NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2013 Ford Fusion.
| Overall Rating | |
| Frontal Crash | |
| Side Crash | |
| Rollover |
| Overall Rating | |
| Frontal Crash |
Component: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Consequence: If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
I was driving the vehicle and a warning message came on related to the power steering module not functioning correctly. Immediately after the steering column locked up and was stiff and to tough to continue driving. I looked into repairs and notice a recall # 19S26 was issued in 2019 with my specific vehicle in the list by year, brand and model for the exact problem described. When I contacted Ford, they advised me that my VIN # was not included in the recall. Wanted to file complaint due to the lack of coverage Ford offers for cars specifically covered under the recall.
Brakes went out while driving. Brake fluid reservoir is full.
See attached document for complaint.
Power steering / power steering assist failure. Complete loss of power steering
The 2013 Ford Fusion has 18 NHTSA recalls and 1935 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
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| Side Crash |
| Rollover |
Consequence: If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S20. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles equipped with 2.5 liter engines. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
Consequence: If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S16. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made. This recall is an expansion of 18V471.
Component: SEAT BELTS:FRONT
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured November 2, 2012, to July 31, 2014, and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 14, 2012, to July 31, 2014. In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pretensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail.
Consequence: If the driver or front passenger seatbelt cables cannot properly restrain the front seat occupants, they would be at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable, free of charge. The recall began May 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S42.
Component: POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Fusion vehicles equipped with a 1.6L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission and 2015-2016 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission. Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
Consequence: A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Focus vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. Owners of Fusion vehicles will have their clutch assembly replaced free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07.
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Fiesta, 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches, free of charge. The recall began May 1, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S16.
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Fusion and 2013-2015 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil.
Consequence: If the cylinder head cracks and leaks oil, the oil may contact a hot engine or exhaust component, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 21, 2017. The recall began on January 5, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S09.
Component: AIR BAGS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to August 24, 2013; Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to November 1, 2013; and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to September 30, 2013. The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short.
Consequence: The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S21.
Component: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to March 20, 2015, and 2015 Ford Edge vehicles manufactured February 26, 2015, to February 28, 2015, and originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, snow or water containing road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Consequence: If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist. Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply sealer and replace the steering gear motor bolts as required. If one or more of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S14.
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on April 23, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured July 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, and 2012-2014 Fiesta vehicles manufactured February 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 119,567 vehicles, including certain model year 2011 Ford Fiestas manufactured from November 11, 2009, to May 31, 2013 and certain model year 2013 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured from February 1, 2012, to June 30, 2012. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches with an improved part, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed to owners on June 5, 2015. The recall began on December 18, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S16.
Component: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured August 15, 2012, through September 10, 2013, 2013-2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured June 5, 2012, through August 12, 2013, and 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured from July 23, 2012, through May 28, 2013. The driver and passenger seatback assemblies may have been produced with sub-standard weld joints used to attach the seat back recliner mechanism to the seat frame. The affected seat backs may have insufficient strength to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Consequence: The back of the subject seats may become loose or lean while driving and potentially increase the risk of injury in certain crashes.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seatback, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14C03.
Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles, manufactured from February 3, 2012, through October 20, 2012, for failing to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." The affected vehicles may not have had the low beam headlamp projector coating properly cured during its manufacturing process.
Consequence: An improperly cured projector coating will become hazy through operation, over time, reducing the brightness of the low-beam lamp. This may decrease driver visibility and increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp assembly. The recall began on December 18, 2012. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
This is an update to a recently announced recall. Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through November 26, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines, as well as certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured from February 3, 2012, through November 29, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. Coolant system leaks may cause the engines to overheat and leak flammable engine fluids.
Consequence: If flammable engine fluids come in contact with the vehicles hot exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine for coolant system leaks and reprogram the vehicles powertrain control module and instrument cluster with an updated calibration and overheat strategy software. There will be no charge to owners for this service. Owners were recently notified to contact dealers to arrange for alternative transportation as Ford developed a remedy. Owners will be shortly receiving notifications to contact Ford dealers to schedule the free remedy repair. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
Component: STEERING
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured April 19, 2013, through April 23, 2013. The steering gears may be missing an internal retaining clip. If the clip is missing, components inside the steering gear may become dislodged inside the gear assembly.
Consequence: This could result in impaired steering, including the loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began on June 17, 2013. Ford's recall number is 13S06. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion, Police Interceptor Sedan and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles; and certain model year 2013 Lincoln MKS, MKT, and MKZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may develop a crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S04.
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Consequence: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
The steering locked up while driving. I was unable to turn the steering wheel. My self and my brother were in the vehicle. At this time, I am contacting the dealer to look at the unit. It will not turn and is stuck in my driveway. I am being told the electronic steering rack may have failed. Why does this not break way and allow some turning like the old hydraulic models? If I had been driving highway speeds, this would have been a serious accident.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after her daughter had parked and exited the vehicle, she informed her mother that the windshield wipers had failed. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had been using a spray bottle to clear the windshield. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V117000 (VISIBILITY); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The contact was referred by the manufacturer to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 92,000.
The transmission shift cable bushing at the transmission end of the shifter cable has completely degraded and detached, which is a component available for inspection upon request. This failure caused a significant safety risk as the gear shifter inside the cabin moved freely while the transmission remained in its last gear, creating an immediate rollaway risk and preventing the vehicle from being shifted into Park. The safety of others was put at risk because the vehicle could not be secured and could have moved in an unintended direction. This specific problem has been confirmed by a Ford dealership, yet the dealer refused to perform the necessary repair under Recall 22S43 (NHTSA Campaign 22V413), claiming the VIN was not covered despite the vehicle exhibiting the exact failure and being within the recalled model year and assembly plant range. Prior to this total failure, there were no warning lamps or messages, though the instrument cluster occasionally showed a gear position that did not match the physical shifter before the bushing finally disintegrated. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or insurance representatives.
I own a 2013 Ford Fusion SE with a 1.6L EcoBoost engine. Prior to the incident, the vehicle displayed a “Check Charging System” warning and the engine overheated. After parking the vehicle and shutting it off, a fire started under the hood in the engine compartment. The fire occurred shortly after the overheating warning and while the vehicle was not running. The fire appeared to originate in the engine bay area and caused significant damage. There were no prior accidents or modifications to the vehicle.
My vehicle has this issue and is not in the recall notice. Due to the on going issue we parked the vehicle and have not drove it. The affected cars have an engine block heater that may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short-circuit when the block heater is plugged in, increasing the risk of fire. Customers with affected vehicle may notice coolant spots on the driveway or garage floor, a loss of cabin heat, overheating, smoking or a warning indicator for low coolant levels. No accident or injury has been reported linked to the malfunction, according to Ford.
1. My car began to produce white smoke after a burning smell. Then caught fire under the hood in engine area. The car is buried in snow/ice, not available to access. 2. The car caught fire. 3. The problem has not been reproduced nor confirmed by anyone (dealer/independent service center) 4. No, due to weather conditions. (Blizzard) 5. Only the burning smell and white smoke.
The power steering module/rack, passenger side air bag Safety is a risk due to steering not working properly/ seat belt constantly locking Yes Yes others inspected Seat belt sensor has been on several months Service steering assist/Lane keep system malfunction service required and steering assist fault - all came on when it got cold and steering won’t work now
Rear view camera intermittently works. Blackout when reversing. Car is in reverse camera starts then stops
UNKNOWN - I was driving the car on a highway, there were no alerts and my engine light was not on, and my car started smoking and within 5 minutes my car was completely on fire. After the fire was put out, the whole front of the car was gone and then engine looked melted.
I had multiple electric power steering failures. the first in 2022, and the second in June of 2023. In 2023 we did a complete replacement that cost over $3000.
Vehicle: 2013 Ford Fusion Mileage: ~165,000 miles Issue Type: Engine stalls / loss of power My 2013 Ford Fusion has experienced intermittent engine stalling and hesitation since early ownership. The vehicle will stall or “putter” when slowing down or coming to a stop, often without warning. When this occurs, the engine shuts off and the vehicle must be put into park and restarted. Restarting is sometimes delayed or hesitant. This issue occurs without any warning lights or diagnostic trouble codes appearing on the dashboard, making it difficult for dealerships and mechanics to diagnose. The problem has persisted for years and has occurred multiple times under normal driving conditions. This defect presents a serious safety risk, as the vehicle can lose power unexpectedly while in traffic, at intersections, or during braking. Loss of engine power in these situations creates a high risk of collision. The vehicle has been inspected multiple times, including by dealerships, but the issue could not be identified due to the absence of fault codes. This appears to be a design or component defect that does not reliably trigger diagnostic warnings. I am reporting this as a safety-related defect involving unexpected engine stalling and loss of power. The date I marked you asked below is the most current but as I stated it’s been happening since a month after purchasing the car brand new.
Showing 15 of 1935 complaints