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

I own a 2016 Ford Fusion and the brake pedal stop bumper disintegrated and fell onto my floorboard. As a result, my brake lights stayed on, draining my battery. When I tried to drive, my car would not accelerate over 20 mph, and I barely made it home safely. I where it's extreme humid and salty air are constant, the same conditions identified in Ford’s 22S02 recall. Ford has stated my vehicle is not included, but this is a clear safety hazard identical to the recall issue. I request that NHTSA investigate and include my vehicle in the 22S02 recall.

NHTSA ODI 11675595

The ABS module is faulty and light will come on at random times and makes steering hard and braking on right side of vehicle is hard. I have taken it to Raceway Ford of Hartsville and they are having a hard time getting the part due to it being called obsolete but I think it needs to be on the recall list as well due to it being a safety concern on my vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11658864

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the exterior brake lights remained on after turning off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V011000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11621899

The left rear caliper has been replaced 3 times in the last 6 months and is currently in the shop for a 4th. This locks up for no reason and ruins the brake pad and the rotor and I have now replaced all of that 3 times as well and the brake hose line.

NHTSA ODI 11611166

This failure narrowly resulted in a serious accident when my vehicle applied the brakes without warning and dropped the speed to below 40 mph on the Highway! I was extremely fortunate not to have been closely followed by a large semi at the time. I researched on my own and found this was a known defect: Ford Recall reference #22S02 (21C24) March 2022. includes vehicles built in Hemosillo plant from Oct 2013 thru 6 April 2015. my fusion was built there on 2 April 2015 but was not included in the March 2022 recall so I was never notified. Apparently this was a known defect and on going problem since Ford issued SSM 50328 to cover various vehicles built from 2013 to 2021 (Includes 2013-2017 Fusion/MKZ). I was able to drive the vehicle safely on back roads to a local Ford dealer where the problem was addressed. I submitted a request for refund to Ford and advise them of this continuing safety issue that should have been addressed with a properly expanded recall. Ford denied my request and tried to avoid the ongoing safety issue claiming it was an "out of warranty" matter.

NHTSA ODI 11609877

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her son was driving at approximately 65 MPH, the "Low Brake Fluid" warning light was blinking. The contact attempted to slow down and depressed the brake pedal, and the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that her son was able to stop the vehicle and called for assistance. The contact stated that she drove to his location had a quart of brake fluid and refilled the brake fluid reservoir. The vehicle was driven back to her residence. The contact noticed that brake fluid was forming a puddle underneath the driver's side rear wheel well. The contact stated that NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) repair had been completed in November 2023; for the front brake lines. The contact related the failure of the rear driver’s side brake failure to the recall. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11604441

While traveling at a high rate of speed of 75 mph, on the highway, my brakes failed, the brake pedal was pushed to the floor. The car was hesitant to shift/accelerate. Upon trying to get some type of braking remedy i almost crashed from off the bridge that i was trying to merge on to. upon trying to stop the car i went up a small grade which brought the car to a stop with the emergency brake on. While out of the vehicle the back, driver side caliber caught flame with bluish and greenish flames from the brake fluid coming out, being the metal was at an extreme temperature. I thankfully had my children's drinks/slushies in the car to throw on the flame to stop the spread and to put the flames out. I had to call for a tow truck to get myself and children off the side of the highway. After a $172.98 bill, the car was towed home. I contacted the dealership, which was then told i was responsible to pay and have it towed yet again to the dealerships lot. I have contacted the ford manufacture customer service line, dealership and the number for the recall notice multiple times to get my car fixed and have yet to receive adequate help in doing so.

NHTSA ODI 11600545

While driving to pick up my wife from work, I was not able to accelerate past 35-40 mph. Upon arriving home, we noticed that the brake lights were staying on. We took the car to our local Ford dealer and was told it was a stop lamp switch pad that had broken off and that, unfortunately, the pad was not sold separately, I would need to purchase the entire brake pedal assembly and pay for the labor to have it installed ($585.11). Shortly after this occurred I found that 2013-2015 models of the Ford Fusion (same body) had been recalled for the same issue. The pad becomes brittle and breaks apart when the car is predominantly in hot and humid climates. I live in Deep South Texas where temperatures and humidity hover around 100 degrees for 10 months a year. I believe other model years should be added to the recall list. Not being able to accelerate could have caused an accident.

NHTSA ODI 11595757

There is an Unrepaired Recall associated with my car. The Manufacturer Recall Number is 23S12. The NHTSA Recall Number is 23V162. The https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls website instructed me to file an online complaint if the manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall for your vehicle in a timely manner.

NHTSA ODI 11591654

The previous 2 models of this car had a recall on the button underneath the brake switch that is engaged by the pedal. They have not changed the design and the 2016 has the very same issue, plus another issue. We were able to replace the button ourselves since they decided not to admit that they did not change these parts even though they knew this was an issue years prior. Not only that, but the holder for the switch is part of the entire pedal assembly and it is the only part of this assembly that is made of plastic. The rest is metal. The problem is that since this is plastic, and it resides where the heat comes out from under the dash, the part becomes brittle and breaks into a million pieces just with normal wear. The pedal assembly is super expensive and you can't even get it out without removing the entire dash. We tried to get a used part and spent half of the day taking the part out only to find that it had done the exact same thing that my daughter's car did. The plastic disintegrates and falls apart. At that point there is no brake switch and the brake lights stay on and the car will decrease speed without warning or won't accelerate. This is something I am pretty sure Ford is well aware of since they recalled part of this defective design years ago. They just didn't admit that the entire thing is designed to fail. It is only a matter of time due to the constant heat that the plastic holder for the brake switch is on. All they had to do was change it to metal and it would have fixed that part of the issue, but then there is also the button itself that disintegrates due to the same heat exposure causing the symptoms listed above. They knew very well the design was flawed since the 2 previous years of this car were recalled for the same issue, and they are still using the same parts in the exact same way. They have not fixed anything and this company needs to be held accountable before someone gets hurt.

NHTSA ODI 11591380

I have contacted Flagship Ford Carolina in Puerto Rico in regard to processing my recall and continue to be pushed aside. For over a month now, I am told someone will call me back and never does or I am transferred and receive no response. When I call back week after week, it is the same situation over and over with someone different. One person has told me they work on this recall but have to confirm if parts are available and that someone will get back to me. It has been two weeks since. I have to ship my car back to the states in less than two weeks, and the recall is supposed to be completed. This is unacceptable. Their information is below. Flagship Ford Carolina Ford dealer in Carolina, Puerto Rico Address: Parque Escorial, Av. 65 de Infantería KM 5.3, Carolina, 00984, Puerto Rico +1 787-302-2723

NHTSA ODI 11587246

I went to pick my daughter up from school as usual and the brakes would not work when I tried to stop in the turn loop. It caused me to crash the side of the car into a cement light post.

NHTSA ODI 11570173

Ford Dealership is refusing to preform the brake line recall 23S12, if I do not purchase new lug nuts saying that they are swollen, deformed. I called the corporates number and they told me they are aware of the issues with the lug nuts, but also said I would have to pay out of pocket for them to preform the brake line recall. I'm now worried about the condition of the lug nuts since the hold they wheel on as well as the brake line in the above mentioned recall which they are refusing to service without taking payment over a recall !!!

NHTSA ODI 11557427

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal went all the way to the floorboard with a message displayed that the brake fluid level was low. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the front passenger's side brake hose was leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact later received a second notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) advising that the part was available for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the front driver's side brake hose was replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the brake lines were severely damaged. The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond and made an abnormal loud sound. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,704.

NHTSA ODI 11556095

Brake Booster Failed. No warning lights prior. I was driving when all of the sudden my brakes stopped working and brake pedal became very stiff and extremely hard to press down. I almost hit the car in front of me but fortunately was able to swerve on to the shoulder and had to take a right through a red light and was able to roll the car to a stop almost 40 yards further. I could have caused a severe accident. I see now there is recall for the same issue on F-150 trucks. I definitely think this needs to be a recall as I could have been severely inured or possibly fatally injured. My brakes do not work properly and the brake pedal is extremely hard to press down. The Ford dealership ran a diagnostic and stated, Replace engine camshaft, vacuum pump and related gaskets and hardware. Do not recommend driving vehicle until all repairs are performed. The vacuum pump is the brake booster pump recalled on other ford vehicles. This is a safety issue 100 percent as brakes suddenly stopped working at a high rate of speed not allowing driver proper stopping distance. My car is still not drivable because I can not properly brake at a safe stopping distance. It takes all my leg force just to start slowing down a tiny bit. This needs to be resolved right away.

NHTSA ODI 11552955

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was at the dealer for an unknown recall repair, the contact was informed that the rear brake hoses needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 42,792.

NHTSA ODI 11551578

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 5 MPH through a school parking lot, the brake pedal as depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that a school student was almost struck. The contact's wife swerved to avoid striking the student. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was notified of a failure with the rear brake lines. The rear brake lines were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 62,200.

NHTSA ODI 11551429

My driver door lock light will not glow when I lock my vehicle. Transmission is slipping and has a recall on it. Front brakes has a recall.

NHTSA ODI 11549782

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11549627

The contact owned a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle immediately. The contact exited the highway onto a residential street to park the vehicle; however, the contact lost control of the vehicle and struck a parked vehicle. The vehicle then drove over the sidewalk and crashed into a residence's sidewall. The air bags did not deploy. The rear doors failed to open, and the people within the residence came outside and assisted in pulling the children out through the rear windows. The contact and three minor children were not injured; however, medical attention was received on the scene from Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the body shop and was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.  

NHTSA ODI 11548395

Coolant leak into engine causing over heating 24/7, damaging and leaking into combustion chamber , spark plugs had to be replaced , engine needs another replacement after I had replaced it the first week I got it with the vehicle’s warranty, engine is at risk for engine fire and failure. Transmission shifter cable replacement, became detached and damaged, car was stuck in reverse twice and had to be towed to mechanic . Current Recall on breaks because of possible fluid leak for ford fusions , at risk for crash. Engine currently is shakey when you first start it up.

NHTSA ODI 11548088

August 15, 2023 factory recall (Manufacturer recall 23S12) repaired by Ford dealer for FRONT brake fluid leak. Three weeks later I noticed an increased in the brake pedal travel, checked brake fluid which confirmed why brake pedal had more travel. Topped off brake fluid. Drove for a few days and again brake pedal travel increased. Took car to an independent certified auto repair shop and they confirmed the REAR brake line was leaking. Shop owner had to replace the brake actuator which was damaged by the brake fluid leak.

NHTSA ODI 11546365

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The low brake fluid level warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the front brake hoses had ruptured. The vehicle had been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not under warranty or recall. The failure mileage was approximately 93,530. The contact stated on September 15, 2023 the left front brake hose failed and luckily it happened at a low rate of speed.

NHTSA ODI 11545137

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound and became aware that when the brake was depressed, the brakes failed to operate as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,300. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11544481

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH and approaching a stop light, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brakes was inoperable. The contact stated that she was able to slow the vehicle by driving up a hill. The contact stated she was able to use the parking brake to securely park the vehicle. The contact stated she was able to drive the vehicle to a local independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed but no brake pedal nor brake system failure was found. The contact was informed that the vacuum booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,854.

NHTSA ODI 11544103