Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Ford Fusion owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 75 MPH, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the vehicle was overheating. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the road, and after a visual inspection of the engine compartment, it was observed that the coolant overflow container was empty, yet upon removing the container cap, coolant suddenly flowed back into the container, filling it. The overheating warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. Later, the contact stated that, after starting the vehicle, she observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment and, upon visual inspection, noticed a small fire within the engine compartment that she was able to extinguish alone. No fire or police report was filed, and the vehicle suffered insignificant damage. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and required to be jumpstarted. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. The contact stated that the failure mostly occurred while coming to a complete stop. The contact stated that on some occasions, the ABS warning light would illuminate and the ABS would make abnormal sounds prior to the failure; on other occasions, the check engine warning light was illuminated and a message indicating that the vehicle was overheating was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed three times out of the five to a Cadillac dealer and a Ford dealer. The dealers replaced the water pump, the alternator and an unknown part; however, the failure persisted. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling at a red light, the vehicle lost motive power and shut off. After several minutes the vehicle restarted, and the contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that coolant was leaking underneath the front end of the vehicle, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust during the initial startup. The coolant level was low. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact believed that the failure was related to NHTSA ID Number: 10210392 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Equipment). The vehicle was taken to an auto body shop to be diagnosed. The contact was informed of a misfire in cylinder #2. The contact's father had changed the spark plugs. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the air intake was missing from the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the temperature gauge displayed that the engine was overheating. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle for leaks, but none were found. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir and was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who performed a pressure test, but no leaks were found. The independent mechanic diagnosed that there was a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. …
While driving my Ford Fusion to the Local Ford Dealer (Monday 7.1.2024) for the scheduled Oil change the check engine light came on. I informed the Service writer at the dealership upon arrival. He stated they can complete the oil change but, could not check that problem with the engine light coming on due to the fact you have to make an appointment to have the car serviced. At that time I did make an appointment for that service to have my car inspected for the following Monday (7.8.2024). on my way home the car started to run rough, like it was not running on all cylinders. On Friday 7.5.2024 I contacted an independent service mechanic took my car to an independent service mechanic. He ran a diagnostic test. he determined that coolant was leaking into cylinder #2, he stated it was due to either a broken head gasket or a crack block. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started running abnormally rough, after which the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the spark plugs and ignition coils, resulting in an engine misfire. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started overheating, after which there was a burning odor inside the interior of the vehicle, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway to turn the vehicle off. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. …
Component: Coolant leaking into motor. It is available for inspection upon request. This is the second motor ford has put in my vehicle with same issue. Both times the vehicle broke down in transit causing us to be a hazard to surrounding traffic and leaving us on the side of the road. Problem has happened in to motors in same vehicle. Both motor malfunctions verified by service centers. First motor was replaced at no cost to us by Ford Motor Company (FMC). They indicated they knew there was an issue with the motor and replaced it; however it took us 4 calls to FMC to get this acknowledgement and assistance. The first three times we called we were told that there was no known issue and it was our problem. Now that the replacement motor is doing the same thing, approximately 2 years/ 50,000 miles later we are in the same situation. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. While the contact's fianc was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The driver pulled the vehicle over to the shoulder of the roadway and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was later driven to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was driven back to the contact's residence. The contact later performed an inspection of the vehicle. The coolant level was inspected, and the contact refilled the coolant reservoir; however, the contact stated that the coolant reservoir needed to be refilled daily. There was no visual signs of a coolant leak. In addition, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #2. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The message to clean around the gas cap was displayed. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound and was vibrating. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The contact noticed that the sound was coming from the fuel tank flap. The contact stated that while pushing the fuel tank flap, the contact felt a significant air pressure, and the failure ceased after the flap was closed; however, the failure recurred while the flap was not completely closed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing rough idling and the vehicle stalled while at a traffic light. The contact stated there was black smoke coming from the tailpipe. …
2017 Ford Fusion Ex with the 2.0L Ecoboost engine. Check Engine Light came on (around 85,000 miles on the car - Jan 2023). Car is misfiring. Ford dealership diagnosed the issue as Coolant leaking into the engine block (which is causing the misfire). Dealership said to immediately stop driving the car due to coolant issue could overheat the engine (possible fire risk). Research on internet shows this is a widely reporting defect where coolant is leaking into the engine block. Fix is to install an entire new engine. Ford unwilling to admit defect due to extreme cost of having to replace engines. Cost of new engine installation is $7000 plus. Having a defective engine block that allows coolant to leak into the cylinders is a clear defect with multiple people having the same issue. …
Engine complaints in other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2017 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA has 500 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2017 Ford Fusion, 45% of the model year's 1,115 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline › turbo/supercharger (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Ford Fusion engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2017 Ford Fusion, though it has 4 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 2017 Ford Fusion engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 6 fires and 1 injury 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.