CSR

Ford · NHTSA safety record

2017 Ford Fusion

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

1,102

Complaints

37

Crashes

8

Fires

30

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2017 Ford Fusion have filed 1,102 safety complaints with NHTSA between September 2016 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 390 of them (35%). The typical failure was reported at 71,032 miles, the median across the 606 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints fell 46% year on year: 133 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 247 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

23V162000 · March 10, 2023

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
The risk
A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,280,726 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

18V167000 · March 12, 2018

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.
The risk
A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,301,986 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

17V427000 · July 6, 2017

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Edge and Fusion vehicles. On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.
The risk
If the torque converter weld studs fail, the torque converter will not be connected to the engine flexplate and the vehicle will lose the ability to move, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford or Lincoln will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S16.

Ford Motor Company · up to 6,026 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

16V874000 · December 5, 2016

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 27, 2016, to September 28, 2016. The left rear seat backs pivot pins may have been improperly welded.
The risk
During a crash, the improper welds may fail, allowing any stowed luggage to move into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left hand, second row seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began January 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S43.

Ford Motor Company · up to 25 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures

RQ22004

Closed recall query · opened August 8, 2022 · closed March 24, 2023 · led to recall 23V162000

the hydraulic brakes

On August 8, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 50 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging front brake jounce hose ruptures on model year (MY) 2013-2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A ruptured front brake hose results in a brake fluid leak. As a result, the driver may experience an increase in pedal travel and a reduction in the rate of deceleration, increasing the risk of a crash. It should be noted that the subject vehicles identified fell outside the scope of NHTSA Safety Recall 20V-469, which addressed front brake hoses rupturing on certain MY 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The result causes a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needing to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.On March 10, 2023, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted to NHTSA Safety Recall 23V-162 (Ford Recall 23S12) to address front brake jounce hoses that may rupture. Ford found the rupture occurs from a localized failure of the internal reinforcement braid due to cyclic fatigue through tensile/bending and torsional inputs during suspension and steering articulations. The supplier for the front brake jounce hoses is Hitachi. This recall affects the subject vehicles equipped with non-hybrid engines and the suspect front brake jounce hoses (a total of 1,280,726 vehicles). The recall covers subject vehicles built from February 3, 2012 to July 19, 2017 when the suspect hoses were used in vehicle production. The remedy is for dealerships to replace both front brake jounce hoses with new hoses that have a revised braid material at no cost. The vehicles equipped with hybrid engines are excluded from the recall because the internal hose pressure is much lower due to the regenerative braking provided by the hybrid brake system. No failures of brake hoses on hybrid vehicles have been reported to ODI or Ford.Ford's actions address ODIs concerns at this time. Hybrid vehicles will be monitored for related failures. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by new circumstances.The 103 ODI numbers cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ID numbers:11511014, 11510867, 11510318, 11509030, 11505993, 11504989, 11504400, 11502147, 11502082, 11501820, 11501283, 11498439, 11498296, 11496842, 11496335, 11494931, 11494851, 11494252, 11493001, 11492084, 11492070, 11491444, 11491274, 11488858, 11488027, 11487627, 11487416, 11487233, 11486150, 11484924, 11484526, 11484080, 11483948, 11483926, 11483739, 11483723, 11482773, 11482690, 11481077, 11480788, 11480294, 11480052, 11479338, 11479334, 11479252, 11479247, 11479187, 11479094, 11479048, 11478985, 11478953, 11478729, 11478216, 11476892, 11476282, 11470558, 11468994, 11467109, 11466294, 11462746, 11461217, 11456065, 11455367, 11444848, 11436419, 11436376, 11430685, 11428329, 11425083, 11421026, 11420738, 11420735, 11420298, 11418197, 11403926, 11397549, 11366991, 11366757, 11361016, 11359968, 11354569, 11352165, 11350344, 11348799, 11343929, 11343205, 11331947, 11329020, 11319596, 11310529, 11292271, 11288455, 11254787, 11253479, 11253244, 11234622, 11230669, 11230050, 11228240, 11221111, 11143630, 11129392 and 11120228.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 1,102.

ENGINE 390 35%
POWER TRAIN 306 28%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 134 12%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 124 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 103 9%
STEERING 51 5%
SERVICE BRAKES 50 5%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 49 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 34 3%
AIR BAGS 28 3%
WHEELS 24 2%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 15 1%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2024 at 246.

2016 2024 2026
2016 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

3 injured · crash · towed · 22,000 miles

I WAS STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY WHEN A TRUCK REAR-ENDED ME TWICE AND I ENDED UP REAR-ENDING THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME. NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint 11103454. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 injured · crash · towed · 80 miles

THIS CAR DIDN'T STOP WITH IN 40FT WHEN THE SPEED IS 25 MPH AND HAPPENED TO COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER CAR WHICH CHANGED LANES ABRUPTLY.

NHTSA complaint 10911305. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEATS

2 injured · crash · towed

Seat back broke in a collision.

NHTSA complaint 11495751. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

2 injured · crash · 19,000 miles

ON MAY 13, 2017 OR THERE ABOUT MY 2017 FORD FUSION FROM A STOPPED DURING TAKE OFF ACCELERATED VERY FAST ALMOST CAUSING ME TO RUN INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. ON MAY 15, 2017 I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND TOLD TECHNICIAN ABOUT IT. HE COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. AGAIN ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 I TOOK MY CAR IN SPECIFICALLY TO HAVE THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM CHECKED OUT AND AGAIN NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. I WAS TOLD TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN SOON AS IT HAPPENED. ON OCTOBER 10, 2017 TAKING OFF FROM A STATIONARY POSITION I TOOK OFF AFTER LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND THE CAR JUST TOOK OFF ACCELERATING IN A CURVE CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL AND I RAN INTO A TREE.

NHTSA complaint 11139680. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I am reporting a serious recurring safety concern involving a 2017 Ford Fusion SE with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle was purchased used in August 2022 with approximately 50,000 miles. Within months, significant coolant and engine problems began. In February 2023, at approximately 55,940 miles, the vehicle developed a coolant leak. A pressure test confirmed the water pump was leaking and it was replaced. At approximately 84,189 miles, the vehicle experienced white/gray exhaust smoke, coolant loss, very low oil, and rough-running symptoms. The servicing Ford dealership referenced Ford Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 22-2322 in connection with the diagnosis and ultimately replaced the

NHTSA complaint 11756818, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint 11752388. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
I was coming home from work and when I tried to shift the gear from drive to park it was stuck on drive and Neutral I contacted the car dealer and they said ford has had this issue that it was a recall on it so I researched and found out that Ford issued major safety recalls (Recall 22S43 and 18S20) for 2017 Ford Fusions regarding a degraded transmission shifter cable bushing. This defect can cause the shifter cable to detach. Consequently, the car may roll away unexpectedly because the transmission isn't actually in Park, even though the shifter says it is.Recall DetailsThe Problem: The underhood shift cable bushing can degrade and fail over time.The Remedy: Ford dealers will replace the

NHTSA complaint 11752546, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I experienced an issue identical to safety recall 22S02. Rear brake light remains on due to a broken Brakelight stop bumper. Dealership did not offer to fix at no charge.

NHTSA complaint 11751907. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
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.

NHTSA complaint 11751941. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Driver's side selt belt does not latch all the time. Yes can be inspected. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? If the seat fails, injury can occur in a crash Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Appointment is July 18 Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no

NHTSA complaint 11750259. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford Fusion

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2020 178 3
2019 309 3
2018 434 2
2016 1,603 13
2015 985 13
2014 1,322 19
2013 1,784 19 1
2012 2,512 5 3
2011 2,783 7 1
2010 5,126 11 1

Other 2017 Ford models

Every Ford on this site — 348 vehicles, 1210 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst