Owner complaint record
2013 Ford Fusion Problems and Recalls: What Owners Report
This page shows the problems 2013 Ford Fusion owners reported to NHTSA, the federal agency that tracks car safety: 1,785 complaints sorted by system, the mileage they started at, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 3, 20261,785 complaintsFederal file of Aug 25, 2026
-29% vs 2012
382 complaints, 21% of the total
half of the engine reports that give a mileage came before this
47 mention an injury, 90 a fire
The engine leads the 2013 Ford Fusion record at 21%, with steering close behind. Of the engine reports that give a mileage, half came before 82,000 miles. The costliest part on our cost list is the electric power steering rack, $561 to $1,202 for the part alone.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate. Use it to decide what to inspect before buying, not to grade the car.
Engine and steering complaints lead in equal shares; the engine complaints talk about coolant and overheating, and Ford recalled 1.6L cars for coolant leaks that can overheat the engine. The steering complaints describe a loss of power assist, and the six-speed automatic is under recalls for a shifter cable bushing that can leave the transmission out of Park when the lever is in Park.
2013 Ford Fusion overview
The 2013 Fusion came with a 2.5-liter four, a 1.6-liter turbo four and a 2.0-liter turbo four, with a six-speed automatic or, on the 1.6, a six-speed manual, in front-wheel or, on the 2.0, all-wheel drive.
Owners filed 29% fewer complaints about the 2013 than the 2012 (2,513), and the engine leads only in 2013. The 2014 drew 1,324, with steering named most.
- Power
- 175 hp at 6,000 rpm
- Torque
- 175 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Not direct
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 240 hp at 5,500 rpm (231 on regular fuel)
- Torque
- 270 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 182 hp at 5,700 rpm (177 on regular fuel)
- Torque
- 184 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic or 6-speed manual
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
Fuel economy from EPA fueleconomy.gov; power and torque from Ford media technical spec sheets and ford.com engine pages (Wayback copies), read 3 Oct 2026.
Is the 2013 Ford Fusion reliable?
The 2013 Ford Fusion ranks 4th of 11 Fusion model years for owner complaints, and the engine draws the largest share. The four checks below are what the federal record can say; none of them is a reliability score.
- 4thCompared with other Fusion years1,785 complaints, the 4th most of 11 model years (2010 has 5,126).By model year
- 21%The system named mostEngine, in 382 complaints. Half of the engine reports that give a mileage came before 82,000 miles.Problems by system
- 19Recalls19 recall campaigns cover the 2013 Ford Fusion.Recalls
- 63Crashes, injuries, fires63 complaints mention a crash, 47 an injury and 90 a fire.
A complaint count is not a failure rate: the record doesn't say how many were sold, so a popular year draws more reports.
2013 Ford Fusion problems by system
Every complaint to NHTSA names the part of the car that gave the owner trouble, such as the engine or the steering. The cards below sort the 1,785 complaints about the 2013 Ford Fusion that way, largest first: open one to read what owners wrote, when it usually starts, and what to check.
Engine21%382 complaintsOverheating, coolant leaks
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What owners describe
The engine get overheat and stop working. The coolant level keep decreasing along the driving, but didn't find any leaking. It should be related to Ford recall 17s09
Ford fusion 2013 while driving fuel gas cap will make a noise of air coming out, if it continues the car will turn off even when driving or stationary on both highway and street has happened more than 4 times Ford agency said they will not fix it
CTNYCAKYRead 4 more owner reports+4
Vehicle stalls intermitently while at low speed 0-5 mph. No warning lights come on at panel. Happened several times within last month. Dealer check reveals no identifyable problems. Happened at local intersections creating major hazard to occupants and other vehicles.
Car had a coolant leak motor started to run hot, don't know if it's from a recall, got it repaired at the dealer where I got the car from, told them bout the defect/recall and was charged $819. Rear seat belt gets stuck when folding seat down causing it not to fold back up.
While driving, coolant warning light came on and about 5 min later car died. I opened hood and there was still coolant in car. Took to dealer. Quoted $10,000 for new engine. I was never notified of a recall re coolant leaking into engine and in subsequent visits dealer never addressed the recall and never fixed problem.
Vehicle began overheating at highway speeds of approximately 65 mph. Vehicle slowed quickly as it entered "limp mode" on the interstate. Driver was able to get off of interstate exit and pull to a parking lot. Engine bay was extremely hot and the faint smell of smoke/burning was apparent. Driver had to tow vehicle to Ford dealership where it was found to be subject to recall 17s09.
When it starts
Usually starts around 82,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 60,600 and 111,000.
What to do
Check the coolant level cold and watch the temperature gauge on the drive.
Our guideCoolant Leak: The Five Places It Comes FromSteering21%381 complaintsLoss of power assist, steering warnings
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What owners describe
While driving my 2013 Ford fusion I suddenly lost power steering control. There were two alarm messages service advance trac and hill start assist unavailable. This is the second time this has happened with this car. The first time was in 2014 and davidson Ford of watertown ny fixed the issue then.
Steering wheel on my 2013 Ford fusion is loose. Feels as if the bolts holding the steering wheel are loose and the situation is getting worse.first noticed is in the stationary position but now moves even when driving.
MNOHOHCARead 4 more owner reports+4
Power steering assistant light comes on and power steering does not work. There is recalls on other 2013 Ford fusions for steering issues but not on mine. This could have caused me a serious accident had I been not just pulling out of my drive way and actually on the freeway
Loss of steering has cracked drive motor on steering rack fleet car 3rd one with same problem cowl leak water on steering motor causing corrosion then rust jacking braking off mounting ear on drive motor common problem
Cracked steering drive motor on rack and pinion causing loss of steering cowl is leaking on drive motor and wiring harness causing corrosion then pushing the two parts apart then cracking the 4th one in our fleet to do this has 22170 miles on it
Takata inflators I could not see headlight would go off and on and my steering wheel would shake uncontrollably came close to 3 fatal accidents every time things went wrong I was driving on the freeway me and my kids came so close to loosing our lives
When it starts
Usually starts around 74,045 miles. Half of owners reported it between 41,625 and 105,450.
What to do
Turn the wheel lock to lock with the engine running and watch for a steering warning.
Powertrain15%271 complaintsRough shifts, shifter cable
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What owners describe
I have a 2013 Ford fusion. It has been displaying a jerking motion with pulling is out a park and into drive. When going to turn the corner it stalled out on me. I was able to get it stated back up but when driving its like it had no power and it was going slow.
Fourth occurrence with this vehicle! Driving home from work, approaching roundabout, decelerating from 40mph, vehicle lurched and lost power and began rapidly decelerating. Wrench/powertrain light, airbag light, and engine light all came on. Vehicle towed to dealership. This is their fifth attempt at repair.
ILGAINOHRead 4 more owner reports+4
Transmission slips when accelerating. Was intermittent and now the car is not operating. Dealer said it was normal wear and requires a complete transmission replacement. The car has 122,000 miles mostly highway. The repair code I received was for damage to 3rd gear.
While driving on a city road with my foot on the gas at 35-40mph, the transmission erratically shifted into a lower gear on the transmission, causing the engine rpms to near instantaneously to go from 1750-2000rpms to just over 4000rpms. Through the rpm increase the vehicle maintained the previous 35-40mph speed. Ultimately, was forced to brake to bring the engine rpms down.
On roundabout, vehicle lurched and immediately lost acceleration. Power train light and air bag light illuminated. Vehicle stopped, blocking entire roundabout and stopping traffic. Vehicle pushed by do-gooders to berm. Third occurrence with this vehicle, dealership repair attempts have not corrected.
The car stalls. It can be restarted and driven again for an indeterminate amount of time but then stalls again. This started about 6 months ago and has become more frequent over the last month. Most of the time it happens when driving at low speed such as through a parking lot or on side streets. A search of the web shows several results of the same issue
When it starts
Usually starts around 97,534 miles. Half of owners reported it between 68,540 and 125,000.
What to do
Shift into Park on a slope and check that the car holds.
Our guideBad Transmission Symptoms: Seven Causes Ranked from $6.19 to $7,100Electrical system9%157 complaintsStalling, warning lights
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What owners describe
Rear passenger side door would not lock. Car was towed to dealership. Service advisor said it was the 4th fusion with the same problem and was waiting on parts. Door latch on rear pass. Door was replaced.
Takata recall my car caught fire and burned. The fire started while driving but I was unaware. I just kept smelling popcorn smell. I then got to my destination , parked the car 5 min. Later the fire department came in and asked if any was driving a white Ford fusion. It's was bbot quit 2 years old and had less then 50 k miles.
MICARead 2 more owner reports+2
Loud cracking sounds coming from speakers caused by a failed audio control module, only 82k miles in. Car battery draining, weekly required jump-starts with brand new battery installed.
Our call had a recall , never got notice and the recall on this vehicle localized overheating my cylinder head to crack, result in fire in engine and this is what happened to our 2013 Ford fusion
When it starts
Usually starts around 55,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 27,000 and 95,000.
What to do
Watch the dash for warning lights on the test drive.
Body8%150 complaintsDoor latches
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What owners describe
Recall of door locks, fully replaced in 2017. Was at work yesterday and the door latch failed just like initial incident. Went to close the door & it bounced back like something was stopping it from closing. As per Ford they aren't responsible.
Passenger door will not close or latch. Door latch breaks and door will not remain closed / latch when vehicle operating and or not operating. Latch has been replaced 3 times under Ford motor company recall 15s16. The door may unlatch while driving and open and result in injury.
CAFLRead 2 more owner reports+2
I want a refund for replacing my latch on my fusion two months ago. It came open while driving and now I see a recall for the exact same issue, but my fusion is not on the list. I had it done at Ford of el cajon. 2013 Ford fusion 4d 2wd se I contacted Ford and am attaching their response.
The rear passenger door latch failed again, the recall was performed 14 months ago. The dealer refused to repair it under the recall. I took the car back and it is parked in the garage with the battery disconnected.
When it starts
Usually starts around 60,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 40,000 and 90,400.
What to do
Open and close every door, and check each one latches.
What repairs cost on the 2013 Ford Fusion
Part prices for the problems 2013 Fusion owners report most. They are shelf and mail-order prices for the part alone, so a shop bill adds labor and its own markup.
A remanufactured Maval rack up to a new Motorcraft one, plus a core deposit of up to $400. Recall 13V232 replaces steering gears missing a retaining clip, and recalls 15V250 and 19V632 cover corroded steering motor bolts, free at the dealer; check the VIN first.
Check steering racksFor the gas engines, SKP up to Four Seasons at $16 to $88; the Hybrid's pump runs up to $349 from Motorcraft.
Check water pumpsPrices on this page are our own research, not the store’s, and store prices change daily.
Prices read on RockAuto on Oct 2, 2026, for the parts listed as fitting this car; regular stock only, closeouts left out.
When problems show up on the odometer
Electrical system complaints start earliest, typically around 55,000 miles. Powertrain complaints start latest, around 97,500 miles.
Dot: typical mileage. Bar: the middle half of reports. From the mileage owners wrote on the form.
Ford Fusion complaints by model year
2013 is shown in dark. The engine is named most in 5 other Fusion years.
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2013 is shown in dark. The engine is named most in 5 other Fusion years.
When owners filed
Complaints about the 2013 Ford Fusion have kept arriving since 2012, with peaks in 2018 and 2019. A peak often follows a recall or a news story, not a new fault.
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2013 Ford Fusion recalls
19 recall campaigns cover the 2013 Ford Fusion. A recall list is by model year; whether one car had the work done is in its VIN record.
2013 Ford Fusion crash tests and investigations
NHTSA crash tests rate the 2013 Ford Fusion five stars overall, the same for all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive. Its defect office has opened five investigations that cover this model year.
Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars: 5 is the safest result, 1 the least safe.
Frontal stars compare cars of about the same weight; side stars compare every vehicle. Rollover stars show how top-heavy the car is: NHTSA puts the 2013 Ford Fusion’s chance of rolling over in a single-car crash at 11%.
Safety equipment NHTSA recommends
Optional means some trims have it and some don’t. Check the car you are looking at.
Federal investigations
Before you buy a used 2013 Ford Fusion
These checks follow what 2013 Fusion owners reported most: overheating and coolant leaks, a steering assist failure, then rough shifts. Run the VIN before you pay, because this car has engine, steering and shifter recalls.
- 1Check the coolant and the temperature gauge
Coolant and overheating lead the engine complaints.
- 2Run the VIN for engine, steering and shifter recalls
Only the VIN shows whether the fixes were done.
- 3Turn the wheel lock to lock
A loss of steering assist is as common as the engine complaints.
- 4Put it in Park on a slope
A shifter bushing recall covers a car that may not be in Park.
- 5Drive through every gear
Rough shifts lead the powertrain complaints.
Oil and service for the 2013 Ford Fusion
This is what Ford's manual says the 2013 Fusion needs: which oil to use and how much, the fluids for the transmission and the cooling system, and when each job is due. The car tracks oil wear itself and shows an oil change message on the dashboard, but Ford says never to go past a year or 10,000 miles.
- Engine oil
- 5W-20
- Oil capacity
- 5.7 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-30
- Oil capacity
- 5.7 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-20
- Oil capacity
- 4.3 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
Service schedule
From the Ford 2013 Fusion Owner's Manual, read Oct 2, 2026. Normal schedule.
Common questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford Fusion?
Owners name the engine most (382 complaints), then steering (381) and powertrain (271).
Is 2013 a good year for the Ford Fusion?
The complaint record can't grade a car, but it shows what to check: the engine complaints that lead this year, the mileage they start at, and whether the recall repairs were done.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Ford Fusion?
Yes. NHTSA lists 19 recall campaigns for the 2013 Ford Fusion: steering (3), power train (5), seat belts, latches/locks/linkages (3), engine and engine cooling (2), airbags, seats, exterior lighting, fuel system, brakes. A dealer can tell from the VIN whether one car got the repairs.
At what mileage do 2013 Ford Fusion problems start?
Electrical system complaints start earliest, around 55,000 miles. Powertrain complaints come later, around 97,500 miles.
Which Fusion years have the most and fewest complaints?
The 2010 and 2011 model years have the most in the file, and the 2020 and 2019 the fewest, though newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Other 2013 sedans to compare
What the complaint record can't tell you
Sources
Show all 6 sources
Owner quotes are changed from all capitals to normal case only. Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.