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).
Backseat 60 split / seat was folded down and is locked in position-unable to return to usable seat position . This has happened several times . To fix - you have to take out seat and use special tool to UNLOCK seat belt from base.
1. Im driving and all of a sudden my car will not leave the park position . It turns out that theres a recall on said problem and when i called dealership to have them tow vehicle they said i have to pay for tow. Even though its a manufactor recall. And I get car serviced regularly at dealership. This clearly not my fault as a consumer so why am i a absorbing cost. I calked for road side they gave me run around and numbers which no one answers . While my car is not working and thank god i was at a stop sign when this happened it could have been worst. And i must pay for something that is not my fault. Clearly not how this works when there is a recall. 2. Another is that i found with this car was i let back seat down to put my grand babys stroller in and seat in back wont let up on hybrid due to all the wiring under neath and in trunk. …
Was driving approximately 50 miles per hour when deer hit car in front . The impact took out front bumper bumper guard hood left fender and left door. The radiator bolts cracked and dropped the radiator. I was thrown forward but neither seat belt tightened or air bag went off. The system radio went into system check and continually checked , stating airbag deployed but it did not deploy. One side of the seat on drivers side will not rise when trying to bring seat up and so seat sags to left officer that I called to the scene stated that it looked like the airbag started to deploy but when I got the car fixed they said they found the airbag still in tack. Both parties police and mechanic stated that they were surprised airbag did not go off. I called Ford about the recall and they said cannot repair unless air bag light is on . I wrote safety for Ford and they said the same thing. …
The dash lit up notifying of a parking brake error while driving. Got home, parked car, turned car off. Went inside for about two minutes. When came back outside, there was smoke rolling out of the window. Put fire out. After examining, the fire appeared to have started from something electrical in the center counsel on the right side. It caught the seat on fire, melted the counsel, and the roof. No smoking of any sort has been allowed in my car since I got it. It was stationary when the fire started, but it was immediately after being driven.
Hit deer going 45 miles an hour when he ran out in front of me. Vehicle check was deployed. Said airbag activated. Neither the airbag went off nor did the seat belt restraint tightened. Obtained 7000.00 in front end damage including radiator, hood fenders and pushed in driver door. Police officer checked the airbag for me and stated that I needed to let them know it should have deployed and did not. Had vehicle towed and called peck Ford. After 3 weeks in the auto repair stated they ran a check and it seemed the airbag was fine. They had to do a realignment and the radiator hose and bolts snapped off plus the body work. Ford stated it was in a recall but that they would not have the parts for a year. I told them I was afraid to drive it and told them about the accident and the failure of the airbag to deploy nor the restraints. …
The air bag light on the dash came on. I took it into the Ford dealership and they claimed that the wiring harness under the seat was crushed , supposedly by an empty jelly jar that was under neath the seat on the drivers side. I have the jelly jar and its not even broken . Ford claims its my fault and to get in touch withmy insurance company which I have but since the light (airbag ) light has come on, my seat doesn't work does not move back or forward and the light that tells if if the seat belt is fastened doesn't work. I haven't heard back from my insurance company but im wondering if more Fusion owners than just me have had this problem with the wiring harness and if the problem is due to the location of the wiring harness rather than the jelly jar which is unbroken. …
When the car was started it indicated a safety sensor wasn't working. Everything else seemed fine. While driving down the road the air/defrost system stopped working causing windows to fog, I also lost control over the volume and all of the console systems. Only 2 of the windows would go down. Before I was able to pull over (about 5 minutes) everything started working and at the same time while driving my electronic seat started moving forward. Finally stopping maybe in one of the pre-programed positions. We have had prior issues this past winter with losing control over the console controls and the heat shutting off. This is the first time having issues with the seat moving on its own while driving. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. After lowering the rear seat to place an item in the trunk of the vehicle, the contact was unable to raise the rear seat or retract the seat belt. The vehicle was taken to wyatt johnson Ford (646 thompson ln, nashville, tn 37204, [phone]) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that technical service bulletin: sb-10053450-1184 extended the warranty for the repair of the seat belt to five years or 60,000 miles, whichever came first. The contact exceeded the five year limit. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and case number: cas-15092283 was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 59,950.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when the rear seat was let down, the middle seat belt in the rear locked. The contact was able to put the seat back up, but the failure with the seat belt continued. Also, while the contact was driving, the rear seat randomly slammed back down and the middle seat belt locked again. The manufacturer stated that there was no service campaign or manufacturer recall for the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000. Updated 07/13/17
Crashno fireno injuries0 deaths0 when I put the back seats down to carry items the back seat will not go back in place. You have to take the bottom seat out and remove the center seatbelt bolt which is attached to the frame and release the pressure once you do this the returns to a normal position it is a safety issue. The middle seat belt retractor seems defective. It was stationary. This has occurred a number of times.
Related recalls
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,…
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.
Seat complaints in other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat problems on the 2013 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the seats of the 2013 Ford Fusion, 2% of the model year's 1,792 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2013 Ford Fusion seat problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 14V-164 (recliner, Apr 2, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2013 Ford Fusion seat problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to seats 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.