2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid problems & reliability
47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine → | 15 | 32% |
| Unknown OR Other | 8 | 17% |
| Electrical System | 7 | 15% |
| Steering | 5 | 11% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 9% |
| Power Train | 4 | 9% |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 9% |
| Wheels | 4 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 6% |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 29,600 miles (middle 50% between 21,017 and 55,000 miles), based on 21 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“EVAP blocking valve failed and car immediately went into limp mode on the highway. By doing this it could cause a crash. EVAP blocking valve also should last the life of the vehicle.”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Oct 30, 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was turned; however, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. In addition, the contact stated that the trunk latch was independently unlocked. The contact stated that the trunk…”
Steering · filed Mar 6, 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that after the vehicle was parked, the contact’s husband exited and closed the front passenger's side door; however, the front passenger's side door latch fractured and failed to properly close the door. The contact stated that there was no impact to the…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed Jul 30, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds
Defect Petition DP22005 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
- Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures
Recall Query RQ22004 · opened Aug 8, 2022 · closed Mar 24, 2023 · led to recall 23V162000
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
- Door Latch Failures
Recall Query RQ19005 · opened Dec 19, 2019 · closed Feb 7, 2022 · led to recall 20V331000
Technical service bulletins
38 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The 10 most recent:
For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and testing methods. Ford has…
SSM 52335 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 6, 2024
For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle…
SSM 51536 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 4, 2023
Some 2014-2020 Fusion and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles may be equipped with a 1.5L Ecoboost engine that uses a 50-tooth variable camshaft timing (VCT) intake and exhaust unit from the assembly plant or if a service long…
SSM 51409 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 2, 2023
Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The…
SSM 51261 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 16, 2022
Some 2013-2016 Escape/Fusion/MKZ vehicles may display an error message when updating the All Wheel Drive-ATC Barcode using the IDS service function after installing a new rear drive unit assembly (RDU) or active torque…
SSM 51181 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2022
Some 2013-2020 Fusion, MKZ and 2013-2018 C-Max vehicles equipped with an HF35 transmission may exhibit a thumping/rubbing or grinding noise coming from the transmission. The noise may be present in all gear ranges…
TSB 22-2396 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 25, 2022
Some 2015-2018 Fusion/MKZ vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a rattle noise from the transmission bellhousing area. This may be more noticeable at idle. This may be due to a flexplate crack around…
TSB 22-2381 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 13, 2022
Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The…
SSM 51120 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 6, 2022
Some 2014-2019 Fusion vehicles built on or before 10-Jun-2019 and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles built on or before 08-Apr-2019 equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or…
TSB 22-2322 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 15, 2022
Some 2013-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2013-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV), 2013-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX and 2017 Continental vehicles equipped…
TSB 22-2309 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 3, 2022
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 29,600 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.