What 1,774 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi

My vehicle steering has failed/is failing. While driving I had intermittent loss of power steering and a knocking noise when turning the wheel in any direction which has been confirmed by my local ford dealer. They have stated that the electric rack and pinion is the issue. I didn’t receive any notification on my dashboard. It seems this is an ongoing problem with my year vehicle in other states.

NHTSA ODI 11515297

The power steering failed on the highway. The Ford dealer quoted $3,000 to repair the power steering.

NHTSA ODI 11514668

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that an unknown warning light had appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was test driven and the fault codes were reset. Upon restart of the vehicle, the power steering assist message appeared on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and a dealer however, the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 163,233.

NHTSA ODI 11506230

While driving my vehicle into the garage, I placed the car into the P(park) gear and the car continued to roll. I had to hit the emergency break to stop the vehicle. The fuel line keeps cracking although it has been replaced multiple times causing gas to be leaking from the vehicle even after filling the car up.

NHTSA ODI 11505722

2013 ford fusion energi, Power steering assist has failed. We have TWO 2013 fusions and this has now happened to both cars.

NHTSA ODI 11503789

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the power steering assist fault message was displayed, and the steering wheel became difficult firm. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the EPS gear and the axle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering). The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11502767

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle would unintendedly drift to the left. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering functionality. A warning message indicating power steering failure was displayed. The contact was able to continue driving by using physical force to steer the vehicle. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for recall repair; however, after the recall repair, the power steering failure increased significantly. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

NHTSA ODI 11502396

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while reversing the vehicle, the steering wheel disengaged. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

NHTSA ODI 11500981

The steering wheel of my 2013 Ford fusion is becoming loose. Apon looking up this issue I found that there is a recall on 2014-2018 Ford Fusions for this same issue. I am wondering if my vehicle can be included so that this safety issue can be fixed?

NHTSA ODI 11500807

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while his wife was driving 70 MPH, a warning message indicating power steering failure was displayed. The contact's wife veered to the side the road and attempted to activate the hazard lights however, the hazard lights were inoperable. The contact met his wife on the side of the road and towed the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering gear control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11500842

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, a message indicating a power steering failure was displayed. The steering wheel locked. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact was able to drive to her residence by using physical force to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to another independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the Powertrain Control module (PCM) had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as there was no open recall on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.

NHTSA ODI 11500525

The steering gear failed while driving and I had a total loss of power steering. I had no warning when this fault occurred, and the only warning came after the event. The original part that malfunctioned is not available for inspection, nor was it inspected by any other agency prior to its replacement. Loss of power steering while driving is incredibly dangerous, thankfully no accident occurred due to this failure.

NHTSA ODI 11499815

Power Steering warning light came on while I was driving. I was still able to steer the car. After I shut the car off and turned it back on I could barely steer the car. The warning light came on again. I left the car at a nearby garage, but they are closed until Jan 2, because of the holiday. I could have gotten into an accident. Other vehicles were flashing their lights and honking as I had to drive very slowly with my hazards on to get to the repair station. This is truly a safety issue with my 2013 Ford Fusion.

NHTSA ODI 11499445

My 2013 Ford Fusion experienced an electronic powered steering failure recently. It is my belief that this was due to an incorrect, incomplete, and ultimately unsafe repair to the affected system. From my research this model and year has experienced significant issues and failures of the "steering gearbox" even after the recall from Manufacturer Campaign Number: 19S26. Failures of the steering gearbox leading to an abrupt failure of the power steering system in the vehicle is not only incredibly dangerous but subsequently an issue what was not fully resolved by the organization. This vehicle has many foundational safety concerns that are a result of cheap and incomplete repairs revealing weaknesses in sustainable practices and beliefs held by the organization. When the issue arose it was abrupt and without warning initially. The vehicle is very difficult to control even at higher speeds with the failure of the electronic power steering gear box as compared to a traditional fluid based power steering system. When I had the vehicle inspected on 11/15/2022 I inquired from the ford dealership whether the work completed looked sufficient it was not answered. The employee also made note that this issue is "very common" and "very expensive to repair". As a result of this I am requesting that the NHTSA seriously review information and gather data corroborating information I have provided. I believe The Ford Motor Company needs to be held responsible for a full repair or provide assistance to those experiencing this issue to a part that if fixed properly would not be an issue under reasonable circumstance. Looking at the trends of this vehicle, its recalls, and its level of consistency of repair it has been extremely poor and unsafe. The most recent recall involving the seat belt has been "fixed" many times poorly resulting in another recall. This power steering gear box failure is build from the same clay and should be resolved through repair or repair based assistance.

NHTSA ODI 11493809

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while his wife was reversing and turning the steering wheel, the front of the vehicle emitted abnormal loud clunking and popping sounds. The message "Service Advancetrac" and a message indicating that the Hill Stop Assist had failed were displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it diagnosed that the steering rack needed to be replaced as the steering gear motor bolts were fractured. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 41,500.

NHTSA ODI 11488035

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist with the Power Steering Assist Fault message displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the electric power steering gear and torque sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11484241

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was loose. Additionally, the contact stated that the bolt failed, and the steering wheel detached and became inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was notified, and the contact was informed that there were no recalls regarding the steering. The contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. No warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11483684

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering fault message displayed on several occasions before eventually an audible beeping activated and the message "Service Power steering now" suddenly displayed and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V250000 (Steering). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11483110

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that extra effort was needed while attempting to park the vehicle. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure recurred the following day. The “Power Steering Assist System - Service Required” message was displayed. The contact disconnected and reconnected the battery but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under the recall as the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 96,300.

NHTSA ODI 11481220

Power steering column just stopped working in the middle of driving and I made it home okay but the next day it barely even could move and a bunch of lights came up on the dash and they wouldn’t stop going off whenever I start the car

NHTSA ODI 11480295

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated when she starts the vehicle, it vibrates, the steering wheel was difficult to operate, and the instrument panel would not illuminate occasionally. The check engine and other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failure for the instrument panel and was repaired about 7 months ago; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired for vibrating and steering failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000.

NHTSA ODI 11479390

Lost power steering almost crashed into a vehicle and had to pull off the highway, again almost crashing into guard rail Why weren't all of these electric power steering assist recalled? Very dangerous 2013 Ford Fusion

NHTSA ODI 11477936

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the steering warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to her destination and parked the vehicle. The contact stated upon restarting the vehicle, the steering wheel was locked. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack needed to be replaced and the steering module needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that she would hear abnormal grinding sounds coming from the front end of the driver's side of the vehicle while driving and turning the steering wheel. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in the recall associated with the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,921.

NHTSA ODI 11476469

The power steering was never a problem. I came back from a concert and tried to drive my car home and out of no where my hazards turn on, thought I just accidentally touched the button but that wasn't the case. A few seconds later the service power steering light came on and wouldn't stop making noise but I made it home okay. And then the next day when I started it, it didn't want to move at all and the message on the screen came back up and made a more urgent sound I guess you'd say, but there was never anything wrong with my car, it just stopped working in the middle of me driving home. My VIN number is [XXX] it just wouldn't let me put it in the other box. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11475758

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist with the power steering assist warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 117,000. The consumer stated the airbag light is on in the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11475179