Ford Fusion Energi
Problems & Worst Years
Every reported problem for the Ford Fusion Energi, model year by model year — ranked from 1438 federal NHTSA complaints across 2015–2019.
Safety-flagged problems cluster in the middle of the Ford Fusion Energi's record. The 2016 model year is both the heaviest file — 670 reported occurrences across 36 problems — and the most safety-dense, with nine problems at that severity. Its top complaints are engine misfire (266 reports) and transmission shifter cable issues leading to unintended shifting (155), both safety-rated, followed by coolant intrusion into the engine (91) and a smaller but serious cluster of brake system failure reports (18). 2017 runs close behind at 608 occurrences, led by engine overheating due to coolant intrusion (206) and safety-rated hydraulic brake system issues (170), with transmission shifting complaints at 64.
The 2015 file (435 occurrences) shares the same DNA: safety-rated rearview camera malfunction tops it at 147 reports, but the next items are an engine coolant leak causing engine failure (107, also safety-rated), engine overheating (102), and power steering failure (31). NHTSA lists campaign 14V736000 against the 2015 car — verify completion by VIN.
Read across the years and two mechanical themes emerge. Coolant getting where it shouldn't — leaks, intrusion, overheating — appears in 2015, 2016, and 2017 alike, so a cooling system inspection and a misfire check are the core of any pre-purchase evaluation. And the brake complaints in 2016–2017, though smaller in count, deserve a direct question and a firm pedal on the test drive.
2019 is a different car on paper: just 80 occurrences across three problems, all electrical — battery failure causing charging issues (34), recall parts unavailability (24), and check-engine lights tied to electrical faults (22). It's the comparatively clean year, with caveats that apply everywhere: complaint counts are what owners filed with NHTSA, not measured failure rates; newer years have had less time to accumulate reports; and the specific car's service history plus a professional inspection will always outrank the model-year comparison.
Ford Fusion Energi problems by year
Complaint volume by model year (bar = relative to the worst year). Theworst yearsare the most-complained-about, weighted by safety-risk problems.
| Year | Complaint volume | Problems | Safety / High | Most common problem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015worst | 375 | 11 | 2/6 | Rearview Camera Malfunction Electrical · 147 complaints |
| 2016worst | 562 | 36 | 9/8 | Engine Misfire Engine · 266 complaints |
| 2017worst | 456 | 27 | 1/9 | Engine Overheating Due to Coolant Intrusion Engine · 206 complaints |
| 2019 | 45 | 3 | 0/1 | Battery Failure Causing Charging Issues Electrical · 34 complaints |
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls, 2015–2019. Problem clustering and year rankings are derived from the complaint record; complaint volume reflects reports filed, not total incidence or fault rate. Vehicle image is illustrative.