Ford Fusion Engine Problems
Owners have filed 3,369 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Ford Fusion across 15 model years. The 2010 model year has the most (700). The words owners use most often: “throttle body” (14% of reports).
- 3,369engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 26mention a crash
- 14mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $8,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 46%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.
- Throttle body: mentioned in 488 of 3,369 complaints (14%)
- Coolant intrusion: mentioned in 293 of 3,369 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the Ford Fusion at $8,500, and half of them between $5,450 and $10,250.
Based on 161 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2026), 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 engine problems happen?
Based on 2,248 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 3,369 complaints, 26 mention a crash, 95 a fire, 14 an injury.
Ford Fusion engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Fusion | 52 | 28% | 79,000 |
| 2019 Fusion | 153 | 48% | 78,000 |
| 2018 Fusion | 205 | 46% | 90,000 |
| 2017 Fusion | 395 | 36% | 76,000 |
| 2016 Fusion | 443 | 27% | 78,000 |
| 2015 Fusion | 272 | 27% | 79,000 |
| 2014 Fusion | 204 | 15% | 76,000 |
| 2013 Fusion | 386 | 22% | 83,005 |
| 2012 Fusion | 111 | 4% | 52,389 |
| 2011 Fusion | 276 | 10% | 45,000 |
| 2010 Fusion | 700 | 14% | 56,000 |
| 2009 Fusion | 30 | 3% | 98,000 |
| 2008 Fusion | 39 | 3% | 89,500 |
| 2007 Fusion | 56 | 5% | 100,000 |
| 2006 Fusion | 47 | 6% | 98,375 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Equipment:electrical:engine block heater
Model years: 2019, 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2013, 2014
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Fusion and 2013-2015 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil.
Risk: If the cylinder head cracks and leaks oil, the oil may contact a hot engine or exhaust component, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 21, 2017. The recall began on January 5, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S09.
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2013
Problem: This is an update to a recently announced recall. Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through November 26, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines, as well as certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured from February 3, 2012, through November 29, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. Coolant system leaks may cause the engines to overheat and leak flammable engine fluids.
Risk: If flammable engine fluids come in contact with the vehicleÂs hot exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine for coolant system leaks and reprogram the vehicleÂs powertrain control module and instrument cluster with an updated calibration and overheat strategy software. There will be no charge to owners for this service. Owners were recently notified to contact dealers to arrange for alternative transportation as Ford developed a remedy. Owners will be shortly receiving notifications to contact Ford dealers to schedule the free remedy repair. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
coolant intrusion
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The failure had occurred over twenty-five times. The vehicle was able to be restarted three times, and on other occasions, the vehicle was towed by AAA to the residence. AAA informed the…
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
My 2018 Ford Fusion suffered a sudden and complete engine failure caused by internal coolant intrusion â coolant leaking into the cylinders and destroying the engine. Pep Boys diagnosed that the failure developed internally over time and could not have been avoided by the owner. This is a known…
Capital Ford of Wilmington diagnosed my vehicle with coolant intrusion into cylinder 2, accompanied by diagnostic trouble codes P0302 and P0316, after check engine light came on. I have been advised that the vehicle requires a complete engine replacement, with an estimated cost of $13,180.89. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Fusions have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 3,369 owner complaints about engine for the Ford Fusion. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Fusion engine?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the Ford Fusion?
Owners report a typical cost of $8,500 (half paid between $5,450 and $10,250), from 161 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Ford Fusion?
The most frequent phrase is “throttle body”, in 488 of 3,369 complaints, followed by “coolant intrusion” (293).
Other Ford Fusion problems
- Steering problems (5,775)
- Air Bags problems (3,530)
- Power Train problems (3,138)
- Service Brakes problems (2,191)
- Electrical System problems (1,665)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (1,414)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (1,167)
- Structure problems (854)
See all Ford Fusion problems.