Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Ford Fusion owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
Car consistently tries to pop the trunk while driving while also unlocking and locking doors. The seat always goes back to a default position. Does it so much I had to unplug the trunk actuator because it wouldn't even let me drive off without opening the trunk. Lights flicker all weird when it does it. It does this idling and driving all the time. I can't use photos to describe but I do have a video but your platform won't let me upload videos.
Two recalls for this make year and model car had been recalled previously but not for my VIN specifically and the issues are appearing. The first is "doors may open driving" recall on your website and the second is "engine cylinder head may leaks oil" which is also on ur website. Both were recalled for this make and year of the ford fusion but not for my VIN so ford is stating they cannot fix it and want to charge me even for a diagnostic.
(Takata recall) I hereby state that I was in a motor vehicle accident with this vehicle with no fault of my own. At the time of the accident 03/15/2014 this vehicle should have been totaled out but was not done so.the airbags did not deploy with the way and the impact that I was hit by other party. I than took this vehicle numerous of times to hasting Ford in greenville nc where they was suppose to have researched and properly checked and fixed everything detailed. I am yet to this day still having problems with this vehicle shifting gears caused by accident,body is coming apart, camara is not working and I am still suffering from the bodily injuries of my hip being shifted from accident. I am seeking legal attorneys at this time due to I feel that Ford could have taken better care and replaced this vehicle knowingly that this vehicle is not safe to me the custom. …
My 74yr old mom hit a 1 foot tall concrete barrier (picture attached) at a county rural recycling center resulting in all 4 airbags to deploy. Barrier isn't painted, no fence, no railing or pole to mark it. Minor damage (photo attached) to the auto, Bosch recorder shows <15 MPH (file too large to attach). Car is in a storage unit in iowa for evidence. Mom's prognosis was subdural hematoma, encephalopathy and uncal herniation resulting in her death (see attached). Medical examiner determined cause of death was the car accident. In addition to the issue with the airbags, my step-dad (84 years old) was in the passenger side and also was hit by airbags. While the airbags saved him, he was quite bruised/injured. Emergency response was not requested. …
The drivers side door showed it was latched there weren't any lights saying that the drivers side door was open or any other door was opened. I was driving and turning left and all the sudden my drivers side door flew open and struck objects on the side of the road people had placed out for garbage pick up. My safety was put at risk by my drivers side door coming open while I was driving. I started to pull over but by the time I was almost stopped my drivers side door came swinging back and I had my hand out to catch it , it smacked into my left hand bending my wrist back and shoving my elbow in my arm into my side causing excruciating pain. My drivers side door has dents a scratches in it from the objects it smashed into and I have pain in my left fingers and hand and wrist and arm hurts along with the side of my abdomen from being crushed into my side. …
On February 5, 2017 the engine of my 2013 Ford Fusion caught on fire. The car began to smoke from under the hood while the car was in motion. I stopped and opened the hood to inspect and the engine was already in flames. The fire spread rapidly and the fire department had to be called to extinguish the blaze. My son and I were barely able to escape unharmed. I contacted Ford on several occasions and they have been unwilling assist. They closed my original claim without addressing the issue. I also asked if there were any recalls related to engine fires and they state no. I feel I am unable to get any attention to this matter that put both mine and my son's lives in danger and also destroyed the sizeable investment I made into the purchase of a brand new vehicle. Please assist!
The shifter cable bushing failed,causing inaccurate gear selection,resulting in car rolling down my driveway, crossing the street and crashing into my neighbors tree. Damage included the rear bumper, the tree, no one was hurt but it could have been a lot worse. Ford has a recall for the same year, and model, but insist that my car is not in the list. This incident has cost to date almost a thousand dollars to fix. The loss of confidence regarding the safety of this vehicle cannot be monetized.
The vehicle was started and was no more than 10 minutes from our house when it started smoking while being driven to work. Within a minute the check engine light came on, within another minute the car lost power. The gas pedal wouldn't work, etc etc. We were able to coast into a side street and exit the vehicle. Within a minute of that happening it burst into flames and was completely engulfed and destroyed.
My 2013 Ford Fusion caught on fire while my family and I were driving on the 405 freeway. We barely got out alive and the car was completely incinerated...burnt to pieces ! Ireceived a recall for engine fires after the car caught fire and nearly took our lives!!. My 8 year old disabled daughter is so traumatized from this car fire. I don't know how Ford can continue to still make these death trap cars.
Body complaints in other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2013 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA has 164 complaints about the body & structure of the 2013 Ford Fusion, 9% of the model year's 1,792 complaints. The component named most often is body (150 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Ford Fusion body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2013 Ford Fusion, though it has 19 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 2013 Ford Fusion body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 5 fires and 11 injuries and 1 death to body & structure 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.