2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid Owner Complaints

The leather-covered dashboard panel, in the approximately 4-6 inch section between the base of the windshield and the first seam across the dash, has shrunk, rippled, and pulled away from the underlying substrate. This area also houses the driver-assist camera housing and the defrost vent. The vehicle was purchased new and has been Ford-maintained, professionally detailed, and garage-kept throughout ownership; the leather has been regularly cleaned and conditioned as part of routine dealership detailing, ruling out lack of care as a cause. The vehicle's build date is January 2018, which falls within the range covered by Ford Technical Service Bulletin 18-2283 ("Instrument Panel Sagging at the Windshield Glass"), issued for vehicles built between October 13, 2014 and February 2, 2018, describing the instrument panel sagging and separating near the windshield. I am filing this complaint because this appears to be a documented, recurring defect pattern affecting this vehicle's dash generation, rather than isolated cosmetic wear. Ford Customer Relations has twice declined goodwill assistance, citing the vehicle's age (just over 8 years) as the sole basis, without physical inspection or evaluation of the underlying condition. An independent repair estimate to replace the dash panel and remove/reinstall the windshield for access was quoted at approximately $3,100.

NHTSA ID

11754944

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

The chrome trim on the parking brake switch started chipping. The sharp edge drew a drop of blood and small pieces attached to your fingers. Replaced the switch in June 2026

NHTSA ID

11747443

Incident

Apr 1, 2026

The air bags did not deploy on the front passenger side after a two car accident. There was an injury to the passenger of the car. Vehicle was inspected by police and there were no warning signs

NHTSA ID

11744654

Incident

Jun 16, 2026

I am reporting a serious safety issue with my 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid SE that affects the braking system and related electronics: 1.The ABS stopped functioning previously. 2.Recently, the car displayed a “Brake Malfunction” warning for the first time, which appears when making sharp turns. 3.The TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) stopped working some time ago. These issues are extremely dangerous. The electronic brake booster and ABS module are critical for safe braking, especially in emergency situations. With the ABS and brake assist compromised, the pedal can suddenly become rock hard or soft, stopping distance increases dramatically, and traction control/ABS is unavailable during hard braking. I am concerned this is a systemic issue with the 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid SE braking system and not isolated to my vehicle. This failure could put drivers, passengers, and others on the road at serious risk. I request that NHTSA investigate this issue for potential recall action to protect the safety of drivers nationwide.

NHTSA ID

11682612

Incident

Aug 23, 2025

Leaking fluid, etc similar to recall on other 2018 Ford Fusions

NHTSA ID

11641441

Incident

Jan 1, 2024

Bad bearings in hybrid transmission

NHTSA ID

11641439

Incident

Jan 1, 2022

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - The transmission has failed twice. The first time it was replaced by a licensed dealer. The second time is current. It is available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -We were stranded on the highway in Missouri. The second time the car failed was during winter weather with two small children, putting us at significant risk due to exposure to extreme cold and the dangers of being stuck on the side of the highway. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - Yes, the problem was confirmed by a dealer/service center after the first failure, and it has occurred again. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? - Yes, it has been inspected by a dealer, but not by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - Yes, the first time it failed we got an engine overheating error. The second time it failed we got the "wrench" error code. These warning signs occurred as the problem occurred and did not give us any time to get the car to safety.

NHTSA ID

11628870

Incident

Dec 3, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered momentarily. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the engine needed be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. A case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 94,000.

NHTSA ID

11627959

Incident

Nov 26, 2024

Mileage

94,000 mi

The contact's mother owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while his mother was pulling into a parking space, the vehicle abruptly stopped independently. The driver noticed that the vehicle had shifted to park(P) independently, and the gear shifter was stuck in park(P). An unknown warning light was illuminated. The driver turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the gear shifter remained stuck in park(P). An independent mechanic arrived on the scene but was unable to correct the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to schedule an appointment for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ID

11618124

Incident

Sep 29, 2024

Mileage

70,000 mi

In Mid-August I was sitting at a stop light about to turn left. I was about the 3rd car in line. The light turned, and the first car turned left, and we inched up the car in front of me was able to turn, and the traffic was clear enough for me to also make the turn. However, in the middle of the turn my car didn’t stall out but lost all acceleration. I was pushing the gas, but while the car coasted forward it didn’t begin the drive. However, I never lost power. It was like the car jumped from “Drive” into “Neutral” and I coasted through the turn. I hesitated slightly and then pushed on the gas. The engine made sound but no movement other than coasting. Finally, I felt a small jolt and the car started moving forward. I was able to clear the intersection and was back in Drive mode. At that time the “Engine Warning” light came up on the dash. The car was able to move, nothing else seemed to have a problem, breaks still worked, I pulled into a parking lot. I pulled over, parked, but did not turn the car off immediately. I was able to drive forward and back-up while in the parking lot, as well as make turns. After about a minute I turned the car off to see if the car would automatically “fix itself”. I waited about three minutes and then started the car again, and it started without any problem, but the Warning light was still on. I left the parking lot and was able to drive with the Engine Warning light was still on, but no problem with anything else. I drove about five miles toward home when the Warning light turned OFF. I drove to Oxmoor Ford for service, but the service department was closed. I then drove to AutoZone where they did an initial plug into see if they could find what caused the problem. They were not able to determine anything. I returned home and made the appointment for the Oxmoor Ford service center. The car service cost me $7371.17.

NHTSA ID

11617145

Incident

Sep 17, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

NHTSA ID

11615241

Incident

Sep 18, 2024

Mileage

48,000 mi

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 2 MPH and making a U-turn, the steering wheel was loose and wiggling. The contact stated that the steering wheel turned 360 degrees. The steering wheel was uncontrollable. The “Uphill Park Assist” warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,898.

NHTSA ID

11598357

Incident

Apr 1, 2024

Mileage

133,898 mi

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that coolant needed to be added to the coolant reservoir occasionally. While driving at various speeds, the engine overheated. Additionally, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was slow to start. The traction, engine, and air bag warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the head gasket had blown. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

NHTSA ID

11589878

Incident

Oct 1, 2023

Mileage

190,000 mi

Park Break engages on its on when the engine is turned off

NHTSA ID

11586631

Incident

Mar 21, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal went to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact engaged the electric parking brake and the vehicle stopped. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle and determined that the brake line on the output of the ABS pump had failed. The contact stated that the front driver's side brake hose had previously ruptured and was replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The failure mileage was approximately 160,300.

NHTSA ID

11580097

Incident

Mar 29, 2024

Mileage

160,300 mi

In for a normal oil change and tire rotation. The lug nuts were swollen and had to be broke off and replaced. with the same one that were on my car. I did not no Ford had a lug nut problem until then. To find out that some people had to have cars towed because of the tire not being able to come off. It is a saftey hazard. Ford know this and keeps making these lug nuts. Saying to replace every 50,000 miles at 160 dollars. this is crazy. I am sure there are many people who do not even know till it is too late. They should come up with a different design and replace them all. I travel 80 miles a day, and i rotate every 5,000 miles. i will be replacing them way too may times at this rate. this is unecessary.

NHTSA ID

11578486

Incident

Mar 15, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while her husband was driving 35-40 MPH after an oil change had been performed on the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant intrusion in the engine. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

NHTSA ID

11576932

Incident

Mar 7, 2024

Mileage

118,000 mi

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering was inoperable. The steering wheel detached from the steering column and the steering wheel was spinning at a 360-degree motion. The contact stated that there was no motion on the tires. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a fractured steering bolt. The contact was advised that the extent of the failure had not been determined and could be provided only if the contact agreed to have repairs completed. The contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000(Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to report the failure to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ID

11575643

Incident

Mar 2, 2024

Mileage

65,000 mi

I recently had to replace all of the lug nuts on this car due to swelling. Ford said they were all faulty. There were no warnings about the problem. It was noticed in a routine service appointment. I was informed the risk could be that I would not be able to remove them if I experienced a flat tire, and therefore be left stranded.

NHTSA ID

11574399

Incident

Jan 30, 2024

Driving down the road and suddenly all the lights came on and lost power steering there was no warning. Nothing. It stopped working. I then see something today in regards to this being an issue and when I contact ford about it was nothing we can do. Ford did not make this very public and I bet if you people expanded this to other newer models and made it public you might find more people that have had the same issue and thought it was just their car.

NHTSA ID

11571624

Incident

Nov 16, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that upon attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was jumpstarted. After jumpstarting the vehicle, the vehicle performed normally. However, the contact stated that the battery failure became a regular failure. The low battery warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,000.

NHTSA ID

11571043

Incident

Feb 9, 2024

Mileage

82,000 mi

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and depressing the brake pedal, there was a grinding sound coming from the front brake pads. After shifting into drive, the message "Emergency Brake Failure, Vehicle Shutting Off" was displayed and the vehicle turned off. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 180,000.

NHTSA ID

11558984

Incident

Aug 15, 2023

Mileage

180,000 mi

I have a problem with the variable speed windshield wipers. This has occurred twice now in the past 2 weeks or so and I paid a little closer attention to the symptoms the second time (yesterday). When the problem occurs, the wipers have only ONE speed: LOW. The speed does not increase as the rain gets heavier AND you can not increase the speed by switching the selector to HIGH either. So.....as the rain gets heavier, the visibility gets REALLY bad and the only solution seems to be to slow WAY down, which is not a good thing to suddenly do on a "freeway". I was able to determine if I select OFF on the wiper control and then turn it back ON, the problem (sometimes) goes away and the wipers operate normally.......for a while. Of course, turning the wipers OFF during heavy rain isn't a good thing to do either. I am calling my Ford dealer today to make an appointment for service. Since the condition has been intermittent (so far), I fear that their answer might be "no trouble found" if they can't observe the failure themselves.

NHTSA ID

11545118

Incident

Sep 16, 2023

The contact owned a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, she was rear-ended by another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was later treated for various bruising in an area hospital, as well as receiving a CT scan and an x-ray of her left ankle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic; instead, it was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11543940

Incident

Sep 5, 2023

Mileage

90,000 mi

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was a clicking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the fuel pump was replaced. On another occasion, while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle turned to the right independently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to steer the vehicle and drove into the curb where the vehicle came to a complete stop. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the front driver’s side ball joints had separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

NHTSA ID

11539472

Incident

Jun 7, 2023

Mileage

68,000 mi