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2016 Ford Fusion: won't start

33 of the 1,662 complaints about the 2016 Ford Fusion describe won't start.

owner complaints
33
of this car's complaints
2%
typical repair cost reported
$800
typical mileage
73,000
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 32 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Won't start by model year

What owners say

Filed Sep 21, 2025 · Engine · OK

Engine block needed replaced due to coolant intrusion. Started off with an engine light for misfire then started using coolant to smoking on start up then eventually hydrolocking the engine for a no start condition making car undriveable. Diagnosed at dealer for coolant intrusion with only fix of a new block at a cost around $10,000.

Filed Aug 28, 2025 · Electrical · IN

I was driving on the expressway. My car Went into limp mode it didn’t stall completely out, but I was not able to accelerate any eventually the wheel became tight. every light came on.. I made it safely off the expressway. My car would not start the ODB port is not reading. I’ve taken it to several mechanics all of them say that it’s my PCM. They said my PCM needs to be reprogrammed. There’s currently an active recall from my exact car but when I search my vin It tells me I have no active recalls.

Filed Jul 3, 2025 · Engine · NC

My 2016 Ford Fusion SE 2.0L Turbo has been emitting some white smoke, then the other day it would not start right away. When started it ran rough for a few minutes on idle and when driving it does not have much power anymore and it would hesitate a lot if trying to accelerate. SO getting on the interstate that morning I nearly got rear ended by a semi-truck because I could not accelerate up to speed. The check engine light came on shortly and I took it to a mechanic who did tests to diagnose. The diagnostic showed misfiring in cylinder 2 most likely due to coolant intrusion. After doing some research it was evident that many owners have had this happen and had to replace their entire engine for 6000+ dollars. My car only has 114,000 miles on it and it should function properly. I have seen cars with 250,000+ miles easily.

Filed Mar 2, 2024 · Engine · FL

First noted engine acting sluggish about a week prior to 2-13-24 oil change at Firestone. They suggested it may be the fuel injection system needing to be cleaned, which they performed on 2-14-24. Engine continued to run sluggish and was in fact worse than before, engine light came on 2-21-24 so Firestone replaced fuel injector that day. Error codes were reading misfire in cylinder 2, the engine was still full of carbon and other buildup so they thought there was still residue and thoroughly cleaned everything again after replacing fuel injector. On 2-22-24 I refueled after work and car would not start. AAA was dispatched to tow vehicle and I notified Firestone it would be brought in, fortunately after about 15 minutes I was able to start it and drive it to Firestone, engine light immediately came on. They looked at it first thing on 2-23-24 and engine started up normally, they suspected a faulty fuel canister valve (which was replaced in 2020) but that did not turn out to be the case, codes were again reading misfire in cylinder 2. White smoke began emitting from exhaust and they discovered spark plugs as well as engine cylinders were soaked with oil, also coolant was nearly gone despite no signs of a leak. Upon doing research they discovered this website and pending class action lawsuits against Ford for faulty engine design that knowingly causes coolant to leak into cylinders, thus causing engine block to fail. They advised me to trade/sell the car immediately but also to have Ford give their opinion. AAA towed the car to Sarasota Ford on 2-28-24 and they called on 3-1-24 to report the engine had completely failed and it would cost $12,000 to replace. I declined and will arrange for AAA to tow it home until we can sell the vehicle for scrap per advisor's suggestion as it cannot be traded or sold in this condition. I have spent thousands in repairs/Ubers as Ford refuses to cover cost or provide a loaner, also had to open Firestone credit card just to cover repairs

Filed Aug 19, 2023 · Electrical · GA

In the last 4 years the battery has had to be replaced 3 times. Each time the car runs great then is shut off and the next day won't start, no lights and can't even get into the car without the key. The vehicle can't be jumped or battery charged, everything is dead. Upon replacing the battery everything works fine for about 2 years.

Filed Jul 17, 2022 · Transmission · GA

My 2016 Ford Fusion Titanium with the 2.0 EcoBoost has 75k miles. A couple of days ago, it started misfiring on cylinder 1 while driving. The vehicle started jerking when trying to accelerate onto the interstate. White smoke started pouring out of the exhaust and the vehicle was violently shaking. The check engine light illuminated and started flashing. I was stranded on the interstate waiting for a tow truck as the vehicle wouldn't start after I turned it off. The shop the vehicle was taken to stated the was a crack on the engine block causing coolant to get into the cylinder. Now I have to pay over $6k out of pocket for a long block replacement. This is a common issue with EcoBoost engines, and now the consumers are stuck forking the cost of a replacement. Ford knows this is an issue... More importantly, the fact I was stranded on the interstate with people passing me doing 85 mph and the hazard that it caused it what infuriates me the most. I really hope somebody is able to get Ford to remedy this.

Filed May 13, 2022 · Transmission · IL

Gear bushing issue not included in 2016 Ford Fusion Recall in 2019. Car was in a hand wash car was when the bushing broke and rolled into reverse. The car was turned off and then would not start because the gear shifter would not allow the car to go into park even though the shifter appeared to be in Park.

Filed Apr 22, 2022 · Transmission · MI

Placed car in park and turned if off. When I took my foot off the brake it started rolling away. The vehicle would not start saying it was not in park.

Filed Mar 8, 2022 · Engine · TX

I had a check engine light appear on the dash. I took the vehicle to AutoZone to have the warning read. The reading came back as a misfiring spark plug. I had an appointment to get the spark plugs changed during my next oil change. A few days after I had the engine light read, the check engine light turned off. It was off for 1-2 days and then came back on. A few days later, while I was driving, I had a warning light that the vehicle was overheating. I pulled over and checked the coolant and the reservoir was empty. There were no signs of leaking coolant (externally). I let the vehicle cool and added coolant. At this point, I tried to start the vehicle and the vehicle wouldn't start. I had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic to have it looked at. They indicated that the coolant was leaking into the engine and recommended having the vehicle towed to Ford for a detailed diagnosis. Ford diagnosed the vehicle and indicated that the engine needed to be replaced. All within a span of 10 days.

Filed Dec 3, 2021 · Engine · LA

Purchased a 2016 Ford Fusion SE in July of 2021. First week I had the car the engine didnt crank/start. Took it to the dealership that I bought it from they sent me to their mechanic and was told nothing was wrong with it. Happened the third week of purchase went back to the dealership and was told to use my warranty and to take it to Ford. Took it to Ford and was told it had high resistance in my negative terminal in the battery. (First attempt August 2021) I was charged $400 to get the corrosion clean and put a coat on the terminal for protection. A week later my engine didnt start again. Had this problem for several weeks,one day the engine would start the next it wouldnt. I called Ford and was told to bring it back. (Second attempt Oct 2021) Ford told me they diagnosed the car and didnt find any codes to lead to the problem. Kept telling me the engine was starting when they had it but when i went to pick it up it wouldnt for me. (Third attempt Nov 2021) Went picked my car up from Ford on a Monday morning because it was ready and that they still didnt find anything wrong with it and it was starting up just fine. Leaving from work Monday night engine didnt start had to get it towed again to Ford Tuesday morning. I have called Ford headquarters to file a complaint. Do not purchase a Fusion they are terrible cars and Ford theirselves cant even find out what the issue is with the vehicle.

Filed May 19, 2021 · Fuel system · SD

Canister purge valve malfunction. I had trouble starting my car a couple of times and it would randomly stall out. But after getting gas this last time, I noticed a humming/grinding sound coming from the gas tank. When stopped at a red light (in rush hour traffic) the car stalled completely and wouldn't start. Had to wait a few seconds and try starting again and again, when it finally started again the noise was still there. I called a friend and we ran diagnostics on it and it returned the error of the canister purge valve malfunction. This has been a recall on other Ford cars in the past but not showing on my VIN....

Filed Dec 24, 2020 · Engine, Transmission · 59,400 miles · TX

Car has 60k miles. Losing coolant no leak. Didn't start one day. Firestone couldn't find the problem. Had my car towed to baytown ford. After a week and a $800 authorization to open the engine only. Next day I was told I need a new engine. $6k. My question was what caused the engine failure, and how can I be sure the new engine wont have the same problem. My oil changes are regular. Mobil 1 oil and filter. I was told the sludge in my engine was because I had a aftermarket oil filter not a motorcraft filter. Not in writing. I knew better and after some research I found a plethora if other owners has had the exact same problem. My car is my key to providing for my family and I dont have $6k for a manufacturer defect. Car has also cut off while my wife was driving but cranked immediately.

Questions about the 2016 Ford Fusion won't start

Is won't start a common problem on the 2016 Ford Fusion?

33 of 1,662 owner complaints about the 2016 Ford Fusion (2%) mention won't start. The model year with the most reports is 2016.

How much does it cost to fix won't start on the 2016 Ford Fusion?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $800 (median of 6 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 93Loss of power 70Fire or smoke 60Power steering loss 54Door locks 53Jerking 44Won't shift 41Screen failure 35ABS 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

All model years of the Ford Fusion

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