2016 Ford Fusion fuel system problems
92 of the 1,709 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Fusion name the fuel system (NHTSA’s “Fuel/Propulsion System” heading — fuel tanks, lines, pumps and injection — and on an EV, the propulsion battery and motors). Filed under the same heading: 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the fuel system
Source: NHTSA complaint database2 of the 92 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 12 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 12 · 2019: 10 · 2020: 16 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 4
Half of the 60 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the fuel system problem between 18,000 and 81,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
1,709 complaints in all about the 2016 Ford Fusion, 4 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Fuel/Propulsion System” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Ford Fusion fuel system problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the fuel system. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The car will stall when coming to a stop and only at low speeds when coming to a stop. Never while driving the fuel filler flapper will vibrate making a what sounds like a growl. Try to restart it will run fruff and die.
We've been experiencing the swishing movement of the the gas in the gas tank when braking, going over a rugged surface & going over speed bumps or potholes. Some times there is a strong smell of gas from inside the car to the point where we have to put the windows down.
I was driving slowly up a small slight hill, made a right turn, then another quick right turn to drive straight into a parking spot located in a condo parking lot and took my foot off the gas to put it on the brake. I was probably going 2 to 3 MPH. A person could have outwalked the car.
After putting my car in reverse I put it in drive and it hesitates for about 4 minutes before moving into drive. This happens no matter what I AM driving on
My car had been vibrating pretty bad for a while, but I live on a dirt road and know that mud can cause this, so I chalked it up to that and was getting the under carriage washed and noticing that this did not help.
What is on file about the fuel system
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 15V618000 HighOct 1, 2015 · 658 vehicles
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 13, 2015, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a fuel tank that may have insufficent wall thickness. As a result, the fuel tanks may crack in the event of a crash and thus the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Ford Fusion names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Ford Fusion
Source: the same files- engine problems 572 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 315 complaints
- steering problems 186 complaints
- electrical problems 164 complaints
- brake problems 140 complaints
- backup camera and parking sensor problems 132 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre fuel system problems common on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 92 owner complaints naming the fuel system on this model year (5% of everything owners filed about it), and 1 recall is filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the fuel system on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 15V618000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do fuel system problems show up on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 62,000 miles; half of them between 18,000 and 81,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Fuel/Propulsion System" heading cover?
Fuel tanks, lines, pumps and injection — and on an EV, the propulsion battery and motors. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.