2016 Ford Fusion Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2016 Ford Fusion. Part of Generation 2 — 2013–2020.

20152017
Complaints
1,985
Crashes
90
Fires
10
Injuries
36
Fatalities
Recalls
12

Worst 2016 Ford Fusion Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1430 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:82,558 mi
Crash-related:4
Fires:2
#2293 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:85,492 mi
Crash-related:10
#3171 complaints

Steering Defects

Avg mileage:72,802 mi
Crash-related:11
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2016 Ford Fusion.

Engine Problems
430
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
2
Avg Miles
82,558
Transmission / Drivetrain
293
complaints
Crashes
10
Fires
Avg Miles
85,492
Steering Defects
171
complaints
Crashes
11
Fires
Avg Miles
72,802
Electrical Faults
133
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
3
Avg Miles
56,827
Engine & Cooling
103
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
109,554
Fuel System
79
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
60,614
Brakes
79
complaints
Crashes
11
Fires
1
Avg Miles
64,476
Backup Camera
53
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
86,228
Airbags
49
complaints
Crashes
15
Fires
Avg Miles
58,062
Unintended Acceleration
43
complaints
Crashes
8
Fires
Avg Miles
50,874
Body Structure
42
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
1
Avg Miles
48,421
Hydraulic Brakes
41
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
92,279
Electronic Stability Control
26
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
66,785
Wheel Issues
26
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
46,197
Latches / Locks
19
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
86,445
Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
19
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
51,545
Seat Belt Issues
17
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
33,704
Headlight/Taillight Failures
15
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
54,400
Wipers & Visibility
15
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
30,019
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
110,193
Seat-Related Issues
8
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
87,375
Suspension Failures
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
79,567
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
11,000
Back Over Prevention: Rearview System Braking
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
80,000
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Trunk Lid:Latch
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
60,000
Automatic Transmission
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
125,000
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor Shift
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
73,500
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
115,470

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Fusion. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2016 Ford Fusion

12 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~8,774,231 vehicles.

25V695000Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
~1,448,655 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

23V775000Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
~45,173 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015 Fiesta, 2016 Fusion, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component inside the door latches may break, which can make it difficult to latch or possibly allow the doors to open while driving.

23V162000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
~1,280,726 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.

22V413000Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
~2,925,968 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

20V177000Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
~288,110 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fiesta, 2014-2016 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

19V632000Steering:electric Power Assist System
~116,160 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.

19V362000Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
~259,182 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles equipped with 2.5 liter engines. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.

18V471000Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
~504,182 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.

18V167000Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
~1,301,986 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.

16V875000Seat Belts:front
~603,392 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured November 2, 2012, to July 31, 2014, and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 14, 2012, to July 31, 2014. In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pretensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail.

+ 2 more recalls

Other Ford Fusion Years

2016 Ford Fusion — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2016 Ford Fusion reliable?
Verdict: Typical for Model. The 2016 Ford Fusion has 1,985 NHTSA complaints, 90 crash-related, and 12 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Engine Problems with 430 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2016 Ford Fusion?
Top reported problems: Engine Problems (430 complaints, avg 82,558 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (293 complaints, avg 85,492 mi); Steering Defects (171 complaints, avg 72,802 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 75,620 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2016 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA complaints for the 2016 Ford Fusion include 90 crash-related reports, 10 fire reports, 36 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2016 Ford Fusion have any recalls?
Yes — 12 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 8,774,231 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2016 Ford Fusion?
Complaint levels are in line with what's expected. Normal used-car due diligence applies — check the specific VIN for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Ford Fusion reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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