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2013 Ford Fusion

The Verdict

5 Total Klunk

The 2013 Ford Fusion has 1,944 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (836 complaints) and engine (564 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 5/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Ford Fusion, consider the 2020 model year which has 90% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2020 has 90% fewer complaints

View the 2020 Ford Fusion dashboard →

5

Klunk Score: Total Klunk

Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 16

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

26V376000 POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulti...

Risk

A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 6, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for th...

Reported Sep 6, 2026

13V227000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion, Police Interceptor Sedan and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles; and certain model year 2013 Lincoln MKS, MKT, and MKZ veh...

Risk

A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center a...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

13V232000 STEERING

Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured April 19, 2013, through April 23, 2013. The steering gears may be missing an internal retaining clip. If the clip is missing...

Risk

This could result in impaired steering, including the loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began on June 17, 2013. Ford's recall number is 13S06. Owners may contact the Ford customer relati...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

12V553000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles, manufactured from February 3, 2012, through October 20, 2012, for failing to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety S...

Risk

An improperly cured projector coating will become hazy through operation, over time, reducing the brightness of the low-beam lamp. This may decrease driver visibility and increase the risk of a ve...

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp assembly. The recall began on December 18, 2012. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

Reported Apr 10, 2026

15V250000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to March 20, 2015, and 2015 Ford Edge vehicles manufactured F...

Risk

If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist. Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, e...

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply sealer and replace the steering gear motor bolts as required. If one or more of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a ne...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

14V597000 AIR BAGS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to A...

Risk

The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the eve...

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-43...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

17V209000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Fusion and 2013-2015 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started ...

Risk

If the cylinder head cracks and leaks oil, the oil may contact a hot engine or exhaust component, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed ...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

17V210000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Fiesta, 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult ...

Risk

A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches, free of charge. The recall began May 1, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number f...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

19V362000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT

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 o...

Risk

If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

18V471000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT

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 transmissio...

Risk

If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

19V632000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

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, Del...

Risk

If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and inc...

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gea...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

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

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 th...

Reported Oct 3, 2023

22V413000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

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 c...

Risk

A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the dr...

Remedy

Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, we...

Reported Oct 6, 2022

16V875000 SEAT BELTS:FRONT

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...

Risk

If the driver or front passenger seatbelt cables cannot properly restrain the front seat occupants, they would be at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable, free of charge. The recall began May 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7...

Reported May 12, 2016

14V164000 SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured August 15, 2012, through September 10, 2013, 2013-2014 Ford Escape vehicles man...

Risk

The back of the subject seats may become loose or lean while driving and potentially increase the risk of injury in certain crashes.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seatback, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14C03.

Reported Feb 4, 2014

12V551000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

This is an update to a recently announced recall. Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through November 26, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines...

Risk

If flammable engine fluids come in contact with the vehicle’s hot exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine for coolant system leaks and reprogram the vehicle’s powertrain control module and instrument cluster with an updated calibration and o...

Reported Mar 12, 2012

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
20061323535668130
20071451396178457
2008985356174938
2009995213384711
201020485207101307527
20111535185441454153
20121612120556171134
201383670209564265
2014641109156294213
2015339116114356122
2016493122156606271
201713676110508261
20185741927472
20194056321243
2020356286046

By Category

Body
836
Engine
564
Transmission
265
Electrical
209
Brakes
70

By Severity

1
890
2
881
3
18
4
153
5
2

Worst Problems

Complaints

Transmission 1

Vehicle transmission shifts harshly from 2nd to 3rd gear and occasionally from 1st to 2nd gear I believe it’s a safety issue because it causes slower acceleration and jerkiness which causes vehicle instability The problem has been reproduced by the dealer but no solution was found yet The transmission hasn’t been fully inspected yet There are no warning lamps or codes present for this issue yet

9d ago
Engine 2

Engine lacks substantial power and has almost cause multiple collisions. Check engine light is on for a P0299 turbocharger underboost code Based off of my own research it looks like the part is the whole turbocharger assembly or the east gate solenoid I believe it’s a safety issue for merging onto expressways and not being fully up to speed and because of trying to turn onto busy highways The problem has been reproduced by the dealer but not fixed The components themselves have not been inspected There was no check engine light until the issue started happening

9d ago
Engine 2

Vehicle makes strange sounds from the fuel fill inlet and proceeds to stall shortly after while driving and most of the times fails to restart based on my own research it looks like purge valve issues My safety was put at risk by almost being rear ended multiple times from stalling on the expressway and red lights The problem has not been reproduced yet by the dealer it will be looked at on 07/15/26 The component has not been inspected yet The check engine light illuminated when the issue started

9d ago
Brakes 4

While driving home from work. I heard a pop and seen smoke coming from my tire. I pulled over and seen fire behind the wheel. After looking it over the emergency parking brake motor that attaches to the brake caliper was blown apart. The pistons in the caliper pushed so hard against the brake pad that it was bent to a 90 degree angle. Had to replace pads, rotors, and calipers in both sides.

11d ago
Transmission 2

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to respond normally while depressing the brake pedal. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The failure caused the steering wheel to lock up, the brake pedal became extremely firm, and the accelerator pedal became inoperable. Additionally, the exterior lights shut off unexpectedly and the vehicle lost electrical power. The vehicle was safely pulled into a parking lot, and the contact waited for several minutes before restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted; however, 30 seconds after resuming driving the vehicle shut off again. The vehicle was towed to a Ford dealer; however, the mechanics were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 179,000.

19d ago
Electrical 2

“Temporary loss service climate system ford fusion 2013” Ac turns on and off windows lock up when ac turns off. everything freezes up! I see online this should be a recall a lot of ford owners having the same problem!

21d ago
Body 2

The steering wheel of my 2013 ford fusion S.E 2.5 Lm was tightly connected to the steering system until now. It has start wobbling over time and the problem have greatly increased as of 05\31\2026. I fear that if I can’t this problem fixed soon the whole steering wheel will disconnect one day. When I told a mechanic about the problem he told me there was a recall put out by Ford Fusion Motors on many Ford Fusion Sedans for similar issues. I truly believe my car had to miss the recall.

1mo ago
Engine 2

The vehicle goes into limp mode without warning no matter the speed. cylinder head temp sensor is not applicable on this 1.6 engine model. The coolant over temp light illuminates with or without the car running. coolant temperature sensor was replaced and indicates no faults to the obd. the coolant level and temperature is within spec.

1mo ago
Body 1

While driving a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium (approximately 157,000 miles), the Electronic Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) system suddenly failed without warning during heavy rain in Philadelphia, PA. I was driving near the riverfront area by [XXX] when the steering immediately became extremely stiff and difficult to turn. No prior warning lights or steering-related symptoms were present before the failure. Due to wet road conditions and the sudden loss of steering assist, I temporarily lost the ability to maneuver the vehicle normally and nearly collided with roadside structures near the river. Considerable physical force was required to maintain directional control and safely move the vehicle. This created an immediate safety hazard to myself and nearby traffic. The vehicle has not been involved in a crash, but the failure created a near-miss situation. My VIN currently shows no open recall for this issue, despite similar steering-system failures reported in comparable Ford vehicles using EPAS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1mo ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while steering the vehicle at various speeds, an abnormal, grinding sound would emit from the vehicle without warning. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the vehicle was NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000(SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The contact made an appointment and spoke with the dealer about the failure. The contact was informed by a dealer mechanic that the grinding noise was not related to brake system but the Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS). Upon further investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA ID Number: 15V250000(Steering) which the contact linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 210,000.

2mo ago
Body 2

No incident - back up camera issue. Glitches often, then goes black and does not work. Have also received error messages indicating "Camera is unavailable. Please contact your dealership." Has happened a few times in the past but is now happening more often

2mo ago
Body 2

A power steering assist fault warning popped up on my vehicle after starting my car. It’s now extremely difficult to turn the wheel. There was no previous indication that there was an issue with the power steering.

2mo ago
Body 1

I was driving the vehicle and a warning message came on related to the power steering module not functioning correctly. Immediately after the steering column locked up and was stiff and to tough to continue driving. I looked into repairs and notice a recall # 19S26 was issued in 2019 with my specific vehicle in the list by year, brand and model for the exact problem described. When I contacted Ford, they advised me that my VIN # was not included in the recall. Wanted to file complaint due to the lack of coverage Ford offers for cars specifically covered under the recall.

3mo ago
Brakes 1

Brakes went out while driving. Brake fluid reservoir is full.

3mo ago
Brakes 1

See attached document for complaint.

3mo ago
Body 2

Power steering / power steering assist failure. Complete loss of power steering

3mo ago
Body 1

The steering locked up while driving. I was unable to turn the steering wheel. My self and my brother were in the vehicle. At this time, I am contacting the dealer to look at the unit. It will not turn and is stuck in my driveway. I am being told the electronic steering rack may have failed. Why does this not break way and allow some turning like the old hydraulic models? If I had been driving highway speeds, this would have been a serious accident.

4mo ago
Body 2

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after her daughter had parked and exited the vehicle, she informed her mother that the windshield wipers had failed. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had been using a spray bottle to clear the windshield. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V117000 (VISIBILITY); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The contact was referred by the manufacturer to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 92,000.

4mo ago
Engine 2

The transmission shift cable bushing at the transmission end of the shifter cable has completely degraded and detached, which is a component available for inspection upon request. This failure caused a significant safety risk as the gear shifter inside the cabin moved freely while the transmission remained in its last gear, creating an immediate rollaway risk and preventing the vehicle from being shifted into Park. The safety of others was put at risk because the vehicle could not be secured and could have moved in an unintended direction. This specific problem has been confirmed by a Ford dealership, yet the dealer refused to perform the necessary repair under Recall 22S43 (NHTSA Campaign 22V413), claiming the VIN was not covered despite the vehicle exhibiting the exact failure and being within the recalled model year and assembly plant range. Prior to this total failure, there were no warning lamps or messages, though the instrument cluster occasionally showed a gear position that did not match the physical shifter before the bushing finally disintegrated. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or insurance representatives.

4mo ago
Engine 4

I own a 2013 Ford Fusion SE with a 1.6L EcoBoost engine. Prior to the incident, the vehicle displayed a “Check Charging System” warning and the engine overheated. After parking the vehicle and shutting it off, a fire started under the hood in the engine compartment. The fire occurred shortly after the overheating warning and while the vehicle was not running. The fire appeared to originate in the engine bay area and caused significant damage. There were no prior accidents or modifications to the vehicle.

4mo ago

1944 total

1/ 98
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