Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Ford Fusion - part 1

2020 Fusion sel with 41,000 miles. While driving at 65 mph with adaptive cruise control engaged, the vehicle suddenly jerked on two separate occasions during a three-hour drive.

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My engine coolant keeps on overheating, I’ve tried changing the antifreeze tank out for a brand new one and it helped the issue for a while but I have to relieve the pressure myself which is a hazard. I’ve had to change the coolant in the tank more than 5 times and it just seems like it’s leaking somewhere other than going into the engine to cool it. When I go out roundabouts off a highway the engine overheats and makes the car go into a safe mode where it won’t go and I have to stop on the side of the road. When I’m driving with my heat on the heat will go cold when I slow down. If I’m not going over 3x1,000 rpms it will go cold and fluctuate. This has been going on for months now.

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Coolant intrusion. Started with thick white exhaust when starting up in morning. Turned into acceleration lags, car shutting engine off when parked, and exhaust smell coming inside of car. 2014-2019 models have a recall for cracked engine block allowing cooling to leak inside, but 2020 models do not although there is an increased problem with this year and model of car.

Exhibited signs of a coolant leak followed by throwing a code about cylinder 4 misfiring. Took my car to the dealer who confirmed that there is coolant leaking into cylinder 4, and it is similar to other defects found in many 1. 5 liter ecoboost engines from this model line. Was told that my VIN did not qualify for the recall that is only for the ecoboost 2. 0 liter engines even though they have the same defect.

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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 vehicle has experienced sputtering and hesitation, creating concern that it could lose power or stall. These symptoms are concerning. After researching this issue, I have learned that coolant intrusion is a documented problem associated with certain Ford vehicles equipped with the 1. 5l ecoboost engine produced during the 2017–2019 period. Ford has addressed this issue through technical service bulletins and customer satisfaction program 21n12. I contacted Ford and was told that my VIN is not covered under the customer satisfaction program. When asked why mine was not covered but other were , Ford stated that even if it is the same issue that is being recalled if my VIN is not flagged it will not be covered for any recall or assistance. I called Ford when I first purchase vehicle and asked about this recall and was told if I didn't have anything wrong with my car and no engine lights that my car was fine and to bring it in if I have any issues.

My 2018 Ford Fusion titanium fwd (VIN: [xxx]) suffered a catastrophic engine failure while driving, causing sudden vehicle overheating, severe engine misfires, and a dangerous loss of power on the roadway. A certified Ford dealership inspection (invoice #xxx) confirmed that the vehicle has a textbook manufacturing flaw known as ecoboost coolant intrusion. A pressure test showed an immediate 5 psi drop within 10 minutes, and a borescope confirmed that engine coolant is actively leaking across the block interface and pooling directly inside the engine cylinders (cylinders 2 and 3). This is a known, widespread structural engineering defect in Ford's block casting that creates a severe, sudden safety hazard by causing vehicle stalling and clouding exhaust smoke while operating at highway speeds. The vehicle is now entirely unsafe to drive and requires a full engine block replacement. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Coolant intrusion in the my 2016 Ford Fusion with 1. 5l ecoboost before even hitting 80000 miles.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while stopped in a drive-thru, there was an abnormal hissing sound coming from the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard, and excessive force was needed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the "check engine" warning light was illuminated and the "brake level low" message was displayed. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 23v162000 (service brakes, hydraulic); but was unable to secure an appointment with two local dealers for a timely repair. The contact requested authorization to have the vehicle repaired by an independent mechanic with reimbursement, but the manufacturer declined the request. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer denied a request for a loaner vehicle. The contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 172,318.

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The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving, the vehicle lost automotive power, and the steering wheel locked up. The temperature gauge indicated that the engine was hot, and the vehicle needed to be restarted several times. The contact stated that during the failure the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 126,000.

2017 Ford Fusion. Transmission replaced February 2026 at 98,175 miles by independent repair facility. Check engine light illuminated immediately following replacement and has remained on continuously since. Autozone scan showed emissions-related code only. On August 28, 2026 at approximately 120,064 miles, orange wrench light and "see manual" message appeared moments after hot restart. Acceleration became heavy and hesitant. Drove approximately 70 miles home via I-15; heavy traffic required engine shutdown at multiple stops. Following morning, wrench light was no longer illuminated but hesitation persisted. Using manual paddle shift to select 5th gear improved drivability. Replacement transmission accumulated approximately 22,000 miles over 6 months. Ford motor company has issued multiple recalls for 2013-2016 model year Fusions involving identical transmission, shifter cable bushing, and torque converter defects, but 2017 model year vehicles with identical 6f35 transmissions and failure symptoms have been excluded from all campaigns. No crash, fire, or injury occurred.

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The contact's brother owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the owner was driving 35 mph, the engine overheated and there was misfire coming from the engine. The check engine warning light illuminated, and there was fluid leaking into the engine. An independent mechanic was contacted by phone. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. In addition, the contact was informed that the failure was due to the manufacturing design of the engine. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

The 2015 Ford Fusion are very known for this issue with coolant lost and more recently I was driving and a warning popped up saying my coolant was over temps so I pulled over and turned the car off next thing you know my coolant was gone and I just filled it up. To make it even worse my mechanic told me it’s a known issue and Ford doesn’t even cover it because it isn’t a recall.

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic several times, and the contact was informed that the engine was consuming antifreeze. The ignition coils and spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The mechanic associated the failure with the engine. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the short block was warped and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was scheduled to be repaired. The contact researched the failure and stated that it was a known issue that the manufacturer had failed to correct. The manufacturer was notified of the failure via telephone; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

My 2018 Ford Fusion has catastrophic engine failure. Engine stuttering and misfires with check engine light. Low coolant levels with no visible puddles under the car. Engine overheating, could possibly catch fire. Car recently had a tuneup was told no issues at the time. Failure mileage at 109,000.

Vehicle blew upper radiator hose due to blown head gasket. Vehicle has trouble starting and releases grey blue smoke via exhaust at all times. Has not been looked at by anyone other than an odot employee and myself. Hose was replaced but issues continue. Vehicle engine light came on after low coolant warning and overheating. Vehicle is available for inspection. Google states this is an extremely common occurrence with this particular year and model of vehicle.

We have coolant intrusion in cylinder 2 of our engine. This can cause highway failure of engine cuts out, car runs rough and it can become a fire hazard. We paid for a diagnostics through a Ford dealer. Who we uses all the time for our warranty needs. We noticed car was starting to run rough and check engine light came on 8/5/26.

It all started with a cylinder 3 misfire warning code, spark plugs replaced, coils replaced. Then a coolant leak. No obvious signs of a leak no cracked tubing no puddles. Just coolant leaking. Was informed I have a coolant leak intrusion and need a new engine block. I still owe $14k on this vehicle and am past my warranty. This repair is going to cost $12k. Researched and found out this is a problem for these vehicles that Ford had an engineering problem with these engines.

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The 2019 Ford Fusion I owned was having issues with smoke coming out the tailpipe upon startup, eventually leading to the engine seizing causing me to trade the vehicle in.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low coolant warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 12v551000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

My antifreeze and oil keep going empty after driving the car after so many days. . . . . There is no leak on the ground, and I do not smell anything inside the cab. No lights are on the dash I took it and has them plug it in just incase and the only thing that came back as a possible issue is the brake pad. Otherwise they said there was no issue however, there is an issue and no one can seem to figure out what it is!.

Bought my car in 2019. Was unaware of coolant intrusion problem on my vehicle. Check engine light came on and mechanic just quoted me $13,000 to fix.

The vehicle in question has the coolant intrusion into cylinders 2 and 3 with rough idle on startup, p0300, p0302, p0303, and white smoke on startup. The vehicle now has 111339 miles on it and the out of pocket cost is more than what the vehicle blue books for in excellent condition. TSB 22-2134 speaks to all the issue and what the repair is. If this is a known issue then I feel this should be a vehicle recall by Ford due to the costly repair.

I was driving my car down the road and all the sudden I couldn't steer my car it caused me to go off the road and hit a ditch.

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Component that failed: the engine cooling fan on my 2020 Ford Fusion sel (1. 5l, non-hybrid) became inoperable and blew three fuses. With the fans not operating, the engine overheated, destroying the head gasket and engine, requiring complete replacement. Failure occurred 07/08/2026 at 49,118 miles. Warning symptoms: the a/c began blowing warm air roughly 2 days earlier. The engine temperature lamp illuminated on 07/08/2026 — the first and only time it ever came on. No prior overheating, no coolant loss, no leaks, no other alert. I stopped driving immediately on that single warning and had the vehicle towed. Safety risk: a cooling fan failure progressing to engine destruction risks overheating, loss of motive power, and stalling in traffic or at highway speed. I stopped safely; a driver getting this same lone warning on a freeway would face a serious hazard with no notice. The vehicle's protections did not prevent a low-cost part from destroying the powertrain, and the sole warning came immediately before catastrophic damage. Confirmed by independent service centers: yes. A certified technician at a licensed independent shop found the cooling fan assembly inoperable and identified it as the cause of both the a/c failure and the temperature warning, noting these vehicles are known to fail head gaskets this way. A second licensed engine shop documented the sequence: the electric cooling fan failed, which blew three fuses, causing an overheat condition that caused engine failure. Written findings, inspection reports, and invoices retained. Manufacturer inspection: none. Ford declined to consider assistance unless a Ford technician inspected the vehicle, by which time it was already at an independent shop mid-repair. No police or insurance inspection. Manufacturer awareness: Ford ssm 48659 covers 2019-2020 Fusion/mkz non-hybrids with cooling fans inoperative due to open fuses f59, f60, f63, causing engine overheat or lack of a/c cooling.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle felt as though it were going to shut off unexpectedly. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The contact stated that after the spark plugs were replaced, one of the cylinders was misfiring. The spark plugs were replaced a second time, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that coolant intrusion into the engine had resulted in engine failure, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

Engine reached high temperature on July 2 2016 the results of which required the replacement of the radiator. Apparently there is a class action regarding coolant system issues for my vehicles 2. 0l engine. The radiator failure may be the result of this issue. Engine overheated.

The vehicle experienced engine failure due to coolant intrusion into the cylinders on the engine. I've experienced engine misfires, rough running, check engine light, and I'm worried I'm going to see an eventual engine failure requiring engine replacement. The biggest issue is I've had total loss of power in my engine while on a public road more than once, before the check engine light ever came on. Its terrifying. It is dangerous. And Ford is aware it is dangerous. Ford issued customer satisfaction program 21n12 for certain affected vehicles due to this exact issue, but my vehicle is past the warranty so it's sol. The failure appears to be caused by a defect in the engine design allowing coolant to enter the combustion chamber. This is clearly a widespread defect as Ford had to create their limited warranty for it. This is something that needs to be recalled for all affected vehicles experiencing coolant intrusion and engine failure because it is not safe to be on the road.

Engine has coolant intrusionand is misfiring. Engine light came on. The coolant system found pressure to be dropping significantly. Removed spark plugs and inspected cylinder bores using borescope. Verified coolant is leaking into cylinder 2 and needed to replace the engine at ourisman Ford in manassas va. On July 11, 2026.

My 2019 Ford Fusion 2. 0l ecoboost (89,000 miles) experienced a sudden, severe engine malfunction due to a known manufacturing defect. The vehicle exhibited severe engine shuddering and a harsh cold-start misfire upon ignition. A diagnostic scan revealed trouble codes p0316 (misfire on startup), p0302 (cylinder 2 misfire), and p0304 (cylinder 4 misfire). A mechanic verified that these codes are the result of internal coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, exactly as documented in Ford technical service bulletin TSB 19-2346. The structural design flaw in the engine block allows engine coolant to breach the cylinder head gasket area and pool inside the combustion chambers. This presents a critical safety hazard: the vehicle is at risk of sudden engine stalling while driving on public roads, a complete loss of motive power in traffic, and potential engine hydro-lock, which can cause catastrophic mechanical failure or an engine compartment fire. Ford is refusing to address this safety defect outside of warranty, leaving a hazardous vehicle on the road.

1. 5 liter ecoboost engine has a coolant intrusion problem into the cylinder to due a design flaw. Problem can cause several problems: loosing coolant and causing the engine to overheat, causing misfire in the cylinders, and can cause the engine to stallwhich has happened several time on me. The engine should be recalled as a safety concern for stalling, it has stalled on the i15 in utah several times.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle lost motive power, and the rpm became elevated. In addition, the contact became aware of an abnormal odor. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall associated with the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Engine warning display came on with "cylinder over temperature" immediately after temperature gauge went from normal (slightly under 1/2 way) to "hot" immediately. Shut off engine - opened hood, coolant was noticed on passenger side just below coolant bottle. After waiting a little bit the tempature on the gauge hadn't dropped any & the radiator was cool to the touch. The day before washer fluid was added, while there the other levels were checked after sitting all night, the coolant was showing within the marked operating zone. Ended up calling for a tow truck.

Vehicle makes strange sounds from the fuel fill inlet and proceeds to stall shortly after while driving and most of the times fails to restart based on my own research it looks like purge valve issues my safety was put at risk by almost being rear ended multiple times from stalling on the expressway and red lights the problem has not been reproduced yet by the dealer it will be looked at on 07/15/26 the component has not been inspected yet the check engine light illuminated when the issue started.

Per mechanic, head gasket has failed due to known issue with 1. 5l ecoboost engines. Coolant is leaking into the engine. White smoke in the exhaust indicating coolant leak. Vehicle is currently availble for inspection upon request, but is destined to be sold. Driver safety as well as surrounding driver safety as risk should engine completely fail due to overheating while driving, potentially causing an accident. There is currently a class action lawsuit in the works for this issue as many other have had it. At this time vehicle has only been inspected by our local mechanic. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptons prior ot the issue. When the issue stated, there was a "waterfall" sound in the engine compartment, which caused us to take the vehicle to the mechanic for diagnoses.

There is a known coolant intrusion into the engine that caused the engine to suddenly only go to a certain speed while on the freeway. It could have caused an accident on the freeway by suddenly going at such a slow speed. It is now found out that the problem is known by Ford and is part of a technical service bulletin, but no recall has been issued on this known problem. The TSB associated are 19-2139, 19-2375, 20-2100. By not making this a recall, Ford is knowingly putting lives at risk with potential sudden loss of speed in these engines. It is lucky this was late at night when not many cars were on the road.