2017 Ford Fusion Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 78,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost engine power (it shut off) and displayed "auto start stop shift to P, then restart engine". The vehicle has never done this before, and thank goodness my wife did not have the kids in the car at the time. She was able to pull over safely only because she was on a small road with light traffic, and…Owner complaint, filed 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious engine failure and safety issue involving my 2017 Ford Fusion equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. At approximately 79,000 miles, my vehicle experienced a coolant intrusion failure. While driving, the engine suddenly stalled in the middle of an intersection, leaving me stranded in…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 80,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Recurring whining, rattling, and grinding noise coming from under the engine/transmission area of my 2017 Ford Fusion Energi (HF35 hybrid transmission). The noise is present in all gear ranges, including Neutral while the vehicle is moving, but not in Park. No warning lights or trouble codes. The transmission has already been replaced…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The shift cable bushing on my 2017 Ford Fusion SE (VIN: [XXX]) failed and disintegrated, causing the shift selector to bind and disconnect from the transmission linkage. The gear selector shows Park while the transmission remains engaged in gear, creating a severe rollaway hazard. This matches the exact failure mechanism of NHTSA Recall…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 30,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Ford Fusion. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 119,966, but during a repair, it was discovered that the mileage was 200,000.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 200,000 miles

The vehicle's electrical system intermittently fails while driving. The entire instrument cluster and electronics shut off (speedometer, gauges, and all warning indicators go dark) while the engine continues running. On one occasion this occurred at night on a highway, with sudden loss of dashboard and electrical function until the…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 80,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal to stop, the brake pedal extended to the floorboard, and the braking distance was extended. During the failure, the brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 144,955 miles

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 37,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 50,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel detached and was left hanging. The driver moved over to the side of the highway. The contact stated that the steering wheel was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (STEERING)…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 90,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 75,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

According to repair shop check engine light will remain on as anti freeze leaks due to a malfunction in my car. Repair shop states this is not a recall as it is not a safety issue and yet when I put on gas peddle car doesn't auto engage to proper speed. I also don't see how coolant leaking on engine wouldn't be safety issue.Owner complaint, filed 2024

My vehicle is displaying severe symptoms as well as throwing code of the already noted recall for other trims of this car but my car isn’t on recall list. I’ve had to replace the canister purge valve 3 times in less than 2 years, the vacuum seal is affecting fuel tank and honking every 15-20 seconds…when canister gets stuck open, I can’t…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 34,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

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.Owner complaint, filed 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the air bag module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed there was no recall on the VIN related to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 89,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 43,000 miles. Parts named most: Lugs / nuts / bolts / studs (10).

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 71,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the contact was informed by the mechanic that the lug nuts were defective. The lug nuts were replaced. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 54,042 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 8,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

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.Owner complaint, filed 2026

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…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 22,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 60,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

We purchased this 2017 Ford Fusion 1.5L EcoBoost in August 2022 at 48,968 miles. At 55,940 miles, the vehicle developed a documented coolant leak requiring water-pump replacement. At approximately 75,520 miles, the coolant level was again documented as requiring attention. At approximately 84,189 miles, the vehicle experienced low…Owner complaint, filed 2026

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…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 34,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026

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…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 70,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 44,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (5).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 87,419 miles

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…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 60,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

The automatic transmission failed at approximately 59,000 miles. The vehicle was delivered to an authorized Ford dealership on 09/04/2025 for warranty repair. The transmission was replaced. The vehicle remained at that dealership approximately eight months and was returned to me on or about 05/01/2026. After return, a grinding and…Owner complaint, filed 2026

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…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 100,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

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.Owner complaint, filed 2026

I had a bad car accident October 2019 going 45 mph, I push the breaks the car didn’t stop and I crashed not after a month from getting the car from drivetime on a special discountOwner complaint, filed 2025