The 2016 Ford Fusion is associated with 1685 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 13 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 315 reports (19% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 7 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.5l 4-cyl, 2l 4-cyl, 2.5l 4-cyl, 2L 4-Cyl hybrid, and 2L 4-Cyl plug-in hybrid configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 25 to 41 MPG combined. Plug-in hybrid variants are rated up to 88 MPGe (38 MPG on gasoline) with up to 20 miles of electric driving range.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 1685 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 13 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Engine (315 / 19%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 60 crash / 6 fire / 22 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 25–41 MPG (7 variants • PHEV up to 88 MPGe)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Fusion FWD | 1.5L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 MPG | 36 MPG | 29 MPG | — | $2,100 / yr |
| Fusion FWD | 1.5L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 24 MPG | 36 MPG | 28 MPG | — | $2,200 / yr |
| Fusion FWD | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 22 MPG | 33 MPG | 26 MPG | — | $2,350 / yr |
| Fusion FWD | 2.5L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 22 MPG | 33 MPG | 26 MPG | — | $2,350 / yr |
| Fusion AWD | 2L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 22 MPG | 31 MPG | 25 MPG | — | $2,450 / yr |
| Fusion Hybrid FWD Hybrid | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 43 MPG | 39 MPG | 41 MPG | — | $1,500 / yr |
| Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid Plug-in Hybrid | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 95 MPGe (40 MPG) | 81 MPGe (36 MPG) | 88 MPGe (38 MPG) | 20 mi EV (550 mi total) | $1,600 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
Electric Range & Charging: The 2016 Ford Fusion provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 20 miles on a single battery charge.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| 4 DR FWD | | | | | 10.9% |
| 4 DR AWD | | | | | 10.9% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 Ford Fusion models.
View complete 2016 Ford Fusion crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2016 Ford Fusion problems & component breakdown (194 categories) →
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Defect 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.
Free Manufacturer 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.
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Defect Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
Affected Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Defect Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015 Fiesta, 2016 Fusion, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component inside the door latches may break, which can make it difficult to latch or possibly allow the doors to open while driving.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect the door latch date codes and if necessary, replace all four side door latches, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-177.
View all 2016 Ford Fusion recalls & campaign history (13 campaigns) →