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 2018 Ford Fusion owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that she initially received a notice in the mail about a Customer Satisfaction Program-19B37. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the program was cleared off the vehicle. The contact then stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as the "Service Engine" warning light appeared on the instrument panel. In addition, the vehicle would fail to start upon refueling. The contact used a code reader which determined that the purge valve was defective, and the part was replaced. Once the purge valve was replaced, the vehicle was restarted, and the code reader then showed a misfire in cylinder #2. The contact replaced the spark plugs and engine coils but then noticed moisture in the engine block. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the vehicle was idling roughly with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who suggested that the spark plugs be replaced and a tune-up be performed based on the mileage. The dealer performed the spark plug replacement and tune-up, and the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated; however, the vehicle was still idling roughly. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the rear brakes and rear brake rotors needed to be replaced due to a brake fluid leak. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle started to shudder with a large cloud of bluish smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that the vehicle was also shuddering and idling rough when started. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the mechanic retrieved DTC: P0304 and determined that there had been a misfire in cylinder #4. The dealer recommended that the spark plugs be replaced, and the fuel system cleaned. The vehicle had been repaired. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred and returned the vehicle to the same dealer who diagnosed and found that coolant had intruded into the engine block and recommended that the engine be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the message "Coolant Temperature Overtemperature" was displayed, causing the vehicle to decelerate. The contact stated that another message advising that the engine power was reduced, and to pull to the side of the road was displayed. The contact pulled to the side of the road and checked the coolant level. The contact noticed that the coolant was overheating and leaking. The contact added coolant to the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine was misfiring on cold starts. A message advising to service the engine soon was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine, and the dealer determined that the short block needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced two years after purchasing the vehicle brand new. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and was significantly sluggish while the RPMs were significantly elevated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal. The power train and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while shifting to reverse(R), a message indicating that the transmission was in reverse(R) was displayed, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring increasingly. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the check engine warning light and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak in the engine and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine and the cylinders needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was informed of an Extended Warranty Program; however, the contact was informed that the mileage had been exceeded by 9,000 miles. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the extended warranty. …
I was not informed of a recall. I started having issues with my engine about 4 months ago, it stopped on me in another city and state Montgomery, Alabama. I currently live in Pensacola, Florida. I have not been able to afford a new engine. I am a single mother on one low-income. I sent my car to a ford dealership and was told that i need a new short block on my engine due to the coolant leak. Well come to find out there was a recall that I was unaware. Now Ford will not cover my repairs at all. They stated the recall was over in November 2022. Now I contacted customer relations on Friday 8/4/2023 and was told they could fix it and I was awaiting a call from the agent that was assigned to my case and never received a call back. I called everyday three times a day for about a week for a supervisor to tell me on Thursday 8/10/2023 that the agent closed my case. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 5-10 MPH, the message "Coolant Level Low" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the roadway and added coolant to the vehicle; however, the same message was displayed the following day while driving. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that cylinder #2 was misfiring due to coolant intrusion. The mechanic replaced 1 coil, 1 spark plug, and the coolant reservoir hose; however, the check engine warning light turned off temporarily and the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant intrusion in cylinder #2, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure but did not assist. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the engine was misfiring with white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The size of white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe had increased over time. The "WRENCH" warning light remained illuminated. The check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was hesitating while attempting to start. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the engine block had coolant intrusion in two cylinders and was causing the misfire. The contact replaced the coils and spark plugs; however, the failure persisted. The contact became aware of NHTSA ID Number: 10213732 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which was linked to the failure. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not included due to the mileage. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The contact stated that she had replaced the spark plugs herself; however, the failure recurred. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 45 MPH the vehicle decelerated independently, and the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle jerked and failed to exceed 5 MPH. The contact pulled to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption, but there were no signs of a coolant leak. The coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
Engine complaints in other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2018 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA has 273 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2018 Ford Fusion, 62% of the model year's 442 complaints. The component named most often is engine (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Ford Fusion engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2018 Ford Fusion, though it has 2 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 2018 Ford Fusion engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 97,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
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.