2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid Sedan Problems And Complaints

User Complaints and Problems for the 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Mechanical Problems

• Engine coolant leaks and cylinder misfire -. The trouble with the engine was one of the most common troubles for the owners of the Ford Fusion hybrid 2016. Basically, the engine design is flawed causing the head gasket to blow up and also giving unnecessary freedom to the coolant to go through the entire engine. Coolant leaking into cylinders inadvertently causes the engine to totally fail. Lucky owners got their vehicle repaired under warranty or order from Ford, but most were left with the decision of leaving the vehicle or paying an exuberant amount of money; more than $10k. Another common issue was the cylinder misfiring, this was also due to coolant leaking, but majorly due to premature failure of spark plugs and bad coils. The dealerships were very difficult to deal with this matter too, as per the complaints registered. Other issues include rough idling caused due to bad backfiring problems and engine failure due to fuel system defects, both these issues were fixed by the dealership with relatively no trouble.

• Brake failure -. Brakes would fail without any kind of foresight, despite having sensors and warning systems in place for it, causing the vehicle to inadvertently crash and cause injuries. Most of the case the vehicle was totalled and the users could only inform the manufacturer about the failure. One other use had their “Brake Booster” failing, but was fortunate enough to realize the problem.

• Power steering failure- This failure has also caused drivers to lose control over their vehicles and crash, no major incidents were mentioned although. The failure of the power steering is mainly due to the recalls done, according to the dealership. The bolts attached to the steering system getting corroded or loosened will cause the power steering to fail, Ford is aware of this problem and has initiated a mass recall on both NHTSA ID: 19V632000 & 18V167000 respectively. Another issue that has left the users and dealership bewildered is the vehicle at times being difficult to start/crank up.

• Powertrain and the transmission bushing- It seems that the 2016 Ford Fusion hybrid powertrain has no shortage of problems. The bulk of the problems seems to arise with the bushing of the transmission breaking. This would cause the users to be misled that their vehicle was in park, inadvertently causing the vehicle to roll over. It would also cause the transmission to be stuck in the park and prevent the user from changing gears. Another couple of issues faced by the users due to bad transmission bushing was total transmission failure, causing the driver to lose control of their vehicle and crash. The transmission would also shift roughly from "Park to drive" causing the vehicle to jerk a lot. Ford is aware of their Fusion 2016 and Fusion Hybrid 2016 having defective bushing on their transmission, and as such has initiated recalls on this NHTSA ID: 19V362000 & 18V471000.

• Suspension; front axle- Drivers would have to stop their vehicle mid-operation and notice that their side front axle was detached from the vehicle. The dealership was of help in some cases, the rest are unknown.

Electrical Problems

• Electrical malfunction an array of problems - Where do we start with this one, it seems the electrical system is going haywire on a lot of the 2016 Ford Fusion. Multiple people have had their batteries die overnight, despite some of them being fresh batteries, the dealership was able to solve these issues. Headlights system acting up, with auto headlight delays are another set of troubles. The "Seatbelt", "Airbag warning" and the "Hillside Start Assist Not Available" warning sensors were of the most nuisance to the drivers, causing them to be distracted, whether the dealership was able to fix it was unclear. Other issues which did not complain of much were misinforming speed-o-meter and windows rolling down by themselves. The majority of these problems were a hassle to be fixed by the owners, as the dealership give them a tough time, or they had to get it fixed from independent shops.

 

Safety Problems

• Airbags failure to deploy - Many of the users are surprised at the fact that there are no recalls related to airbag failure on their 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid. In the event of a crash, their vehicle would fail to deploy the necessary airbags, in cases where the vehicle was not completely total the dealership was no help either.

• Seatbelts pretensioners are problematic - Seatbelt pretensioners would fail completely , especially on the driver’s side and is a major safety concer. Ironically the buckling of the seatbelt and the pretensionser would make it a difficult day for the drivers by literally trapping them in their seats. Or, the seatbelt would simply not lengthen enough for the driver to buckle safely. Ford is aware of this various array of seatbelt pretensioners problem and has initiated a recall on NHTSA ID: 16V875000.

Exterior Problems

• Latch/lock failure -  Various users have complained about their vehicle’s doors and trunks opening up when the vehicle is in motion, and would have caused serious crashes. Both the dealership and Ford has pointed out defective latches and locks to be the cuprit, hence, the NHTSA ID: 20V177000 recall is related to this matter.

Exterior Problems

• Seat wouldn’t adjust to the users need: Various users have complained about their driver seat being unable to be adjusted according to the driver’s requirement, even leading to crashed as a result of this problem. Apparently the front driver seat track assembly's rear riser may have been improperly welded to the seat track rail, hence, ford has made the recall against NHTSA ID: 16V250000.

2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid recalls

S. No	Date	NHTSA ID	Issues Noticed	Additional remarks.	Remedy
1	March 23, 2020	20V177000	Doors open while in operation.	Due to a defective component in the latch of the doors can mislead the occupant into thinking the doors are secured, when in fact it is not and can come ajar while in motion, a potential safety hazard.	Your Ford dealership will replace the side door latches for free.
2	August 29, 2019	19V632000	Steering Gear motor may detach.	The "electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts", might get corroded from road salts and/or other contaminants, causing the failure of power steering and great difficulty in steering for the driver.	Your dealership will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply an additional wax sealer all for free.
3	May 13, 2019	19V362000	Unintentional rollway due to detached shift cable.	The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may prematurely degrade 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, despite the transmission being not in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.	The dealerships will replace the shifter cable bushing for free.
4	July 16, 2018	18V471000	Unintentional rollway due to detached shift cable.	The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may prematurely degrade 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, despite the transmission being not in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.	The dealerships will replace the shifter cable bushing for free.
5	March 12, 2018	18V167000	Steering wheel might detach away.	The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen and consequently detach the steering wheel; and can occur while driving, which is a serious safety hazard.	Ford will notify the owners and the dealership will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt for free.
6	December 5, 2016	16V875000	Front seatbelt might not restrain the occupant properly.	In the event of a crash, the heat from the deployment of a seat belt pretensioner might cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail and increase the chance of more injuries.	The dealership will apply the needed protective coating to the seat belt cable as per Ford's instructions, free of charge.
7	April 27, 2016	16V250000	Driver seat riser weld might fail.	The front driver seat track assembly's rear riser may have been improperly welded to the seat track rail, and as a result, the driver may not be adequately restrained in a crash. Therefore a major safety hazard and does not comply with the FMVSS regulations.	The dealership will replace the front driver seat track rail, free of charge.
8	October 1, 2015	15V618000	Fuel tank might crack in a crash.	The vehicles have a fuel tank that may have insufficient wall thickness, and as a result, the fuel tanks may crack in the event of a crash. Therefore does not comply with the FMVSS regulations.	Your dealership will replace the fuel tank with an FMVSS complying one, for free.

Should you buy the 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Seeing how there are 8 different recalls and close to 800 complaints made against the 2016 Ford Fusion, the answer isn’t as simple. The result of the open investigation might give us much ground for giving a strong yes or no. Having said that, issues like the transmission failure and total engine failure being a very common trend with this vehicle, we would suggest you avoid the vehicle if possible. The 2016 Toyota Camry Hybrid seems to be a much better alternative. Not only is it competitively better in every way it is much more reliable and doesn’t even have half the official complaints registered against it.