Motor Almanac

Ford / Fusion / 2017

2017 Ford Fusion

Family: Fusion · filed with NHTSA as FUSION, FUSION ENERGI, FUSION HYBRID

Summary

  • In its first three years the 2017 Fusion drew 190 complaints — 1.0× the median of its generation (2013–2020). It does not stand out from the other years of this generation.
  • These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
  • Of the 1,145 complaints that name a component, 44% concern Engine (509).
  • 4 recalls filed for this model year.
  • 2 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints
1,204
Recalls
4
Investigations
2
NCAP overall
5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG
20–42
Annual fuel cost
$1,500–$3,100
Median mileage at complaint
70,000 mi (n = 664)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths
45 / 10 / 38 / 0

What owners report

Engine

509 complaints · 44% of complaints that name a component · median 77,432 mi (n = 262)

Owner report While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost engine power (it shut off) and displayed "auto start stop shift to P, then restart engine". The vehicle has never done this before, and thank goodness my wife did not have the kids in the car at the time. She was able to pull over safely only because she was on a small road wi…
Owner report I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious engine failure and safety issue involving my 2017 Ford Fusion equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. At approximately 79,000 miles, my vehicle experienced a coolant intrusion failure. While driving, the engine suddenly stalled in the middle of an intersection, leavin…

Powertrain

336 complaints · 29% of complaints that name a component · median 79,921 mi (n = 207)

Owner report The shift cable bushing on my 2017 Ford Fusion SE (VIN: [XXX]) failed and disintegrated, causing the shift selector to bind and disconnect from the transmission linkage. The gear selector shows Park while the transmission remains engaged in gear, creating a severe rollaway hazard. This matches the exact failure mechani…
Owner report I was driving my 2017 Ford Fusion Platinum on my way home and the wrench light came on and said check manual when i looked in my app the only thing that was in the maintenance was my 90k maintenance . my car is driving fine no RPM jumping no smoking no burning smell no shaking nothing ( the wrench light was off when …

Electrical System

146 complaints · 13% of complaints that name a component · median 29,000 mi (n = 92)

Owner report The door entry control numbers are on all the time now which will cause the battery to drain if the car is not driven daily. It says that water from a car wash or rain has gotten in behind the door control panel.
Owner report Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Ford Fusion. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 119,966, but during a repair, it was discovered that the mileage was 200,000.

5% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2013–2020)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 192.

Model yearAll complaintsFirst three yearsNote
20131,957278
20141,432195
20151,066139
20161,731252
20171,204190
201850942not compared
201947352fewest complaints
202023639not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

23V162000 · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Filed 2023-03-10 · 1,280,726 vehicles

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

Risk: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.

18V167000 · STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

Filed 2018-03-12 · 1,301,986 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.

17V427000 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

Filed 2017-07-06 · 6,026 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Edge and Fusion vehicles. On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.

Risk: If the torque converter weld studs fail, the torque converter will not be connected to the engine flexplate and the vehicle will lose the ability to move, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford or Lincoln will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S16.

16V874000 · SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

Filed 2016-12-05 · 25 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 27, 2016, to September 28, 2016. The left rear seat backs pivot pins may have been improperly welded.

Risk: During a crash, the improper welds may fail, allowing any stowed luggage to move into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left hand, second row seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began January 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S43.

Federal investigations

ActionComponentOpenedClosedRecall
DP22005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM2023-01-272023-08-0722V063000
RQ22004SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS2022-08-082023-03-2423V162000

DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds

RQ22004: Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures

Engines and fuel economy

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyCombinedFuel cost / yr
Fusion AWD2.0L 4cylAutomatic (S6)All-Wheel Drive202923$2700
Fusion AWD2.7L 6cylAutomatic (S6)All-Wheel Drive172620$3100
Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid2.0L 4cyl Plug-in HybridAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive434142$1500
Fusion FWD1.5L 4cylAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive233427$2300
Fusion FWD2.0L 4cylAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive213125$2500
Fusion FWD2.5L 4cylAutomatic 6-spdFront-Wheel Drive213225$2500
Fusion Hybrid FWD2.0L 4cyl HybridAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive434142$1500

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

VariantOverallFrontalSideRollover
2017 Ford Fusion 4 DR AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
2017 Ford Fusion 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
2017 Ford Fusion Energi 4 DR FWDNot RatedNot RatedNot Rated★★★★☆
2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Ford issued 386 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about electrical system.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

DateComponentSummary
2026-02-24ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the access…
2026-01-16FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEMSome 2016-2017 Edge/MKX, 2017 Continental/Fusion/MKZ vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L EcoBoost engine and built on 1-Apr-2016 and through 1-Jan-2017 may exhibit white or blue smoke from the exhaust, rough idle in neutral or park at nor…
2025-11-26ELECTRICAL SYSTEMThis article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to:  Display operation concerns  Na…
2025-11-12POWER TRAINSome 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Contro…
2025-08-27ENGINEThis article supersedes TSB 24-2345 to update the Service Procedure. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit an oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal. This may be due to a lack of RTV adhesion.
2024-11-27UNKNOWN OR OTHERVarious vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft b…
2024-11-26UNKNOWN OR OTHERSome 2015-2017 Edge, 2016-2017 MKX, 2017 Fusion/MKZ/Continental vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 3.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal.
2024-10-10UNKNOWN OR OTHERWhile performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. …
2024-05-27UNKNOWN OR OTHERThis article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-201…
2024-04-24EQUIPMENTAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during ini…

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Fusion, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford Fusion model page.

Sources

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.