NHTSA (USA)Critical
This page covers 20 recalls, 1379 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2014 Ford Fusion.
25–41 mpg combined
5.7–9.4 L/100km
Midsize Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 7 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Steering is the dominant complaint theme for the 2014 Ford Fusion, drawing by far the most reports. Owners frequently describe sudden and unexpected power steering loss, the wheel abruptly becomes heavy or unresponsive, often mid-turn or at highway speeds, requiring significantly more effort to steer. Many report this happening without warning, sometimes while changing lanes or turning at intersections. The powertrain is the second most-reported system, with owners describing hesitation, shuddering, and rough or delayed engagement from the transmission. Engine complaints, the third-largest category, cover issues like stalling, rough running, and loss of power. A recurring thread across steering reports is that the problem tends to appear suddenly rather than gradually, owners describe going from normal steering feel to near-total resistance in moments.
1,379
Total Complaints
53
Crash-Related
9
Fire-Related
25
With Injuries
By System
The 2014 Ford Fusion has 20 recalls, the most serious involving fire risks from multiple sources: an overheating 120V charge cord on Energi models, a cracked engine cylinder head that can leak oil onto hot components on 1.6L engines, and a transmission fluid leak on models with the 1.6L engine and six-speed manual transmission.
The shifter cable bushing is another significant concern, appearing across multiple recalls. The bushing that connects the shifter cable to the transmission can degrade or fall off, either leaving the car in a different gear than shown or allowing it to roll away after the driver exits. The steering wheel retaining bolt can loosen until the wheel detaches entirely, and on some vehicles the electric power steering motor can lose its mounting bolts and drop away from the gear housing, making the car much harder to steer, particularly at low speeds. Front brake hoses can rupture and leak fluid, extending stopping distances, and on some vehicles a brake pedal bumper can separate and cause the brake lights to stay on continuously.
Door latches account for several recalls: latches can crack, break internally, or fail to engage properly, leaving doors that appear closed but can swing open while driving. Some of these vehicles were repaired under earlier recalls, but prior repairs may not have fully resolved the problem. There are also two separate recalls where the ignition key can be removed while the transmission is not in Park, potentially leading a driver to think the car is safely parked when it is not. In a crash, the front seatbelt anchor cable can fail after the pretensioner fires, reducing restraint
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
At a glance
What can fail
The clutch may fracture in vehicles that were previously repaired under recalls 18V169 and 18V845. A fractured clutch can damage the transmission assembly and cause transmission fluid to leak.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the software at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front brake hoses at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rubber bushing connecting the shifter cable to the transmission can wear down or come loose, potentially affecting shift control.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the worn bushing and install a protective cap over the cable bushing at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
In certain high-temperature, high-humidity, or salt-air environments, the brake pedal bumper can corrode and separate from the brake pedal.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the brake pedal bumpers and clutch pedal bumpers at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A door latch component may break, making doors hard to close or allowing doors to appear closed when they're actually unsecured.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect door latches and replace them if needed at no cost. Owners can also check latch date codes online to verify if repair was done correctly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Door latches may crack and fail in high heat, preventing the door from latching properly when closed. An unlatched door could open while driving.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to have a Ford or Lincoln dealer replace the side door latches.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A component inside the door latches can break, making doors hard to close or appearing closed when they actually aren't.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the side door latches at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Road salt and contaminants can corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts, potentially causing them to break or loosen.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts, apply wax sealer to protect them, and install a new steering gear if bolts are broken or missing.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rubber bushing connecting the transmission shifter cable to the transmission can wear out and come loose, allowing the shift lever to move to Park without the transmission actually being in Park, with no warning.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The 120V charging cord lacks a thermistor. If your home's outlet or wiring has high resistance, the cord can overheat and melt during charging.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace your cord with a new 120V convenience cord that includes a thermistor, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rubber bushing connecting the transmission shifter cable can wear and separate from the transmission. This may let you shift to Park and remove the key while the transmission stays in a different gear, with no warning.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The clutch may fracture, damaging the transmission assembly and potentially causing transmission fluid to leak.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the clutch assembly free of charge. Focus vehicles will also receive software to prevent prolonged clutch slip.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The steering wheel retaining bolt can loosen, potentially allowing the steering wheel to detach while you're driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer one at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A part inside the door latches can break, making doors hard to close or letting you think a door is shut when it actually isn't.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace all four door latches at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
If the engine starts with too little coolant, the cylinder head can overheat, crack, and leak oil.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a coolant level sensor with supporting hardware and software to monitor coolant levels.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
During a crash, heat from the seat belt pretensioner deploying may cause the front seat belt anchor cable to fail.
What the fix does
Dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Snow and water containing road salt may corrode the bolts that attach the electric power steering motor, potentially causing them to break or loosen.
What the fix does
Dealers will apply sealer and replace the steering motor bolts. If bolts are broken or missing, the entire steering gear will be replaced.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A component in the door latches may break, making doors hard to close or causing them to appear securely closed when they are not.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace all four door latches with improved parts at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The key can be removed from the ignition even when the transmission is not in Park, which can allow the vehicle to roll away unintentionally.
What the fix does
Dealers will repair the vehicles at no charge to correct the key removal mechanism.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
On certain vehicles with mechanical ignition keys and dual screens, the key can be removed even when the transmission isn't in park—30 minutes after turning off the ignition. This violates safety standards and could allow the vehicle to roll away.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster to prevent key removal unless the transmission is in park.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
