2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

On August 8, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 50 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging front brake jounce hose ruptures on model year (MY) 2013-2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A ruptured front brake hose results in a brake fluid leak. As a result, the driver may experience an increase in pedal travel and a reduction in the rate of deceleration, increasing the risk of a crash. It should be noted that the subject vehicles identified fell outside the scope of NHTSA Safety Recall 20V-469, which addressed front brake hoses rupturing on certain MY 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The result causes a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needing to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.On March 10, 2023, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted to NHTSA Safety Recall 23V-162 (Ford Recall 23S12) to address front brake jounce hoses that may rupture. Ford found the rupture occurs from a localized failure of the internal reinforcement braid due to cyclic fatigue through tensile/bending and torsional inputs during suspension and steering articulations. The supplier for the front brake jounce hoses is Hitachi. This recall affects the subject vehicles equipped with non-hybrid engines and the suspect front brake jounce hoses (a total of 1,280,726 vehicles). The recall covers subject vehicles built from February 3, 2012 to July 19, 2017 when the suspect hoses were used in vehicle production. The remedy is for dealerships to replace both front brake jounce hoses with new hoses that have a revised braid material at no cost. The vehicles equipped with hybrid engines are excluded from the recall because the internal hose pressure is much lower due to the regenerative braking provided by the hybrid brake system. No failures of brake hoses on hybrid vehicles have been reported to ODI or Ford.Ford's actions address ODIs concerns at this time. Hybrid vehicles will be monitored for related failures. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by new circumstances.The 103 ODI numbers cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ID numbers:11511014, 11510867, 11510318, 11509030, 11505993, 11504989, 11504400, 11502147, 11502082, 11501820, 11501283, 11498439, 11498296, 11496842, 11496335, 11494931, 11494851, 11494252, 11493001, 11492084, 11492070, 11491444, 11491274, 11488858, 11488027, 11487627, 11487416, 11487233, 11486150, 11484924, 11484526, 11484080, 11483948, 11483926, 11483739, 11483723, 11482773, 11482690, 11481077, 11480788, 11480294, 11480052, 11479338, 11479334, 11479252, 11479247, 11479187, 11479094, 11479048, 11478985, 11478953, 11478729, 11478216, 11476892, 11476282, 11470558, 11468994, 11467109, 11466294, 11462746, 11461217, 11456065, 11455367, 11444848, 11436419, 11436376, 11430685, 11428329, 11425083, 11421026, 11420738, 11420735, 11420298, 11418197, 11403926, 11397549, 11366991, 11366757, 11361016, 11359968, 11354569, 11352165, 11350344, 11348799, 11343929, 11343205, 11331947, 11329020, 11319596, 11310529, 11292271, 11288455, 11254787, 11253479, 11253244, 11234622, 11230669, 11230050, 11228240, 11221111, 11143630, 11129392 and 11120228.

In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (MY) 2012-2014 Ford Fiesta, and 2013-2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ. Some VOQs reported the failure occurred after the latch had been remedied under a prior recall which involved fracture of the latch pawl spring tab due to thermally induced cyclic fatigue. Other VOQs alleged a similar failure in vehicles not previously recalled. A latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in a ?door will not close? condition, however in certain somewhat rare circumstances, may result in the door coming open while driving. In response to ODI?s investigation, Ford has announced three field actions, as discussed below.On March 23, 2020, Ford submitted Safety Recall 20V-177 (Ford 20S15), a regional recall campaign to address door latch failures in vehicles not previously recalled under Safety Recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 and 17V-210. The recall affects vehicles currently or ever registered in certain high ambient temperature states (see 20V-177 for affected states). As a remedy, Ford will replace all four door latches free of charge.On August 24, 2020, Ford issued a non-safety regional field action (Ford 20R01) to address door latch failures on the same model/MY vehicles not covered under 20V-177 (i.e., not currently/ever registered in affected states). According to Ford, spring tab failure rates for vehicles covered by this action are about half that of the 20V-177 vehicles. Under this action, dealers will replace all door latches, free of charge, if either; a) the vehicle exhibits a related latch concern, or b) if the vehicle owner expresses a concern about the latches in their vehicles. Details can be found under NHTSA TSB No. 10190990, a copy of which is available in this investigative file available at NHTSA.gov.On June 8, 2020, Ford submitted Safety Recall 20V-331 (Ford 20S30) addressing vehicles previously remedied under NHTSA Recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 and 17V-210, where the repair may not have been properly completed, specifically not all of the door latches were replaced, or replaced correctly. This recall involves an inspection of the latches, with the option for a consumer self-inspection; owners could view the date codes on their latches (and confirm child safety locks are present on the rear doors) and then submit the information to Ford?s mobile app or website. A dealership inspection option was also available. Any vehicle found to have unreplaced defective latches requires the replacement of all door latches as directed by Ford.Regarding the 4,494 reports cited above, 1,485 involve scope-related failures (with 13% alleging door opening), and the remaining 3,009 reports involving remedy concerns (with 18% alleging door opening - note ODI was unable to verify the allegations of door opening). The three ODI injuries were all relatively minor. Ford?s reported injury incidences include one (unconfirmed) report of an ejection, three minor injuries with the others involving undisclosed injuries. Ford?s crashes involved two (unconfirmed) crashes alleging the incident door contacted another vehicle and three involving doors striking other property.The recalled vehicles include MY 2011-2015 Ford Fiesta, 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015 Ford Mustang and Lincoln MKC, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2012-2015 Ford Focus and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect.Ford's actions address ODI's concerns at this time. ODI will take further action if warranted by new information. The reference (OD

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to respond normally while depressing the brake pedal. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The failure caused the steering wheel to lock up, the brake pedal became extremely firm, and the accelerator pedal became inoperable. Additionally, the exterior lights shut off unexpectedly and the vehicle lost electrical power. The vehicle was safely pulled into a parking lot, and the contact waited for several minutes before restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted; however, 30 seconds after resuming driving the vehicle shut off again. The vehicle was towed to a Ford dealer; however, the mechanics were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 179,000.

NHTSA ID

11747119

Incident

Jun 25, 2026

Mileage

179,000 mi

While driving a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium (approximately 157,000 miles), the Electronic Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) system suddenly failed without warning during heavy rain in Philadelphia, PA. I was driving near the riverfront area by [XXX] when the steering immediately became extremely stiff and difficult to turn. No prior warning lights or steering-related symptoms were present before the failure. Due to wet road conditions and the sudden loss of steering assist, I temporarily lost the ability to maneuver the vehicle normally and nearly collided with roadside structures near the river. Considerable physical force was required to maintain directional control and safely move the vehicle. This created an immediate safety hazard to myself and nearby traffic. The vehicle has not been involved in a crash, but the failure created a near-miss situation. My VIN currently shows no open recall for this issue, despite similar steering-system failures reported in comparable Ford vehicles using EPAS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11739868

Incident

May 23, 2026

The factory-installed rearview backup camera on my 2013 Ford Fusion fails intermittently. When shifting into reverse, the display screen frequently goes black, shows a distorted or flickering image with multicolored lines, or displays an error message stating the camera is unavailable. The failure is unpredictable but occurs more often in hot weather or after rain, suggesting a hardware defect. The component that has failed is the rearview camera system, likely the camera module itself, which is available for inspection. This malfunction creates a significant safety hazard by eliminating rear visibility, substantially increasing the risk of a back-over collision with pedestrians, children, or other objects. The failure to display a rearview image is a non-compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer due to its intermittent nature, making it difficult to reproduce on demand. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer or other parties regarding this issue. The symptoms first appeared several months ago and have become progressively more frequent. The primary warnings are the on-screen error messages and the loss of the video feed itself.

NHTSA ID

11696672

Incident

Mar 1, 2025

The contact's granddaughter owned a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver looked in the rearview mirror and noticed black smoke coming from the rear seats of the vehicle. The contact stated that the driver's sons were in car seats in the rear seats of the vehicle. The driver immediately pulled over to the side of the road, exited the vehicle, and took her sons out of the vehicle. The contact stated that the entire vehicle then caught on fire. The contact stated that the driver's side of the vehicle was more burned than the rest of the vehicle. The fire was extinguished by the Fire Department, who informed the contact's granddaughter that the fire might have originated from the trunk of the vehicle. It was unknown whether a Police report or a Fire Department report was filed. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed and could be totaled. The driver's mother transported the driver and her sons to the emergency room due to smoke inhalation. It was unknown whether injuries were sustained. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11664680

Incident

Jun 3, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and approaching a stop, the vehicle jerked forward. The contact veered to the right to avoid crashing with another vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under an unknown related recall. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 95,189.

NHTSA ID

11632767

Incident

Jul 15, 2023

Mileage

95,189 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The traction control and power steering assist warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the electronic power steering gear motor. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 112,000.

NHTSA ID

11603387

Incident

Jul 17, 2024

Mileage

112,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that while her mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.

NHTSA ID

11582565

Incident

Apr 12, 2024

Mileage

125,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when the vehicle was turned on, the contact heard a loud sound emanating from the engine compartment. On another occasion, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started shaking. Additionally, when the vehicle was in the park(P) position the vehicle continued to move inadvertently. The parking brake was applied to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the loud noise was from the shifting from the hybrid to gasoline and that the bushing bearings and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11576866

Incident

Jun 15, 2022

Mileage

130,000 mi

For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a module from a vehicle or ordering a module using a different vehicle/VIN can cause ineffective repairs and additional vehicle down time. Make sure all appropriate Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures are followed when diagnosing the condition prior to all module replacements and only order modules using the correct VIN.

Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The brake rotors should only be machined if directed by the WSM because one or more of the following conditions are present on the braking surface: scoring, excessive corrosion/rust or pitting, bluing/discoloration and/or heat spots. For additional information, refer to WSM section 206-00.

Some 2013-2016 Escape/Fusion/MKZ vehicles may display an error message when updating the All Wheel Drive-ATC Barcode using the IDS service function after installing a new rear drive unit assembly (RDU) or active torque coupling (ATC) clutch assembly. To prevent this error from occurring, enter the universal ATC 4 digit barcode 7772. Once programmed, perform several figure 8 turns at parking lot speeds to verify there is no binding from the all wheel drive (AWD) system. If the vehicle binds in a turn, perform Pinpoint Test A. Refer to the Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 308-07A > Diagnosis and Testing.

Some 2013-2020 Fusion, MKZ and 2013-2018 C-Max vehicles equipped with an HF35 transmission may exhibit a thumping/rubbing or grinding noise coming from the transmission. The noise may be present in all gear ranges including neutral when the vehicle is moving but will not be present when the vehicle is stationary or in park.

Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The brake rotors should only be machined if directed by the WSM because one or more of the following conditions are present on the braking surface: scoring, excessive corrosion/rust or pitting, bluing/discoloration and/or heat spots. For additional information, refer to WSM section 206-00.

Some 2013-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2013-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV), 2013-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX and 2017 Continental vehicles equipped with 8 inch or larger center display screen may be unable to complete modem authorization after 3G to 4G modem upgrade was performed. No Authorization Pop-up will be displayed on the center display screen during the Authorization process. The vehicle may also not have proper functionality of remote app features such as remote start, return odometer, fuel information, or vehicle location incorrect in the app. This may be due to the SYNC software. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to toggle Valet Mode.