Power Train Problems of Ford Fusion - part 1

I purchased my car at 36, 380 miles and at 51,380 my torque converter has failed. Shift solenoid b stuck on. My warranty has expired in February. My car was well taken care of and should not have been damaged. Ford needs to fix this issue immediately. This is unacceptable.

See all problems of the 2019 Ford Fusion 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated and hesitated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and three independent mechanics, and was diagnosed with torque converter failure. The contact was informed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v390000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 145,000.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford Fusion 🔎.

Torque converter is gradually failing. Started at 50,000 miles. No warning lamps, messages.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after coming to a stop, the vehicle stalled. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was restarted, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the battery had failed and there was battery acid on the shifter cable and connector. The dealer replaced the battery, the shifter cable, the connector, the rear parking light bulb, and the purge valve. The dealer also completed NHTSA campaign number: 21v158000(air bags). The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 92,343.

See all problems of the 2012 Ford Fusion 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated upon reversing out of the driveway and attempting to shift to drive(d), the warning message "system fault - consult manual. " was displayed. The contact was not able to shift to drive(d). The contact looked underneath the vehicle and noticed that a cable was loose. The contact stated that he was able to insert a screw driver into the end of the cable, and the contact was able to shift to drive (d). The contact drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the shifter cable bushing had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to a recall that did not include the year of the vehicle. The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not covered. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact the NHTSA safety hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Coolant intrusive. New motor needed.

See all problems of the 2018 Ford Fusion 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at 20 mph, the vehicle lost automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the flywheel was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Fusion 🔎.

Shifter cable bushing degraded and fell off. Causing a condition where the car could not be shifted into or out of gear, and car applied park brake as a safety precaution and could not be disabled until the shifter was manually put back into park by mechanic. This bushing has been under recall for other year Fusions but has not been extended to this one. Research on forums shows this is a very common problem. Could be a real safety issue if car cannot be shifted and it needs to be driven away in an emergency. This part should not fail in this short of time, it is made of inferior materials and does not last. No warnings given prior, part fails catastrophically.

Delayed/ rough up shift.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford Fusion 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and shifting to drive(d), the message "shift system fault" was displayed, and the gear shifter erroneously shifted back into park(p). The vehicle was undrivable and was later towed to the local dealer who replaced the shifter cable bushing, and the vehicle was repaired. The contacted stated that the failure had recently reoccurred. The contact was able to reconnect the shifter cable bushing and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while reversing out of the driveway, the parking brake had unintentionally activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the transmission shifter cable bushing had failed, causing the shifter cable to detach. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 22v413000 (power train). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 105,000.

The car issued no warning, lights or messages prior to the damage. My [xxx] son was driving and the car started shaking which really scared him as he’s a new driver. I would say the safety of him and other drivers on the road were definitely put in danger. The vehicle has been inspected by a Ford dealership. They stated it had a broken flex plate and short block. Broken flexplate; diagnostic $210. 00 parts $1,345. 86 (flexplate, transmission fluid pump, filter, one time use parts) labor $2,600. 00 ($200. 00 x 13. 0hrs) sales tax $125. 84 total $4,281. 70 short block replacement; diagnostic $145. 00 parts $2,193. 64 (short block engine/kit, spark plugs, one time use parts) labor $4,480. 00 ($200. 00 x 22. 4hrs) alignment $159. 95 sales tax $205. 11 total $7,183. 70 tow bill $140. 00 information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Unknown.

In July 2025, my 2017 Ford Fusion se (ecoboost engine) was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #4 by sunrise Ford in north hollywood, CA. This is a known issue with the 1. 5l and 2. 0l ecoboost engines and is addressed in technical service bulletin (TSB) 19-2208. The vehicle had only 76,000 miles at the time and had been regularly serviced and well-maintained. Over the past 1–2 years, I received repeated warnings during oil changes that my coolant levels were unusually low, though no leaks were found. In July 2025, the check engine light (cel) appeared. The vehicle exhibited rough idle at cold start, but otherwise drove normally. I immediately brought the car to the dealership, where they confirmed the problem through diagnostics and plug inspection. The dealership quoted me $11,000–$12,000 to replace the engine (long block). Ford customer relations (crc) was contacted and denied financial assistance, citing the age of the vehicle. They also acknowledged this is a known issue and suggested I file a report with the NHTSA, which I am now doing. This engine failure presents a serious safety risk. The cel appeared without warning during normal use. A driver unfamiliar with the signs of internal coolant loss could continue operating the vehicle, risking a sudden loss of engine power, stalling, or further engine damage while in motion. In my case, the failure occurred quietly and was only caught because I acted quickly. Had I ignored the cel or rough idle, engine failure could have occurred at highway speed. The issue was confirmed and documented by a Ford dealer. I am no longer in possession of the vehicle, as I was forced to sell it at a loss due to the cost of repairs. The vehicle is no longer available for inspection, but all related documentation has been retained.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the vehicle failed to shift into reverse. The contact stated that the transmission returned to park(p), and the gear shifter detached. The contact stated that someone nearby was able to reattach the shifter, and the contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence at slow speeds. The contact learned of NHTSA campaign number: 22v413000 (power train); however, the VIN nor the model year was not included. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer opened a case for the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 67,793.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 70-75 mph on the interstate, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over and restarted the vehicle. The message "transmission not in park" was displayed. The contact stated that while veering to the left lane, the vehicle started to shudder. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacture was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 216,700.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Fusion 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and service warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed torque converter clutch and a failed transmission. In addition, the contact was informed of metal found in the oil. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware but provided no assistance. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 17v427000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

Rdofcookevilletennessee/towedmy2011fordfusionse{38milagefromemyhome{duetonodriverecall{airbags. ,ipickupfusion. ,nostart,fordpushedin,outofgurageforairbagrecallfix. Ok|wontstartduetofordsaysbrokentranscable. Fordjumpstart. Nothing. Sir/mamfordofcookevilletn. Arraingment,airbag,driveabilityrecall. {fixed}theyknowlingheardmesayingcar,starts,drives,,uptotow,dropoff. Theircallswereansweredcorrectlyw/informationvin,address. Date,time,pickup. ,>thecarwouldntstartassistinw/jumpstart,,contactassistancemgr. Knowingtheproblem,warstuckreverse,nostart,brokenshiftcablebushing. Carloaded,strappedtoourtrailor,reverse,nodrive,nostart,underhoodmaintanceimunhappyw/fordneversaid1word. Tillheshowedustostart,shiftintoreverse,againfordrive,nopark.

See all problems of the 2011 Ford Fusion 🔎.

Shift lever does not select accurate gear due to worn bushing (NHTSA 22v-413, oem 22s43): a degrading bushing attaching the shifter cable to the transmission in certain 2013-2019 Ford vehicles, including the 2016 Fusion, may detach, preventing proper gear selection and potentially causing unexpected movement. Dealers will replace the bushing and add a protective cap.

See all problems of the 2016 Ford Fusion 🔎.

Unintenional rollaway due to detached and degraded shift cable bushing. My car jerked me into a half spot when I pulled up to work this am. Upon looking, it would not go in gear at all. The gear shift says that it's in park and the dashboard says it's in neutral. Upon opening the hood and examining, I found that the bushing on the transmission cable was broken. I had no way to go so I called the Ford dealership and had someone let me pay over the phone for the part and I sent a coworker to pick up. Then I called a tow truck to tow my vehicle to total tire care in statesboro georgia. I am going to have to pay the labor fee and also be without a vehicle all day. There are several 2015 Ford Fusions that have had a recall on this very part - but not my VIN. I think this needs to be changed and I should be able to have the cable inspected and replaced as needed.

My 2020 Ford Fusion has experienced three separate flexplate failures, as well as transmission issues following the most recent repair. Failure #1: occurred before I owned the vehicle (confirmed later in the vehicle’s history). The flexplate was replaced by a prior owner in 2022. Failure #2: [8/2023] – while I owned the vehicle, a loud rattling noise came from the engine area. My vehicle was towed to foothill Ford, where it was purchased, and they replaced the flexplate. No power loss occurred. Failure #3: [5/2025] – the same rattling sound returned. I drove it to green Ford, who confirmed the flexplate needed to be replaced, and they replaced it. No power loss occurred, but the noise was severe. After the third flexplate replacement, the transmission began slipping during acceleration. This issue did not exist before the repair, and green Ford had told me the transmission was fine before they replaced the flexplate. Safety concern: repeated flexplate failures and subsequent transmission slipping could cause loss of propulsion or difficulty maintaining speed if the problem occurs at highway speeds or in heavy traffic, creating a potential crash risk. I did lose power on the highway, but was able to pull safely off the shoulder and called a tow truck.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the rpm became elevated, the engine revved up, and there was an abnormally loud clunking or thumping sound before the transmission shifted into gear and the vehicle accelerated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that there were contaminants in the transmission fluid, making the transmission fluid dark, and causing the transmission to fail. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently decelerated, and the vehicle stopped unintendedly. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that nearby drivers assisted with pushing the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact's boss's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 246,000.

The rotary gear shift dial has malfunctioned on my teenager's vehicle. His safety was put at risk because it started lighting up as he was driving on a very busy highway the first time that it was noticed to have happened. On 5/26, the vehicle would start, it physically felt like it shifted into the d gear, but would only drive maybe 1 foot until the car was force stopped and said "shift sys fault" the vehicle has been inspected and diagnosed by a veteran mechanic, with being able to reproduce the issue. He assumed what it was before even inspecting it. We live in a smaller town, and he informed me this morning that he's replaced 7 of these in the last calendar year alone. What is completely asinine, is the fact that Ford is no longer making this part, so we have to find a used one at a junk yard. Other than this issue, his car has appeared to be in very good shape, has been maintained well and clean. Why is there not a recall on this issue?.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to a dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the failure might be associated with the transmission; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the torque converter had failed. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, who informed the contact that the transmission needed to be disassembled for further diagnostic tests. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 17v427000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

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 6f35 transmission in both of our Ford vehicles that we drive daily for work and school. The Ford Fusion is currently in the shop, but the Ford escape is available for inspection. My safety was put at risk as my Fusion suddenly, without warning, stopped accelerating in the middle of a 2 lane highway, very unsafe. My daughter's escape is putting her safety at risk because she has the same 6f35 transmission, the car is still "drivable" at the moment but not safely drivable, with the rough shifting between 2nd-3rd gear, the slow acceleration and sometimes won't go into gear, her safety is at risk. Like many other Ford owners with this transmission, the car will end up breaking down and needing $5000 in repairs. Yes the issue has been reproduced by the service center. No, Ford has not reached out to me, I have left 7 messages without any return calls, I have sent multiple emails that were returned to sender. There were no warning lights, messages or problems on the Fusion prior to this happening. I own two Ford cars that are both undrivable, I cannot get to work, my daughter cannot get to work/school. Ford is very aware of this transmission issue but will not issue a recall. Also at times when I put my Fusion into drive, from reverse, the backup camera would stay on for a few minutes which makes driving very hard/confusing and very unsafe. Ford needs to take accountability and issue a recall for vehicles with this defective transmission instead of ignoring the issues and telling buyers their vehicles are reliable.

When parking I attempted to put the vehicle in reverse and a warning light came on "shift system failure", and the shifter cable locked in placed flashing causing the car to lock without the ability to move. Shift cable bushing is split causing dislodge from the fitting.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. While the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated the vehicle stalled in the middle of traffic. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,700.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shuddering abnormally, and the transmission was difficult to shift into gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph and attempting to pull into a store parking lot, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that when the gear shifter was shifted to park or neutral, the sound ceased. The contact stated that the sound returned while shifted into drive or reverse. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer in where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Driver side cv axle broke.

See all problems of the 2010 Ford Fusion 🔎.

Cable and bushing detached for a third time. I called Ford and they said there was not a recall for this issue. I’ve read in multiple places that this has happened to a lot of Ford Fusions.

My car is at 47,000 miles and I started to hear a loud noise . Turns out Ford says it’s the flywheel, transmission pump, and torque converter per Ford technician who completed my inspection . No warning lights came on nor was there any alerts the Ford app. My 2020 Ford Fusion with approximately 48,000 miles experienced a cracked flexplate. This caused severe engine vibration, knocking sounds, and ultimately loss of power while driving. A cracked flexplate can lead to sudden engine stalling or failure to accelerate, especially at highway speeds or during intersections. This puts the driver and passengers at serious risk of a crash due to unexpected loss of power or control. This issue happened without warning and is a known problem in vehicles with the 2. 0l ecoboost engine and 6f35 transmission. Ford is aware of the issue (customer satisfaction program 22n12), but my VIN was not included, even though the symptoms and components match the defect. I am reporting this because it jeopardized my safety and others on the road, and I believe more vehicles should be covered under the existing csp or a recall.