2018 FORD FUSION — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
529
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
14
Service Bulletins
1
Investigation
Overview of the 2018 FORD FUSION
The 2018 FORD FUSION has received a total of 529 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS, STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR. 14 technical service bulletins have been issued by Ford Motor Company for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (176 complaints), Power Train (96 complaints), and Engine And Engine Cooling (83 complaints).
Recalls for the 2018 FORD FUSION
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 2018 FORD FUSION, potentially affecting up to 3,863,438 vehicles.
Recall 23V162000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
| 1,280,726 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Consequence: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.
View full details →Recall 23V162000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
| 1,280,726 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Consequence: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.
View full details →Recall 18V167000 — STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
| 1,301,986 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.
Consequence: A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2018 FORD FUSION
529 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2018 FORD FUSION. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
My car started rumbling and flashing the check engine light. I took it to the mechanic the next day, they tell me to contact Ford because of CSP 21N12 due to my spark plugs having coolant leaking on them and in cylinder, it was misfiring. They tell me the vehicle is unsafe to drive. I call Ford and they say theres nothing they can do. Im screwed out of a car because they closed the CSP's nov 2022 and i just got the car last year pre owned.
Sensor that believe the car to be overheating shut the car down while driving in on the highway.. turning the car off completely or powering it down 99%.
Sensor that believe the car to be overheating shut the car down while driving in on the highway.. turning the car off completely or powering it down 99%.
Sensor that believe the car to be overheating shut the car down while driving in on the highway.. turning the car off completely or powering it down 99%.
While operating my 2018 Ford Fusion, the vehicle began experiencing internal coolant loss resulting in engine misfires, rough running, and white exhaust smoke. The coolant intrusion caused engine failure and loss of reliability. This condition creates a safety risk, as it can lead to loss of power while driving, hesitation, and the possibility of engine shutdown. The defect occurred without warning and is consistent with widespread reports involving Ford EcoBoost engines. This issue is not related to maintenance or normal wear and tear but is a known design defect acknowledged through service bulletins and consumer litigation. Repair requires full engine replacement.
Safety Rating for the 2018 FORD FUSION
The 2018 FORD FUSION received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2018 FORD FUSION
Ford Motor Company has issued 14 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2018 FORD FUSION. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
19B37-S4 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Certain 2017-2019 Model Year Fusion and Escape Vehicles Equipped with a 1.5L GTDI Engine - Powertrain Control Module Reprogramming. Some of the affected vehicles may exhibit coolant intrusion into the cylinder bores. Customer symptoms include coolant loss, excessive tailpipe smoke, or illuminated malfunction indicator lights (MIL) due to engine misfire....
21N12 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Certain 2017-2019 Model Year Fusion and Escape Vehicles Equipped with a 1.5L GTDI Engine â Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion. In some of the affected vehicles the 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or may run in a rough condition with or without...
SSM 50439 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Some 2017-2020 Fusion/MKZ and 2017-2019 Escape/MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may require replacement of the long block engine assembly. New service kits have been released which include all the one-time-use components required in the service procedure for removal and replacement of the long block engine assembly. Refer...
TSB 21-2269 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
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...
TSB 20-2100 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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...
19B37-S2 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Attachments: A new Service Advisor to Customer interaction video is now available. This video illustrates the speed and simplicity of the dongle re-flash process. ⢠Non-Traditional Repair Approaches: The dongle re-flash process allows for an improved customer experience, dealer service efficiency, speed, and no need for an appointment, service bay,...
TSB 19-2249 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Some 2018-2019 Edge/Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2018 MKX, and 2019 Nautilus vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 3.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal.To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure.
SSM 48106 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Some 2014-2019 Fusion and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles with 1.5L Ecoboost engine exhibiting coolant consumption and white smoke from the exhaust. Follow Cooling System Pressure Test procedure in WSM, Section 303-03, and pressurize system to 138kPa(20 psi) and hold for 5 hours. If system pressure drops 27.57kPa (4psi) after 5 hours...
TSB19-2158 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Some 2017-2019 Fusion Hybrid/Fusion Energi/MKZ Hybrid and 2017-2018 C-Max vehicles built on or before 27-Jan-2019 may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P013A stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to downstream oxygen sensor parameters in the PCM software. To...
SSM 47714 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
Some 2018-2019 Ford Fusion vehicles, the engine beauty cover was deleted as a running change. If during PDI a unit is reported as received without engine beauty cover from factory, the unit was built correctly. Any repair or the addition of this part would not be considered warrantable.
Showing 10 of 14 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2018 FORD FUSION
NHTSA has opened 1 investigation into potential safety defects in the 2018 FORD FUSION.
Investigation RQ22004 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS Closed
Opened:
Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures
Other Model Years of the FORD FUSION
- 2013 FORD FUSION — 2,333 complaints
- 2014 FORD FUSION — 1,722 complaints
- 2015 FORD FUSION — 1,243 complaints
- 2016 FORD FUSION — 1,938 complaints
- 2017 FORD FUSION — 1,336 complaints
- 2018 FORD FUSION (current)
- 2019 FORD FUSION — 368 complaints
- 2020 FORD FUSION — 227 complaints
Other FORD Models
- FORD F-150 — 45,660 total complaints
- FORD EXPLORER — 42,140 total complaints
- FORD ESCAPE — 34,654 total complaints
- FORD FOCUS — 29,539 total complaints
- FORD TAURUS — 23,867 total complaints
- FORD WINDSTAR — 19,456 total complaints
- FORD EDGE — 17,247 total complaints
- FORD MUSTANG — 11,551 total complaints