2016 Ford Fusion Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Fusion years
- More complaints than other years 5th of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 13 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 1,641 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Fusion. That ranks 5th out of 15 Fusion model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (443 complaints, 27%), typically at around 78,000 miles. Complaints mention 60 crashes, 6 fires, 31 injuries. There are 13 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 1,641owner complaints
- 13safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 60complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Ford Fusion problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 443 | 27% | 78,000 | “coolant intrusion” (13%) | $9,850 |
| Power Train problems | 311 | 19% | 83,000 | “shifter cable” (18%) | $710 |
| Unknown or Other | 211 | 13% | 65,365 | — | — |
| Steering problems | 176 | 11% | 73,720 | “steering assist” (23%) | $3,250 |
| Electrical System problems | 150 | 9% | 58,100 | “backup camera” (8%) | $1,050 |
| Back Over Prevention problems | 130 | 8% | 90,500 | “camera displayed” (29%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 109 | 7% | 110,750 | “coolant intrusion” (34%) | — |
| Service Brakes problems | 85 | 5% | 53,650 | “brake fluid” (19%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 83 | 5% | 58,000 | “purge valve” (19%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 50 | 3% | 54,213 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 50 | 3% | 102,352 | “brake pedal depressed” (34%) | — |
| Structure problems | 50 | 3% | 56,217 | “door latch” (28%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 47 | 3% | 41,250 | — | — |
| Wheels | 43 | 3% | 50,213 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 35 | 2% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 26 | 2% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 22 | 1% | 31,563 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 16 | 1% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 1% | 102,500 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 8 | 0% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 8 | 0% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 8 | 0% | 62,500 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 7 | 0% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 4 | 0% | 97,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 0% | 21,463 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 0% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 0% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Firerelated | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Tether, Lower Anchor (on Car Seat or Vehicle) | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Ford Fusion recalls (13)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:manual transmission
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
Risk: A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driverâs view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015 Fiesta, 2016 Fusion, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component inside the door latches may break, which can make it difficult to latch or possibly allow the doors to open while driving.
Risk: Vehicle doors opening unexpectedly while driving can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the door latch date codes and if necessary, replace all four side door latches, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-177.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Risk: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Power train:shift linkage/cable/rod; power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fiesta, 2014-2016 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford or Lincoln dealers will replace the side door latches, free of charge. The recall began September 21, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Risk: If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles equipped with 2.5 liter engines. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
Risk: If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S16. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made. This recall is an expansion of 18V471.
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
Risk: If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S20. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Problem: 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.
Risk: A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Seat belts:front
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured November 2, 2012, to July 31, 2014, and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 14, 2012, to July 31, 2014. In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pretensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail.
Risk: If the driver or front passenger seatbelt cables cannot properly restrain the front seat occupants, they would be at an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable, free of charge. The recall began May 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S42.
Seats; seat belts:front:anchorage
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured from March 10, 2016, through March 16, 2016. The front driver seat track assembly's rear riser may have been improperly welded to the seat track rail, and as a result, the driver may not be adequately restrained in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 207, "Seating Systems" and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Risk: An improperly welded driver seat riser may fail to adequately restrain the driver during crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford quarantined the affected vehicles at dealerships prior to their sale. Dealers will replace the front driver seat track rail, free of charge. The recall began on May 19, 2016. Ford's number for this recall is 16C05.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 13, 2015, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a fuel tank that may have insufficent wall thickness. As a result, the fuel tanks may crack in the event of a crash and thus the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Risk: A fuel tank that cracks may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C11.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
- Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures (RQ22004) — opened Aug 8, 2022, closed Mar 24, 2023, led to recall 23V162000.
- Door Latch Failures (RQ19005) — opened Dec 19, 2019, closed Feb 7, 2022, led to recall 20V177000.
- Steering Wheel Fastening Bolt Loosens (PE17007) — opened Oct 23, 2017, closed Apr 23, 2018, led to recall 18V167000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
the back up camera does not function and it provides a safety risk when backing up from a store i barely bumped to other car when lady was in car didnt cause damage but still bumped into her car..
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 contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera was inoperable. The dealer was contacted…
We are having issues with the 2.0 ecoboost engine overheating and going into limp mode and i had it looked at and was told it has the defective engine that FORD knows about and should fix because we canât afford to buy a new engine and itâs not my fault that the engine is defective
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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera displayed an inverted image, causing the…
Other Ford Fusion years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Fusion | 183 | 3 |
| 2019 Fusion | 316 | 3 |
| 2018 Fusion | 442 | 2 |
| 2017 Fusion | 1,112 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1,641 | 13 |
| 2015 Fusion | 994 | 13 |
| 2014 Fusion | 1,330 | 19 |
| 2013 Fusion | 1,792 | 19 |
| 2012 Fusion | 2,516 | 5 |
| 2011 Fusion | 2,792 | 7 |
| 2010 Fusion | 5,130 | 11 |
| 2009 Fusion | 1,023 | 6 |
| 2008 Fusion | 1,353 | 5 |
| 2007 Fusion | 1,064 | 4 |
| 2006 Fusion | 730 | 4 |
See all Ford Fusion problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Ford Fusion?
Owners most often report engine, power train, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 443 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
Yes, 13 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Ford Fusion a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Fusion model years, the 2016 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.