Car · Ford problems

2016 Ford Fusion problems

1,652 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Fusion. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (32% of them). NHTSA also lists 122 service bulletins and 13 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 31. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 1,652 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling536 · 32%
• Power train (transmission and drive)311 · 19%
• Other or unknown214 · 13%
• Steering176 · 11%
• Electrical system150 · 9%
• Backup camera and sensors135 · 8%
• Service brakes134 · 8%
• Fuel system92 · 6%

18 smaller areas not shown (354 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 122 repair bulletins from Ford for the 2016 Ford Fusion. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 25E01Received June 5, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Certain 2014-2016 Model Year Fusion Vehicles Equipped With 1.5L Engine - Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming.

2. SSM 54366Received November 19, 2025

   Electrical system

   Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025.

3. SSM 53040Received October 16, 2024

   While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

4. 20R01 S1Received September 4, 2024

   Certain 2014-2015 Model Year Fiesta, 2014-2016 Model Year Fusion, MKZ and 2014-2016 Model Year Transit Connect Vehicles Not Covered in Safety Recall: 20S15 or 23S36 Door Latch Replacement and...

5. SSM 52335Received March 20, 2024

   Engine and engine cooling

   For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and...

6. SSM 51536Received May 4, 2023

   Body and structure

   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.

7. SSM 51409Received April 4, 2023

   Engine and engine cooling

   Some 2014-2020 Fusion and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles may be equipped with a 1.5L Ecoboost engine that uses a 50-tooth variable camshaft timing (VCT) intake and exhaust unit from the assembly plant...

8. SSM 51261Received January 6, 2023

   Service brakes

   Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2016 Ford Fusion. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 26V376000June 9, 2026

   Power train

   The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.

2. 22V413000June 10, 2022

   Power train

   The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

3. 19V362000May 13, 2019

   Power train

   The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission.

See all 13 recalls for the 2016 Ford Fusion, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Fusion will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 536 complaints · 32%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Power train (transmission and drive) 311 complaints · 19%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Steering 176 complaints · 11%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Electrical system 150 complaints · 9%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2016 Ford Fusion: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 Ford Fusion?

Of the 1,652 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Fusion, 536 (32%) name engine and engine cooling, and 311 (19%) name power train (transmission and drive). A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2016 Ford Fusion reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 60 of the 1,652 complaints as involving a crash and 6 as involving a fire. They also reported 31 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2016 Ford Fusion have?

NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2016 Ford Fusion. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 122 repair bulletins for the 2016 Ford Fusion.

More

• 2019 Fusion problems
• 2018 Fusion problems
• 2017 Fusion problems
• 2015 Fusion problems
• 2014 Fusion problems
• 2013 Fusion problems
• 2012 Fusion problems
• 2011 Fusion problems
• 2010 Fusion problems
• 2016 recalls
• All Ford recalls
• Ford problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.