2013 Ford Fusion problems & reliability
1,784 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford Fusion, alongside 19 safety recall campaigns. 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.
47 complaints report injuries (54 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2013 Ford Fusion vehicles were involved in 127 fatal crashes with 59 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 388 | 22% |
| Engine → | 381 | 21% |
| Power Train → | 280 | 16% |
| Unknown OR Other | 183 | 10% |
| Structure → | 164 | 9% |
| Electrical System → | 160 | 9% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 120 | 7% |
| Air Bags → | 101 | 6% |
| Seat Belts → | 100 | 6% |
| Latches/locks/linkages → | 85 | 5% |
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 78,000 miles (middle 50% between 47,000 and 109,000 miles), based on 1,284 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low coolant warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V551000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Jul 31, 2026
“My 2013 Ford Fusion equipped with the 1.6L EcoBoost engine started blowing thick white smoke (Burning Coolant) while I was driving on the freeway. Engine coolant was leaking and my card died right there, that had blown the head gasket. I received no warning, no message. This was an incredibly dangerous situation…”
Electrical System · filed Jul 11, 2026
“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…”
Engine · filed Jul 9, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- 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
- Door Latch Failure
Engineering Analysis EA15002 · opened Feb 27, 2015 · closed Nov 13, 2015 · led to recall 20E010000
- Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction
Preliminary Evaluation PE13003 · opened Feb 21, 2013 · closed Feb 28, 2014
Technical service bulletins
190 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford Fusion. The 10 most recent:
Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest Program
25H05 S1 · Other · issued Apr 29, 2026
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated…
SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
Certain 2013-2014 Model Year Escape and 2013-2016 Fusion Vehicles Equipped with a 6F35 Transmission Shift Cable Bushing Inspection and Protective Service Cap Installation
25B61 · Other · issued Feb 17, 2026
This is a proactive investigation program by Ford Motor Company to inspect a limited number of affected vehicles that are customer-owned. Ford is voluntarily conducting this program to evaluate the software currently…
25H05 · Other · issued Nov 19, 2025
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024…
SSM 53040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 10, 2024
All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the…
SSM 52476 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2024
Certain 2013 Model Year Fusion Vehicles Driver Airbag Module Replacement REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT This program is being expanded to include VINs in the state of Texas in an effort to increase the number of parts…
21B71 S3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 28, 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 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
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
The 2013 Ford Fusion has 19 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 2013 Ford Fusion?
- · 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 78,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.