Ford Fusion harsh shifting problems

Filed Oct 6, 2026 · Steering, Suspension · SC

The automatic transmission failed at approximately 59,000 miles. The vehicle was delivered to an authorized Ford dealership on 09/04/2025 for warranty repair. The transmission was replaced. The vehicle remained at that dealership approximately eight months and was returned to me on or about 05/01/2026. After return, a grinding and clunking noise was present when accelerating, turning, braking and going over bumps. A power steering line failed within days of return and emitted smoke from the front of the vehicle while driving. A "Shift System Fault" message began appearing when shifting into reverse and continues to appear intermittently. The same dealership performed three further repair visits. Their repair orders document multiple loose bolts holding the transmission mount to the transmission, an improperly installed exhaust, and a loose right hand CV shaft nut. On 08/14/2026 I took the vehicle to a second, unaffiliated authorized Ford dealership for an independent inspection. On a lift they found all four subframe bolts loose, the right front subframe bolt not fully seated and cross threaded so that it could not be tightened further, and the four smaller rear subframe bolts missing entirely. They also documented that no one-time-use fasteners had been billed on the original transmission repair. They tightened the loose bolts, replaced the cross threaded bolt, installed the four missing bolts, and confirmed by road test that the noise was eliminated. The subframe carries the engine, transmission and front suspension. The vehicle was driven approximately 1,700 miles over roughly three months, including highway driving, in this condition before the loose and missing fasteners were found. Repair orders from both dealerships are available for inspection.

Filed Sep 16, 2026 · Transmission · PA

Orange wrench light came on dash with see manual ( symbol represents powertrain malfunction). Car lost power and started jerky shifting between second and third gear. We limped the car home and parked until we could get an appointment at the dealership for service. Took it to dealership. They found the powertrain maintenance light wasn't on and no current or historical codes present. Dealership road tested vehicle and verified delayed harsh shifting between 2-3 gears with no codes present. Dealership states most likely has an internal failure starting in the forward, direct or intermediate clutch. Transmission would have to be torn down to diagnose cause. They recommend replacing the transmission as being more cost effective. Transmission has approximately 145000 miles (engine was replaced under 36000 miles due to head gasket failure- replace under warranty as manufuring defect found at a scheduled oil change) so odometer only shows 117000 miles. This car was purchased new and we purchased the extended warranty and service package. It has been consistently serviced on schedule by the dealership.

Filed Feb 4, 2026 · Engine · NC

Last month, while transporting my brother to his arm surgery in Chapel Hill, NC, I observed unusual and audible shifting behavior when engaging the vehicle's sport mode. This mode is typically utilized for extended journeys on highways and interstates. Although the anomaly was brief, I did not initially consider it significant. Several weeks later, upon departing from my community college campus, I encountered a red light near Santa Fe Drive. The vehicle exhibited a hesitant and labored acceleration, eventually moving forward. This incident was particularly concerning given the high volume of traffic during that time of day. I subsequently stopped at a nearby 7-Eleven for fuel, suspecting a low fuel level might be the cause. No engine warning lights or mechanical indicators were illuminated, and the oil life was at 70% with appropriate oil levels. Fast forward to the last week of January. On Wednesday the 28th, I began to notice recurring shifting issues with the vehicle during a class break. Additionally, engaging reverse consistently resulted in a harsh shift. As I was leaving my neighborhood to return to class, the vehicle completely failed to engage gears or accelerate. At this point, both the wrench and check engine warning lights illuminated. Upon returning home, I utilized the code reader provided by my mother last Christmas, which displayed the code "P0772." This confirmed my prior research regarding potential issues with the EcoBoost engine. I am relieved that this mechanical failure did not occur amidst the heavy traffic typically found on 210 Murchison South , I-295, Bragg Blvd Fayetteville/Spring Lake and other routes heavily trafficked due to the military base. The high speeds on these roads could have led to a dangerous situation, potentially causing a rear-end accident or other involving other drivers who may be speeding or inattentive. I am grateful that I did not experience a stall in the middle of traffic, which could have compromised my safety.

Filed Jul 21, 2025 · Steering · 208,864 miles · NE

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud clunking sound coming from the steering wheel while attempting to make a turn. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the electric rack and pinion had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact ordered the parts and had the dealer install the parts. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the same diagnostic was provided. The contact was informed that the electric rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The parts were ordered by the dealer. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the same diagnostic was provided. The contact was informed that electric rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 208,864.

Filed Jul 21, 2025 · Suspension · CA

Vehicle Make/Model/Year: Ford Fusion, 20XX (replace with your year) Component Affected: Suspension – lower control arm bushing or mount Summary of the problem: I am reporting a recurring and well-known issue with the lower control arm bushings on Ford Fusion models from 2013 and newer. In my case, the bushing wore prematurely, causing a clunking or cranking noise when turning, especially at low speeds. The bushing or bolt appears to shift even when torqued properly. This problem has been acknowledged by many other owners as well. Safety risk: This affects the vehicle’s handling and stability. It can cause loose steering, misalignment, premature tire wear, and could result in suspension failure while driving. This poses a real safety concern, especially during cornering or evasive maneuvers. Repair history: This issue is so common that owners often have to replace the bushings or the full control arm multiple times. Even after replacement, the problem can come back, suggesting a design flaw. Community evidence: There are many online complaints and forum threads about the same issue in Ford Fusions from 2013–2020. This appears to be a widespread defect that has not been formally acknowledged by the manufacturer. Request for action: I’m asking the federal safety agency to investigate this recurring suspension issue and determine if a safety recall is warranted. This is a design defect that affects vehicle safety and should be addressed by Ford.

Filed Jun 16, 2025 · Suspension · OH

At approximately 99,900 miles, my 2020 Ford Fusion began experiencing serious transmission issues, including rough shifting, hesitation, jerking, and difficulty accelerating, especially at low speeds or while merging onto highways. These symptoms created an unsafe driving situation, particularly in traffic and intersections. I took the vehicle to multiple repair shops to have the issue diagnosed. This process caused my mileage to go slightly over the 100,000-mile recall coverage limit for transmission repair assistance, but I have full documentation showing that the transmission problem clearly began while the vehicle was still under the limit. I later discovered that Ford had issued a recall or Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) related to known transmission issues on this model. The CSP is 22N12, however, I never received any notice from Ford by mail, phone, or email about this recall or warranty extension. I was unaware it existed until after my car began to fail. Despite being under the recall threshold when the issue began, and having proof, Ford has so far refused to fully cover the cost of the repair, only offering partial assistance due to the slight overage in mileage. This is a serious safety defect. My vehicle hesitates or fails to shift properly at critical times, putting myself and others at risk of collision. I was not informed of the recall, and now I'm being financially penalized for Ford’s delay and lack of notification. I cannot afford this out-of-pocket expense, and I believe it is unfair and unreasonable to place this burden on consumers, especially when safety is involved. I respectfully request that the federal safety agency review this matter and urge Ford to take full financial responsibility for the recall repair. This defect is not due to misuse or wear-and-tear, but is acknowledged by Ford as a manufacturer issue I have an open case with Ford Corporate in which they have failed to get back to me about the issue. Case number ([XXX]) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (

Filed Jun 10, 2025 · Transmission · 122,000 miles · AL

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the RPM became elevated, the engine revved up, and there was an abnormally loud clunking or thumping sound before the transmission shifted into gear and the vehicle accelerated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that there were contaminants in the transmission fluid, making the transmission fluid dark, and causing the transmission to fail. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Jun 6, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · 25,000 miles · AZ

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds or while the vehicle was idling, there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the flex plate had fractured. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

Filed Jun 4, 2025 · Transmission · TN

The 6F35 transmission in BOTH of our Ford vehicles that we drive daily for work and school. The Ford Fusion is currently in the shop, but the Ford Escape is available for inspection. My safety was put at risk as my Fusion suddenly, without warning, stopped accelerating in the middle of a 2 lane highway, very unsafe. My daughter's Escape is putting her safety at risk because she has the same 6F35 transmission, the car is still "drivable" at the moment but not safely drivable, with the rough shifting between 2nd-3rd gear, the slow acceleration and sometimes won't go into gear, her safety is at risk. Like MANY other Ford owners with this transmission, the car will end up breaking down and needing $5000 in repairs. Yes the issue has been reproduced by the service center. No, Ford has not reached out to me, I have left 7 messages without any return calls, I have sent multiple emails that were returned to sender. There were no warning lights, messages or problems on the Fusion prior to this happening. I own two Ford cars that are both undrivable, I cannot get to work, my daughter cannot get to work/school. Ford is VERY aware of this transmission issue but will not issue a recall. Also at times when I put my Fusion into drive, from reverse, the backup camera would stay on for a few minutes which makes driving very hard/confusing and very unsafe. Ford needs to take accountability and issue a recall for vehicles with this defective transmission instead of ignoring the issues and telling buyers their vehicles are reliable.

Filed May 23, 2025 · Transmission · CA

At 68,000 miles, the transmission began experiencing symptoms of a failed transmission. I took it to the dealer and they confirmed that there was a CONCERN HARSH SHIFT ON 3RD GEAR AND DIAGNOSE DIRECT DRUM CAUSING CUST CONCERN AND SHUDDER CONCERN TORQUE CONVERTER. This diagnosis caused the vehicle to hard shift everytime i would take off and often time cause a kick on the transmission. Because of this, the rear main seal of the engine also gave out prematurely. While driving on the freeway, the engine began leaking oil suddenly from the rear main seal causing the entire bottom of the engine to get soaked with oil. This also caused the oil to fall in to the brake pads and rotors. While driving on the freeway, i lost braking power and could not stop safely. I had to pull to the shoulder and attempt to stop the vehicle. Fortunatelly, there were no cars on the soulder and was able to stop the vehicle. This is where i discovered the vehicle full of oil in the bottom of the vehicle along with the brake pads and rotors. The vehicle was towed to the house about 130 miles. Once discovered, it was taken to Sunrise Ford where they discovered all of the issues. The service tech told me that it is a common problem for those transmissions to fail prematurely and cause other problems. This is a safety issue because after 7 years of the vehicle being on the road with under 100k miles, it is posing a safety hazard not only for the customers but also the public. Please investigate the transmission issue that is leading to other safety issues. This is the 6F35 transmission that is installed on these vehicles. These transmissions are famous for failing prematurely. This was one of those cases. No check engine light comes on to indicate that there is trouble with the transmission. This problem is putting others and oneself at risk because it lead to other failed components. The problem first appeared at 55k miles and around january 2023.