Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Ford Fusion owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that there was a squealing sound coming from underneath the dashboard. The vehicle was hard shifting while accelerating or while idling. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to identify the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to the dealer approximately 8-times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in TSB Number: 10052190 (Power Train). The approximate failure mileage was 143,300. The repairs were made at the owner's expense in the amount of $2196.46.
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The message that the engine was overheated was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the compression chamber and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and diagnosed the vehicle with #4-cylinder failure. The contact purchased the parts and had an independent mechanic replace the part however, the failure recurred. The approximate failure mileage was 129,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while sitting in the vehicle there was an abnormally loud popping sound before the brake pedal went to the floorboard. The ABS and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 216,000.
On December 27th 2019. My daughter slide into the back of another car and she complained the breaks were taking to long to come to a complete stop. The car was totaled and on January 23rd, 2020 we received safety recall notice 19s54/NHTSA recall 19v-904. Had we received this notice before 12/27/19 we believe repairs would have prevented the accident and the car would not have been sold for parts.
I noticed the area where the passenger side airbag is is bulging from the dash. When I went to start the car it would turn over and immediately cut out. Airbag icon is lit up on dash as is the engine light. Repeated efforts to start and keep going were unsuccessful. Since I was on my way to work I kept trying. Finally got going and traveling approximately 20 MPH and the car just completely shuts down. Got started again and proceeded to work and it happened again going about 35 MPH. Ran fine for a couple of days, back to the same old thing today with the airbag light staying on. I have read of this issue before however I could not find that report today. It is very dangerous to be traveling along and have the car completely shut down on you. Ford really needs to take care of this issue. …
My ignition coils have melted and fried the PCM. Long story short it was a very dangerous situation where I was in the middle of a highway going 50mph when my car just wouldn't accelerate. It started shaking violently and I thought I was going to lose control. Luckily, I was able to safely make it to the side of the road and have it towed to the local dealership. Unfortunately, Ford has yet to take responsibility and recall these defective parts. There are thousands of complaints filed online. This issue costs thousands to fix and should be taken seriously by Ford. Even the dealership commented that they thought the ignition coil May have melted before they even looked at it because they know this is a known issue with Ford fusions. I'm really disappointed in Ford.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The wrench and engine warning indicators illuminated. The contact had to maneuver to the side of the road. After two minutes, the vehicle restarted normally, but the engine warning indicator was still illuminated. The failure recurred approximately fifteen times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the codes were erroneous and the fuel throttle body assembly needed replacement. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,965.
This past week my car has been driving rough (sputtering) and seems to notice it more when driving on the highway but there are times while driving on city streets you can notice it (hear it and feel it) too. My tires are good, last year already had the PCM (major control module) replaced ($2,700) along with all the coils and spark plugs, and also pcu replaced and replaced my hcu ($1,500). So what the heck more can go wrong with this car. Trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with this car now.
I have replaced the broken bolt on the idler pulley for the second time in 6 months. This is an annoying issue with this engine. Fortunately it happened on statrt up so we were in the driveway. Had it happened on the highway, the loss of power steering could have easily resulted in a fatal crash. The bolt is poorly designed and needs to be larger and or harder. If this is not fixed someone will eventually be killed. How many deaths does it take to warrant attention by Ford???
Engine complaints in other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2008 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2008 Ford Fusion, 3% of the model year's 1,353 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2008 Ford Fusion engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2008 Ford Fusion, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Ford Fusion engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 93,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 3 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.