KnownCarProblems2015 Ford Fusion Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 997 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Fusion, most often about the engine (31% of complaints, typically around 83,000 miles). It is 11th of 15 Fusion model years by number of complaints and has 13 recalls.
Most common 2015 Ford Fusion problems
Engine
311 complaints · 31%Half of these problems showed up before 83,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system, cooling system.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle lost power without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the mechanic was unable to provide a diagnosis. The vehicle was then towed to sayville Ford located at 5686 sunrise hwy, sayville, ny…
Takata recall. First is due we had was this time last year where a blown head gasket caused US to have to replace the entire engine at 52,000. Today we go to leave an the car says it's in n when it's actually in park. Will not allow US to move shifter but the key is able to be removed as well as you can easily push…
Steering
163 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 65,000 miles. Parts named most often: rack and pinion, gear box (other than rack and pinion), column, gear box.
Power steering motor bolts corroded and broke at 65,000 miles. The mechanic informed me of a previous Ford recall being safety recall 15s14. However, this recall only extended until march 13th, 2015, whereas my car was manufactured on march 24th, 2015. Based on this technicality Ford refused to cover my vehicle's…
While driving 40 MPH I suddenly lost power steering. Display popped up with messages about power steering, stability control, cruise control, lane keeping. Limped home slowly requiring extreme force to steer. Not sure what is next, but I have read of others having same problems.
Transmission
145 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 80,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. While driving approximately 50 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the failure occurred at different speed intervals. The contact heard an abnormal noise and a slippage in the transmission during the failure. The…
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. While driving at low speeds, the vehicle was shifted into neutral and became jammed. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was towed to murphy Ford (3310 township line rd, chester, pa) where it was confirmed that the failure was due to NHTSA campaign number: 18v471000…
Brakes
125 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 86,000 miles. Parts named most often: power assist, foundation components, pedals and linkages, conventional.
I was driving on my street and my brakes went completely out. Could not stop at all. There was no indication from system that I was having brake issues. I researched this problem on line, there is numerous complaints in regards of the same issue. Please contact me [] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of…
While my wife was in a drive thru moving forward slowly she reported that the rake pedal depressed all of the way to the floor and had a hard time stopping the car. Wife inspected brake fluid reservoir and found it to be completely bone dry. Dealership found the right front brake line to have failed causing all of the…
Other or unspecified
125 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 51,500 miles.
Takata recall: on my way home I would be sitting at the light. And then all of a sudden the car wouldn't move. It had just shut off on me. Then after a while the check engine light would come on, but then it would got out. Then a week or two later the car started to make a noise and then it would shut off, with out me…
Imagine driving at normal speed when suddenly you suffer complete engine power loss. The power steering, braking, lighting and climate control systems remain fully functional so you have no clear clue on what is occurring, however you know the vehicle no longer remains operational and you come to a complete stop in…
Electrical
102 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 61,000 miles. Parts named most often: wiring, ignition, instrument cluster/panel, horn.
2015 Ford Fusion- after sitting for short periods of time the vehicle will not turn on until multiple attempts. The battery is good. No jump is required. Vehicle will go from no power on the first attempted start to managing to power on within a couple of minutes. While in drive, the vehicle will not switch gears…
As I was driving over 70 miles per hour on the highway, the door ajar alert appeared. At that point, I realized that my sons friend had opened the door out of curiosity. The doors lock signal was red which means it was locked however he was able to open the door at 70mph on the highway. This is very unsafe, luckily no…
Fuel system
67 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 64,000 miles. Parts named most often: storage, fuel injection system, delivery.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly shuddered, hesitated, decelerated and stalled. The contact stated upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle would operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure.…
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. While driving 35 MPH, there was an abnormal suction noise coming from near the fuel tank area. Also, the vehicle shuddered and the check engine indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the purge valve and…
Air bags
39 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 39,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that on the front passenger side there was an air bag casing that was pushing upwards towards the dashboard. The contact was concerned due to the air bag casing being out of place and could experience a failure with the front passenger side air bag. The vehicle…
Was rear ended turning off mountain highway by an f350 and a van hit the truck that hit me, he was going at least 50 miles an hour when he hit me felt like he shoved me so hard I was airborne!!! No airbag went off which the officer who was on a witness to the accident and then stopped and made sure everyone was ok !!…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2015 Ford Fusion recalls
Transmission: manual transmission
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.
Fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were october 16, 2026. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26s43. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on july 6,2026.
Full defect summary
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, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
Brakes: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 fusion and lincoln mkz vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Transmission: shift linkage/cable/rod
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 driver selects the 'park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: 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, were mailed july 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed october 27, 2022. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22s43.
Full defect summary
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.
Brakes: pedals and linkages
Risk: A separated brake pedal bumper can cause the brake lights to illuminate continuously, causing confusion to other drivers and increasing the risk of a crash. On automatic transmission vehicles, a missing brake pedal bumper can allow the driver to shift the vehicle out of the "park" position without depressing the brake, allowing the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake pedal bumpers and clutch pedal bumpers, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on march 4, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on june 13, 2022. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22s02.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 fusion, lincoln mkz, and 2015 mustang vehicles originally sold or ever registered, in texas, louisiana, mississippi, alabama, florida, georgia, south carolina, north carolina, virginia and hawaii. Exposure to certain environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, high humidity, and salt air can cause the brake pedal bumper to corrode and separate from the brake pedal.
Doors and locks: latch
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.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and ford or lincoln dealers will replace the side door latches, free of charge. The recall began september 21, 2020. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20s15.
Full defect summary
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.
Steering: electric power assist system
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 increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began october 18, 2019. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19s26.
Full defect summary
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.
Seat belts: front
Risk: A failed seat belt anchor cable cannot properly restrain the front seat occupants, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable, free of charge. The recall began september 9, 2019. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19s25. Note: this recall is an expansion of a recall 16v-875.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2015 fusion and lincoln mkz vehicles. 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.
Transmission: floor shift
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.
Fix: 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's number for this recall is 19s16. Note: owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made. This recall is an expansion of 18v471.
Full defect summary
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.
Transmission: floor shift
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.
Fix: 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's number for this recall is 18s20. Note: owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.
Full defect summary
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.
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Risk: A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Seat belts: front
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.
Fix: 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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16s42.
Full defect summary
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.
Steering: electric power assist system
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, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on june 24, 2015. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15s14.
Full defect summary
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 february 26, 2015, to february 28, 2015, and originally sold, or currently registered in, connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia. In the affected vehicles, snow or water containing road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Risk: If the key can be removed despite that the transmission is not in park, a driver may think the vehicle is safety parked, when it is not, increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway that could cause the vehicle to strike and injure the driver, other vehicle occupants, or bystanders.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on december 15, 2014. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14c11.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 ford fusion vehicles manufactured july 27, 2013, to october 31, 2014, 2015 ford fusion hybrid vehicles manufactured february 24, 2014, to october 31, 2014, and 2015 ford fusion energi vehicles manufactured july 14, 2014, to october 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the key may be able to be removed even while the transmission is not in park. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) no. 114, "theft protection and rollaway prevention."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Front brake jounce hose failures
Summary
On august 8, 2022, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation based on 50 vehicle owner questionnaires (voqs) alleging front brake jounce hose ruptures on model year (my) 2013-2018 ford fusion and lincoln mkz vehicles. A ruptured front brake hose results in a brake fluid leak. As a result, the driver may experience an increase in pedal travel and a reduction in the rate of deceleration, increasing the risk of a crash. It should be noted that the subject vehicles identified fell outside the scope of NHTSA safety recall 20v-469, which addressed front brake hoses rupturing on certain my 2015-2018 ford edge and 2016-2018 lincoln mkx vehicles. The result causes a brake fl
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
From 2000 through 2017, takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("psan") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004l. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 blomquist report at www.NHTSA.gov/sites/NHTSA.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Door latch failures
Summary
In december 2019, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation based on 235 vehicle owner questionnaires (voqs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (my) 2012-2014 ford fiesta, and 2013-2014 fusion and lincoln mkz. Some voqs reported the failure occurred after the latch had been remedied under a prior recall which involved fracture of the latch pawl spring tab due to thermally induced cyclic fatigue. Other voqs alleged a similar failure in vehicles not previously recalled. A latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in a ?door will not close? Condition, however in certain somewhat rare circu
Steering wheel fastening bolt loosens
Summary
On march 12th, 2018, ford motor company submitted a defect information report to NHTSA describing a defect in the steering wheel fastening system of approximately 1,301,986 model year (my) ford fusion and lincoln mkz. On march 1, 2018, ford discovered a design change that affected the my 2014-2018 subject vehicles. The affected population are my 2014-2016 fusion and mkz with manual and power adjust steering columns and my 2017-2018 fusion and mkz equipped with manual adjust steering columns only. The affected populations have steering shafts with a reduced amount of threads for the steering wheel bolt to engage. The thread length was decreased by 5mm in the affected models. Ford stated that
Questions about the 2015 Ford Fusion
- What are the most common problems with the 2015 Ford Fusion?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (311 complaints, typically around 83,000 miles); steering (163 complaints, typically around 65,000 miles); transmission (145 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2015 Ford Fusion have?
- 13 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 9, 2026 (transmission). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2015 a bad year for the Ford Fusion?
- It is 11th of 15 Fusion model years by number of complaints, with 997 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.