Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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 while the vehicle was parked in her driveway on a hill without the emergency brakes, the vehicle rolled down the hill and bumped into her husband's parked vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer but was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated on April 2022, while she was driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle began to shake and failed to go over 50 mph. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V427000 (Power Train), however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and transferred her to the NHTSA Hotline. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start on the first attempt. The vehicle then shuddered and started independently. The contact stated that the failure occurred several times after refueling the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was shuddering while shifting into gear and would shudder uncontrollably while in reverse (R). The contact also stated that upon coming to a complete stop, the vehicle shuddered and shut off. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that he would shift into neutral (N) or park (P) to prevent the failure from occurring while at a complete stop. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the EVAP purge valve assembly and the spark plugs were replaced. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond and lost motive power. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon shifting into gear, the vehicle failed to respond and made abnormal sounds. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle twice, and the contact continued shifting into gear until the vehicle responded, however, the vehicle would not exceed 2 MPH. The contact was able to drive to the nearby residence, where the failure reoccurred. The power train warning light illuminated and a message advising to see the Owner's Manual was displayed. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the gear shifter had failed to move from out of park(P). The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the gear shifter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and received a second repair; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who replaced the gear shifter a third time. After the third repair, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shift into neutral(N) independently, and no longer displayed the proper gear. The contact coasted to the side of the road and turned off and restarted the vehicle to continue driving. The wrench symbol was displayed on the instrument panel, indicating that the vehicle needed to be serviced. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon shifting into drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond. The power train warning light was illuminated, and a message indicating the gear shifter failure was displayed. The contact attempted to shift into park (P), but the gear shifter remained stuck in drive(D). The contact stated that she was able to manually move the shifter cable, and the vehicle shifted into park (P). The contact stated that the shifter cable bushing was replaced by a family member. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal after the part was replaced, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated to respond. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving at various speeds. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when attempting to shift gear there was a warning light and a message stating that shifter failure and "Shift Assist Fault, See Manual". The contact depressed the brake pedal while moving the gear shifter for the gear shifter to function properly. The failure reoccurred intermittently and had since increased in frequency. The contact stated that several attempts were needed for the gear shifter to properly register the desired gear. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally shifted into reverse independently. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who confirmed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V413000 (Power Train), 19V362000 (Power Train), 18V471000 (Power Train) and 18V169000 (Power Train) related to the shifter cable bushing. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and attempting to shift the vehicle into drive(D), the gear lever failed to move. The contact stated the yellow wrench symbol warning light was illuminated. The contact called for Roadside assistance, and the tow truck arrived at the residence. The tow truck driver informed the contact that a damaged shifter cable bushing had caused the failure. The contact was advised by the driver that there was a recall associated with the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. The contact stated that the driver performed temporary repair and the vehicle was driven to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and confirmed that the shifter cable bushing had failed and needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the engine revved but failed to respond as intended. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she drove the vehicle off the highway and onto an exit ramp and eventually the vehicle stalled on the side of the road. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer, who diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact then had the vehicle towed to a transmission specialist who replaced the transmission with a refurbished transmission. The vehicle was repaired. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle made a beeping sound and independently shifted into neutral(N). The contact was able to coast the vehicle into a parking lot and shifted into park(P). The contact stated the vehicle failed to respond while shifting into drive(D) or reverse(R). The gear shift indicator light indicated that the transmission was in park(P). The power train warning light was illuminated, and a message indicating a transmission failure was displayed. The vehicle was towed to a transmission specialist, where the transmission shifter cable was replaced; however, the failure recurred 3 weeks later. The vehicle was towed to the transmission specialist. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond and made an abnormally loud sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where an oil change was performed; however, the failure persisted while driving. The contact stated that the following day, she noticed that oil was leaking from the vehicle onto the ground. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the oil change was performed correctly. The dealer diagnosed that oil was leaking from the transmission. The dealer informed the contact that the transmission needed to be taken apart to determine the source of the leak. The dealer advised the contact to trade the vehicle in due to the significant cost of labor. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission › Torque converter
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Edge and Fusion vehicles. On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.
Remedy: Ford or Lincoln will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Transmission complaints in other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2017 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA has 314 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2017 Ford Fusion, 28% of the model year's 1,115 complaints. The component named most often is shift linkage/cable/rod (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Ford Fusion transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 17V-427 (torque converter, Jul 6, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2017 Ford Fusion transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 1 fire and 6 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.