2016 Ford Fusion 1.5L Ecoboost engine w/approx. 88,000 miles was just purchased from private owner on 10/7/26. On 10/17/26 the check engine light came on and showed problem with cylinder 1 and 4. Car was running ruff, misfiring, losing power. Safety issue for losing power on highway. New spark plugs installed and cylinder 1 and 4 replaced. Replaced cylinder 4 twice but this did not work. Local auto shop scoped car as well as did pressure tests. Coolant Intrusion into cylinders. Defective head gasket and design of engine. Car needs engine replaced. Coolant intrusion with defect of the engine should be a recall from Ford.
2016 Ford Fusion: sudden loss of power
70 of the 1,662 complaints about the 2016 Ford Fusion describe sudden loss of power.
- owner complaints
- 70
- of this car's complaints
- 4%
- typical repair cost reported
- $6,000
- typical mileage
- 40,000
- recalls
- 0
Sudden loss of power by model year
What owners say
Ford Ecoboost coolant intrusion. Loss of coolant without noticeable leaks. Loss of power while experiencing cylinder misfire. After cool-down, engine runs rough with white tailpipe smoke and generates check engine light for cylinder misfire.
The engine experienced a sudden failure that caused the vehicle to become completely inoperable. Prior to the failure, the vehicle exhibited intermittent hesitation, rough idling, and loss of power during acceleration. These symptoms began several weeks before the complete failure. No warning lamps were illuminated at first, but shortly before the breakdown, the vehicle displayed a check engine light and a “Service Engine Soon” message. While driving, the vehicle abruptly lost power and became unsafe to operate. I was forced to pull over immediately, which created a safety risk to myself and other drivers due to the sudden deceleration and inability to maintain speed in traffic. The vehicle would not restart afterward. A repair facility has confirmed that the engine has suffered a major internal failure and requires replacement. The estimated cost of repair starts upwards of $5,000. The vehicle is currently non‑drivable and remains available for inspection. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by an independent service center. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. However, I have found multiple similar complaints from other owners reporting the same type of powertrain failure, suggesting a potential pattern or defect affecting safety.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost power steering functionality and nearly crashed. The contact swerved and slammed on the brake pedal abruptly, causing the contact to strike the left side of the head against the upper side of the driver's side window. The contact sustained a headache, a bump and dizziness and sought medical attention. The power steering warning light was illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was associated with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V632000 (STEERING). The contact resided in Wisconsin, which was one of the States listed in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that no assistance would be provided because the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 178,000.
Complete loss of power steering. Service advancetrac light on Hill assist not available 2016 fusion but is not included in the recall. Car was sold to me and is registered in Pennsylvania, the salt belt. Ran scanner got codes U0240 and C102D. Clear codes, immediately get power steering back. Slowly lose power steering again, until complete failure. Super unsafe, first time this happened I was on the turnpike with my son. Speed limit is 70 m.p.h. I had to go 40 with my 4 ways on. Barely had control of my car. Very scary.
Transmission started whining from the pump and then immediately lost power/acceleration. Electronic diagnosis found code P0733 for incorrect gear ratio for 3rd gear. Dealership recommends torque converter replacement and transmission overhaul. Fine metal debris found in transmission fluid sample. Estimate $5,500 and occurred at 110,000 miles on odometer.
Transition light it pulls when put into gear and lost power when trying to accelerate when driving.
Lost power in the steering wheel. My safety and others is at risk because the steering wheel locks up completely at slow speeds and it's difficult to turn the steering wheel when turning a corner or trying to back up. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. The component has only been inspected by an independent service center. On 12/5/25 I received a warning on the dashboard, Steering Assist Fault. I drove to work and parked the car. When I got in the car around noon and proceeded to drive the steering wheel was really difficult to turn and I started seeing other notifications that flashed on the screen. As I drove the steering wheel because more difficult to turn. At low speed the steering wheel locked up and I managed to pull the car over to get out of traffic.
Electric Power Steering Motor Attaching Bolts Corrode (the federal safety agency 19V‑632, OEM 19S26): Corrosion of bolts in the electric power steering system can lead to loss of power steering assist in 2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles in certain states. Dealers will replace bolts and apply a sealant, or install a new steering gear.
Engine spontaneously became extremely rough, losing power while at the same time engine light started flashing. Had car towed to auto shop. Which stated cylinders 2 and 4 were misfiring. Sought second opinion from different auto shop which confirmed that cylinder 4 was not performing and cylinder 2 was performing minimally. Engine has 47,000 miles on it. Ford customer relations contacted which provided case # [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at a slow speed, the steering wheel started to wobble with the "Power Steering Assist Fault Service Now" message displayed. The contact pulled into a parking lot and the “Loss of Power Steering - Pull Over to the Side of the Road for Safety" and "No ABS" messages were displayed. The contact attempted to read the safety manual but found no information about the failure. The contact called her husband who had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic later called the contact and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be serviced because no fault codes were found. The vehicle was later towed to a dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 18V167000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact called the manufacturer and was provided a case number and the contact was then transferred to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 180,000.
Kept getting a misfire on cylinder 2 after ford preformed a “recall” on the power train control system well the car now has coolant leaking into the number two cylinder causing it to shake violently and complete loss of power luckily my wife was able to pull safely off the roadway with my [XXX] son present before losing control and having an accident INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Service bulletins that may apply
- For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an...
- Some 2014-2020 Fusion and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles may be equipped with a 1.5L Ecoboost engine that uses...
- Low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or runs rough condition with or without an illuminated...
- Some 2014-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2014-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ...
- Rattle noise from the transmission bellhousing area
- Illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018,...
- Oil leak from the turbocharger oil supply or return tubes, O-rings or 6.7L pedestal gasket
- This article supersedes TSB 19-2139 to update the production fix date
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2016 Ford Fusion loss of power
Is sudden loss of power a common problem on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
70 of 1,662 owner complaints about the 2016 Ford Fusion (4%) mention sudden loss of power. The model year with the most reports is 2010.
How much does it cost to fix sudden loss of power on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $6,000 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2016 Ford Fusion?
There are 0 recalls and 32 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2016 Ford Fusion
Check engine light 270Overheating 191Engine failure 136Misfire 131Backup camera 124Stalling 93Fire or smoke 60Power steering loss 54Door locks 53Jerking 44Won't shift 41Screen failure 35Won't start 33ABS 27Hesitation 27Airbag light 25Brake failure 22Transmission failure 21Steering lock-up 15Shudder 13No deployment 10Adaptive cruise 9Grinding brakes 9Fuel pump 9Harsh shifting 9Rollaway 9Seat belt 9Wipers 8Headlights 7Slipping 7Battery drain 5Knocking 5Fuel smell 5Sudden acceleration 5Warning lights 5
VIN decoder
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