general problems of the 2016 Ford Fusion - part 2

149 problems related to steering have been reported for the 2016 Ford Fusion. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2016 Ford Fusion based on all problems reported for the 2016 Fusion.

36 Steering problem

Failure Date: 02/03/2024

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the steering wheel was very loose. The contact spoke with the dealer where and it was confirmed that the vehicle was included in two recalls not related to the steering. The dealer confirmed that the failure experienced was related to NHTSA campaign numbers: 19v632000 (steering) and 18v167000 (steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recalls. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 143,910.

37 Steering problem

Failure Date: 01/25/2024

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the traction control warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering gear had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v632000 (steering) however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered because the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

38 Steering problem

Failure Date: 01/17/2024

Car initially showed a warning alert for failed traction control. Attempted to reset using steering wheel reset, failed. Tried backing car up and steering became extremely hard to do, requiring maximum effort to turn wheel. Steering power assist light lit up on dashboard. Parked car. Made appointment with heritage Ford, south burlington, vt. Upon subsequent investigation discovered that 2016 Fusion had been recalled #19v632000 but only when sold in northern states where salt was being used or currently registered in (vermont was included). I moved to vermont to be with family in 2020. Failure occurred about 1-17-2024. 1). Had this failure occurred, while driving we could have had a fatal accident. 2). Shouldn’t there be provisions for folks who move into northern states originally identified or is Ford dictating these non recalled cars remain in non salt applying states for their life? shouldn’t all cars have been recalled to prevent catastrophic failures? 3). Failing the recall shouldn’t the cars be supplied with warning placards saying that exposure to excessive road salt could result in catastrophic steering failure? 4). I recently asked the service rep (amanda) at heritage if there were any other recalls for this car and she said no. Does that mean this vehicle is exempt from the recall because it got to the state after some arbitrary deadline? does allowing cars to travel the roads of any northern state with this defect make sense?.

39 Steering problem

Failure Date: 01/15/2024

Steering fault indicator on dashboard and then steering loss displayed and now can not steer car.

40 Steering problem

Failure Date: 01/12/2024

When I was backing out of my apartment complex and tried to turn left the car just stopped and when you turn the wheel it says service advance trac and hill start car hasn’t been drove since last Friday.

41 Steering problem

Failure Date: 11/19/2023

Date of first incident was Nov 19, 2023. I was driving home from taking my elderly mother to the doctor and my engine just shut off. I had plenty of gas, my oil and transmission had been changed, no warning lights came on my dash prior to the engine stopping. The only message I had on my car said the car is not in park. No one can seem to find out why. It has done this at a moderate rate of speed (45mph). My steering wheel locked and I can't steer the car giving me the option to get to a safe place on the road. I have to hit another vehicle or hit a pole. I have good insurance but I don't want to use it to fix body damage. I can't afford that with a 300 dollar car payment. My break sensor error light will come on as well and I went to have the breaks changed and fluid replaced but it doesn't work. I am afraid that I might get hurt or someone else will, but I can't afford another care to help care for my parents or get to the doctor. The Ford dealership will not let me trade it in unless I give them 7000 dollars. The transmission will jerk when changing gears. I still owe 9000 dollars. I looked online to see if I could find a solution and multiple people are complaining about the same problem.

42 Steering problem

Failure Date: 11/09/2023

On affected vehicles, the steering-wheel bolt may not maintain enough pressure, allowing it to loosen over time. As a result, the steering wheel may detach.

43 Steering problem

Failure Date: 09/23/2023

The steering wheel has became severely loose to the point of almost detached. Ford claims there is no recall on this part for this model, however I've read that many people have had this problem. It is a high safety concern.

44 Steering problem

Failure Date: 09/01/2023

This incident has happened to me more than once in the past few months. I am driving along the highway and all of a sudden I lose my power steering. The dashboard reads steering assist fault. Service required. As well as service advance trac. Safety issue because going at moderate speed to get onto highway and losing all power steering could cause me to go off road if in bad weather like rain or snow. In each situation all it took was me pulling off road and resetting the car by turning engine off and then turning it back on. I have take it to a Ford dealership near me and they ran a full diagnostics but couldnt find anything really wrong with it but it continues to happen at least once a month. Ive read similar incidents with Ford Fusion owners on google and they werent sure as I that if it was the brake sensor or abs module that needs to be replaced. Any assistance or advice you could give me would be appreciated.

45 Steering problem

Failure Date: 08/17/2023

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 mph and attempting to turn to the right, the steering wheel tightened as if the power steering assist had failed. The failure occurred and then self-corrected intermittently. The failure had become persistent over time. There were no warning lights illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the power steering failed, and the steering rack needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was currently being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall on the VIN for the coverage of the repair. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.

46 Steering problem

Failure Date: 08/14/2023

I have an electric power, steering rack and assist and it failed on the way to pennsylvania to visit my daughter and grandchildren. I had to drive an additional 42 miles with no power steering. There was a recall, supposedly completed for the bolts in the assist, and I no longer have a warranty on this. It was fine until 5 hours into my trip.

47 Steering problem

Failure Date: 07/19/2023

Power steering fault.

48 Steering problem

Failure Date: 07/02/2023

While driving trying to make a turn. . . My steering wheel jerked and I almost ran into a parked car because my power steering just all of a sudden failed!!! how does that. . Just happen? so my power steering assist and my service advanced trac light came on. . After this happened. . ! unacceptable. . I take good care of my vehicle. . So I see there were a whole lot of complaints of this happening. . . And would like Ford dealer to rectify this problem immediatly. . . This is unsafe. Im in chicago.

49 Steering problem

Failure Date: 07/01/2023

The steering wheel is suddenly incredibly loose and while in park the steering wheel will rotate but the tires do not move with the steering wheel. While driving the steering wheel suddenly gets caught on something and will hold the steering wheel in place while turning the steering wheel. I have not the slightest idea on why this is happening but it is very concerning.

50 Steering problem

Failure Date: 06/23/2023

When driving straight the steering wheel was turned to the right, after I turned the steering wheel a couple of turns the steering wheel and the car was driving straight. The stirring wheel was wobbly. I took it to a dealer they tightened up the steering wheel. No warning signs.

51 Steering problem

Failure Date: 06/17/2023

First of all steering wheel came loose from steering column luckily I was pulling into a parking spot due to steering wheel feeling very loose and the electric steering went out also this could have resulted in terrible accident as I was driving back from working offshore approximately 45 miles away. The dealership replaced the steering wheel due to a bolt which was a recall item after 3 weeks of sitting at the dealership but they told me the electric steering issue was not a recall item on my vehicle. They also said they fixed something with break system and something with transmission shift linkage which they did say were recall items. While the vehicle was getting steering wheel changed out they did something to the steering system which allowed the vehicle steering system to operate normal but two weeks later the steering went out again. I had seen online somewhere that 2016 Fusion also had some wires in steering column short out due to loose steering wheel but dealer said they were not aware of that issue. Bohn Ford lapalco blvd. Marrero, la. Performed the repair on the vehicle. I’m offshore gulf of mexico working so I don’t have repair paperwork.

52 Steering problem

Failure Date: 06/15/2023

Was driving and my wheel was hard to turn the wheel. Had to get a tow truck to pull it to my house. No lights didn’t show on the board indicating that there were any issues but, I can’t and haven’t been able to drive my car since the wheel locked.

53 Steering problem

Failure Date: 06/07/2023

The power steering assist on my car completely shut off while I was on the highway. I almost got into multiple head-on collisions trying to get the car back home, and I have not been able to drive it since. The part that is faulty is very common in 2016 Ford Fusions, under the recall number #19s26. However, for some reason Ford is saying the recall is not available anymore to me, because it passed prior inspection two years ago when I bought the car. There were warnings as the steering shut off to stop the car, letting me know that I had power steering loss. I know from personal research that Ford should offer a recall for this, especially since they "inspected" it before letting me purchase the car, just 24 months ago. I spent $14000 on a relatively new car, and now they are charging $4500 to fix this part that was originally recalled. They either repaired it wrong, or there should be a recall administered for the repair. Thank you for your help.

54 Steering problem

Failure Date: 05/16/2023

While at a stop trying to make left hand turn steering assist disabled appeared and steering wheel locked up.

55 Steering problem

Failure Date: 04/28/2023

I was driving to a friends house when my car start to make a dinging sound, and on the dashboard it said that power steering was lost, and to pull over safely. When I tried to turn the car on and off again to see if it might have been a glitch, the wheel locked up and I couldn’t turn it, without almost breaking it. If I want going to my friends house when it happened, my car would have been in an accident on a highway going towards my house, possibly causing multiple injuries and accidents since it happened late in the afternoon almost night time. I went to have it looked at by a mechanic and they said it could possibly be the rack and pinion when they ran the codes. The only warning I got was that my car was saying that the hill assist parking was turned off, even though I never turned it off.

56 Steering problem

Failure Date: 04/05/2023

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became still and difficult to maneuver. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact’s wife was able to maneuver the vehicle off the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the eps system failed and needed to be replaced. The unknown dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,156.

57 Steering problem

Failure Date: 01/01/2023

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became loose. The contact stated that the failure increased significantly and the vehicle had become undriveable. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v167000 (steering). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact the vehicle was not included in the recall. No further information was provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

58 Steering problem

Failure Date: 12/15/2022

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the steering wheel was not functioning properly after it became extremely loose, and she briefly lost control of the vehicle, nearly resulting in a collision. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the retaining bolt was loose and required replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA campaign number 18v167000 (steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 110,000.

59 Steering problem

Failure Date: 12/01/2022

The contact's fiancé owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became firm, with the abs, power steering assist, and traction control warning lights illuminated. On one occasion, the contact stated that the vehicle slid into a ditch as a result of the failure. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

60 Steering problem

Failure Date: 09/15/2022

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while making a right turn the steering wheel became dislodge and loosened. The contact stated that the steering wheel was not functioning correctly. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 18v167000 (steering) and offered no additional assistance. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the bolt in the steering column was worn. The steering column bolt was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.

61 Steering problem

Failure Date: 09/15/2022

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the steering wheel loosened and wiggled from side to side. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

62 Steering problem

Failure Date: 07/30/2022

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, he became aware that the steering wheel was loose. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign number: 18v167000 (steering) which he linked to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that he vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

63 Steering problem

Failure Date: 06/18/2022

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving on the highway at an undisclosed speed and attempting to shift to the next lane, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact was able to get to the side of the highway and turn off and restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the hill start assist not available message was displayed. The contact called the dealer to schedule an appointment however, there was no available appointment for at least a week. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.

64 Steering problem

Failure Date: 05/11/2022

The power steering goes out randomly, mostly when it is hot outside or on the interior. It is not included in the current recall for this issue, however it needs to be. It happened in 2021 and now is still happening in 2022. No issues prior to the failure until power steering alert goes off. I have almost crashed multiple times due to this failure.

65 Steering problem

Failure Date: 04/07/2022

Advancetrac system malfunctioning 3 times while driving the advancetrac system has malfunctioned while turning. Each incident, the service advancetrac light has come on mid turn, causing steering wheel to feel tight, not sure turn able in the moment, everything happens in a second or two. Two of the 3 incidents of advancetrac abruptly disabling itself resulted in close calls with me almost not completing my turn safely and coming close to colliding with other vehicles on the roadway. Hill assist and advancetrac turn off causing multiple dash lights and warnings. I took the car today to ed morse Ford, lebanon mo for diagnosis. I was told by the service department that because I had turned the car off, no error code could be scanned on the advancetrac. In addition, a mechanic drove the vehicle and could not duplicate the issue. Service department indicated the "probable cause" was a steering assembly needed to be replaced at the cost of $2700. No explanation of how the mechanic made this determination without being able to duplicate the issue. I was told the advancetrak system is not connected to the check engine system (the system that does store codes and errors) so there was nothing they could verify without duplication, yet again, wanted $2700 for a major component switch out. Advancetrak is Ford's proprietary property, yet is has no consumer safe guards to monitor any system defects- completely unacceptable and unsafe.

66 Steering problem

Failure Date: 04/06/2022

Power steering suddenly failed during left turn at low speed. "steering assist fault", "service advancetrac" warnings as well as hill decent dash has the two stability control lights illuminated. There is no check engine light.

67 Steering problem

Failure Date: 03/17/2022

Hello, I was driving towards the hotel I was staying at when I heard some squeaky noises when I was turning my car (this was at night). The next day, I was leaving the parking garage, about to drive onto a main road when my power steering went. I got the car towed to the auto dealership and it turns out that there are three recalls out on my car. One of which has to do with the steering bolts becoming corroded and the steering gear detaching and the the power steering going as a result. Yet the dealership is saying that the bolts are not corded so it is an internal issue. My car only has 66k miles on it … for the power steering to go while you are driving is very scary. It seems like this is a common issue and Ford is avoiding the issue with the steering gear by blaming it on just the bolts to the steering gear. The codes that the dealer said were being thrown are as follows: u0420:00 u0420:86 c102d.

68 Steering problem

Failure Date: 03/03/2022

Steering wheel attachment bolt came loose.

69 Steering problem

Failure Date: 02/10/2022

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering assist failed, causing the steering wheel to make a loud screeching sound. The steering wheel then seized. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v632000 (steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

70 Steering problem

Failure Date: 02/05/2022

On Saturday Feb 5th, while driving our vehicle on the highway, the steering wheel started coming loose. By the time we parked the car in our driveway, the steering wheel was rocking in all directions at an inch. We had the steering wheel bolt replaced in 2018, because of this part being recalled. After being towed to a dealership, their claim is that it was caused by the bolt not being properly torqued during the recall. That seems unlikely, due to the time that has passed.



Fusion Service Bulletins
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Fusion Defect Investigations