2018 Ford Fusion: misfire or rough idle

Filed Oct 26, 2026 · Engine · 138,000 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. In addition, the engine made a bubbling sound after turning off the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where an engine misfire was diagnosed, and a fuel odor was detected. The mechanic determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

Filed Sep 25, 2026 · Engine · OH

My 2018 Ford Fusion Titanium FWD (VIN: [XXX]) suffered a catastrophic engine failure while driving, causing sudden vehicle overheating, severe engine misfires, and a dangerous loss of power on the roadway.A certified Ford dealership inspection (Invoice #XXX) confirmed that the vehicle has a textbook manufacturing flaw known as EcoBoost coolant intrusion. A pressure test showed an immediate 5 PSI drop within 10 minutes, and a borescope confirmed that engine coolant is actively leaking across the block interface and pooling directly inside the engine cylinders (cylinders 2 and 3).This is a known, widespread structural engineering defect in Ford's block casting that creates a severe, sudden safety hazard by causing vehicle stalling and clouding exhaust smoke while operating at highway speeds. The vehicle is now entirely unsafe to drive and requires a full engine block replacement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 26, 2026 · Engine · NJ

We have coolant intrusion in cylinder 2 of our engine. This can cause highway failure of engine cuts out, car runs rough and it can become a fire hazard. We paid for a diagnostics through a ford dealer. Who we uses all the time for our warranty needs. We noticed car was starting to run rough and check engine light came on 8/5/26

Filed Aug 25, 2026 · Engine · DE

my 2018 ford fusion has catastrophic engine failure. Engine stuttering and misfires with check engine light. Low coolant levels with no visible puddles under the car. Engine overheating, could possibly catch fire. Car recently had a tuneup was told no issues at the time. Failure mileage at 109,000.

Filed May 25, 2026 · Engine · PA

On [XXX], I drove my 2018 Ford Fusion Titanium AWD to a doctor 37 miles away through rural PA. The car was a reliable workhorse, needing only regular shop visits, and had 108K miles by this date. Midway through the [XXX] drive , a red warning square popped up on the dash to tell me that the engine was overheating, and a pink warning square said the car would lessen electrical draw so that it could cool the engine. Both alerts disappeared quickly. There was no unusual sound or smell before the alerts nor the rest of the drive. I also had no prior dash alerts, only ?3 misfires months apart I now know were symptoms of [XXX]. During down time before/after the doctor, I Googled the error messages and read my owner's manual. I restarted the car w/o incident after it had sat for 45 minutes. Six miles into my way home, the same red square popped up, though no second alert did. I pulled over at a clearing 3 miles later. I sat by the side of the road without cell service for 45 minutes. I had no coolant or water with me. I was unable to remove the coolant lid after the wait, nor could I see if there were coolant in the reservoir. I needed to move the car because of having no cell service. After a total of 75 minutes, I restarted the vehicle and moved 2 miles up the road. A red triangle icon appeared and stayed on. I called my dealer, described what happened, and they told me to tow the car the 21 miles to them. My dealer found no issue beyond a cracked spark plug on cylinder 3 that they replaced 4K miles earlier. Not satisfied, my B-I-L and I researched the incident and found the 2.0L EcoBoost coolant intrusion issue. I had the car tested according to Ford's TSB #19-2346 at a separate dealer; they duplicated the intrusion in cylinder 3, and we had a diagnosis. I was fortunate that the car didn't stop mid-traffic, didn't catch fire, and I was stranded in daylight in an Amish community. The other side of that coin is grim. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 21, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · CA

Formal Complaint – 2018 Ford Fusion 1.5L EcoBoost – Engine Block Defect Statement of Issue:I am writing to report a premature engine failure on my 2018 Ford Fusion 1.5L. The vehicle is exhibiting all symptoms of the well-documented "coolant intrusion" defect described in Ford Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 22-2222. Despite following all recommended maintenance intervals, the engine block has failed, allowing coolant to enter the combustion chamber.Observations:Confirmed coolant loss with no external leakage found via pressure test.Significant white smoke and rough idle upon cold start. Desired Resolution: Since this is a known manufacturing defect involving the engine block's cooling channels—and not a result of wear and tear—I am requesting a "Goodwill Repair" for a long-block replacement. The current TSB denial based on [8 years] is unacceptable for a known catastrophic design flaw that compromises vehicle safety.

Filed May 3, 2026 · Engine · TN

The engine has coolant intrusion. It is available upon inspection. Safety at risk due to side effects from the intrusion such as: engine overheating, misfiring, massive coolant loss that could cause an engine fire. The problem was diagnosed as a blown head gasket, but there is evidence of coolant loss and corrosion of spark plugs etc from coolant in engine. Has not been inspected by insurance or police. Symptoms started March 2026; check engine light on showing code P0303 (misfire in cylinder 3) and code for over temperature sensor. It occasionally ran hot, rough start up, misfiring, coolant loss (without external leaks), trouble accelerating, eventual service wrench light, and sometimes flashing engine light when it misfired bad.

Filed Apr 8, 2026 · Engine · MI

Coolant intrusion in cylinder 1. Confirmed by Suburban Ford of Sterling Heights, MI. Known design flaw. Can potentially cause the engine to seize, misfiring of cylinders, excessive exhaust. Codes for rich fuel mixture and cylinder misfires were found when check engine light appeared. Checked plugs and coils before a camera was put into the cylinder to confirm the coolant intrusion. Dealership and manufacturer refuse to assist with repairs even though there was a recall for certain vehicles with this exact issue.

Filed Apr 2, 2026 · Engine · CA

I was driving the vehicle on the freeway when the check engine light appeared and after a few seconds the cars engine suddenly shut off. There was a loss of power steering from the lack of engine power which made it difficult for me to steer and a sudden loss of speed which made several vehicles take evasive maneuvers to avoid having an accident with my car as I merged onto the shoulder of the freeway. After getting the car home I checked the vehicles trouble codes which appeared as P0301 cylinder 1 misfire and P0302 cylinder misfire and P0300 general misfires. I noticed a lack of coolant which I refilled and started the vehicle again to see if and how it would run. The car started but ran very rough at first and white smoke started billowing out of the exhaust. After a couple of minutes I decided to drive just down the street to my local Ford service center. They called me yesterday to tell me that the 2.0L 4 cylinder Ecoboost head gasket has failed and has allowed engine coolant to pour into the cylinder 1. The engine cylinder begins to misfire causing the engine to shake and emit white smoke from the exhaust as the coolant is burned off with the fuel. We are now seeing this safety issue and complaint with many vehicles that have the same or similar engine. They say the only remedy is to replace the long block engine with one that supposedly has a "fix" to the coolant delivery system within the engine block. Knowing what I know now, I would never have considered the purchase of this vehicle. The safety issue alone makes cars with these engines a danger to the owner and the public.

Filed Mar 5, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · OH

After I bought from personal owner feb. 3rd 2025 I drove 50 miles and overheated before I made it home . The check engine light came on it showed up as a bank 1 bank 3 misfire also camshaft position sensor so I replaced these things and it still was losing coolant oil is just fine. Every time I would drive it it would still overheat I would keep putting more antifreeze in to make it home. It started to misfire very badly still loosing coolant jerking when I would try to give it gas and some times would hardly move . I changed the thermostat still the same . So then I replaced the catalytic converter still nothing changed . Took it to a shop and he looked all over it couldn't find anywhere that the coolant could have been escaping he did find and replace the vvt solenoid. Worked for a very short period. So as the problems progressed and the car wouldn't even go 3 minutes without overheating and jerking losing almost all of its power my brother put a head tester on it and conducted the test to show it has a bad head so its not able to be driven to be checked by any dealership or anything also isn't under recall . Yes it is a safety hazard when I was able to drive it was losing power I couldn't gain speed even with a full pedal so took the risk of being hit from behind if a car had come up behind me .

Filed Feb 18, 2026 · Engine · AZ

My car started rumbling and flashing the check engine light. I took it to the mechanic the next day, they tell me to contact Ford because of CSP 21N12 due to my spark plugs having coolant leaking on them and in cylinder, it was misfiring. They tell me the vehicle is unsafe to drive. I call Ford and they say theres nothing they can do. Im screwed out of a car because they closed the CSP's nov 2022 and i just got the car last year pre owned.

Filed Feb 5, 2026 · Engine · TX

While operating my 2018 Ford Fusion, the vehicle began experiencing internal coolant loss resulting in engine misfires, rough running, and white exhaust smoke. The coolant intrusion caused engine failure and loss of reliability. This condition creates a safety risk, as it can lead to loss of power while driving, hesitation, and the possibility of engine shutdown. The defect occurred without warning and is consistent with widespread reports involving Ford EcoBoost engines. This issue is not related to maintenance or normal wear and tear but is a known design defect acknowledged through service bulletins and consumer litigation. Repair requires full engine replacement.