2020 Ford Fusion reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 181 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Ford Fusion over 7 years — 12 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Fusion years here — under the median of the other years, which is 58. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Engine block heater, Back-over prevention, software, and Battery management system.

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

Complaints

181

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (67 of 181), then Engine (50) and Electrical system (38). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 71,000 miles, and the middle half falls between 36,563 and 100,624 miles. Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Next to 2019

The 2019 Fusion has 377 complaints, 13 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019.

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 2020 Ford Fusion. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (3)

Recall equipment, electrical, engine block heater 2025-10-10 · NHTSA campaign 25V685000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Remedy Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

Vehicles affected 59,006

Recall back-over prevention, software 2025-06-27 · NHTSA campaign 25V442000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

Remedy Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

Vehicles affected 200,237

Recall electrical system, propulsion system, traction battery, battery management system 2023-06-23 · NHTSA campaign 23V440000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Fusion PHEV vehicles. The battery energy control module (BECM) may become damaged due to excessive voltage and current flow.

Remedy Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the battery and update the BECM software for free, or Ford will repurchase the vehicle. If your vehicle is currently operating normally, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the fuse block and a software update as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). As an alternative remedy, Ford is offering a vehicle refund. Please see Ford's owner notification letter or contact Ford for full details. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S33.

Vehicles affected 14,452

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

Complaints by component (181 total)

Powertrain

Engine

Electrical system

Steering

Fuel and propulsion system

Service brakes

Forward collision avoidance

Engine and engine cooling

Structure

Suspension

Air bags

Speed control

Wheels

Back-over prevention

Lane departure

Exterior lighting

Fuel system, gasoline

Latches, locks, and linkages

Seat belts

Traction control

Visibility

Show 13 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Of the 56 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 71,000 miles. The middle half fall between 36,563 and 100,624 miles.

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"I recently acquired this vehicle from a dealer after the previous owner traded it in and after reviewing the Carfax I did some deeper digging into this vehicle and discovered that there are 3 recalls that have not been…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-20
"Coolant Intrusion. Started with thick white exhaust when starting up in morning. Turned into acceleration lags, car shutting engine off when parked, and exhaust smell coming inside of car. 2014-2019 models have a recall…"
Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-09-17
"The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V440000 (Electrical System); however, the part to complete the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated…"
Electrical system · filed 2026-09-16
"COMPONENT THAT FAILED: The engine cooling fan on my 2020 Ford Fusion SEL (1.5L, non-hybrid) became inoperable and blew three fuses. With the fans not operating, the engine overheated, destroying the head gasket and…"
Engine · filed 2026-08-15
"I was backing out of my drive way when a shift system fault message appeared on my dashboard. When I went to change gears the rotary dial locked up and shifted to park. My safety as well as other people’s safety was put…"
Steering · filed 2026-07-31

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2020 Ford Fusion 4 DR AWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2020 Ford Fusion 4 DR FWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2020 Ford Fusion Energi 4 DR FWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	4 stars
2020 Ford Fusion HEV 4 DR FWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 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	20	29	23 MPG	$2800
Fusion Energi Plug-in hybrid	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	43	40	42 MPG / 610 mi range	$1550
Fusion front-wheel drive	1.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	23	34	27 MPG	$2400
Fusion front-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	21	31	25 MPG	$2600
Fusion front-wheel drive	2.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-wheel drive	21	31	24 MPG	$2700
Fusion hybrid front-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	43	41	42 MPG	$1550
Fusion hybrid Taxi	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	43	40	41 MPG	$1600
Fusion Special Service plug-in hybrid	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	43	40	42 MPG / 610 mi range	$1550

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 2019 Ford Fusion See every Ford Fusion model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Ford Fusion reliable?

What are common problems with a 2020 Ford Fusion?

Is the 2020 Ford Fusion more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Fusion has 377 complaints, 13 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2020 Ford Fusion been recalled?

The 2020 Ford Fusion has 3 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 2020 Ford Fusion?

Owners have filed 181 complaints about the 2020 Ford Fusion with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Ford Fusion get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Ford Fusion is 33.3 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.