167 complaints reported

2018 Ford Fusion Engine

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

Reports
167
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

May 2025

My vehicle has had the check engine light come on intermittently. I took a look under the hood to see if I could spot any issues. The only issue seen was the coolant level was low. After refilling the coolant and a short time driving, perhaps 50-60 miles, the light went out. Then the light came back on a couple days later. Without making any changes the light went out a couple days later. It has done this several times and I thought it may be a faulty sensor or something. I have recently taken it to the dealership for a tune-up, emissions test, multipoint inspection and a transmission flush. I informed the service person that the check engine light will come on and go out and the only thing I have done to the vehicle was add coolant. He suggested the complimentary diagnostic to further identify the issue. During the diagnostic process the auto tech discovered that the coolant has been leaking into the number 2 cylinder. This is the reason for both the fluid loss and the check engine light. From my understanding this is a known issue with my vehicles engine type and has been for some time now. The only fix is to replace the engine. My overall issue is that the safety light (CEL) will say that there is an issue and then it goes away signifying the issue is resolved. The potential hazards of this could possibly lead to an individual unknowingly putting themselves and others at risk with an engine that is prepped for failure. An engine that could overheat, catch fire, throw a rod, or simply lose power in a very dangerous location. For example the freeway, a bridge with heavy traffic, or on train tracks…etc. I believe the risk of failure and potential to lose a life should be considered heavily against the cost of a recall. I don’t believe during the buying process it has ever been disclosed that this specific engine is prone to this problem. I know I would not have made my purchase knowing the engine would need to be replaced within the first 10 years of ownership.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2025
May 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message “Low Engine Oil Pressure” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the vehicle was not covered. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2025
May 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the fuel tank. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with a coolant sensor failure. The coolant sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the coolant sensor. The contact stated that recently, the failure had recurred. The vehicle was taken to a different independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine block was cracked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The contact related to the failure to the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12; however, the vehicle was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2025
Apr 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power. The check coolant and engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was inspected by a local independent mechanic who diagnosed a misfire coming from the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was later towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a coolant intrusion in cylinders #1 and #2. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12, 22-2134, and 19b37; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 98,207.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2025
Apr 2025

We have a 2018 Ford Fusion EcoBoost. The engine started to run hot, we made an appointment to bring to dealer. Morning of the appointment car would not start. We had it towed to dealer. After several hours at the dealership they called to tell us the engine needed to be replaced, quote was $14,000. The issue they explained was coolant in the engine that corroded the engine and all parts. Not salveable, needed to be replaced. We have excellent service records on our car, always keep up with routine maintenance and have owned at least 10 Fords various makes and models. Never had an issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2025
Apr 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH, the check engine light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that there was a coolant intrusion into the engine and the long block needed to be replaced.The local dealer was contacted, who confirmed that there was no recall on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 95,308.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2025
Apr 2025

Coolant intrusion into engine cylinder #2 causing misfire and low coolant levels and overheating and stalling. See Ford TSB 22-2229

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2025
Apr 2025

Engine throws misfire code on cylinder accompanied by loss of coolant with no visible leaks. Coolant intrusion into the cylinder has begun due to Ford’s engine block design flaw.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2025
Apr 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2025
Mar 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a warning light indicating that the engine was overheating was illuminated. The contact added coolant to the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an excessive coolant consumption. The vehicle was taken to Advance Auto, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #3. The dealer determined that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2025
Mar 2025

While driving about 60 miles per hour the vehicle started to buck and loose speed. The check engine light came on and I pulled over. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where I was told that I have a coolant leak. The leak caused a break in cylinder 2 and the engine would have to be replaced.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2025
Mar 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. A dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the failure was a known issue and that the engine needed to be replaced; however, there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2025
Mar 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started hesitating. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle and the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #2, and the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to TSB: 20-2100 (Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke, And/or Illuminated MIL); however, the VIN was not included in the service bulletin. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the TSB. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2025
Jan 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the engine was misfiring with white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The size of white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe had increased over time. The “WRENCH” warning light remained illuminated. The check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was hesitating while attempting to start. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the engine block had coolant intrusion in two cylinders and was causing the misfire. The contact replaced the coils and spark plugs; however, the failure persisted. The contact became aware of NHTSA ID Number: 10213732 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which was linked to the failure. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not included due to the mileage. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under the NHTSA ID Number. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was 119,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2025
Jan 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway at 5 MPH, the engine light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to start. The contact stated that the failure was like Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for an oil change, and unknown engine repairs were completed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was contacted and the referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The manufacturer declined financial assistance, and stated that the issue would be escalated to the negative feedback department. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2025
Jan 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the vehicle 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 that coolant intrusion into various cylinders had resulted 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 Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 103,500.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2024
Dec 2024

The car was taken to the repair shop due to reduced speed and shaking. The repair shop mentioned that a bulletin for the car indicated that coolant could leak into the engine. They reported that the coolant had indeed leaked onto the engine, causing the gasket to blow. The dealer was contacted and was informed that it was an extended warranty of up to 84000/ 7 years. so I was referred to NHTSA Case S3H0j5

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2024
Dec 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder, causing 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 and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2024
Dec 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway, upon attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started and idling, there was white smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact inspected the vehicle; however, no visible fluid leaks were noticed. The vehicle then stalled, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired or diagnosed by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. The VIN was not available.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2024
Nov 2024

During traffic on the highway, my car had a slight rumble to it but no warning lights were on and there were no weird sounds or smells coming from my car. After I cleared the traffic, the rumbling dissipated but as I accelerated my check engine light turned on and began flashing. I immediately exited and pulled over. After popping my hood, it smelled of burnt oil and the entire engine bay looked like it had been misted with oil. Auto shop scanned the engine light and said I had a cylinder 2 misfire. Another auto shop had said my engine was out of commission and I’d need a new one.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2024
Nov 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2024
Nov 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The contact stated there was white and black smoke coming from the tailgate and the hood area. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that a family friend who is an independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was informed that the repair would not be covered under an extended warranty. The contact was also informed that there were no available recalls associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2024
Nov 2024

When driving our 2018 Ford Fusion on vacation my wife and I were 10 hours away from home when the motor began to fail. The check engine came in and began flashing, while driving at 75 mph on [XXX] near Tifton Georgia our engine lost all power and the car began smoking profusely. The car developed a very serious misfire and was struggling to stay running. My wife was driving and had to cross 4 lanes of traffic in a vehicle lacking power and profusely smoking from under the hood reducing visibility. Two service centers have now diagnosed the car with a bad head gasket and block and informed us that the engine will need to be replaced. Ford has now informed us that our vehicle qualified for the [XXX] customer satisfaction campaign but we were never notified and now they are refusing to cover the engine due to us being 10,000 miles over their qualifications. The vehicle had issues previously with engine oil level raising as driving. When questioning the dealership they told us it was normal and there was no coolant or fuel in the oil. We have now found records that the dealership reprogrammed the power train control module according to their [XXX] campaign and cleared codes related to these coolant intrusion issues. This issue was caught and we were blatantly lied to about the coolant going into our oil. Because of this and Ford’s failure to notify us my wife and I were put into a dangerous situation traveling at a high rate of speed in a vehicle that lost majority of its power suddenly with no warning. We then put ourselves and other motorists around us at risk by having to cross 4 lanes of traffic in a cloud of white smoke in order to get ourselves to a safe place to stop. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2024
Nov 2024

Purchased my car on 1/16/21. In mid-2023, I was having issues with hearing water running in my dashboard. During this time no warning messages appeared. Soon after my car started shutting off without notice again with no warning messages. It would shut off while driving or when stopped. Then it also started running hot with warning messages. Due to this, I took my car to a repair shop and was told that turbo boost oil had leaked into my engine. I was told I needed a long-block engine replacement for $12,000. I have never been in an accident that would impact my engine. I kept up on the maintenance of my car. After research, I learned that this is a problem for Ford's turbo boost engine and that Ford was aware of the possible issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2023
Oct 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was driving rough. In addition, the contact noticed that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. The failure progressed, and the engine started overheating. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a cracked engine and coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided no assistance. The contact referenced Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2134; however, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the program. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,800.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2024

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Quick Summary

The 2018 Ford Fusion has 167 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.