2018 Ford Fusion engine problems
300 of the 506 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Fusion name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 84 manufacturer bulletins. 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 engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 300 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2018: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 14 · 2023: 69 · 2024: 103 · 2025: 61 · 2026: 33
Half of the 146 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 78,000 and 120,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
506 complaints in all about the 2018 Ford Fusion, 33 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 “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Ford Fusion engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered momentarily. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that coolant needed to be added to the coolant reservoir occasionally. While driving at various speeds, the engine overheated. Additionally, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was slow to start.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while her husband was driving 35-40 MPH after an oil change had been performed on the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant intrusion in the engine.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -Engine/Coolant System How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -Coolant is being drained by engine. Subsequently, the coolant is going in to the engine, causing overheating, and potentially, a fire.
My check engine light came on. It was diagnosed as a misfire in cylinder 2. Today I was told the entire engine needs to be replaced
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications84 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- SSM 52335 Service bulletinMar 6, 2024
- 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
The 1 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P1299 P0217 P0316 P0300 P1285 P0011 P0012 P0014
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2018 Ford Fusion names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2018 Ford Fusion
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 122 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2018 Ford Fusion?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 300 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (59% of everything owners filed about it), and 84 manufacturer bulletins are 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 engine on the 2018 Ford Fusion?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 2 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2018 Ford Fusion?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 96,000 miles; half of them between 78,000 and 120,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.