2017 Ford Fusion Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Fusion, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine49339.6%
- Powertrain (other)29423.6%
- Electrical12410.0%
- Brakes1018.1%
- Steering514.1%
- Fuel system362.9%
- Driver assistance292.3%
- Other / unspecified282.3%
- Airbags282.3%
- Visibility141.1%
- Transmission131.0%
- Exterior lighting90.7%
- Seat belts70.6%
- Interior & seats60.5%
- Body & structure60.5%
- Suspension50.4%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
See attached document for complaint.
The vehicle in question has the coolant intrusion into cylinders 2 and 3 with rough idle on startup, P0300, P0302, P0303, and white smoke on startup. The vehicle now has 111339 miles on it and the out of pocket cost is more than what the vehicle blue books for in excellent condition. TSB 22-2134 speaks to all the issue and what the repair is. If this is a known issue then I feel this should be a vehicle recall by Ford due to the costly repair.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was coming home from work and when I tried to shift the gear from drive to park it was stuck on drive and Neutral I contacted the car dealer and they said ford has had this issue that it was a recall on it so I researched and found out that Ford issued major safety recalls (Recall 22S43 and 18S20) for 2017 Ford Fusions regarding a degraded transmission shifter cable bushing. This defect can cause the shifter cable to detach. Consequently, the car may roll away unexpectedly because the transmission isn't actually in Park, even though the shifter says it is.Recall DetailsThe Problem: The underhood shift cable bushing can degrade and fail over time.The Remedy: Ford dealers will replace the transmission shifter cable bushing and add a protective cap over it free of charge (parts and labor). It my VIN# was not coming up as a recall and this is an ongoing issue for this car and I would like to get this resolved as soon as possible with ford recall please thank you
On 7/8/2026, the vehicle became undriveable. Placing the vehicle in reverse on the shidfter dial using registered a conflicting direction on the dashboard indicator. The vehicle was towed to a dealership and the repair consisted of replacing the shift cable bushing. This was the same fix required in recalls 18S20 & 22V413. On 7/9/2026 the issue was verified by a Ford dealership tech. I was advised that the protective cap is now contained in the repair kit with the shift cable bushing. A brief fleeting warning on the screen indicated a "Shift Fault - See Manual" or words to that effect. The manual only seemed to reference a "Steering Fault" Ford HQ was notified - Reference No: CXH-08533100
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
On 7/8/2026, the vehicle became undriveable. Placing the vehicle in reverse on the shidfter dial using registered a conflicting direction on the dashboard indicator. The vehicle was towed to a dealership and the repair consisted of replacing the shift cable bushing. This was the same fix required in recalls 18S20 & 22V413. On 7/9/2026 the issue was verified by a Ford dealership tech. I was advised that the protective cap is now contained in the repair kit with the shift cable bushing. A brief fleeting warning on the screen indicated a "Shift Fault - See Manual" or words to that effect. The manual only seemed to reference a "Steering Fault" Ford HQ was notified - Reference No: CXH-08533100
The door entry control numbers are on all the time now which will cause the battery to drain if the car is not driven daily. It says that water from a car wash or rain has gotten in behind the door control panel.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
NHTSA claim # 11739491 update 05/22/2026 Young Ford Ogden Utah is refusing to execute the remedy for open safety recall 23S12 on my vehicle. They are refusing to run diagnostics test to honor the recall without paying $100 and up fee.
NHTSA recall 23V-162/Ford recall 23S12 Vehicle suffered secondary failure of recall remedy part which caused an immediate loss of braking ability. Ford dealer refused a safety tow unless I paid for it upfront which forced me to use my personal roadside insurance. After calling local dealer to assure vehicle had arrived after being towed, dealer said they couldn't look at vehicle until Tuesday , five days later because of the weekend and holiday.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am the owner of a 2017 Ford Fusion with 61,000 miles on the odometer. Please note that I have always taken good care of my car, having it serviced promptly when required. In recent weeks, I have had to replace my complete steering rack (cost $4,500) and two weeks later, my 1.7-liter Ecoboost engine due to a coolant leak into the number two cylinder at a cost of $6,700. Ford has known about both problems for years and they have resulted in both class action and small claims suits against the company. Regarding the engine, Ford issued Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12, Technical Service Bulletin TSB 22-2134 and Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 - Supplement #4 to replace the car's engine short block. This covered cars for 7 years of service or 84,000 miles - with, as quoted in the Ford memo sent to dealers on June 9, 2022, "coverage automatically extended to subsequent owners," for presumably the life of the car. Since this is clearly a manufacturing error (as Ford admits in its June 9, 2022 memo to dealers) and not due to negligence on my part, I should be reimbursed for my expenses. The NHTSA should also open a recall case on this matter for owners like myself.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The vehicle was started; however, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact moved the gear shift lever to reverse(R), and the steering wheel seized. The tow truck driver had a difficult time trying to move the vehicle onto the flatbed truck. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that high friction on the gear and the entire steering alignment needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
Coolant leaking into cylinder, causing sudden rough driving, engine overheating warnings that don’t match temperature readings and distract driving.
Have had to replace the same 2 coil pacs in last three months. Car will not accelerate properly will not shift into gears properly took to have information test done keeps coming back fouled 2 & 4 coils
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Rear Backup Camera keeps malfunctioning. The display screen from camera glitches or goes black and eventually it will state that rear camera is not available.
2 separate dealerships made me pay to replace faulty tires when the new ones blew out within less than a month of purchase. They also pocketed the mail in rebates I was promised for buying new sets of tires from their locations. I started taking my car to an independent garage for regular maintenance. My traction control light has been on since shortly after I bought the car in 2018 but I never imagined I'd be spending my entire savings on repairs immediately after the useless warranty expired. First it was a cracked flex plate which I'm lucky happened when I was driving on a side road as opposed to the interstate. I was going roughly 55mph when I lost my ability to steer, accelerate, or even cut power to the ignition. My car has been towed 4 times with total cost of almost 10K and it still isn't fixed. I reported everything to Ford they don't stand by anything Ford manufactures. I'll probably be living in this piece of trash soon enough as that savings I just wasted was a down payment for a house
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while pulled over on the shoulder and attempting to change a tire, the contact was unable to remove the lug nuts to change the tire. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the vehicle was diagnosed with faulty lug nuts. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the power steering assist, traction control, and hill stop assist warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,720.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
The dash deteriorated to the extent that, according to a Ford engineer, the passenger airbag will not deploy properly.
I was a victim in a car crash driving this vehicle when another vehicle hit me and deployed my air bags. Due to the air bags deployment I ended up with significant burn marks to my arm which is likely to permanently scar.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle and attempting to close the front passenger side window or the front driver's side window, the windows raised up but failed to remain closed. The contact stated that the windows immediately rolled back down independently. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed of a TSB related to the failure, but no assistance to repair the vehicle was offered. The failure mileage was 22,000.
Steering wheel clock spring is not working. Controls wipers, turn signals, speed control, voice commands, lane aware and allows to toggle thru control settings do not work. Ford doesn’t have part available or an ETA. This part covers vehicles from 2013 thru 2024 so currently vehicles coming down assembly line are using. My car is unusable like this. Aftermarket part is also unavailable. Please help
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon reversing out of the driveway and attempting to shift to drive(D), the message "System Fault - Consult Manual" was displayed. The contact was not able to shift to drive(D). The contact looked underneath the vehicle and noticed that the shifter cable was loosened. The contact was able to insert a screwdriver into the end of the cable, and the contact was able to shift to drive(D). The contact drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the shifter cable bushing had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an undisclosed recall however, the model year was not included. The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not covered. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
See attached document for complaint.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
I experienced an issue identical to safety recall 22S02. Rear brake light remains on due to a broken Brakelight stop bumper. Dealership did not offer to fix at no charge.
Steering wheel clock spring is not working. Controls wipers, turn signals, speed control, voice commands, lane aware and allows to toggle thru control settings do not work. Ford doesn’t have part available or an ETA. This part covers vehicles from 2013 thru 2024 so currently vehicles coming down assembly line are using. My car is unusable like this. Aftermarket part is also unavailable. Please help
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Driver's side selt belt does not latch all the time. Yes can be inspected. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? If the seat fails, injury can occur in a crash Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Appointment is July 18 Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion Energi. The contact stated while parked and attempting to fasten the rear passenger's side and driver's side seat belts, the seat belts failed to retract. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the seat belts could not be ordered because the seat belts had been discontinued. The approximate mileage was 70,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the passenger’s side doors failed to open as intended. The contact stated that the door handle had detached from the door. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the door failed to open from the outside. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 87,419.
I obtained my vehicle on Lease in 2017 with 40K miles from Ford of Branford CT. When off lease I purchased it outright. I still own the vehicle and am still having Two main problems, One since almost the beginning. The First is the automatic seat control(driver's). This system would periodically push the driver into the Steering Wheel. I brought it into that dealership several times for that reason, while still in CT. They did claim to get it to stop doing this with some resets, but over time it continued. Around 2020, the vehicle began going totally dead. Initially it was determined to be the Starting Battery. My concern was it to ba a Compiter or Power drain problem. Several batteries and Dealership visits didn't solve it. I moved to SC in May 2022. These problems continued there, where Cox Ford of Southern Pines took over. After more Service visits the only answer was a BAD BATTERY. Recently, after returning from Vacation and having to jump start the vehicle two times, I had several conversations with the service department. Finally a new Service writer found some information. A Technical Service Bulletin described how in this vehicle, how under seat wiring for the automatic seats, were becoming frayed and shorting on metal rails.(182025A). Also another for Battery Drain (SSM 50250). My Automotive background (which I no longer do) Tells me that electric seat wiring, grounding against seat rails could cause the Battery to be Draining. I believe they could be connected.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
Trunk pops open on its own
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while placing her grandchild in the car seat in the rear of the vehicle, she became aware of mold inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side and the trunk had mold. The contact stated that water had leaked into the vehicle from the overhead light. The contact stated she was constantly sick and had ear infections. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The vehicle was inspected; however, the contact was unsure of the results. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was a known issue; however, the repair would be an out-of-pocket expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after shifting from park(P) into drive(D), the gear shifter erroneously shifted back to park(P). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the shifter cable bushing was faulty and needed to be replaced. The shifter cable bushing was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the steering wheel abruptly jerked to the left. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the front ball joints were faulty and needed to be replaced. No further information was available. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Shift linkage keep detaching from the the transmission causing the transmission too slip. It detaches often it’s been going on for 2 months now. I called Ford dealership to see have they heard of this problem and they answer was no. It might be a recall on this vehicle.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .