What 1,455 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Fusion Energi

On 9/5/2024, the driver (27/M) and lone occupant was found unresponsive in the vehicle which was observed rolling to a stop. The vehicle impacted a chain link fence at low speed and there was minimal damage to the vehicle. First responders commented: "extremely noxious odor, smelling like burnt eggs was detected. Odor was most prevalent in backseat area and then when the trunk was opened. In the trunk is where the vehicle's hybrid battery system was located". The driver was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced dead on 9/5/2024. An autopsy was performed with toxicological analysis. Hydrogen sulfide was detected.

NHTSA ODI 11636247

Date of first incident was Nov 19, 2023. I was driving home from taking my elderly mother to the doctor and my engine just shut off. I had plenty of gas, my oil and transmission had been changed, no warning lights came on my dash prior to the engine stopping. The only message I had on my car said the car is not in park. No one can seem to find out why. It has done this at a moderate rate of speed (45mph). My steering wheel locked and I can't steer the car giving me the option to get to a safe place on the road. I have to hit another vehicle or hit a pole. I have good insurance but I don't want to use it to fix body damage. I can't afford that with a 300 dollar car payment. My break sensor error light will come on as well and I went to have the breaks changed and fluid replaced but it doesn't work. I am afraid that I might get hurt or someone else will, but I can't afford another care to help care for my parents or get to the doctor. The Ford dealership will not let me trade it in unless I give them 7000 dollars. The transmission will Jerk when changing gears. I still owe 9000 dollars. I looked online to see if I could find a solution and multiple people are complaining about the same problem.

NHTSA ODI 11556322

RECENTLY, BOTH OF THE FRONT HEATED AND COOLED SEATS ON MY FORD FUSION STOPPED WORKING. I WENT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR, TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE BURNT CONNECTOR IS DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE SCME MODULE AND THAT BOTH THE CONNECTOR AND SCME WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $596.11. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THE MODULE IS FAILED, AND THAT REGARDLESS, A MODULE FAILURE SHOULD NEVER RESULT IN A CONNECTOR BURNING AS ALL THIS CIRCUITRY SHOULD BE FUSE PROTECTED AGAINST OVERCURRENT WITHOUT BURNING. I TOLD THEM THAT I BELIEVED THE MODULE APPEARS TO BE FAILED ON THEIR DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEM BECAUSE THE GROUND TO THE MODULE HAS MELTED AND HAS THUS BECOME DISCONNECTED. I COMPLETED SOME INVESTIGATION AND THE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO INSUFFICIENT GROUNDING TO THE SCME MODULE (SEAT CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE) UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT RESULTS IN OVERCURRENT TO A GROUND PIN TO THE SCME, WHICH RESULTS IN THE CONNECTOR MELTING AND BECOMING DISCONNECTED FROM THE SCME. I AM CONCERNED DUE TO FIRE RISK IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AS WELL AS ANY IMPACT THIS FAILURE MAY HAVE ON THE SEAT AIRBAGS. I WAS ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF BY REPLACING THE CONNECTOR AND ADDING A SECOND GROUND WIRE TO THE SCME TO PROVIDE PROPER GROUNDING. ATTACHED IS A PICTURE OF THE MELTED WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR ON MY CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11406149

THERE WAS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONING TAKING PLACE AND THE POWER STEERING WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND THE CAR WOULD JUST STALL AND LIKE LOCK UP EVERYTHING IN IT AND EVERYTHING WOULD BE FLASHING ON AND ON INSIDE ON AND OFF

NHTSA ODI 11364721

WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED ALL THE WAY TO EITHER SIDE, MULTIPLE ALARM SOUNDS GO OFF IN THE VEHICLE INCLUDING LOSS OF POWER STEERING, LOSS OF REVERSE SENSORS, LOSS OF HILL ASSIST AND LOSS OF STABILITY CONTROL. THIS OCCURS ANYTIME THE WHEEL IS FULLY TURNED, EITHER STATIONARY OR MOVING. THIS OCCURRED 2 YEARS AGO IN THE SAME VEHICLE AND THEY REPLACED THE COMPUTER, AFTER NOT FINDING ANY OTHER ISSUE. NOW IT IS OCCURRING AGAIN, SAME SYMPTOMS, SAME CAUSE. A VIDEO CAN EASILY BE SENT IF REQUESTED.

NHTSA ODI 11353873

MY CAR WAS SERVICED BY KOONS FORD IN BALT, MD FROM MAY 26TH-28TH TO ADDRESS A RECALL THAT REQUIRED REMOVAL OF MY ENGINE. AFTER THE REPAIR, MY CAR SAT IN MY PARKING SPACE AT HOME THE WHOLE WEEKEND DUE TO COVID-19. ON THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, JUNE 1ST, MY CAR ENGINE EXPLODED ON I83 WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS USING MY CAR TO GO TO WORK. MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FIRE AND TOTALED. FORTUNATELY, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY GET MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS THE CABIN STARTED TO FILL WITH SMOKE AND JUMP OUT. KOONS FORD TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD "SHRINK WRAP" MY CAR AT THE LOT THE POLICE HAD IT TOWED TO AND BRING IT BACK TO "INVESTIGATE HOW THE FIRE STARTED." THEY LIED AND THEN TOLD MY INSURANCE COMPANY THAT THEY DID NOT CAUSE THE FIRE. IN ADDITION, WHILE I WAS THERE WAITING IN THEIR LOBBY, THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD "GET ME A RENTAL" IN THE MEANTIME WHILE THEY INVESTIGATE. NOT ONLY DID THEY LIE AND IMPLY I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CAUSING THE FIRE, THEY TRIED TO STIFF ME FOR THE COST OF THE RENTAL. ONLY AFTER I PUSHED BACK, THEY FINALLY PAID THE RENTAL BILL. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS PAID FOR THE COST OF MY LOST CAR WHICH I NOW AM BEARING ADDITIONAL COSTS IN MY INSURANCE COVERAGE. MY CAR HAD ONLY BEEN SERVICED BY KOONS FORD AND WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THEM WORKING ON THE RECALL. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR GOING ON 2 MONTHS NOW AS I CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE ON ANOTHER 4-6 YEARS OF CAR PAYMENTS AS I WAS CLOSING ON A NEW HOME AT THE SAME TIME THE FIRE HAPPENED. I REACHED OUT TO FMC AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE SOMEONE FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE CONTACT ME WHICH ENDED UP TO BE YET ANOTHER LIE.*DT *TR

NHTSA ODI 11341662

INSERTING KEY INTO IGNITION FUEL PUMP WOULD KICK ON OCCASIONALLY, THE DOORS WOULDN'T ALWAYS UNLOCK UPON SHUTTING CAR OFF, DASH AND RADIO DELAYED COMING ON AT TIMES UPON STARTING, UNLOCKING DOORS WITH KEY FOB THERE WOULD BE STATIC COMING FROM BACK SPEAKERS, KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD UNLOCK BUT NOT ALWAYS RELOCK, A FEW TIMES THE KEY WOULDN'T START CAR THERE WOULD BE NO REACTION AT TURNING OVER, DASH WOULD LIGHT UP AT TIMES WHEN NO KEY WAS IN IGNITION AND CAR LOCKED, HEATER WOULD BLOW HOT AIR THEN TURN TO COLD AS IF A/C WAS ON, ONE DAY BATTERY WAS DEAD AND HAD TO JUMP IT NOTHING WAS LEFT ON AND CAR WAS LOCKED.

NHTSA ODI 10861936