2018 Ford Fusion Complaint Log

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!

My car's transmission had a "system shift error", and now it cannot be shifted into any gear besides park, and is underivable. We were stuck at a gas station and blocking traffic. The problem has not resolved, we have not brought it to a service center but we can. There were no warnings besides when it occurred, we simply could not leave the parking lot and had to be towed. The tow truck driver had to drag the car up. onto the bed because since the shifter would not work or go into neutral, he was forced to tow it in park.

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)

I went to head on to a light pole and my passenger side airbags did not deploy

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine was running rough. Additionally, the A/C was making a loud squealing sound while activated. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the coolant level was low. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer it was purchased from, and the water pump kit timing belt was replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer. The contact was unable to confirm that the vehicle had been repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12; however, the campaign had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated during a routine oil change and tire rotation, the contact was informed that the lug nuts were swollen and needed to be cut off to be removed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

My cars coolant is leak and I don't know where it goes. It overheats and the coolant continually needs to be added. The coolant cap has cracked twice and its is hard to find a replacement cap and we can't drive the car. I have taken it to two auto repair shops, and they said the issue can NOT be fixed. I am in fear of it overheating all the time. This is causing me fear and I believe it is dangerous and I am stuck paying for a car I can't drive.

Went to have car serviced and was told lug nuts were swollen and it was a Ford defect, but had to pay over $120 to replace lug nuts in order to get my tires rotated.

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.

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.

Vehicle’s engine was misfiring for a while before check engine light came on. Showing cylinder 2 misfiring codes when scanned. The first dealership replaced the spark plugs, didn’t fix the issue. The next dealership said I have coolant intrusion and need to replace engine.

I have a 2018 ford fusion 2.0L ecoboost with around 77k miles and started to see coolant loss with no visible signs in engine bay or below.car, rough start with error P0316 and occasional misfire. White smoke comes from exhaust on start sometimes. Also have to fill coolant every other day or so. It looks as coolant intrusion issue very common with these engines.

Trunk pops open randomly often. It’s popped open while driving and will cause accidents if items fall out, it’s happened multiple times without any possibility of button being hit.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating, and the vehicle briefly shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the head gasket and turbo charger. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 75,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and attempting to move the gear shifter, the gear shifter remained stuck in park (P). The contact stated that he disconnected the battery for 10-15 minutes, and the computer was reset. The contact stated that the vehicle then operated as needed. The contact stated that the failure recurred on another occasion, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was repaired; however, the failure recurred 30 minutes later after parking the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the gear shift module (GSM) needed to be replaced. The GSM was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer determined that the transmission gear shifter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

While driving, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated on the dashboard. Within 5-10 minutes, the vehicle began to lose power and struggled to maintain speed. Over the next 15 minutes, the vehicle's performance continued to deteriorate, eventually shutting down completely. Despite multiple attempts, the vehicle was unable to be restarted, the vehicle has not been inspected and the vehicle never gave any prior warning of potential failure this was the frist and only issue I had with this vehicle I had to have the vehicle towed home due to not starting

On 11/17, I received a shift system failure alert. The car would not go into park and I could not start the vehicle. We contacted the dealer to have the car towed. The dealer indicated there was a current recall for the same issue however this car was not included. There is a known issue with other ford fusions. As a result I am having to pay out of pocket for the fix. The recall should be expanded to include 2017-2018

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle into the dealer for an oil change, the contact was informed that the engine was empty of coolant. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined coolant intrusion had caused damage to the cylinder head, requiring a replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 47,000.

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

Purchase car in 2019. 4 years later my car is overheating due to a cylinder crack. No recall was found using my vin number but with a cylinder crack and car overheating this is a safety issue.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. The engine overheating warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined coolant intrusion had caused damages to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 96,000.

The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the infotainment system screen was black. Additionally, the contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera failed to activate, and the screen remained black. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rearview camera screen needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

The entire computer system does not function. The screen, radio, everything has turned completely off in the middle of driving on the highway. It’s concerning what this will cause at some point. It used to do this intermittently, now it’s completely off and I’ve had it to multiple mechanics who have checked everything thoroughly and cannot find anything wrong. Two mechanics told me in 20-30 years as a mechanic theyve only seen this once or twice but couldn’t be fixed. I owe a ton of money on my car, it my only transportation for myself kids and elderly mother, my daughter is a new driver and having everything electrical shut down while driving is going to cause an accident and panic.

car knob shifts into reverse or drive without being touched when sitting in park at random times, have nearly hit basketball pole due to being unprepared to hit break. The knob makes a robotic type sound, an automated turning type sound & switches without being touched, has happened several times but not every time

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

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The message " Shift Sys Fault. Service Required" was displayed. The contact was unable to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. A bystander assisted the contact in manually moving the transmission shifter cable bushing back into position. The contact stated vehicle then responded as needed; however, the failure recurred while driving and hitting a pothole. The transmission shifter cable bushing was manually moved back into position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the failure was related to the transmission shifter cable bushing; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact purchased the part from the dealer, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the part. The mechanic informed the contact that the repair was temporary, and that she would need to take the vehicle to dealer for an adequate repair. The dealer was contacted and stated that the earliest availability was in 3 weeks. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

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

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the transmission inadvertently shifted into a lower gear. The contact stated that the gear shifter failed to shift. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,000.

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.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust tip. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle the following day, she noticed an abnormal odor. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge relayed that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000. The VIN was unavailable.

While driving the vehicle a light came on indicating that the "Engine compartment was overheating". The next time driving the vehicle the light was gone away and shortly later the Check Engine light came on. Took to the local dealership and they determined that their were 2 verified misfires and when they pulled the plugs using a scope they found coolant intrusion in one of the cylinders. The recommendation per Ford is to replace the engine assembly.

I was driving and all of the sudden engine overheated and car could not drive over 10MPH during an extremely bad storm at night on the highway putting me in extreme danger if someone were to have been behind me. There were no engine lights on or warning signs of this happening and just happened out of nowhere car was driving fine before it happened. Issue happened on September 26th, 2023. This is the second engine problem I have had since getting the car in 2021. Last issue was with the top half of the engine CAC/intake manifold and luckily was under warranty or would have been over $6,000. Had vehicle towed to Ford dealership and there verified a check engine light fault. P0303 active in PCM. Upon diagnosing the concern found that the head gasket is leaking into cylinder 2 and 3 due to a failed cylinder block assembly. Need to replace the short block assembly with an updated design. Was quoted $8,700 to fix the issue. I can't afford to pull that kind of money out to fix a car that isn't even 5 years old. Car is no longer under warranty.

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR HOME FROM DINNER AND I MADE A LEFT TURN. AS MY STEERING WHEEL WAS RETURNING TO CENTER FROM MAKING THE TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY LOOSE AND IS STILL LOOSE AT THIS PRESENT TIME

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the engine was running rough while the vehicle was idling. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated the following day. The contact stated that the failure recurred while the vehicle was idling. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine cylinders, causing the engine to misfire. The dealer related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 22-2322 and informed the contact that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 69,900.

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.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked while starting. The check engine and transmission warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: SSM 47849 (Coolant Consumption); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The vehicle was not 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 104,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the shift system fault message was displayed on the instrument panel and the vehicle failed to shift out of park. After several attempts, the contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer. The contact was informed that the shifter cable bushing was missing and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling at a stop light, the vehicle started to shake. The coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that while operating the air conditioning system, hot air started to blow from the vents. The contact stated that she was concerned for her safety. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the cylinders and the cylinder head was cracked; however, the contact then stated that she was informed by the mechanic of corrosion at an unknown location of the vehicle. The contact was unsure of what needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall and provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

I've got engine light on then send to Ford dealer. Diagnostic says Purge Valve Replacement, I was told that there was a misfire caused by coolant intrusion cylinder 1. They also told me that this was a KNOWN ISSUE a few years back and it needed a NEW ENGINE to fix the problem. I asked them several questions about why only telling me now since it's an ongoing issue and why is it that no one from Ford dealer all different state that I brought in my car to check safety issues and regular oil changes informed me about this? I just retired and the dealer asked me to pay for the repair of new engine plus labor. I can't afford and it's hard to accept that someone lying to get some money from me. I read an article from your website with the same issue that there is a recall but the dealer told me that this was only a KNOWN problem NOT a recall. Please see the link [XXX] Kindly help me to resolve this issue and help others. Let them send a recall again to every Ford owner/user to avoid accidents that can cause death. This is ongoing and my case with the dealer has still not been given an answer for almost a week tomorrow. I appreciate your help and hoping to hear from you soon. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the contact turned the shifter knob to drive (D) however, the knob would not turn and appeared to be frozen in park (P). The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who retrieved DTC codes indicating that the transmission needed to be serviced by a dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.

See attached document for complaint

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while reversing at approximately 5 MPH, the transmission unintendedly shifted into park(P). Additionally, the contact stated that he became aware that the shifter cable bushing had detached after not being able to start the vehicle. The shifter cable bushing was attached, and the vehicle was able to be started. The brakes, engine, and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,879.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the gear shift indicator erroneously showed that the vehicle was in reverse(R). The gear shifter warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

Coolant leak into 4th cylinder head causing rough idle. Repair shop changed plugs and coil, and stated there was coolant in the cylinder. Stayed this is a known issue with Ford Fusion but no recall. My car only has 72000 miles.

While driving on PA Turnpike westbound, in the rain, my windshield wipers suddenly stopped working. THANKFULLY, I was in the far left lane and able to pull off to the shoulder safely. Once rain stopped, I was able to take my car to my mechanic. Stated that my cars windshield wiper motors both failed AND melted, causing them to stop working.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Coolant System Temperature Above" was displayed, and the vehicle stalled. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Losing coolant in the engine. No apparent leaks on ground or around engine. Rough running when first started but smoothed out after a few miles. Engine overheats if close watch isn't done on the coolant reservoir. I am worried the engine may catch fire if it gets too hot. Taken to mechanic who could not repair. Codes found P 3002 & P1299.

I bought my 2018 Ford Fusion new and it currently has 35,000 miles on it. It began misfiring about 2 months ago, and then the check engine light came on. After a diagnostic exam, I was told the engine needed to be replaced. Luckily I was still within the warranty extension window for this particular problem, so the engine was replaced. However, I spent the majority of this time without my car. They were able to secure me a loaner car, but only for 3 days out of the total duration of the repair. I was stuck without my car the remainder of the time with very little communication from Ford about what was going on. When I asked if my car was still at risk of the same thing happening again, I was given a very vague answer that was not particularly reassuring.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, he observed excessive smoke coming from the engine compartment as well as the rear exhaust. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined there was coolant intrusion into the engine cylinder that caused damage to the cylinder head. 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, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 89,000.