363 complaints reported

2017 Ford Fusion Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
363
Crashes
0
Fires
5
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Feb 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to a local dealer, and the transmission was replaced; however, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking abnormally while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer provided the contact with a rental vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinders #2 and #4, DTC: P0316; and associated the failure with Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact associated the failure with TSB 22-2322; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,322.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2026
Jan 2026

Coolant intrusion into the engine causing my car to missfire going down the road. Car is sitting in my yard unfit to be driven. Dealership claims it had previously been remedied. The car has only been inspected by my mechanic. No prior warnings before the misfire occurred

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2025
Jan 2026

Engine failed. Lost all compression. Evidently this is a known problem with this engine where the head, head gasket and block fail between cylinders.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2025
Jan 2026

2017 fusion 1.5 ecoboost.(purchased at 128k) 148k miles- 1 time white smoke at start up no check engine light. All of a sudden while driving started to drive rough. Towed too mechanic, determined cylinder #2 has coolant intrusion. Conducted the TSB. For this defect. All symptoms confirmed for the coolant intrusion. Got Quoted $10k for engine replacement. Vehicle has been parked in driveway since 10/24/25 too expensive too repair for a defective problem from ford.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2025
Jan 2026

My Ford Fusion has the 1.5L ecoboost engine. This engine has engineering issues that are known to Ford. My vehicle started producing white smoke from the exhaust and sluggish performance. At approximately 105,000 miles my vehicle went into limp mode due to a cracked head gasket. This was due to coolant intruding into the cylinders. Ford did a short block engine replacement and reprogrammed the PCM to try to fix the issue. At approximately 220,000 miles the vehicle started producing the same symptoms described earlier and the vehicle now requires a complete engine replacement. Ford refuses to fix this for me, even though it is well documented that this engine has engineering issues. These engines should last longer than 105,000 miles.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2024
Dec 2025

Vehicle is experiencing coolant intrusion from a crack in the engine block 3rd cylinder which is a known issue by Ford for my particular vehicle year (2017). Ford has issued a TSB/Recall for model years 2017-2019, I believe this issue should qualify for manufacturer recall as this is known issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2025
Dec 2025

Ford Fusion 1.5L Ecoboost engines are known to have a fault short block that causes coolant intrusion. This defect does not trigger a check engine light, so there is no way for a driver to identify the problem until it's too late. Ford issued a Technical Safety Bulletin informing mechanics of this issue but customers were not given an option to repair it. A Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) was initiated to replace some VIN models short blocks, but not all. Other Ford 1.5L Ecoboost engines are having this issue and were not properly informed or given the option to repair through the CSP and are driving cars that can have total engine failure without proper notification. I have taken my Ford Fusion in for all the safety recalls and was never informed of this issue. I was not part of the CSP that aimed to repair the defect because my VIN did not qualify. However, my Ford Fusion 2017 1.5L Ecoboost engine has this same defect and it wasn't caught until damage had been done to the engine and a costly repair was initiated. No check engine light or warning came from Ford to inform me of this issue. I fortunately started hearing noises and went to check it out before taking a long trip in the snow--which could have had disastrous safety consequences if engine failure occurred. I am not the only one with a ford 1.5L Ecoboost engine that has had this issue. Many people have either not been included in the CSP program or were unable to repair in their narrow CSP plan window. Ford is waiting for enough complaints to identify if the issue is more widespread, despite knowing that it is a design flaw. This should be a total safety recall as their is no way for consumers to take proactive action against this defect without extensive knowledge of the issues with these engines, which Ford is not communicating to its customers.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2025
Dec 2025

This Fusion has the same coolant leak as described in Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2025
Dec 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined there was coolant intrusion into several cylinders, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 85,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2025
Dec 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced at the dealer, the contact was informed that the head gasket was fractured, which caused coolant intrusion into the cylinder and the engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had persisted and had worsened. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption and difficulty starting. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2024
Dec 2025

Check engine light came on at around 80,000 miles after 30 min drive. Next day would not start. Jumped it and drove to autozone. Autozones check engine reader stated spark plugs. Drove it to local ford dealership where test came back the third cylinder misfiring because coolant is low and leaking into the engine. Quick google search states many 2013-2018 fusions have a recall for this issue however my specific vin is not included. Dealership never mentioned other fusions being recalled for this. Could have started an engine fire or lost control.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2025
Dec 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the message "Coolant Overheating" was displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12; as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 174,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2025
Dec 2025

I own a 2017 Ford Fusion with 49,300 miles. The engine light went on and the car was shaking and couldn't be driven over 40 miles per hour. I brought it to the dealer and they said that the coolant leaked into the engine and that I needed a new engine. I recently found out that these engines are defective, and Ford knowingly has been selling these cars.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2025
Nov 2025

Recommended by dealer service CS replace long block assembly Using bore scope found coolant leaking into cylinder referred to tsb22-2229 long block recommended. Cost originally was $7923.77. After service manager was talked to price went to$7016.27. Install to be completed by 11/20/2025. Upset but what can I do. Car has 47183. 2017 Ford Fusion

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2025
Nov 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the contact heard a loud clanging sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the head gasket and short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 46,791.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2025
Nov 2025

The contact's husband owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact used a vehicle code reader and scanner tool to scan the vehicle and retrieved a diagnostic trouble code indicating a misfire in engine cylinder #2. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where, the coil pack and plug wire were replaced; however, the failure recurred days later. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in engine cylinder #2. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to Ford TSB Number:19-2346. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 78,850.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2025
Nov 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. While the contact's son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. Additionally, the engine became overheated with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact's son drove the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was confirmed to be engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 83,595.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2025
Oct 2025

Vehicles Engine has been affected due to a know manufacturing flaw with design that caused coolant to leak into the cylinder walls of the engine block causing a rough idle, white smoke out of the exhaust and cylinder 2 misfire.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2025
Oct 2025

Manufactured dates for the 2.7L engine put only into the trim model Ford Fusion Sport (a rare trim) during 06/16 - 01/17 have been documented to have cylinder head issues resulting in long block issues. (Meaning a whole new engine is needed) the only way you got this issue fixed is if it was done in the first 3 years of 2017 or within 39k miles. But for those that didn’t get their vehicles in during that time frame are supposed to pay out of pocket for a defect ford knew to exist and have no issued a recall on these vehicles.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2019
Oct 2025

Noticed difficulty starting the vehicle and smoke coming out of the exhaust and the check engine light came on with code PO302. Found this was associated with coolant leaking into the engine which caused the coolant level to decrease and had to add coolant to prevent the car from over heating. These leaking fluids could have leaked onto exhaust parts causing the smoke and possibly could have started a fire in the vehicle. I took the vehicle to Rodeo Ford in Goodyear Az. and they confirmed the code displayed and smoke coming from the exhaust and had to add more coolant right away. They confirmed coolant was leaking into the engine and checked for the recall and said my vehicle was not listed as part of the recall even though other 2017 Ford Fusions were part of the recall. They replaced the engine costing me $10,039.35 and said that the vehicle may be added later to the recall NHTSA Recall ID 17V209

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2024
Oct 2025

I have a 2017 Ford Fusion with 47,000 miles on it. There is no more warranty. I took my car in to get the recall fixed and I was told I need a new engine because the coolant was leaking into cylinder . I read online that there a numerous complaints about this. I should not at 47,000 have to pay for a new engine.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2025
Sep 2025

Coolant intrusion and requires short block replacement

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2025
Sep 2025

Coolant leak into the cylinders. Replaced the first engine for the same issue, this is the second engine.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2025
Sep 2025

Misfire in Cylinder 2 caused by Coolant Leak into the Bore.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2025
Aug 2025

My vehicle had been experiencing overheating issues for several years. This would cause my car to go into limp mode making it dangerous for me and other cars around me to have to go around me. This issue is related to a manufacturing defect caused by the design of the motor cooling system. As a result of this defect I had to pay $8k+ to have this car repaired with a new engine. I am thankful no one was hurt or killed as a result of this defect. It could have caused my car to start on fire. Ford needs to take responsibility for this issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2022

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Quick Summary

The 2017 Ford Fusion has 363 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.