Print this page

CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2013 Fusion doesn’t have the same track record of power steering failure as the previous 3 model years. Of course, those owners said their steering failed at 60k–100k miles. So this appears to be a classic "wait and see" scenario.

In the meantime, there’s plenty of interior accessory problems to complain about. By themselves, each is a barely a blip on the radar. But combined, they give you that feeling of what the hell have I gotten myself into?

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 68
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
73,108 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Ford Fusion engine problems

engine problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2013 Ford Fusion:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2013 Ford Fusion Owner Comments (Page 3 of 18)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #302

Dec 142020

Fusion

  • 149,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

There was a recall on my model in 2018 which they say was fixed. But it is causing un going issues. Now the (ctv)? module needs replacing. Bottom line, cylinder head sensor keeps shooting a code that the coolant is to low, while it is not. You start the car and the needle shoots to hot. Warning signal goes of and engine starts to shake plus fans kick on. Engine light plus overheating comes on. Leaks have been fixed but the module was a recall and they verbally no longer grant it freely fixed, because of time overlaps.

- Baytown, TX, USA

problem #301

Jul 232020

Fusion

  • miles
2013 Ford Fusion with 90K miles, multiple recalls for coolant system, dealer now saying engine must be replaced. Warranty service on 12/06/18 for new coolant sensor, and had bypass T-assembly replaced ($312 charge). Overheating with coolant leakage and oil leakage, return to dealer on 7/23/19. Assessment is the engine needed replacement, overheating caused cracked cylinder and coolant is leaking into the engine.

- Glendale, AZ, USA

problem #300

Dec 142020

Fusion

  • 118,000 miles
I purchased the car 4 months ago and discovered shortly after it was leaking coolant from a hose in the heating system. This external coolant leak was a 500$ repair. Earlier this week, my check engine light came on for the first time when I was in traffic on my way home from work. I was driving about 20 mph and heard a dull thud (I was told later this was probably my engine popping). I immediately took the car to a shop to have the code read (P0302). I scheduled an appointment at my local Ford dealership at 7 am the next morning (14 hours after the light came on). They diagnosed the car and called me to tell me there was an internal coolant leak in the engine and the only way to fix the car was a total engine replacement. They quoted me at 8500$ (more than the amount I purchased the car for) and told me multiple times there was nothing else I could do to fix it. I found out after my family checked out the car that the leak had caused a cracked head gasket and the spark plugs in the cylinder were contaminated from the coolant. The Ford ecoboost 1.6L engine has an open recall for causing engine fires because of an internal coolant leak, but they refused to acknowledge that the design flaw in the engine that cause coolant leaks led to the irreparable damage to my engine. They told me I could drive the car off the lot since I was not completing the repair there, but I couldn't make it out of the parking lot and had to have the car towed to my house. The car was shaking and the check engine light was flashing, which it had not been when I brought the car in. The engine is not safe and even if I were to fix it the design flaw would likely cause the problem to reoccur. Ford needs to acknowledge the engine is unsafe and pay to replace it with a newer engine that does not have the same flaws.

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #299

Nov 212020

Fusion 4-cyl

  • 165,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owned a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while approaching a stop sign, when she saw noticed smoke exiting the front hood. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to exit the vehicle with her son and stated saw fire under the hood and starting to move to the rear of the vehicle. The contact and her son did not sustain any injuries or seek medical attention. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A police and fire report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The fire department deemed the vehicle was loss. The vehicle was towed to junkyard. The contact called local dealer crossroads Ford Lincoln of lumberton ( 5045 dawn dr, lumberton, nc 28358;(910) 738-6281) and was made aware of the failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired as of yet. The manufacturer had been informed of failure. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 17V209000 (engine and engine cooling) and was informed by the manufacture her VIN was included to recall. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.

- Maxton, NC, USA

problem #298

Aug 012020

Fusion

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was white smoke coming from the engine compartment and entering inside of the vehicle without warning. An independent mechanic was called to the residence, and informed her that the failure was the result of a cracked cylinder head which caused an oil leak. Mccoy & mills Ford (700 w commonwealth ave, fullerton, ca 92832, (855) 710-0183) was contacted by phone and informed of the failure. The contact was provided information on NHTSA campaign number: 17V209000 (engine and engine cooling) which was linked to the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the recall repair was previously performed. The contact was provided an estimate for the repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #297

Dec 022020

Fusion

  • 141,500 miles
Engine started overheating when I was on my way to work. I checked the coolant and it was low. I replaced the coolant to proper level. Later that day, after driving down a busy city street, white smoke started to come from under the hood. I pulled into a parking lot and saw flames coming from behind the engine. I called Ford and they got me in the following week. After a month of back and forth with warranty company, Ford called me to say the warranty company declined the repair because they don't cover damage due to overheating. My car has overheated occasionally even after getting the recall 17V209000 'fixed.' Ford said the repair is $9K. I'm frustrated because this has happened to several other people who have had the same problem as me and it's not being addressed!

- Ogden, UT, USA

problem #296

Oct 152020

Fusion

  • 162,345 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving to work and I heard a loud sound follow by oil pressure lost I pull over at a gas station and notice that all my oil was poring out out my vehicle.I than car for a tow truck to have my vehicle towed..why dis my vehicle do that.I did not make it to work...I had to call off was not happy about it.this situation cost me my job due to car failure..it happened on city street leading to high way.

- Parkersburg, WV, USA

problem #295

Nov 212020

Fusion

  • 97,000 miles
Car continues to lose coolant and overheat. It has been in and out of the shop for 6 months with no luck on a solution. Two different shops have said the radiator and thermostat is fine. We thought we had it fixed this last time in the shop, the seal in the reservoir tank had an air bubble in it, but 6 days into having it home the coolant level light came in once again. I am at a lost and out of funds to continue to put it in the shop. The issue always happens when in motion, will get an overheating warning and temperature will go from normal to overheated within sexonds and car will go into limp mode

- Terrell, TX, USA

problem #294

Sep 042020

Fusion

  • 150,000 miles
Long standing issue with Ford Fusion, and it's only gotten worse. Recently I've discovered a plug stuck in cylinder 4, a misfire, and my engine is losing coolant without any exterior & visible loss areas. It was 'repaired' from the recall when only a sensor was added and no actual repair was done to prevent complete engine failure. Cyl 4 has a misfire, coolant is needing to be refilled constantly, car is now overheating, and this is after I've done all the preventative maintenance in addition to Ford 'recall fix' 17S09 that fixed absolutely nothing. Any time that I drive it now, no matter what speed, any longer than 10 min, my 'low coolant' warning comes on from the engine burning coolant off. I've had to completely shut my entire car off, wait for engine to cool off, and have been left stranded a few times now. Very frustrating considering I've maintained this vehicle exceptionally since I've owned it.

- Oskaloosa, KS, USA

problem #293

Nov 032020

Fusion

  • 114,710 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle stalled with the low coolant level and check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the coolant reservoir was two-thirds full. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact stated that the failure was like the failure referenced in NHTSA campaign number: 17V209000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was contacted however no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 114,710.

- Ilion, NY, USA

problem #292

Nov 022020

Fusion

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine coolant leaking but no leak can be found. Have to put coolant in car every other day or any time I drive more than 30 miles.

- Warrensville Hts, OH, USA

problem #291

Oct 092020

Fusion

  • miles
While driving I smelled a faint whiff of gasoline, moments later the car began filling up with smoke that spilled in through the heater vents. There was also smoke that was coming from under the hood. My husband & I jumped out of the car to run to safety and I saw fire under the front end of the car. Once the fire fighters arrived and extinguished the fire we were told it looks like the engine had caught on fire.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #290

Dec 172019

Fusion

  • 59,000 miles
Car violently shook when applying accelerator at low speeds. The car was shaking so violently that I had to stop driving and call for a tow truck. Only drove approx. 1/4 mile from where it was parked on a Suburban road. Car nearly undriveable. Spark plugs and wires had just been replaced by mechanic recommendation the day before. Engine misfiring.

- Timonium, MD, USA

problem #289

Sep 152020

Fusion

  • 117,000 miles
Previously had engine replaced by local Ford dealer due to recall of coolant system causing overheat of the engine. Less than 2 years from time of replacement the engine failed for the exact same reason the original recall work was done. Am being told that this repair will not be covered under warranty of original work or recall.

- Eagle Mountain, UT, USA

problem #288

Aug 042020

Fusion

  • 160,000 miles
My car has had an issue with losing coolant for the past several years. It has gone into safe mode while driving on the road several times and been flat bedded to the dealer several times. Please pull my service records for more information. After the dealership having neglected the issue and shrugging off recalls for several years, the coolant issue has causes irreparable damage to the engine.

- Bolivar, NY, USA

problem #287

Aug 282020

Fusion

  • 127,000 miles
I noticed this issue a few different times and thought nothing major of it, but for whatever reason my transmission would continue to propel the vehicle forward regardless of the vehicle was in neutral and also noticed the vehicle would often times continue to accelerate and fail to engine brake after my foot had let off the accelerator. The latter of which I was more concerned about and was going to have a mechanic look at it next time I took the vehicle in to get serviced. However, before I was able to do that I was involved in a motor vehicle accident that totaled the vehicle. I was driving in a rural area and approached a set of train tracks. I went to slow down to cross the tracks via engine braking, but the vehicle continued to accelerate. I attempted to use the brakes to slow down before I reached the tracks, but the delayed response and the gravel on the roadway proved no avail at slowing the vehicle and I hit the tracks going much faster than I would have liked, around 40 miles per hour. The roughness of the tracks caused my front axle to snap, yanking me to the right off the roadway, through someone's yard and into some timber. What I thought was also concerning was the airbags failed to deploy at all during the accident.

- Nilwood, IL, USA

problem #286

Aug 162020

Fusion

  • 136,500 miles
This past Sunday our son drove our Fusion less than 1.5 miles to church, parked it and went inside. Around 5 minutes later, someone saw smoke coming out of it. The engine compartment caught on fire. The car had not been driven before that since Thursday evening. The car had the recall work done over 2 years earlier when we purchased it for the coolant issue suspected of engine fires. The car had no other issues and had it's state inspection a little over a month ago. Our insurance company has decided not to conduct an investigation as to the cause. Is this something you would be interested in investigating?

- Lanse, PA, USA

problem #285

Aug 132020

Fusion

  • 49,000 miles
With the check engine light coming on weekly, I had the local Ford garage look at my car while in for another recall. They informed me it was a cylinder 3 misfire and was losing antifreeze. They said the engine would need replaced. My car had under 50K miles at that time.

- Leechburg, PA, USA

problem #284

Aug 122020

Fusion

  • 117,000 miles
Car had a coolant leak motor started to run hot, don't know if it's from a recall, got it repaired at the dealer where I got the car from, told them bout the defect/recall and was charged $819. Rear seat belt gets stuck when folding seat down causing it not to fold back up.

- Mastic, NY, USA

problem #283

Jul 162020

Fusion

  • 124,560 miles
When I bought the car it drove good. After about 30 mins of driving it the low coolant light came on while sitting at a red light. We took it to the shop and they said it was the coolant sensor so we replaced it. After it was replaced the same situation happened and they said the cylinder head may be cracked. The car hasn't ran out of water.

- Waycross, GA, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?