What 426 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Fusion

Coolant Intrusion issue with the 1.5-litre EcoBoost. Short block was replaced by Ford Dealer then engine failed again after only 7,000-miles. Required complete new engine installed at my expense, $12,185.28.

NHTSA ODI 11747318

I own a 2018 Ford Fusion EcoBoost. I purchase it in 2021 with 11K miles on it.  Today it has 34K miles and the engine block developed a crack.  Through my research and my Ford dealer, I've discovered this issue is a known issue with the 1.5 and 2.5 litre engines in the Fusion.  My repair bill would be just about 7K. 

NHTSA ODI 11746994

My engine failed months ago, and my car has been sitting immobile ever since. My car stuttered while driving, and then turned off. As I started it back up and continued driving down the road, it was shaking very badly. I called my brother to come drive my car home and he pulled clear fluid out of my oil tank. The exact issue described has been put out in the new ford recall under code 26S43.

NHTSA ODI 11745411

I purchase this car on XXX Clinton Ford Dealership and engine need replacement Jan 2020 . I at that time did many replacement until the final diagnostic said engine replacement confirm by dealership Ford Dealership Fayetteville NC . The purge valve canister went out in 2022 and was replaced by Ed’sTire in Hope Mills Rd 11/19–11/22/2022 and now mechanic said it is in need of replacement again . Car problems started 2026 Feb and three pieces were replaced because the system was reading those code now to find out the purge valve canister needs replacement again. These hardship have cost me financial difficulties that a new car should never have had within 2 years . I believe no consumer should have to go through this.

NHTSA ODI 11743867

Per mechanic, head gasket has failed due to known issue with 1.5L Ecoboost engines. Coolant is leaking into the engine. White smoke in the exhaust indicating coolant leak. Vehicle is currently availble for inspection upon request, but is destined to be sold. Driver safety as well as surrounding driver safety as risk should engine completely fail due to overheating while driving, potentially causing an accident. There is currently a class action lawsuit in the works for this issue as many other have had it. At this time vehicle has only been inspected by our local mechanic. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptons prior ot the issue. When the issue stated, there was a "waterfall" sound in the engine compartment, which caused us to take the vehicle to the mechanic for diagnoses.

NHTSA ODI 11743917

My 1.5L EcoBoost engine experienced coolant intrusion into the cylinders, a known and documented defect associated with this engine family across multiple Ford model years. Prior to the failure, the vehicle displayed symptoms consistent with internal coolant loss, including white exhaust smoke, coolant level dropping without visible external leaks, and rough running. No external coolant leak was ever identified. The vehicle was subsequently diagnosed by an independent service center, which confirmed coolant intrusion into the engine internals consistent with a head gasket or coolant jacket failure. The component is available for inspection upon request. The failure rendered the vehicle completely undriveable. The vehicle has been out of service for approximately 12 months and has not been driven since the failure occurred. The repair was quoted at approximately $12,000 for a full engine replacement, exceeding the current market value of the vehicle. Safety was put at risk due to sudden loss of engine performance and drivability while the vehicle was in use on public roads. Coolant intrusion can cause hydrolock, catastrophic engine seizure, and sudden loss of power, all of which create risk of collision, particularly at highway speeds. This failure is consistent with a well-documented defect in the 1.5L EcoBoost engine design, which has been the subject of technical service bulletins and consumer complaints regarding coolant entering the combustion chamber. The failure occurred with no prior accident, overheating event, or owner-caused damage.

NHTSA ODI 11739917

On [XXX], I drove my 2018 Ford Fusion Titanium AWD to a doctor 37 miles away through rural PA. The car was a reliable workhorse, needing only regular shop visits, and had 108K miles by this date. Midway through the [XXX] drive , a red warning square popped up on the dash to tell me that the engine was overheating, and a pink warning square said the car would lessen electrical draw so that it could cool the engine. Both alerts disappeared quickly. There was no unusual sound or smell before the alerts nor the rest of the drive. I also had no prior dash alerts, only ?3 misfires months apart I now know were symptoms of [XXX]. During down time before/after the doctor, I Googled the error messages and read my owner's manual. I restarted the car w/o incident after it had sat for 45 minutes. Six miles into my way home, the same red square popped up, though no second alert did. I pulled over at a clearing 3 miles later. I sat by the side of the road without cell service for 45 minutes. I had no coolant or water with me. I was unable to remove the coolant lid after the wait, nor could I see if there were coolant in the reservoir. I needed to move the car because of having no cell service. After a total of 75 minutes, I restarted the vehicle and moved 2 miles up the road. A red triangle icon appeared and stayed on. I called my dealer, described what happened, and they told me to tow the car the 21 miles to them. My dealer found no issue beyond a cracked spark plug on cylinder 3 that they replaced 4K miles earlier. Not satisfied, my B-I-L and I researched the incident and found the 2.0L EcoBoost coolant intrusion issue. I had the car tested according to Ford's TSB #19-2346 at a separate dealer; they duplicated the intrusion in cylinder 3, and we had a diagnosis. I was fortunate that the car didn't stop mid-traffic, didn't catch fire, and I was stranded in daylight in an Amish community. The other side of that coin is grim. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11739937

Formal Complaint – 2018 Ford Fusion 1.5L EcoBoost – Engine Block Defect Statement of Issue:I am writing to report a premature engine failure on my 2018 Ford Fusion 1.5L. The vehicle is exhibiting all symptoms of the well-documented "coolant intrusion" defect described in Ford Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 22-2222. Despite following all recommended maintenance intervals, the engine block has failed, allowing coolant to enter the combustion chamber.Observations:Confirmed coolant loss with no external leakage found via pressure test.Significant white smoke and rough idle upon cold start. Desired Resolution: Since this is a known manufacturing defect involving the engine block's cooling channels—and not a result of wear and tear—I am requesting a "Goodwill Repair" for a long-block replacement. The current TSB denial based on [8 years] is unacceptable for a known catastrophic design flaw that compromises vehicle safety.

NHTSA ODI 11739403

Coolant intrusion

NHTSA ODI 11738902

The engine has coolant intrusion. It is available upon inspection. Safety at risk due to side effects from the intrusion such as: engine overheating, misfiring, massive coolant loss that could cause an engine fire. The problem was diagnosed as a blown head gasket, but there is evidence of coolant loss and corrosion of spark plugs etc from coolant in engine. Has not been inspected by insurance or police. Symptoms started March 2026; check engine light on showing code P0303 (misfire in cylinder 3) and code for over temperature sensor. It occasionally ran hot, rough start up, misfiring, coolant loss (without external leaks), trouble accelerating, eventual service wrench light, and sometimes flashing engine light when it misfired bad.

NHTSA ODI 11735333

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH on the highway, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power steering functionality while decelerating. The vehicle jerked, and a driver assistance system warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,017.

NHTSA ODI 11734771

Coolant intrusion in cylinder 1. Confirmed by Suburban Ford of Sterling Heights, MI. Known design flaw. Can potentially cause the engine to seize, misfiring of cylinders, excessive exhaust. Codes for rich fuel mixture and cylinder misfires were found when check engine light appeared. Checked plugs and coils before a camera was put into the cylinder to confirm the coolant intrusion. Dealership and manufacturer refuse to assist with repairs even though there was a recall for certain vehicles with this exact issue.

NHTSA ODI 11730085

I was driving the vehicle on the freeway when the check engine light appeared and after a few seconds the cars engine suddenly shut off. There was a loss of power steering from the lack of engine power which made it difficult for me to steer and a sudden loss of speed which made several vehicles take evasive maneuvers to avoid having an accident with my car as I merged onto the shoulder of the freeway. After getting the car home I checked the vehicles trouble codes which appeared as P0301 cylinder 1 misfire and P0302 cylinder misfire and P0300 general misfires. I noticed a lack of coolant which I refilled and started the vehicle again to see if and how it would run. The car started but ran very rough at first and white smoke started billowing out of the exhaust. After a couple of minutes I decided to drive just down the street to my local Ford service center. They called me yesterday to tell me that the 2.0L 4 cylinder Ecoboost head gasket has failed and has allowed engine coolant to pour into the cylinder 1. The engine cylinder begins to misfire causing the engine to shake and emit white smoke from the exhaust as the coolant is burned off with the fuel. We are now seeing this safety issue and complaint with many vehicles that have the same or similar engine. They say the only remedy is to replace the long block engine with one that supposedly has a "fix" to the coolant delivery system within the engine block. Knowing what I know now, I would never have considered the purchase of this vehicle. The safety issue alone makes cars with these engines a danger to the owner and the public.

NHTSA ODI 11728930

Transmission is now not shifting out of park and this is after having issues with the engine allowing coolant to get in and causing damage with the cylinders. Would not pass the pressure test. When calling ford customer service and headquarters telling me there is no way they can help with good will. Find this troublesome when they already know the EcoBoost causing issues to the car and my car is not at 120,000 miles yet. After seeing the 2013-2016 models already have a recall for the exact same thing and you're going to say this is not related is beyond ignorant on the company's behalf.

NHTSA ODI 11727929

- There is a crack in the engine block; coolant is leaking into cylinder 3. I am having the car taken by carvana on 3/30 and it will no longer be available for inspection, but I have record of the mechanical issues from taking the vehicle into the dealership on 3/18. - My/others safety was not immediately at risk, but I know that my engine could have blown while driving, causing an accident or even an engine fire. - As stated, issue was confirmed by dealer, and I have records of this - N/A - Check engine light appeared on approximately 3/5; was unable to have car inspected right away and continued driving. Started to get intermittent errors stating that the engine was overheating/coolant was low on 3/12. Stopped driving car more than 2 miles at a time after this. Boyfriend correctly diagnosed issue on 3/15 and I had the issue confirmed by dealer on 3/18.

NHTSA ODI 11727679

2018 Ford Fusion SE 1.5L EcoBoost, just purchased the car 10 days ago and I already have antifreeze that's mixing with the oil causing the car to overheat and white smoke coming from the back cannot drive the car took it to three mechanics they told me it needs a new turbo and a head gasket which will cost well over $4,000 which I don't have the money that I bought the car with I borrowed from family members so I can go back to work and I don't have money to fix it so at the moment I am unemployed because I have no vehicle to get to work this is a major problem. My father before he passed away had a 2017 Ford Escape with the same engine and he had the same problem he sold it for $1500 lost 14 Grand on it

NHTSA ODI 11725437

I am a subsequent owner of this vehicle and it was sold to me with the known issue of coolant intrusion. Not only have I spent over $1000 in repairs. The issue is a known defect with the short block on the engine. While traveling down interstate 275 my car overheated without warning and shut off almost causing a four car collision.

NHTSA ODI 11725513

Leading coolant due to coolant infusion in the block of engine.

NHTSA ODI 11724152

After I bought from personal owner feb. 3rd 2025 I drove 50 miles and overheated before I made it home . The check engine light came on it showed up as a bank 1 bank 3 misfire also camshaft position sensor so I replaced these things and it still was losing coolant oil is just fine. Every time I would drive it it would still overheat I would keep putting more antifreeze in to make it home. It started to misfire very badly still loosing coolant jerking when I would try to give it gas and some times would hardly move . I changed the thermostat still the same . So then I replaced the catalytic converter still nothing changed . Took it to a shop and he looked all over it couldn't find anywhere that the coolant could have been escaping he did find and replace the vvt solenoid. Worked for a very short period. So as the problems progressed and the car wouldn't even go 3 minutes without overheating and jerking losing almost all of its power my brother put a head tester on it and conducted the test to show it has a bad head so its not able to be driven to be checked by any dealership or anything also isn't under recall . Yes it is a safety hazard when I was able to drive it was losing power I couldn't gain speed even with a full pedal so took the risk of being hit from behind if a car had come up behind me .

NHTSA ODI 11722145

Mechanical. Coolant Intrusion on my 2018 Ford Fusion SE 1.5L ecobuster

NHTSA ODI 11722215

My car started rumbling and flashing the check engine light. I took it to the mechanic the next day, they tell me to contact Ford because of CSP 21N12 due to my spark plugs having coolant leaking on them and in cylinder, it was misfiring. They tell me the vehicle is unsafe to drive. I call Ford and they say theres nothing they can do. Im screwed out of a car because they closed the CSP's nov 2022 and i just got the car last year pre owned.

NHTSA ODI 11718965

Sensor that believe the car to be overheating shut the car down while driving in on the highway.. turning the car off completely or powering it down 99%.

NHTSA ODI 11717929

While operating my 2018 Ford Fusion, the vehicle began experiencing internal coolant loss resulting in engine misfires, rough running, and white exhaust smoke. The coolant intrusion caused engine failure and loss of reliability. This condition creates a safety risk, as it can lead to loss of power while driving, hesitation, and the possibility of engine shutdown. The defect occurred without warning and is consistent with widespread reports involving Ford EcoBoost engines. This issue is not related to maintenance or normal wear and tear but is a known design defect acknowledged through service bulletins and consumer litigation. Repair requires full engine replacement.

NHTSA ODI 11715854

My Engine is on my car will not go over 25 miles and if it does it shakes and I place the car in park or shut it off u can hear like water sound coming from the engine were it’s seems as if it was boiling

NHTSA ODI 11705638

Engine replaced due to flaw in design. I had my 60,000-mile service done and after it was completed, I started having serious issues with my vehicle. Kept getting check engine light cylinder 2 misfire. I took my Fusion back to the dealership, and they advised me that my engine had to be replaced. Apparently when they put my vehicle under pressure during the service it caused the coolant to leak into my engine. I have researched this and found many complaints with the same problem. Unfortunately, the owners of the other Fusions (like me) found out their vehicle was no longer under warranty, and they had to foot the entire bill. Luckly for me, I had purchased the Ford Extended Warranty, and my out-pocket pocket is $100. I was told by the dealership that Ford is aware of this issue but has not issued a recall. My service advisor was absolutely shocked when Ford authorized the necessary repairs in a couple hours berceuse it normally takes a few days to get authorization. I have owned this car since it was new and have always kept up with the required maintenance. They gave me a rental vehicle and said it would be about 7 days before the repairs are completed.

NHTSA ODI 11693749