Your vehicle report
2017 Ford Fusion
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 1,115
- Received Sep 2016 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion223 complaints · 20% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Head gasket leaks coolant into engine173 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips124 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V162000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
- Recall #18V167000Ford 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Head gasket leaks coolant into engineFirst signal: Mar 2020
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slipsFirst signal: Sep 2019
- Gear shifter fails to register ParkFirst signal: Jul 2019
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 37 crashes, 8 fires, 30 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion
- Head gasket leaks coolant into engine
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
9 more problems
- Gear shifter fails to register Park
- Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates
- Check engine light comes on repeatedly
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Transmission fails or loses power while driving
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Transmission will not engage reverse gear
- Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration
- Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 45 |
| 2018 | 39 |
| 2019 | 64 |
| 2020 | 90 |
| 2021 | 68 |
| 2022 | 119 |
| 2023 | 221 |
| 2024 | 246 |
| 2025 | 157 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 62 |
| Total | 1,115 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion | 223 | 20% | 19.1× | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 173 | 16% | 8.7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Mar 2020 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.6% |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 124 | 11% | 2.6× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.4% |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 67 | 6.0% | 3.8× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.4% |
| Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates | 38 | 3.4% | 5.1× | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 35 | 3.1% | 1.5× | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 23 | 2.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 21 | 1.9% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 20 | 1.8% | 1.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2019 · Recent surge Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.3% |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 19 | 1.7% | 0.7× | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 18 | 1.6% | 0.5× | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 15 | 1.4% | – | NHTSA recall #23V162000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 12 | 1.1% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 11 | 1.0% | – | |
| Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration | 10 | 0.9% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 8 | 0.7% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 8 | 0.7% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 8 | 0.7% | – | NHTSA recall #18V167000 |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 8 | 0.7% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 7 | 0.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V162000March 10, 20231,280,726 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
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.
NHTSA recall #18V167000March 12, 20181,301,986 vehicles affected
steering: steering wheel/handle bar
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #17V427000July 6, 20176,026 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: torque converter
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Edge and Fusion vehicles. On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.
If the torque converter weld studs fail, the torque converter will not be connected to the engine flexplate and the vehicle will lose the ability to move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford or Lincoln will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S16.
NHTSA recall #16V874000December 5, 201625 vehicles affected
seats: mid/rear assembly
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 27, 2016, to September 28, 2016. The left rear seat backs pivot pins may have been improperly welded.
During a crash, the improper welds may fail, allowing any stowed luggage to move into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left hand, second row seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began January 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S43.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2017 Ford Fusion.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN