Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 182 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2020 Ford Fusion. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 182 · page 1 of 8
2020 Fusion SEL with 41,000 miles. While driving at 65 mph with adaptive cruise control engaged, the vehicle suddenly jerked on two separate occasions during a three-hour drive.
I recently acquired this vehicle from a dealer after the previous owner traded it in and after reviewing the Carfax I did some deeper digging into this vehicle and discovered that there are 3 recalls that have not been serviced. I am hoping that there wasn't any secondary damage due to the recalled items as I haven't noticed anything necessarily wrong with the car but I figured I'd take it in to be safe. I also want a quote for a transmission drain and fill, NOT A FLUSH. The transmission is shifting fine, I just am looking to get it done as preventative maintenance and for peace of mind. The recall repairs are noted in the PDF attached below.
Coolant Intrusion. Started with thick white exhaust when starting up in morning. Turned into acceleration lags, car shutting engine off when parked, and exhaust smell coming inside of car. 2014-2019 models have a recall for cracked engine block allowing cooling to leak inside, but 2020 models do not although there is an increased problem with this year and model of car.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V440000 (Electrical System); however, the part to complete the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available.
COMPONENT THAT FAILED: The engine cooling fan on my 2020 Ford Fusion SEL (1.5L, non-hybrid) became inoperable and blew three fuses. With the fans not operating, the engine overheated, destroying the head gasket and engine, requiring complete replacement. Failure occurred 07/08/2026 at 49,118 miles. WARNING SYMPTOMS: The A/C began blowing warm air roughly 2 days earlier. The engine temperature lamp illuminated on 07/08/2026 — the first and only time it ever came on. No prior overheating, no coolant loss, no leaks, no other alert. I stopped driving immediately on that single warning and had the vehicle towed. SAFETY RISK: A cooling fan failure progressing to engine destruction risks overheating, loss of motive power, and stalling in traffic or at highway speed. I stopped safely; a driver getting this same lone warning on a freeway would face a serious hazard with no notice. The vehicle's protections did not prevent a low-cost part from destroying the powertrain, and the sole warning came immediately before catastrophic damage. CONFIRMED BY INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTERS: Yes. A certified technician at a licensed independent shop found the cooling fan assembly inoperable and identified it as the cause of both the A/C failure and the temperature warning, noting these vehicles are known to fail head gaskets this way. A second licensed engine shop documented the sequence: the electric cooling fan failed, which blew three fuses, causing an overheat condition that caused engine failure. Written findings, inspection reports, and invoices retained. MANUFACTURER INSPECTION: None. Ford declined to consider assistance unless a Ford technician inspected the vehicle, by which time it was already at an independent shop mid-repair. No police or insurance inspection. MANUFACTURER AWARENESS: Ford SSM 48659 covers 2019-2020 Fusion/MKZ non-hybrids with cooling fans inoperative due to open fuses F59, F60, F63, causing engine overheat or lack of A/C cooling.
I was backing out of my drive way when a shift system fault message appeared on my dashboard. When I went to change gears the rotary dial locked up and shifted to park. My safety as well as other people’s safety was put at risk because my car stopped in the middle of the street with little warning. My problem was confirmed by an independent service center with a obd scanner.
While driving at 75mph on the freeway, my 2020 Ford Fusion suffered a sudden, catastrophic EcoBoost engine coolant failure. The vehicle instantly lost power and dropped to 35mph in active traffic, creating an extreme highway collision hazard. A mechanic has confirmed internal coolant intrusion in the engine block.
A failed transmission cooling line caused the transmission fluid to leak. At no point did the vehicle display a check engine light, transmission warning, or any other indication that there was a problem. According to the Ford dealership, the transmission fluid had been leaking for some time. Because the transmission pan is wrapped in a fabric-like insulating material, the leaking fluid was absorbed rather than dripping onto the ground, making the leak virtually impossible for an owner to detect during normal use. The dealership also advised that this condition could have created a potential fire hazard within the engine compartment. The vehicle has only approximately 40,000 miles, making this type of catastrophic transmission failure especially concerning for a relatively low-mileage vehicle. The first and only symptom occurred when I started the vehicle one day. It hesitated, struggled to shift out of first gear, and drove abnormally. I immediately drove it to the Ford dealership, where it was diagnosed with a complete transmission failure. The vehicle is currently at the dealership, and I have been presented with an estimated repair cost of approximately $12,000. My primary concern is that there was absolutely no warning before this major failure. No warning lights, no diagnostic alerts, and no indication that a significant transmission fluid leak or internal transmission damage was occurring. A safety-critical failure of this magnitude should provide drivers with some form of warning before resulting in complete transmission failure.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine stalled. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinders 3 and 4. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,127.
I’ve learned a while ago that the vehicle doesn’t have a working horn, I’ve replaced the fuse at least five times and it’s still not working. Yes the car was sold to me this way. Also I’ve been getting this warning to my ford app: “The Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)/Cross Traffic Alert (CTA) has detected a fault and may not function. What Should I Do? If either BLIND SPOT NOT AVAILABLE/SENSOR BLOCKED SEE MANUAL or CROSS TRAFFIC NOT AVAILABLE/SENSOR BLOCKED SEE MANUAL is in the information display, the system may not function. Check the exterior vehicle sensors for damage or debris covering them (see Owner's Manual for sensor locations). If the problem persists, please have the system checked by an authorized dealer.” For the last month my car has become hard to drive as if there’s a power steering issue.
I have had this car for 6 years and the transmission has gone out on top of the purge valve, I have seen many people have the same issues with this model and year of this car. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADRESSED. I also see that there is a lawsuit against this issue with the transmission model 6F35
The front left lower control arm (driver's side) snapped off (broke) while turning a corner. There was no reason for the breakage other than turning. It was repaired through insurance. The driver's safety as well as the safety of pedestrians were put at risk because the breakage forced the car to turn sharply to the left. Because of this, the vehicle struck a utility pole. The pole had very little damage, but damage was done to the car. The policeman at the scene inspected the damage, as well as the insurance adjuster in the days following the accident. No warning lights or messages were displayed before the control arm broke. If this had happened at hi-way speeds, it is likely that the resulting loss of control would have resulted in a multi-vehicle accident, resulting in fatalities.
2020 Ford Fusion 1.5L EcoBoost engine completely failed. Ford dealership diagnosed need for complete engine and turbo replacement at $13,475. Believed to be related to known EcoBoost coolant intrusion defect.
Coolant problems and cylinder damage on engine due to coolant intrusion. Ford has not issued a recall on this well known problem and issue on ALL Ford Fusion Models. Several complaints have been made by many Ford Fusion owners for putting drivers and vehicle owners at risk of driving unsafe vehicles and poor driving conditions.
While turning into a parking lot the lower control arm snapped (broke in half, approximately). The picture I sent is of a front lower control arm, however it is not a picture of the actual control arm that broke. After it broke, the car was forced into a sharp left turn, resulting in the car crashing into a telephone pole. The pole was not damaged but there was damage to the car.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon rolling to a stop, the vehicle started shuddering while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the message "Transmission Not in Park" was displayed. The gear shifter then unexpectedly shifted to several positions independently. The contact discovered a YouTube video that assisted with correcting the issue. The contact used a screwdriver to manually shift the gear shifter back to park(P). The contact was forced to maneuver the shifter back and forth until the gear shifter engaged and resumed normal operation. The contact stated while his wife was driving the vehicle on one occasion, the failure recurred, and the driver was forced to tow the vehicle to a local dealer. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) and associated the failure with the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
I don't know if this qualifies as an immediate safety issue, however, if the vehicle is stopped and placed into park on a busy freeway, or in traffic in any way, then this absolutely is a safety issue after the fact because the vehicle cannot be moved due to not being able to get it into gear. This involves the shift linkage component and not being able to get the car out of park and into any other gear. It's already an active recall but it's VIN specific and my VIN was not included. It really needs to be though. It should be all Fusions at this point. I drive a 2020 Ford Fusion and the shift linkage bushing broke. Initially I got the "shift system error" message back in January and could not get my car into gear. It would just bounce right back into park. I had to call a tow truck but eventually the driver was able to somehow reset the system using the hidden reset button in the center console. It was enough to keep me running for a couple of months. However, two weeks ago it happened again and the reset option was no longer working. The car was towed to my dealership and they replaced the "missing" bushing and I was charged $511.00 for the repairs. Considering how widespread this issue this seems to be, I would like to see a full model-specific recall issued for these Fusions and possibly reimbursement for the costs I was subjected to due to the issue. I can provide the service receipts from the dealership showing that it was replaced and the total cost. Thank you!
Automatic transmission failed No warning No smells no shaking no jerking no light on dash board until it went out that's when it jerk and still no check engine light just a wrench that popped up once
HEAD GASKET FAILING, common problem in car. Broke down in the middle of busy Main Street and started smoking out of exhaust pipes. It has been confirmed by my service center that they now have 3 ford fusions, including mine, that they are replacing a head gasket on right now. They were no warning signs, it happened out of nowhere.
I am reporting a life-threatening incident involving my 2020 Ford Fusion PHEV. On December 5, 2025, while my wife was driving on a public street, the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete engine failure followed by smoke and fire originating from the high-voltage battery pack in the trunk. There were no prior warning signs or dashboard alerts before the incident. This vehicle was sold via IAAI auction in September 2023 without disclosing the active, critical safety recall (NHTSA 23V440 / Ford 23S33) issued in June 2023. This non-disclosure placed my family in extreme danger. When the fire started, my wife was in a state of panic. I arrived at the scene before emergency services. Being a technician, I performed a high-risk manual extraction of the burning battery pack to prevent the entire vehicle and the surrounding residential area from a potential explosion. I risked electrocution and toxic chemical exposure to save lives. The damaged battery pack is currently preserved and available for professional inspection upon request. As a result of the fire and exposure to extinguisher chemicals, I suffered respiratory distress and asthma-like symptoms for several days. I have contacted Ford Motor Company through official channels and documented all interactions. Ford representatives stated that they 'only assist customers in the United States' and local representatives in [XXX] have officially refused to provide the remedy, stating they are not authorized or equipped for this specific recall. I am now left with a charred, unusable vehicle. I demand a full investigation into the failure of the recall remedy process and manufacturer liability for these life-threatening damages. ( Form fields about my location are place holders. Contact me in [XXX] (Country) at [XXX] / [XXX] ]. I hope you do don't ignore our lives due to geography. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
purge solenoid unplugged, several times for years, which causes the vehicle not to start up after getting fuel. Check engine light come on often due to this. When I bring vehicle to Mecanic shop they plug it right back. P0443 evap purge control valve “a” circuit
Multiple vehicles of the same year make and model had the shifter cable fail within a short amount of time. car would not change gears properly. problem confirmed and fixed by local mechanic shop. no inspections. no warning lights or messages prior to failure.
Shifter Cable broke in multiple vehicles of the same year make and model in our fleet of vehicles within a short amount of time. Car would not change gears properly. Issue confirmed and fixed by a local mechanic shop. No warning messages or other symptoms prior to failure.
I have a check engine light on due to an issue in the emissions system. The issue is that the purge valve is stuck open. I know that this is an issue that you had a recall on for older models of the ford focus for this same reason. All the systems of a stuck purge valve are the issues I am having with the vehicle.
I only have about 45K miles on my car. I began to hear a rattling sound while vehicle is idling and more pronounced with the air conditioning on. I took it to the Ford service department at the dealership where I bought it and was told it was a cracked engine flex plate and it would be a $3000 cost to repair. I was extremely surprised at such an expensive fix for such low mileage and looking online I found a Ford customer satisfaction program 22N12 for this exact issue. I checked and my car was indeed manufactured at the plant in Hermosillo, MX covered in the program. However I was told that I am not covered because it is for the 2.0L engine and not the 1.5L engine. It seems to be more than a coincidence that I would have this issue on this model of car from this manufacturing plant. There were no warning lights of any kind that went off. I have seen that this could have been a major issue had it went unrepaired and caused a major safety issue. I am unfortunately being forced to pay for this out of pocket on such a new car but also this issue is clearly not only on the 2.0L vehicles and the recall/customer satisfaction program should be expanded to include 1.5L
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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