Car · Ford problems

2018 Ford Fusion problems

444 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Fusion. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (62% of them). NHTSA also lists 121 service bulletins and 2 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: 6. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 444 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 cooling274 · 62%
• Power train (transmission and drive)107 · 24%
• Other or unknown47 · 11%
• Fuel system30 · 7%
• Electrical system26 · 6%
• Steering19 · 4%
• Wheels11 · 2%
• Backup camera and sensors8 · 2%

12 smaller areas not shown (34 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 121 repair bulletins from Ford for the 2018 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. TSB 25-2570Received December 1, 2025

   Electrical system

   Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice...

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 53174Received December 3, 2024

   Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs.

4. 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.

5. TSB 24-2165Received June 6, 2024

   Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019...

6. SSM 52314Received March 20, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   During service and repair requiring removal and replacement of a crankshaft bolt and/or crankshaft damper, achieving proper torque of the crankshaft pulley bolt is critical.

7. 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...

8. SSM 51838Received September 4, 2023

   Electrical system

   In various 2017-2023 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, customers may receive a message in the FordPass or LincolnWay App stating Feature Unavailable.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Ford Fusion. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer.

1. 23V162000March 10, 2023

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.

2. 18V167000March 12, 2018

   Steering

   The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.

See all 2 recalls for the 2018 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 274 complaints · 62%

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) 107 complaints · 24%

• 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

Fuel system 30 complaints · 7%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Electrical system 26 complaints · 6%

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

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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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2018 Ford Fusion: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Ford Fusion?

Of the 444 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Fusion, 274 (62%) name engine and engine cooling, and 107 (24%) 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 2018 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 9 of the 444 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 6 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2018 Ford Fusion have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 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 121 repair bulletins for the 2018 Ford Fusion.

More

• 2019 Fusion problems
• 2017 Fusion problems
• 2016 Fusion problems
• 2015 Fusion problems
• 2014 Fusion problems
• 2013 Fusion problems
• 2012 Fusion problems
• 2011 Fusion problems
• 2010 Fusion problems
• 2018 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.