general problems of the 2018 Ford Fusion - part 2

The engine cooling system and engine block failed due to coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders. This issue has been diagnosed by an independent mechanic and is available for inspection upon request. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by an independent service center, which diagnosed coolant intrusion into the engine block, a known issue on this engine. The shop recommended full engine replacement and stated this is a common failure in this vehicle. Not yet by the manufacturer, police, or insurance. The issue has only been inspected by a certified independent mechanic. Yes, a check engine light appeared along with a coolant temperature warning message. The vehicle also began to idle roughly, produce heavy exhaust, and consume coolant. These symptoms began appearing shortly before diagnosis in June 2025. I own a 2018 Ford Fusion with a 2. 0l ecoboost engine. The vehicle recently began experiencing coolant loss, heavy exhaust, and check engine alerts. A certified mechanic confirmed that coolant has intruded into the engine block, causing internal misfires and risk of major engine failure. I was told this is a common and well-documented issue with this engine design, yet there has been no official recall from Ford despite similar problems affecting other models (referenced in Ford TSB 19-2208). The mechanic has recommended a full engine replacement with an estimated cost of $13,000. This is a serious safety concern, as the engine can overheat, stall, or seize while driving.

Coolant intrusion into engine cylinder #2 causing misfire and low coolant levels and overheating and stalling. See Ford TSB 22-2229.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly began to shake violently before returning to normal functionality. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion into various cylinders had resulted in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to customer satisfaction program: 21n12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.

My vehicle was found to have a coolant intrusion. There is a know defect on these vehicles (1. 5 / 2l) Ford engine. There was a hairline crack in 2 of the cylinders, which causes coolant to leak thoroughout the engine. My safety was put at risk as this issue causes the vehicles engine to overheat at an unsafe rate. 2 separate dealers found this issue cba and autonation Ford. Fidelity warranty services inspected the vehicle to see what would be covered. They appeared about 2 weeks prior but would disappear. It finally came back but was extremely repetitive.

2018 Fusion awd titanium, less than 70,000 miles, no warning, no reason. Driving 70mph on interstate when low coolant light comes on, check engine light comes on, car starts losing power and running rough, finally full stall in middle of freeway with catastrophic engine failure due to coolant leak and faulty design. Car was not low on any fluids as they were checked everyday before it was driven. This could have gotten me and my children killed and quite frankly I dont know how it didn't. I bought this car with 44k miles on it. Drove it less than 30k miles and had catastrophic engine failure. This was after I had it in the shop several times for crank shaft position sensor, wouldn't start, and several other problems. The car was taken care of and in immaculate condition. Ford knew these engines would fail prematurely and continued to manufacture them and sell them.

My vehicle has had the check engine light come on intermittently. I took a look under the hood to see if I could spot any issues. The only issue seen was the coolant level was low. After refilling the coolant and a short time driving, perhaps 50-60 miles, the light went out. Then the light came back on a couple days later. Without making any changes the light went out a couple days later. It has done this several times and I thought it may be a faulty sensor or something. I have recently taken it to the dealership for a tune-up, emissions test, multipoint inspection and a transmission flush. I informed the service person that the check engine light will come on and go out and the only thing I have done to the vehicle was add coolant. He suggested the complimentary diagnostic to further identify the issue. During the diagnostic process the auto tech discovered that the coolant has been leaking into the number 2 cylinder. This is the reason for both the fluid loss and the check engine light. From my understanding this is a known issue with my vehicles engine type and has been for some time now. The only fix is to replace the engine. My overall issue is that the safety light (cel) will say that there is an issue and then it goes away signifying the issue is resolved. The potential hazards of this could possibly lead to an individual unknowingly putting themselves and others at risk with an engine that is prepped for failure. An engine that could overheat, catch fire, throw a rod, or simply lose power in a very dangerous location. For example the freeway, a bridge with heavy traffic, or on train tracks…etc. I believe the risk of failure and potential to lose a life should be considered heavily against the cost of a recall. I don’t believe during the buying process it has ever been disclosed that this specific engine is prone to this problem. I know I would not have made my purchase knowing the engine would need to be replaced within the first 10 years of ownership.

My 1. 5l ecoboost engine experienced coolant intrusion into the cylinders, a known and documented defect associated with this engine family across multiple Ford model years. Prior to the failure, the vehicle displayed symptoms consistent with internal coolant loss, including white exhaust smoke, coolant level dropping without visible external leaks, and rough running. No external coolant leak was ever identified. The vehicle was subsequently diagnosed by an independent service center, which confirmed coolant intrusion into the engine internals consistent with a head gasket or coolant jacket failure. The component is available for inspection upon request. The failure rendered the vehicle completely undriveable. The vehicle has been out of service for approximately 12 months and has not been driven since the failure occurred. The repair was quoted at approximately $12,000 for a full engine replacement, exceeding the current market value of the vehicle. Safety was put at risk due to sudden loss of engine performance and drivability while the vehicle was in use on public roads. Coolant intrusion can cause hydrolock, catastrophic engine seizure, and sudden loss of power, all of which create risk of collision, particularly at highway speeds. This failure is consistent with a well-documented defect in the 1. 5l ecoboost engine design, which has been the subject of technical service bulletins and consumer complaints regarding coolant entering the combustion chamber. The failure occurred with no prior accident, overheating event, or owner-caused damage.

At approximately 67,180 miles, a Ford dealership performed a multi-point inspection on my 2018 Ford Fusion se with the 1. 5l ecoboost engine due to a check engine light on. The Ford dealership diagnosed the vehicle with a coolant intrusion into cylinder 2. The Ford dealership recommended the replacement of the short block and gasket kit, with an estimated repair cost of $7,465. This type of issue diagnosed for my vehicle is a known failure issue for 1. 5l Ford ecoboost engines documented in customer satisfaction program 21n12, which covers coolant intrusion and engine damage in this engine type. Despite the Ford dealership diagnosis of my vehicle matching what is described in customer satisfaction program 21n12, I was informed that my vehicle is not eligible. The coolant intrusion into cylinder 2 is an issue that poses a safety risk due to engine misfires, stalling, overheating, and possible sudden loss of engine power while driving. In my case, my vehicle has become unreliable and unsafe for regular driving. A Ford dealership inspected the vehicle, confirmed and documented the issue, and the repair quote, diagnostic report and diagnostic payment receipt are available upon request. Ford has declined assistance despite the vehicle’s low mileage and clear alignment with known engine defects. I mailed a formal appeal letter to Ford motor company and I am filing a complaint with my state attorney general. This widespread issue affects customer safety, and vehicle safety standards and deserves further investigation, as many other Ford owners of vehicles with 1. 5l ecoboost engines have reported similar failures.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message “low engine oil pressure” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to customer satisfaction program: 21n12 (short block replacement after coolant intrusion); however, the vehicle was not covered. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust, and the engine was running abnormally rough. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #1, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the vehicle while depressing the accelerator pedal. The failure persisted, and the contact stated that the steering wheel was loose while operating the vehicle. The contact stated that the traction control warning light flashed on the instrument panel during one of the failures. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure of the vehicle. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the low coolant warning light had illuminated prematurely. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact was unable to find a coolant leak. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle overheated while driving, which required the contact to pull over temporarily and to resume driving after the vehicle had cooled down. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, which caused the engine to slowly fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the message that the engine was overheating was illuminated. The vehicle was restarted after the contact added coolant to the reservoir. The contact stated that after adding coolant to the reservoir, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the cylinders, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired, and the contact was referred to the dealer for further assistance. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 155,000.

Unknown. Car will not start, dashboard says overheating, white smoke was coming out of muffler but stopped and etc.

Unknown. Car will not start.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at 35 mph, the check engine light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to customer satisfaction program: 21n12. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that there was a coolant intrusion into the engine and the long block needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted, who confirmed that there was no recall on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 95,308.

Driver was driving at 55 miles per hour engine light illuminated. Car began to sputter and not drive. Ford dealership mechanic,” driveability concern, customer states vehicle will not go over 40 mph and has a misfire please check and advise. Verfied engine is misfiring, hooked up scan tool and ran dets and found p0302 and p0316, #2 cylinder misfire and misfire and the first 1000 rev, ran a relitive compression test and found cylinder #2 is 25% diference than the other cylinders. Pulled spark plug and put a boar scope in the cylinder and found a exhaust valve is missing a piece of the valve and the engine has ate the valve. Recommend a Ford long block” owner was quoted $8553. 37 for a used engine. Happened at 95,405 car is not drivable and unfixed. When owner asked what was the main cause the answers was “these cars just have bad engines”.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

We have a 2018 Ford Fusion ecoboost. The engine started to run hot, we made an appointment to bring to dealer. Morning of the appointment car would not start. We had it towed to dealer. After several hours at the dealership they called to tell us the engine needed to be replaced, quote was $14,000. The issue they explained was coolant in the engine that corroded the engine and all parts. Not salveable, needed to be replaced. We have excellent service records on our car, always keep up with routine maintenance and have owned at least 10 Fords various makes and models. Never had an issue.

The engine is losing coolant on a daily basis; I keep gallons of it my car to keep it from running out. The safety risk is the vehicle hoses burst while driving in rush hour traffic and causing a worse delay and maybe injury to myself and passengers. I had the vehicle checked by an independent service station and they recommend a head gasket replacement or engine replacement, and the dealer just brushed me off with the head gasket may need replacing but it is not a recall item. It has not been inspected by any other agency. The check engine light is an on and off again problem -- and that's when the coolant is low the light comes on and when I refill it, it goes off. The vehicle coolant system is losing coolant every two days -- as of this date 4/28/2025, smoke comes from the oil filler cap area but none from the tailpipe. This is a frustrating situation and lawsuit waiting to happen situation that could easily be avoided -- they know it's a problem and want the consumer to reveal this frustrating and potential mega colossal problem to grow out of control.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, a warning light indicating that the engine was overheating was illuminated. The contact added coolant to the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an excessive coolant consumption. The vehicle was taken to advance auto, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #3. The dealer determined that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle shuddered. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the message "coolant overheating" was displayed on the instrument panel. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the gas tank. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant sensor failure. The coolant sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the coolant sensor. The contact stated that recently, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a different independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine block was cracked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the nhsta hotline for assistance. The contact related the failure to customer satisfaction program: 21n12; however, the vehicle was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

The check engine light came on and something about the cooling system. I can’t totally remember. The service desk confirmed the eco boost engine has known issues of the cooling system which may cause the engine to go bad. Reported I needed a new engine and transmission. Then after they had started that job and after I put $1,500 down they called me back and said the radiator has issues from it all and needed changed as well. I asked him if all Fords only lasted approximately a 100,000 miles or just this one and he responded that it is a known issue by Ford and happens with this engine. It cost me approximately $15,000 out of pocket to get the car fixed. Within a week there were more “issues” with the engine and I am now being charged over $300. 00 to fix this part that they didn’t change even though they put in a new engine.

Vehicle has a loss of coolant but no visible leaks think may be due to a engine leak.

Was driving and car started overheating. Looking at coolant levels, they were low. Refilled coolant and car started fine. Next day driving the vehicle, the engine shut down completely. Took the vehicle to parks Ford dealership in hendersonville nc to find the problem. I received a call from a service representative and he said there is a coolant intrusion into the cylinder or cylinders and the engine needs to be replaced. I asked to check for recalls and he stated none were found. I did my own research and found many vehicles with the 1. 5 liter ecoboost engine have had this issue and have had a recall in the past. I. Short, Ford has said they will not have my vehicle fixed due to the fact the 3 year warranty has expired and or 85,000 miles have been passed. I have financed this vehicle starting 03/22/2021. As of now my vehicle has almost 110,000 miles. Doing more research into this Ford has offered a fix for this. A new midi small block replacement and head gasket replacement. Doing more research into this, I have found the vehicle engine could possibly catch on fire if the coolant intrusion is not corrected. The Ford dealership quoted me $9,000 without tax to replace the engine. This just isn't doable. How can this not be a safety issue if the vehicle can and will shut off while driving and potentially catch on fire? Ford should replace the flawed engine design that they have been very well aware of. I am still making payments on this vehicle to own and I cannot risk driving it because it is used to transport my children and my wife, not with the safety factors involved. Help to have the manufacturer flawed design fixed to the updated design,that has no issues of the same, would help blue collard individuals a tremendous amount.

Sensor that believe the car to be overheating shut the car down while driving in on the highway. . Turning the car off completely or powering it down 99%.

Engine throws misfire code on cylinder accompanied by loss of coolant with no visible leaks. Coolant intrusion into the cylinder has begun due to Ford’s engine block design flaw.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, the message "engine overheating" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was internal coolant intrusion into the cylinders, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power. The check coolant and engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was inspected by a local independent mechanic who diagnosed a misfire coming from the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was later towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a coolant intrusion in cylinders #1 and #2. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to customer satisfaction program: 21n12, 22-2134, and 19b37; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 98,207.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. A dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the failure was a known issue and that the engine needed to be replaced; however, there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

While driving about 60 miles per hour the vehicle started to buck and loose speed. The check engine light came on and I pulled over. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where I was told that I have a coolant leak. The leak caused a break in cylinder 2 and the engine would have to be replaced.

At 135,815 miles, my 2018 Ford Fusion se experienced a sudden transmission failure while driving, with no prior warning signs. The vehicle was towed to certified transmission, where technicians confirmed: transmission fluid level was correct but black/degraded. Multiple failure codes were present. Transmission pump whined and stopped functioning. Diagnosis: internal transmission failure (6/17/2024). The shop stated this issue is common in these transmissions. The entire transmission had to be replaced. At 141,164 miles, just 5,349 miles later, the engine shut off on the highway while driving, again with no warning lights. After pulling onto the shoulder, it restarted after 10 minutes but was smoking heavily. Coolant was critically low in the reserve tank. Diagnosis: cracked cylinder head due to coolant intrusion, a known defect in 1. 5l ecoboost engines. I contacted Ford customer care about csp 21n12, but they refused assistance since my vehicle exceeds 84,000 miles, despite this well-documented defect. Safety concerns: unexpected transmission & engine failure while driving creates a serious risk. Engine shutoff on the highway could have led to an accident. Coolant intrusion in 1. 5l ecoboost engines is a known issue, yet Ford has failed to notify all owners. This issue affects many owners and creates major safety risks. I urge the NHTSA to investigate and consider a mandatory recall to prevent further incidents.

After I bought from personal owner Feb. 3rd 2025 I drove 50 miles and overheated before I made it home . The check engine light came on it showed up as a bank 1 bank 3 misfire also camshaft position sensor so I replaced these things and it still was losing coolant oil is just fine. Every time I would drive it it would still overheat I would keep putting more antifreeze in to make it home. It started to misfire very badly still loosing coolant jerking when I would try to give it gas and some times would hardly move . I changed the thermostat still the same . So then I replaced the catalytic converter still nothing changed . Took it to a shop and he looked all over it couldn't find anywhere that the coolant could have been escaping he did find and replace the vvt solenoid. Worked for a very short period. So as the problems progressed and the car wouldn't even go 3 minutes without overheating and jerking losing almost all of its power my brother put a head tester on it and conducted the test to show it has a bad head so its not able to be driven to be checked by any dealership or anything also isn't under recall . Yes it is a safety hazard when I was able to drive it was losing power I couldn't gain speed even with a full pedal so took the risk of being hit from behind if a car had come up behind me .

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was running rough, jerking, and shaking. The transmission and coolant temperature warning lights were illuminated. The message "engine overheating - reduced power" was displayed, and the vehicle went into limp mode. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was coolant intrusion in the engine, a blown head gasket, and a cracked engine block. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.