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Ford · NHTSA safety record

2020 Ford Fusion

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

178

Complaints

10

Crashes

3

Fires

5

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2020 Ford Fusion have filed 178 safety complaints with NHTSA between June 2020 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 66 of them (37%). The typical failure was reported at 71,000 miles, the median across the 56 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints rose by half year on year: 60 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 38 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

25V685000 · October 10, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
The risk
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

Ford Motor Company · up to 59,006 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

25V442000 · June 27, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
The risk
A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

Ford Motor Company · up to 200,237 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM)

23V440000 · June 23, 2023

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Fusion PHEV vehicles. The battery energy control module (BECM) may become damaged due to excessive voltage and current flow.
The risk
A damaged BECM can result in a loss of drive power or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the battery and update the BECM software for free, or Ford will repurchase the vehicle. If your vehicle is currently operating normally, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the fuse block and a software update as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). As an alternative remedy, Ford is offering a vehicle refund. Please see Ford's owner notification letter or contact Ford for full details. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S33.

Ford Motor Company · up to 14,452 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 178.

POWER TRAIN 66 37%
ENGINE 49 28%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 37 21%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 26 15%
STEERING 12 7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 11 6%
SERVICE BRAKES 10 6%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 8 4%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 6 3%
STRUCTURE 5 3%
SUSPENSION 5 3%
AIR BAGS 4 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 56.

2020 2025 2026
2020 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

1 injured · crash · towed

As I was crossing an intersection, a vehicle ran through a red light and hit the front of my vehicle. There was significant damage to the whole front end and my vehicle was shifted to the left due to the impact. My air bags did not deploy. I injured my head and neck by striking the sun visor which cause a laceration and a cervical strain. My vehicle has been maintained well and there was no indication of air bag malfunction prior to the crash. Insurance adjuster has not inspected the vehicle yet.

NHTSA complaint 11549741. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 67,343 miles

The contact owned a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the contact briefly lost control of the vehicle. As a result, he collided with the center guard rail on the drivers side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy, which he held responsible for his resulting injuries. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility and deemed a total lost by the contacts insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was transported to an area hospital by EMT and treated for neck pain, back pain, and leg paralysis in both legs. The contact stated that the leg paralysis lasted for 3 days, after which

NHTSA complaint 11694128, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 13,942 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after stopping to make a left turn; while in the middle of completing the turn, another vehicle approaching from the rear crashed into the driver’s side front and rear doors, dragging the vehicle for several feet before coming to a stop. The contact stated that the driver’s front and rear doors were completely destroyed however, none of the air bags deployed. The contact stated that she received some medical assistance at the scene but was then transported from the scene by an ambulance to the hospital. The contact sustained injuries to her ribs and bruises to her upper body. The contact was the only person injured in the crash. A

NHTSA complaint 11449556, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire

In 2024 on Black Friday while driving home from work my car all of a sudden was starting to lose speed. Even when I'm hitting the gas it would not accelerate and I could push it all the way down to the floor or nothing. And all of a sudden I start to see a whole bunch of monitors go off on my dashboard animal League to the government off and then all of a sudden I started see this underneath my core board pulled over and all sudden those planes coming from my engine and within minutes the whole car was destroyed. Fire department came to drop the fire and everything but the trunk was left essentially. The insurance company has taken to car since and I believed it was sold for parts. I have

NHTSA complaint 11712192, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
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

NHTSA complaint 11757150, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
I was backing out of my drive way when a shift system fault message appeared on my dashboard. When I went to change gears the rotary dial locked up and shifted to park. My safety as well as other people’s safety was put at risk because my car stopped in the middle of the street with little warning. My problem was confirmed by an independent service center with a obd scanner.

NHTSA complaint 11753905. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
While driving at 75mph on the freeway, my 2020 Ford Fusion suffered a sudden, catastrophic EcoBoost engine coolant failure. The vehicle instantly lost power and dropped to 35mph in active traffic, creating an extreme highway collision hazard. A mechanic has confirmed internal coolant intrusion in the engine block.

NHTSA complaint 11749830. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
A failed transmission cooling line caused the transmission fluid to leak. At no point did the vehicle display a check engine light, transmission warning, or any other indication that there was a problem. According to the Ford dealership, the transmission fluid had been leaking for some time. Because the transmission pan is wrapped in a fabric-like insulating material, the leaking fluid was absorbed rather than dripping onto the ground, making the leak virtually impossible for an owner to detect during normal use. The dealership also advised that this condition could have created a potential fire hazard within the engine compartment. The vehicle has only approximately 40,000 miles, making

NHTSA complaint 11748773, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

87,127 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine stalled. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinders 3 and 4. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,127.

NHTSA complaint 11748487. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
I’ve learned a while ago that the vehicle doesn’t have a working horn, I’ve replaced the fuse at least five times and it’s still not working. Yes the car was sold to me this way. Also I’ve been getting this warning to my ford app: “The Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)/Cross Traffic Alert (CTA) has detected a fault and may not function. What Should I Do? If either BLIND SPOT NOT AVAILABLE/SENSOR BLOCKED SEE MANUAL or CROSS TRAFFIC NOT AVAILABLE/SENSOR BLOCKED SEE MANUAL is in the information display, the system may not function. Check the exterior vehicle sensors for damage or debris covering them (see Owner's Manual for sensor locations). If the problem persists, please have the system

NHTSA complaint 11740965, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford Fusion

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2019 309 3 —
2018 434 2 —
2017 1,102 4 —
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 2020 Ford models

Escape 1,580 Explorer 1,189 F-150 711 Ecosport 391 Expedition 386 Edge 307 Escape Hybrid 283 F-250 SD 260

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