I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious engine failure and safety issue involving my 2017 Ford Fusion equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. At approximately 79,000 miles, my vehicle experienced a coolant intrusion failure. While driving, the engine suddenly stalled in the middle of an intersection, leaving me stranded in traffic and at risk of being rear-ended by approaching vehicles. I was able to restart the vehicle and move out of the intersection, but the exhaust then produced a very large, thick cloud of white smoke. The amount of smoke could have significantly reduced visibility for other drivers and created an additional safety hazard. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealership, where I was told the engine had coolant intrusion and needed to be replaced. I was also told this is a common problem with Ford EcoBoost engines, including the 1.5L, 2.0L, and 2.3L engines. My concern is not only the cost of the repair, but the serious safety risk. Coolant intrusion can cause misfires, excessive white smoke, engine damage, and eventual engine failure. A sudden loss of power while driving can create a serious crash hazard, as happened to me. I am concerned Ford has known about this recurring problem for years yet has continued using these engines in vehicles such as the Fusion, Escape, and Lincoln MKZ without adequately addressing the issue. I request that the federal safety agency investigate coolant intrusion affecting Ford EcoBoost engines and determine whether a safety defect exists that warrants a recall. I also believe affected owners should receive reimbursement for engine replacement costs when the failure is caused by this defect. My experience demonstrates that this is more than a normal maintenance issue. An engine that can suddenly stall in traffic and produce a large cloud of white smoke without warning poses a significant safety risk to vehicle occupants and other motorists.
2017 Ford Fusion: misfire or rough idle
126 of the 1,116 complaints about the 2017 Ford Fusion describe misfire or rough idle.
- owner complaints
- 126
- of this car's complaints
- 11%
- typical repair cost reported
- $7,000
- typical mileage
- 85,000
- recalls
- 0
Misfire or rough idle by model year
What owners say
The vehicle in question has the coolant intrusion into cylinders 2 and 3 with rough idle on startup, P0300, P0302, P0303, and white smoke on startup. The vehicle now has 111339 miles on it and the out of pocket cost is more than what the vehicle blue books for in excellent condition. TSB 22-2134 speaks to all the issue and what the repair is. If this is a known issue then I feel this should be a vehicle recall by Ford due to the costly repair.
ENGINE HAS COOLANT INTRUSIONAND IS MISFIRING. Engine light came on. The coolant system found pressure to be dropping significantly. Removed spark plugs and inspected cylinder bores using borescope. Verified coolant is leaking into cylinder 2 and needed to replace the engine at Ourisman Ford in Manassas VA. on July 11, 2026.
1.5 liter ecoboost engine has a coolant intrusion problem into the cylinder to due a design flaw. Problem can cause several problems: loosing coolant and causing the engine to overheat, causing misfire in the cylinders, and can cause the engine to stallwhich has happened several time on me. The engine should be recalled as a safety concern for stalling, it has stalled on the I15 in Utah several times
Coolant intrusion into the engine causing my car to missfire going down the road. Car is sitting in my yard unfit to be driven. Dealership claims it had previously been remedied. The car has only been inspected by my mechanic. No prior warnings before the misfire occurred
Vehicles Engine has been affected due to a know manufacturing flaw with design that caused coolant to leak into the cylinder walls of the engine block causing a rough idle, white smoke out of the exhaust and cylinder 2 misfire.
Misfire in Cylinder 2 caused by Coolant Leak into the Bore.
The engine has suffered a complete failure due to a known defect in the 1.5L EcoBoost. This issue was already repaired once under Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37/21N12 (engine short block replacement) on 10/12/2020 at Stilwell Ford, before I owned the vehicle. Less than 5 years later, the exact same defect has occurred again. Details of Failure: •Vehicle began running rough with loss of power and abnormal engine noise. •A compression test performed by my repair shop shows: Cylinder 4 = 0 psi compression, with cylinder wall scoring and oil intrusion. •Shop diagnosis: engine requires complete replacement (~$7,000 repair). •Symptoms are identical to the coolant intrusion / cylinder failure defect covered by Ford’s prior CSP. •This is the second time this defect has occurred on the same vehicle. Safety Risk: •Vehicle misfires and shakes violently, making it unsafe to drive. •Sudden loss of power and potential stalling in traffic pose a serious risk of crash. •Drivers are given no warning before engine failure occurs. Manufacturer Response: •Ford acknowledges this defect under CSP 19B37/21N12 but refuses further coverage since it was “already repaired” once. •As a second owner, I never received notice of the defect. •The fact that the failure recurred shows Ford’s repair program did not fully resolve the defect. Request: I am reporting this as a repeat safety defect. The failure has occurred again after Ford’s supposed remedy. the federal safety agency should investigate whether Ford’s CSP repairs adequately resolve the defect, and whether additional recalls or coverage extensions are warranted.
2017 Ford Fusion got serviced at Ford dealership June 4, 2025. Service included, transmission flush, fuel induction service, oil change, oil filter change. About a month after service check engine light comes on upon starting the vehicle, but then goes out. A week later check engine light comes back on and would not start properly. Vehicle taken to independent mechanic and was told transmission fluid was low and also old. Vehicle taken to Ford dealership where service was done month prior. Ford dealership said cylinder misfire, coolant intrusion, and engine failure. Also transmission fluid was found to be low. Ford recommended new engine.
My engine experienced coolant intrusion into cylinder #2, which caused misfiring and engine failure. This has been a known issue with this year model, but since I am just outside of the warranty mileage (69K) and my VIN doesn't have any recalls, I have been advised to purchase a replacement engine. I simply cannot afford to replace an engine in a car I am still paying a loan for. For this to be a known issue and not be recalled is a serious safety concern and has caused me to lose confidence in the manufacturer. I am currently trying to see what a shop near me would charge to replace it but I am not sure that I can afford the repair costs. I shouldn't be expected to need to replace an engine when the year model has known issues and I have taken care of any and all maintenance on the car to keep it running well. I expected to have this car for many more years, especially with the low mileage and how well I've cared for it.
In July 2025, my 2017 Ford Fusion SE (EcoBoost engine) was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #4 by Sunrise Ford in North Hollywood, CA. This is a known issue with the 1.5L and 2.0L EcoBoost engines and is addressed in Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 19-2208. The vehicle had only 76,000 miles at the time and had been regularly serviced and well-maintained. Over the past 1–2 years, I received repeated warnings during oil changes that my coolant levels were unusually low, though no leaks were found. In July 2025, the check engine light (CEL) appeared. The vehicle exhibited rough idle at cold start, but otherwise drove normally. I immediately brought the car to the dealership, where they confirmed the problem through diagnostics and plug inspection. The dealership quoted me $11,000–$12,000 to replace the engine (long block). Ford Customer Relations (CRC) was contacted and denied financial assistance, citing the age of the vehicle. They also acknowledged this is a known issue and suggested I file a report with the federal safety agency, which I am now doing. This engine failure presents a serious safety risk. The CEL appeared without warning during normal use. A driver unfamiliar with the signs of internal coolant loss could continue operating the vehicle, risking a sudden loss of engine power, stalling, or further engine damage while in motion. In my case, the failure occurred quietly and was only caught because I acted quickly. Had I ignored the CEL or rough idle, engine failure could have occurred at highway speed. The issue was confirmed and documented by a Ford dealer. I am no longer in possession of the vehicle, as I was forced to sell it at a loss due to the cost of repairs. The vehicle is no longer available for inspection, but all related documentation has been retained.
The contact's husband owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact used a vehicle code reader and scanner tool to scan the vehicle and retrieved a diagnostic trouble code indicating a misfire in engine cylinder #2. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where, the coil pack and plug wire were replaced; however, the failure recurred days later. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in engine cylinder #2. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to Ford TSB Number:19-2346. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was then referred to the federal safety agency Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 78,850.
Service bulletins that may apply
- This article supersedes TSB 24-2345 to update the Service Procedure
- For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an...
- This article supersedes TSB 22-2181 to update the Service Procedure and Part List
- Some 2014-2020 Fusion and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles may be equipped with a 1.5L Ecoboost engine that uses...
- Oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal
- Low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or runs rough condition with or without an illuminated...
- Low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated...
- Certain 2017-2019 Model Year Fusion and Escape Vehicles Equipped with a 1.5L GTDI Engine
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2017 Ford Fusion misfire
Is misfire or rough idle a common problem on the 2017 Ford Fusion?
126 of 1,116 owner complaints about the 2017 Ford Fusion (11%) mention misfire or rough idle. The model year with the most reports is 2016.
How much does it cost to fix misfire or rough idle on the 2017 Ford Fusion?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $7,000 (median of 20 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 2017 Ford Fusion?
There are 0 recalls and 62 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2017 Ford Fusion
Check engine light 294Overheating 167Engine failure 148Stalling 82Won't shift 47Fire or smoke 46Loss of power 41Transmission failure 39Hesitation 31Jerking 31Won't start 26Shudder 19Brake failure 18Power steering loss 16Battery drain 11Harsh shifting 11ABS 8Grinding brakes 8No deployment 7Backup camera 7Slipping 7Wipers 7Airbag light 6Headlights 6Steering lock-up 6Knocking 5Rollaway 5Start-stop 5
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