2016 Ford Fusion Steering Problems

Which parts fail

• Electric power assist system
  1
• Steering wheel/handle bar
  1

Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  1312%
• 25k–50k
  2523%
• 50k–75k
  2018%
• 75k–100k
  2018%
• 100k–150k
  2624%
• 150k+
  65%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Ford Fusion owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

Date of first incident was Nov 19, 2023. I was driving home from taking my elderly mother to the doctor and my engine just shut off. I had plenty of gas, my oil and transmission had been changed, no warning lights came on my dash prior to the engine stopping. The only message I had on my car said the car is not in park. No one can seem to find out why. It has done this at a moderate rate of speed (45mph). My steering wheel locked and I can't steer the car giving me the option to get to a safe place on the road. I have to hit another vehicle or hit a pole. I have good insurance but I don't want to use it to fix body damage. I can't afford that with a 300 dollar car payment. My break sensor error light will come on as well and I went to have the breaks changed and fluid replaced but it doesn't work. …

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his wife was making a left turn, the steering wheel lost steering capabilities, and the vehicle did not steer as intended. The vehicle then ran into a divider on the four-lane highway and then came to a full stop. The contact did not sustain any physical injuries, but his wife sustained emotional injuries. A police report was filed. The contact's wife did not receive medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was then returned to the residence. The contact was notified, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 206,000.

This is a notice for Ongoing consumer fraud and deceptive business practices that are negatively affecting the community and jeopardizing life and safety and through unsafe work practices that are negatively affecting the community's safety and well being. When I returned to request official documentation of their unsafe work practices, I was lacked up by the employees and manager [redacted] , who thought it was hilarious that the wheel fell off my vehicle and then I could've been killed and The occurrence that happened to me is not a one time occurrence it is continuing to affect the community as a whole. This is a complaint regarding ongoing bad business practices that is not safe. would somebody please look into this and make sure that our community is safe and that unsafe work practices are corrected in the best interest and safety of the community in mind. 49 U.S.C. …

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at a slow speed, the steering wheel started to wobble with the "Power Steering Assist Fault Service Now" message displayed. The contact pulled into a parking lot and the "Loss of Power Steering - Pull Over to the Side of the Road for Safety" and "No ABS" messages were displayed. The contact attempted to read the safety manual but found no information about the failure. The contact called her husband who had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic later called the contact and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be serviced because no fault codes were found. The vehicle was later towed to a dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. …

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "Loss of Power Steering - Pull Over to the Side of the Road for Safety" was displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized, which prevented the contact from pulling to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence of a family member. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the power steering pump and the power steering harness had failed due to internal friction. The vehicle was then towed to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack had failed due to internal friction and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that after the steering rack replacement, that a four wheel alignment needed to be performed, and the TCM and the ECM needed to be reprogrammed. …

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost power steering functionality and nearly crashed. The contact swerved and slammed on the brake pedal abruptly, causing the contact to strike the left side of the head against the upper side of the driver's side window. The contact sustained a headache, a bump and dizziness and sought medical attention. The power steering warning light was illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (STEERING). The contact resided in Wisconsin, which was one of the States listed in the recall. …

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the instrument cluster and the radio turned off unintendedly. The contact stated that the power train, hill assist, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was able to be restarted after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to two dealers; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The contact stated that the failure persisted. …

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH and attempting to turn to the right, the steering wheel tightened as if the power steering assist had failed. The failure occurred and then self-corrected intermittently. The failure had become persistent over time. There were no warning lights illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the power steering failed, and the steering rack needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was currently being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall on the VIN for the coverage of the repair. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and attempting to make a right turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact used excessive force to pull to the side of the road and allowed another individual more capable of maneuvering the vehicle without power steering functionality. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the Traction Control and Hill Assist Failure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 101,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the traction control warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering gear had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering) however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered because the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Steering complaints in other Fusion years