2013 Ford Fusion reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2013 Ford Fusion has 1,955 complaints with NHTSA after 14 years, or 93 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Fusion years here — over the median of the other years, which is 49. NHTSA has 19 recalls on file, including Manual transmission, Hoses and fittings, and Gear position indicator.

2015 Ford Fusion SE — Photo by Elise240SX, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

1,955

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Steering (418 of 1,955), then Engine (398) and Powertrain (315). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 75,000 miles, and the middle half falls between 42,000 and 106,000 miles. Those filings include 65 that report a crash, 94 that report a fire, 48 that report an injury, and 2 that report a death.

Next to 2012 and 2014

The 2012 Fusion has 2,614 complaints, 140 per year, and the 2014 has 1,429 complaints, 65 per year. The 2013 has fewer complaints per year than the 2012. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2014.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2013 Ford Fusion. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (19)

Recall powertrain, manual transmission 2026-06-09 · NHTSA campaign 26V376000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.

Remedy Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.

Vehicles affected 5,252

Recall hydraulic brakes, foundation components, hoses and fittings 2023-03-10 · NHTSA campaign 23V162000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.

Remedy Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.

Vehicles affected 1,280,726

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, gear position indicator 2022-06-10 · NHTSA campaign 22V413000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Remedy Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Vehicles affected 2,925,968

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, doors, latch 2020-06-08 · NHTSA campaign 20V331000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.

Vehicles affected 2,147,323

Recall Electric power steering 2019-08-29 · NHTSA campaign 19V632000

Summary 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 registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.

Vehicles affected 116,160

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, lever and linkage, floor shift 2019-05-13 · NHTSA campaign 19V362000

Summary 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 transmission may degrade over time 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, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S16. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made. This recall is an expansion of 18V471.

Vehicles affected 259,182

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, lever and linkage, floor shift 2018-07-16 · NHTSA campaign 18V471000

Summary 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 that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time 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, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S20. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.

Vehicles affected 504,182

Recall powertrain, manual transmission 2018-03-12 · NHTSA campaign 18V169000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Fusion vehicles equipped with a 1.6L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission and 2015-2016 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission. Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Focus vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. Owners of Fusion vehicles will have their clutch assembly replaced free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07.

Vehicles affected 5,361

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, doors, latch 2017-03-27 · NHTSA campaign 17V210000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Fiesta, 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches, free of charge. The recall began May 1, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S16.

Vehicles affected 191,432

Recall Engine 2017-03-27 · NHTSA campaign 17V209000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Fusion and 2013-2015 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 21, 2017. The recall began on January 5, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S09.

Vehicles affected 208,584

Recall seat belts, front 2016-12-05 · NHTSA campaign 16V875000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured November 2, 2012, to July 31, 2014, and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 14, 2012, to July 31, 2014. In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pretensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable, free of charge. The recall began May 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S42.

Vehicles affected 603,392

Recall Electric power steering 2015-04-28 · NHTSA campaign 15V250000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to March 20, 2015, and 2015 Ford Edge vehicles manufactured February 26, 2015, to February 28, 2015, and originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, snow or water containing road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply sealer and replace the steering gear motor bolts as required. If one or more of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S14.

Vehicles affected 487,301

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, doors, latch 2015-04-24 · NHTSA campaign 15V246000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on April 23, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured July 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, and 2012-2014 Fiesta vehicles manufactured February 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 119,567 vehicles, including certain model year 2011 Ford Fiestas manufactured from November 11, 2009, to May 31, 2013 and certain model year 2013 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured from February 1, 2012, to June 30, 2012. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches with an improved part, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed to owners on June 5, 2015. The recall began on December 18, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S16.

Vehicles affected 456,440

Recall Air bags 2014-09-26 · NHTSA campaign 14V597000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to August 24, 2013; Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to November 1, 2013; and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to September 30, 2013. The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S21.

Vehicles affected 746,842

Recall seats, front assembly, recliner 2014-04-02 · NHTSA campaign 14V164000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured August 15, 2012, through September 10, 2013, 2013-2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured June 5, 2012, through August 12, 2013, and 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured from July 23, 2012, through May 28, 2013. The driver and passenger seatback assemblies may have been produced with sub-standard weld joints used to attach the seat back recliner mechanism to the seat frame. The affected seat backs may have insufficient strength to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seatback, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14C03.

Vehicles affected 43,135

Recall Fuel system, gasoline 2013-05-31 · NHTSA campaign 13V227000

Summary Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion, Police Interceptor Sedan and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles; and certain model year 2013 Lincoln MKS, MKT, and MKZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may develop a crack, allowing fuel to leak.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S04.

Vehicles affected 390,783

Recall Steering 2013-05-31 · NHTSA campaign 13V232000

Summary Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured April 19, 2013, through April 23, 2013. The steering gears may be missing an internal retaining clip. If the clip is missing, components inside the steering gear may become dislodged inside the gear assembly.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began on June 17, 2013. Ford's recall number is 13S06. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.

Vehicles affected 20

Recall Engine and engine cooling 2012-12-03 · NHTSA campaign 12V551000

Summary This is an update to a recently announced recall. Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through November 26, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines, as well as certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured from February 3, 2012, through November 29, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. Coolant system leaks may cause the engines to overheat and leak flammable engine fluids.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine for coolant system leaks and reprogram the vehicles powertrain control module and instrument cluster with an updated calibration and overheat strategy software. There will be no charge to owners for this service. Owners were recently notified to contact dealers to arrange for alternative transportation as Ford developed a remedy. Owners will be shortly receiving notifications to contact Ford dealers to schedule the free remedy repair. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

Vehicles affected 80,057

Recall exterior lighting, headlights 2012-11-30 · NHTSA campaign 12V553000

Summary Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles, manufactured from February 3, 2012, through October 20, 2012, for failing to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." The affected vehicles may not have had the low beam headlamp projector coating properly cured during its manufacturing process.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp assembly. The recall began on December 18, 2012. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

Vehicles affected 19,158

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (1955 total)

Steering

418

Engine

398

Powertrain

315

Electrical system

189

Structure

179

Fuel and propulsion system

133

Seat belts

113

Air bags

112

Latches, locks, and linkages

Engine and engine cooling

Service brakes

Speed control

Wheels

Exterior lighting

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Seats

Visibility and wipers

Fuel system, gasoline

Hydraulic brakes

Suspension

Lane departure

Adaptive and mobility equipment

Back-over prevention

Tires

Visibility

Forward collision avoidance

Traction control

Equipment

Fire-related

Interior lighting

Parking brake

Show 23 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Of the 1,465 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 75,000 miles. The middle half fall between 42,000 and 106,000 miles.

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"Car has element B direct clutch issue. This is recalled on other 2013 fusions but not on my specific car."
Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-10
"My power steering failed. There is no pump it's electronic so I can get it replaced without taking it to a dealer. There were 2 recalls for the Power Steering for this make and model, but my VIN number does not show up…"
Steering · filed 2026-09-02
"The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while stopped in a drive-thru, there was an abnormal hissing sound coming from the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The brake pedal was…"
Hydraulic brakes, Engine · filed 2026-09-02
"While driving my Ford Fusion, I experienced a serious transmission-related loss of propulsion. Leading up to the failure, I noticed that the engine RPM would fluctuate considerably and the vehicle appeared to have…"
Engine · filed 2026-08-24
"The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brakes became inoperable. The brake pedal was depressed all the…"
Hydraulic brakes · filed 2026-08-24

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2013 Ford Fusion 4 DR AWD	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	4 stars
2013 Ford Fusion 4 DR FWD	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	4 stars
2013 Ford Fusion Energi 4 DR FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid 4 DR FWD	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Fusion all-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	All-wheel drive	22	31	25 MPG	$2600
Fusion Energi Plug-in hybrid	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	40	36	38 MPG / 550 mi range	$1700
Fusion front-wheel drive	1.6L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	23	35	27 MPG	$2400
Fusion front-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	22	32	26 MPG	$2500
Fusion front-wheel drive	2.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	22	33	26 MPG	$2500
Fusion front-wheel drive	1.6L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	24	35	28 MPG	$2300
Fusion front-wheel drive	1.6L, 4-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Front-wheel drive	25	36	29 MPG	$2250
Fusion hybrid front-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	43	39	41 MPG	$1600

Specs and fitment

2nd generation, 2013–2020

Body styles Sedan

Oil 5W-20 (1.6L EcoBoost, 2.5L); 5W-30 (2.0L EcoBoost) , 5.7 qt capacity

Tire size 215/60R16 (S) to 235/45R18 (Titanium); Sport 235/40R19

Towing capacity 2,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

2013-2014 Fusion sedans built with the 1.6L EcoBoost engine (Hermosillo plant, February 2012-June 2014) were part of a 2017 Ford safety recall (NHTSA campaign 17V-209, Ford reference 17S09) after the automaker found that coolant loss well below the minimum level in the coolant (de-gas) bottle at the time of a cool or cold start could let the cylinder head crack, producing a pressurized oil leak and, in 29 reported cases across the affected model lines in the US and Canada, an under-hood fire. The same recall covered the 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, and 2013-2015 Transit Connect with the same engine. Ford's remedy added a coolant-level sensor with supporting hardware and software at no charge; no injuries were reported. Only the 1.6L GTDI engine is covered.

Compare

Previous year 2012 Ford Fusion Next year 2014 Ford Fusion See every Ford Fusion model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Ford Fusion reliable?

What are common problems with a 2013 Ford Fusion?

Is the 2013 Ford Fusion more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2013 Ford Fusion been recalled?

The 2013 Ford Fusion has 19 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2013 Ford Fusion?

Owners have filed 1955 complaints about the 2013 Ford Fusion with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2013 Ford Fusion get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2013 Ford Fusion is 30 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Ford Fusion take?

1st gen: 5W-20 for all engines (~5.3 qt). 2nd gen: 5W-20 for 1.6L EcoBoost/2.5L and 5W-30 for 2.0L EcoBoost (~5.7 qt common fill).

Does recall 15V-340 cover the Ford Fusion?

Certain 2011-2012 Fusion sedans are covered by Ford's EPAS recall 15V-340 (15S16): electric power-assist steering may fail; dealers update software or replace the EPS as directed.

What generation is the 2016 Ford Fusion?

2nd generation (2013-2020). 2006-2012 are 1st generation in this catalog.