The 2018 Ford Fusion is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid, hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid, is EPA-rated at 42 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 508 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
2018 Ford Fusion
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
Configuration
Powertrain
Drive
Engine / motor
City
Hwy
Comb
Range
kWh/100mi
Charge (240V)
Annual fuel*
Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid
Plug-in hybrid
FWD
2.0L 4-cyl + 68 kW DCPM
43
41
42 (57 MPGe blended)
21 mi electric
35
2.5 h
$1,600
Fusion Hybrid FWD
Hybrid
FWD
2.0L 4-cyl + 280V Li-Ion
43
41
42
—
—
—
$1,600
Fusion FWD
Gas
FWD
1.5L 4-cyl turbo
23
34
27
—
—
—
$2,500
Fusion FWD
Gas
FWD
2.5L 4-cyl
21
32
25
—
—
—
$2,700
Fusion FWD
Gas
FWD
2.0L 4-cyl turbo
21
31
25
—
—
—
$2,700
Fusion AWD
Gas
AWD
2.0L 4-cyl turbo
20
29
23
—
—
—
$2,900
Fusion AWD
Gas
AWD
2.7L 6-cyl turbo
17
26
20
—
—
—
$3,350
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39408, 39298, 39294, 39295, 39296, 39297, 39299.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates
Configuration
Smog rating
Emission standard
Where it can be sold new
SmartWay
Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid
7 / 10
Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30
All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards
SmartWay Elite
Fusion Hybrid FWD
7 / 10
Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30
All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards
SmartWay
Fusion FWD
7 / 10
California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30
All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards
—
Fusion AWD, Fusion FWD
5 / 10
Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70
All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards
—
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPIC
Dimensions Exterior
Body style
Sedan/Saloon
Doors
4
GVWR class
Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)
Engine Basics
Cylinders
4
Displacement
2.5 L
Engine configuration
In-Line
Engine Output
Horsepower
175 hp
Fuel Economy
Fuel
Gasoline
Seating
Seat rows
2
Seating capacity
5 seats
Transmission
Drivetrain
FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission
Automatic
Transmission speeds
6
Driver assistance
Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: S, SE FWD, SE Hybrid, SE PHEV). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada
Length
191.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)
72.8–73.2 in
Height
57.5–58.3 in
Wheelbase
112.2 in
Track, front
62.2–62.6 in
Track, rear
62.2–62.6 in
Curb weight
3,435–3,962 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear
59/41
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 3 configurations: 4-door Sedan, 4-door Sedan Energi PHEV, 4-door Sedan Hybrid. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
The 2018 Ford Fusion is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (2)
Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
23S12
1,280,726 vehicles45% reported repaired
ProblemFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles.The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.RiskA brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.
ProblemFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles.The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.RiskA steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.FixFord will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
NHTSA defect investigations
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings — Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures closed
On August 8, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 50 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging front brake jounce hose ruptures on model year (MY) 2013-2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A ruptured front brake hose results in a brake fluid leak. As a result, the driver may experience an increase in pedal travel and a reduction in the rate of deceleration, increasing the risk of a crash. It should be noted that the subject vehicles identified fell outside the scope of NHTSA Safety Recall 20V-469, which addressed front brake hoses rupturing on certain MY 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The result causes a brake fl
Whether any of this applies to one specific Fusion
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Ford publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Ford Fusion, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Advertisement
Parts & accessories for the 2018 Ford Fusion
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
The car suddenly stopped accelerating while turning left into an intersection from a stoplight, heading towards to a freeway on-ramp; there was a grinding sound. I was able to move to the curb lane before anyone hit me or others behind me. The car would not go into any gears and kept rolling even when in Park.
Power TrainOct 8, 2026NHTSA owner report · ODI 11769835
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Energi. The contact stated that the hold voltage battery had decreased to 13–15 miles on a full charge when previously averaging 22–23 miles. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 24N19.
I was trying to move items around in my trunk. As I lifted a bag to pull it out, I felt sharp metal cut deep into my finger. I looked in side and saw that the trunk lid was just the frame with holes and no protective covering at all over the metal frame on the top of my trunk.
StructureAug 3, 2022NHTSA owner report · ODI 11477484
MY vehicle gets the tires rotated every 5,000 miles it has 55,000 miles in it the last time they rotated my tires they said the all 2 piece lug nuts will have to be replaced , I'm 75 years old and have worked on all my vehicles and never have I replaced all the lug nuts, I understand this has been happening to many ford products , I hope…
WheelsDec 4, 2021NHTSA owner report · ODI 11442649
Purchased 2018 Ford Fusion titanium used in august 2019. In december 2020 my check engine light came on and I took it for service. Service told me that there is a technical bulletin on the ecoboost engine because there is a bad cast on the head. This causes coolant to leak into the oil. The only way to repair is to replace the engine.
Engineat 64,998 milesJan 12, 2021NHTSA owner report · ODI 11387691
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel felt loose, causing a loss of steering control while making a 360-degree turn. The contact restarted the vehicle and the failure was corrected.
Steeringat 63,000 milesMay 23, 2022NHTSA owner report · ODI 11465811
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Ford itself: 18 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 21 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 11 per 100,000 built. Every Fusion model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
Reported at89k
miles, typically
Half the 216 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 65,000 and 113,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
under 10k9
10k–20k7
20k–30k3
30k–40k8
40k–50k10
50k–60k12
60k–70k16
70k–80k22
80k–90k24
90k–100k21
100k–150k71
150k +13
Median mileage by component
Component
Reports
Median miles
Vs same age
Engine
146
96,000
1.92×
Power Train
52
81,000
2.34×
Electrical System
14
54,000
2.39×
Steering
12
65,000
4.48×
Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2018-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: engine (1.92×), power train (2.34×), electrical system (2.39×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.
Across 2018–2020 model years the Ford Fusion ranks 79 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 3.65× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 79,127 miles against a fleet 23,512).
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP
Configuration
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
4 DR AWD
★★★★★
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★★☆
11%
4 DR FWD
★★★★★
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★★☆
11%
4 DR FWD
★★★★★
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★★☆
11%
4 DR FWD
not rated
not rated
not rated
★★★★☆
11%
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA279
Most recentmanufacturer date2026-02-24
Kindsas classified by NHTSA279 service bulletins
Most often about: Electrical System, Engine, Equipment, Power Train, Seats.
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). Th
This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. 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 recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink related performance Travel Link not present
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. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.
Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs.
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.
This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. 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 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance relat
All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool.
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 testing methods. Ford has evaluated turbochargers replaced for oil leak symptoms and although oil may collect on the external surface of a turbocharger, it is extremely rare for a turbocharger assembly to b
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints
Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.
Power Train
9 bulletins
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMV
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Ford Fusion failed the emissions check on 2.2% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%).
New York inspections2.2%
failed emissions
3,022 initial inspections of 2,933 vehicles.
Measure
The 2018 Fusion
Every 2018 vehicle
Behind it
Failed the emissions check
2.2%
3.0%
3,013
Failed the safety inspection
2.1%
1.9%
3,022
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit
0.20%
0.22%
3,022
Miles driven a year
10,255
10,002
odometer at inspection
Average odometer
85,227
82,833
odometer at inspection
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Ford Fusion, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 18V167000, covering Steering. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2018 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA gave the 2018 Ford Fusion 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (78/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Ford Fusion?
Across the 7 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Ford Fusion, the best EPA combined figure is 42 mpg (MPGe on the electrified versions). Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2018 Ford Fusion?
Transport Canada measured it at 191.7 in long, 72.8–73.2 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.5–58.3 in tall, on a 112.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,435–3,962 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2018 Ford Fusion?
Owners have filed 508 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Fusion, most often about engine, power train, unspecified. Of those, 18 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 13 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2018 Ford Fusion?
The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Ford Fusion runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Ford Fusion?
The manufacturer has filed 279 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Fusion, most often covering electrical system, engine, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-02-24. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2018 Ford Fusion do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Ford Fusion failed the emissions check on 2.2% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
Data
Held
Source
What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations
7 configurations
EPA certification records
Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates
7 configurations
EPA emission certificates
Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls
2
NHTSA recall campaigns
A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints
508
NHTSA complaint database
Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings
4 tested
NHTSA NCAP
Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins
279
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations
2
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports
none
NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01
No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
13 fields
NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns
What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions
7 fields
Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications
Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment
none
Manufacturer press kit
We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.