall issued in 2017 for the power train torque converter for 2017 Ford Fusions. However, when I type in my VIN number the recall does not appear for my car. Is there a way for the recall to be issued for my car being that I drive the exact car type that was affected and am having the same problem?
NHTSA COMPLAINT - 2017 Ford Fusion Energi Titanium (VIN: REDACTED) - [XXX] (Collision) Q1: FAILED COMPONENT Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) and hybrid battery cell balancing circuits failed post-collision. Per Ford Recall 23V-440, Current Interrupt Device causes excess voltage, fire risk, toxic gas exposure. DTCs: U1027 (ABS/ECM loss), P2450/P2451 (EVAP stuck open/closed), P0DD2/P0DD6/P0DDE (battery cell balancing circuits H/J/K/M stuck off). Vehicle available for inspection. Q2: SAFETY RISKS Sudden power loss, fire risk, CO/HF toxic gas exposure from damaged cells. HF IDLH 0.025 g/m³. Symptoms: headaches, cognitive issues, respiratory problems requiring Brain MRI. Ford documented 7 fires, 2 while driving. Gas events recur when changing charging amperage; CO detector alarmed repeatedly; hospitalized for symptoms. Q3: DEALER CONFIRMATION NOT investigated. No Ford dealer conducted required post-collision battery diagnostics despite DTCs proving multiple system failures. United Insurance Claims ignored [legal demand] for hybrid-specific inspections. No CO/HF assessment. Battery cell balancing failures indicate physical collision damage to high-voltage system. Q4: INSPECTIONS Insurance: Standard only, ignored DTCs requiring hybrid testing. Ford Service (Tempe, AZ) and Ford Collision Center (Mesa, AZ): No inspection; reasons given a) lack capability b) we just scan the vehicle; we don't thoroughly inspect for gas leaks". Recall 23V-440 documents identical failures. Police: No report (real-time audio capture of admission of at-fault driver), no hazmat assessment. Multiple permanent DTCs prove need for Ford-certified diagnostics. Q5: WARNING SYMPTOMS Pre-collision: Intermittent issues, check engine light, reduced range. Post-collision: Reduced range, Gas exposure symptoms plus DTCs U1027, P2450/P2451, P0DD2/P0DD6/P0DDE showing communication/battery cell failures. Medical documentation available. Pattern confirms BECM/battery damage per documented defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion Energi. The contact stated while parked and attempting to fasten the rear passenger's side and driver's side seat belts, the seat belts failed to retract. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the seat belts could not be ordered because the seat belts had been discontinued. The approximate mileage was 70,000.
On [XXX], I entered onto [XXX] from Sparks, Nevada eastbound when a check engine light and oil overheat warning came on. I limped the car to the nearest exit [(XXX)]. I had my grandson with me and he was scared. I checked my coolant level and realized that it was dry. I put coolant to the max line of the reserve tank and drove 25 miles to Carson City. When I took it into the dealership at Capital Ford on December 26, 2023, their service manager said this year had a poor design of the engine (2.0L) which led to coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Two days later, they confirmed. My complaint is the FORD manufacturer knew of this issue and had posted several TSBs, but has only issued a recall the 1.5 L engine. I'm now told that since my car is 1600 miles out of warranty, too bad. I believe the FORD manufacturer should replace my engine for free, knowing it failed as a direct result of their poor engineering design. I purchased the car in July 2020 with 26,350 miles and bought the extended warranty. I was never made aware of the existing issues with the coolant leaking into the valves. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Check engine has been off and on for last 500 miles. Regular maintenance. Took to dealership, Codes found of P0303, P0300, and p2196. Found coolant was low and confirmed coolant intrusion into engine. Per dealership either bad head, head gasket, or block and ford recommended replacing engine. Quoted $9000 in repairs to replace engine. Declined repair due to cost. According to NHTSA this is a common issue and should be addressed. Unsafe to drive however repair costs, and now inability to trade in, force driving until no longer can
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was blue smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine and determined that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the dealer declined to perform Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact that Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion) associated with the VIN had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
I was driving my car one day and the power steering fault message popped up on my dash of my car. So I turned around and went home. I turned the car off and then turn the car back on. Then the power steering fault message showed up with other warning messages. So I tried turning the steering wheel and noticed there was no power steering at all. So the next day I had it towed to the Ford dealer to have them look at it and fix the issue. They ended up replacing the rack and pinion and the power steering motor. When I picked the car up I asked the service person if it was a common part that broke on the car and he said it was a common part that broke. I was surprised that they had that specific part in stock when they told me the problem. Also I was not happy that I had to $4,400.00 to fix it. In my mind if it is a common part that breaks then why hasn't been a recall on that part.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the vehicle was overheating, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant reservoir was abnormally low and refilled the reservoir. Within three days of refilling the coolant reservoir, the failure reoccurred, after which the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-2100. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 74,000.
Coolant leaking into engine. Engine block required entire replacement. Check engine light flashing causing me to contact Ford Dealer/Service. This was December 4, 2023.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. Upon inspection, the contact noticed there was a coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
L/S Brake Hose Rear Replacement needed. Brake fluid leak rear caliper and brake hose and line rear flexible hose is split and leaking. Only Front brake hose was recalled when all brake all lines need to be replaced.
The local Ford dealership has confirmed that the engine has an internal issue causing misfires in cylinder 3. It has recommended an expensive full engine replacement, approximately $10,000. Misfires shake the vehicle while driving, which may cause serious accidents and injuries.
The car was shaking when I started it. Took it to the dealership and they told me it got the coolant intrusion into the cylinder and now they need to replace the whole engine with a short block engine. I believe it's a design defect by Ford!
I was pulling onto the beltway and my car would not shift when I accelerated. Then the engine revved up when I accelerated and the car had no power. It remained in the same gear. Then it wouldn’t move at all. I was able to coast off the highway. Turned the car off and started again. It did the same thing. Staying in the gear and then not accelerating. I find it interesting that other 2017 ford fusion had a previous recall for this. My vin isn’t included on the list
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the vehicle was overheating, and the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and it was determined that the engine block had cracked due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 131,000.
******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS REQUESTED BY THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WISH TO HAVE IT REMOVED. DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******
Hesitation, lack of power, jerking on acceleration. If felt like an ignition misfire and the engine codes suggested multiple misfires. A power balance test was performed and verified there is a misfire on cylinder 2. The spark plug from 2 was swapped with cylinder 1 and the misfire was in cylinder 1. The spark plugs were replaced November, 2023. The plugs look contaminated-seems to be with engine coolant due to a head gasket failure. The coolant reservoir was empty indicating a coolant leak. They then introduced air into cylinder 2 and the coolant rose inside the coolant reservoir. The gasket is failing between the cylinder and one or more of the water passages beside the cylinder. Ford has since updated their engine design to correct this concern so they knew of the issues. There is a current recall on the 1.5L engine however, not the 2.0L. There are multiple class action suits against Ford for this issue. A new engine is needed. This is a 2017 with 85K miles. A new engine should definitely not be required. When researching this issue, there are multiple safety concerns including engine fire. I spoke to Ford's customer service and they were no help whatsoever.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a misfire in cylinder #2 caused by coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 63,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle eventually stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that coolant was present inside the engine. The contact was informed 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 provided. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the transmission failed to shift into drive(D). The Shift System Fault, Service Required message was displayed. The contact noticed that the shifter cable was detached and reconnected the shifter cable. The transmission was then able to shift into drive(D). The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. 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 94,000.
My 2017 Ford Fusion has a coolant issue. Per TSB 19-2139. Ford has a known issue in the cylinder walls and had a program available until November 2022. Sadly this program ended and they still have issues. It has been verified at a third party mechanic and Ford doesn't want to assist in this issue.