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 2018 Ford Fusion owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Terrible car, after long thinking about it the last accident in this car I think was caused from the transmission literally as soon as I put it in reverse it acted as if I was accelerating and proceeded out of the parking spot a little bit, another scary thing I pulled out of a parking lot and almost got hit because the car acted as if it was in neutral when the car was in drive with on coming traffic!!!!!!!! One time it wouldn't allow me to go into drive it started rolling back wards. Transmission was replaced in 2020 and the car has been parked since late 2022 because of this issue while still peeing $6,000 on a damn car I can't even drive and seeing the same similar issue about this stupid car everywhere is ridiculous and I don't see how there's not a recall on this transmission or buy back issue or something how do you go buy a almost $30,000 car and every 60 thousand miles the …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The message " Shift Sys Fault. Service Required" was displayed. The contact was unable to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. A bystander assisted the contact in manually moving the transmission shifter cable bushing back into position. The contact stated vehicle then responded as needed; however, the failure recurred while driving and hitting a pothole. The transmission shifter cable bushing was manually moved back into position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the failure was related to the transmission shifter cable bushing; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. …
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 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. The contact stated that after his girlfriend was occupied and parked in the residence, while attempting to reverse the vehicle the gear shifted independently into park. The contact mention he lifted the front end of the vehicle, and he noticed the shifter cable detached from the transmission shifting arm. The contact was able to attach the shifter cable on the transmission shifting arm but also noticed the shifter cable bushing has detached from the transmission as well. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired however the contact mention the vehicle will be getting repaired on March 29th. The contact related the failure to the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000(POWER TRAIN). The insurance company had not been contacted yet. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while at a stoplight, the vehicle hesitated and jerked. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. The service vehicle message was displayed. There was a highlighted rectangle displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and DTC: P0218/P177S was retrieved, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Academy Ford Sales (13401 Baltimore Ave, Laurel, MD 20707); where it was diagnosed that the transmission, intermittent clutch, and shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the engine started to overheat, and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The message "Vehicle Temperature Overheating" was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure recurred several times while driving. The contact pulled to the side of the road several times until arriving to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the PCM had failed. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed there was coolant intrusion in the engine cylinders. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the transmission independently shifted into the park(P) while driving at speeds of 30 MPH or exceeding the speed. The gear shifter had detached from the vehicle while driving over rough road surfaces. The contact had to manually maneuver the gear shifter to move the gear shifter to the desired position. The wrench symbol was displayed on the instrument panel, indicating that the vehicle needed to be serviced. The vehicle had been taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the gear shifter had a detached that needed to be repaired. The vehicle had been repaired; however, the failure persisted. The dealer had been contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and attempting to move the gear shifter, the gear shifter remained stuck in park (P). The contact stated that he disconnected the battery for 10-15 minutes, and the computer was reset. The contact stated that the vehicle then operated as needed. The contact stated that the failure recurred on another occasion, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was repaired; however, the failure recurred 30 minutes later after parking the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the gear shift module (GSM) needed to be replaced. The GSM was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer determined that the transmission gear shifter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced twice. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The power train warning light was illuminated. The messages "Shift System Fault", "See Owner's Manual" and "Take Vehicle to Service Center Immediately" were displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that while shifting to drive(D) or to reverse(R), the gear shifter independently shifted back to park(P). The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure milage was approximately 89,000.
Transmission complaints in other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2018 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA has 106 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2018 Ford Fusion, 24% of the model year's 442 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Ford Fusion transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 82,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 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.