2016 Ford Fusion Steering Problems
Owners have filed 176 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2016 Ford Fusion, 11% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 73,720 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering assist” (23% of reports).
- 176steering complaints
- 73,720median miles at failure
- 12mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $3,250typical repair cost reported by owners
- 31%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering assist: mentioned in 41 of 176 complaints (23%)
- Fault service: mentioned in 13 of 176 complaints (7%)
- Wheel became: mentioned in 13 of 176 complaints (7%)
- Advance trac: mentioned in 11 of 176 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2016 Ford Fusion at $3,250, and half of them between $2,900 and $4,450.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2018–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 110 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 176 complaints, 12 mention a crash, 6 an injury.
Ford Fusion steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Fusion | 12 | 7% | 81,000 |
| 2019 Fusion | 7 | 2% | — |
| 2018 Fusion | 19 | 4% | 53,000 |
| 2017 Fusion | 52 | 5% | 36,545 |
| 2016 Fusion | 176 | 11% | 73,720 |
| 2015 Fusion | 163 | 16% | 64,950 |
| 2014 Fusion | 326 | 25% | 73,000 |
| 2013 Fusion | 389 | 22% | 74,045 |
| 2012 Fusion | 1,473 | 59% | 83,243 |
| 2011 Fusion | 1,434 | 51% | 89,250 |
| 2010 Fusion | 1,662 | 32% | 101,054 |
| 2009 Fusion | 16 | 2% | 65,000 |
| 2008 Fusion | 11 | 1% | 81,000 |
| 2007 Fusion | 21 | 2% | 92,000 |
| 2006 Fusion | 12 | 2% | 73,063 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
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.
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost power steering functionality and nearly crashed. The contact swerved and slammed on the brake pedal abruptly, causing the contact to strike the left side of the head against the upper side…
After hitting 100,000 mile my car electronics failed and caused my steering to fail and all other safety equipment like airbags and brokering system
I took my car to have recalls fixed. The next time I drove it after that my power steering shut off while driving. The warning lights for "Hill Start Assist Not Available" and "Service AdvanceTrac" came on. After some research it looks like I have the exact problem for recall 19S26. However when I…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Ford Fusions have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 176 owner complaints about steering for the 2016 Ford Fusion (11% of the 1,641 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Ford Fusion steering?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 73,720 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,250 (half paid between $2,900 and $4,450), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
The most frequent phrase is “steering assist”, in 41 of 176 complaints, followed by “fault service” (13).
Other 2016 Ford Fusion problems
See all 2016 Ford Fusion problems or steering problems across all Fusion years.