2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid problems & reliability
59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 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.
6 complaints report injuries (7 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 10 | 17% |
| Power Train → | 10 | 17% |
| Unknown OR Other | 8 | 14% |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 12% |
| Steering | 7 | 12% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 10% |
| Wheels | 5 | 8% |
| Engine | 4 | 7% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 5% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 67,000 miles (middle 50% between 36,500 and 92,000 miles), based on 27 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The leather-covered dashboard panel, in the approximately 4-6 inch section between the base of the windshield and the first seam across the dash, has shrunk, rippled, and pulled away from the underlying substrate. This area also houses the driver-assist camera housing and the defrost vent. The vehicle was purchased…”
Air Bags · filed Aug 5, 2026
“The chrome trim on the parking brake switch started chipping. The sharp edge drew a drop of blood and small pieces attached to your fingers. Replaced the switch in June 2026”
Service Brakes · filed Jun 30, 2026
“The air bags did not deploy on the front passenger side after a two car accident. There was an injury to the passenger of the car. Vehicle was inspected by police and there were no warning signs”
Air Bags · filed Jun 16, 2026
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
Technical service bulletins
57 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 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
During service and repair requiring removal and replacement of a crankshaft bolt and/or crankshaft damper, achieving proper torque of the crankshaft pulley bolt is critical. Incorrect torque may allow the bolt to loosen…
SSM 52314 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2024
In various 2017-2023 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, customers may receive a message in the FordPass or LincolnWay App stating Feature Unavailable. Since this is a fleet vehicle, it cannot access the (SYNC Connect) FordPass…
SSM 51838 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 2, 2023
The Service Awareness Newsletter is an informal communication that contains information that may not be presently available in a TSB, SSM, GSB, or other electronic communication. This article includes information on…
SAN-Vol1 I1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 8, 2023
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 2018-2019 Edge/Continental, 2018 MKX and 2019 Nautilus vehicles built on or before 1-Aug-2019 and 2018-2019 Fusion/MKZ vehicles built on or before 15-Aug-2019 equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 3.0L EcoBoost engine…
TSB 23-2075 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 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 2013-2020 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
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 2018 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 2018 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 67,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.