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2016 Ford Fusion: engine and transmission complaints

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
54%
873 of 1,618 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

54% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Ford Fusion are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 70% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 73 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 52%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
873
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
1,691
this model year
Fires reported
6
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
13
60 crashes · 30 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE461 · 27%
POWER TRAIN315 · 19%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER219 · 13%
STEERING184 · 11%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM161 · 10%
SERVICE BRAKES140 · 8%

The years either side

2010
38%
1,709 of 5,125
2011
23%
573 of 2,784
2012
14%
301 of 2,613
2013
46%
816 of 1,955
2014
39%
504 of 1,427
2015
48%
473 of 1,061
2016
54%
873 of 1,691
2017
71%
807 of 1,191
2018
77%
374 of 504
2019
60%
272 of 467
2020
50%
112 of 229
2021
no data
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other midsize sedans with no elevated signal in 2016

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING10/03/2023CRASH1 INJURED
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at 55-60 MPH, the vehicle was sluggish and hesitated to respond when depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The contact stated that while dri…
POWER TRAIN07/08/2019CRASH1 INJURED
ON TUESDAY (JULY 2ND) MORNING I BACKED MY CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND INTO THE RESIDENTIAL STREET. I STOPPED APPROX. 4-5 FEET PAST MY MAILBOX - ENOUGH FOR MY CAR DOOR TO CLEAR - TO GET MY MAIL. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, GOT OUT OF THE CAR, OPENED THE MAILBOX AND WAS GETTING THE MAIL WHEN THE CAR HIT ME AND KNOCKED ME DOWN.…
STEERING,POWER TRAIN10/22/2018CRASH1 INJURED
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 18V167000 (STEERING) AND 18V471000 (POWER TRAIN) UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF DIRECTION WITH THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATE…

Three of 873 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (13)

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
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 reg…
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
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 th…
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
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…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2016 Ford Fusion

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.