The 2018 Ford Fusion is associated with 443 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 124 reports (28% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 7 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.5l 4-cyl, 2.5l 4-cyl, 2l 4-cyl, 2.7l 6-cyl, 2L 4-Cyl hybrid, and 2L 4-Cyl plug-in hybrid configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 20 to 42 MPG combined. Plug-in hybrid variants are rated up to 97 MPGe (42 MPG on gasoline) with up to 21 miles of electric driving range.

Key Data Findings
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 443 reports
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 campaigns
  • • Top Reported Defect Area: Engine (124 / 28%)
  • • Safety Incident Signals: 10 crash / 1 fire / 5 injury reports
  • • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
  • • EPA Efficiency: 20–42 MPG (7 variants • PHEV up to 97 MPGe)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
Fuel Economy
20–42MPG
7 EPA certified variants (1.5l 4-cyl, 2.5l 4-cyl, 2l 4-cyl, 2.7l 6-cyl, 2L 4-Cyl hybrid, and 2L 4-Cyl plug-in hybrid configurations)
Reported Complaints
443
443 submitted owner reports
Safety Recalls
2
2 official NHTSA recalls
NCAP Safety Rating
5 / 5 Stars Overall

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Ford Fusion?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Fusion FWD 1.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 23 MPG 34 MPG 27 MPG — $2,300 / yr
Fusion FWD 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 6-spd 21 MPG 32 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
Fusion FWD 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 21 MPG 31 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
Fusion AWD 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 20 MPG 29 MPG 23 MPG — $2,650 / yr
Fusion AWD 2.7L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 17 MPG 26 MPG 20 MPG — $3,100 / yr
Fusion Hybrid FWD Hybrid 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) 43 MPG 41 MPG 42 MPG — $1,450 / yr
Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid Plug-in Hybrid 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) 102 MPGe (43 MPG) 91 MPGe (41 MPG) 97 MPGe (42 MPG) 21 mi EV (610 mi total) $1,450 / 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 2018 Ford Fusion provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 21 miles on a single battery charge.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Ford Fusion?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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 2018 Ford Fusion models.
View complete 2018 Ford Fusion crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Ford Fusion?

Summary of 443 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
443
Crash Reports
10
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
5
Total Injuries
6

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 124 complaints (1 crash)
Powertrain 66 complaints (1 crash)
Engine & Cooling 63 complaints
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 18 complaints
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE 14 complaints

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 2018 Ford Fusion problems & component breakdown (67 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Ford Fusion?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #23V162000 Active Recall
Affected Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Defect 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #18V167000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

Defect Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.
View all 2018 Ford Fusion recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.