2020 Ford Fusion SE- Transmission problems. Only 98,000 miles on the car and have had issues with this transmission after a year of having it. Transmission fluid was good but there is a small leak, slipping gears, winding, and gear auto shifting back to park. No combustion or power until it hits 60 mph. Has been checked by mechanics. No lights on dash at all!
Ford Fusion slipping problems
191 of the 22,465 owner complaints about the Ford Fusion describe transmission slipping, most of them for the 2010 model year.
- owner complaints
- 191
- worst model year
- 2010
- typical repair cost reported
- $4,500
- typical mileage
- 57,000
Is there a fix? There are 8 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Jerking 41Transmission failure 32Harsh shifting 24Loss of power 12Hesitation 10Stalling 9Won't shift 8Shudder 6
Trouble codes mentioned
P0352 1
What owners say
Speed sensor radar on right front tire sending alerts to car all at once — Antilock Brake Fault, Pre Collision Assist not available, Hill start assist. Steering wheel gets heavy randomly. And brakes start slipping. This is a safety hazard I have a baby. My car is only 5 years old problems like this shouldn’t be happening. Ford checked it and said it’s a speed sensor but would cost $450 that’s not a fair deal. And those sensors shouldn’t show all at once randomly. I barely drive my car. I have 57,000 miles on it. Happens randomly.
My 2020 Ford Fusion has experienced three separate flexplate failures, as well as transmission issues following the most recent repair. Failure #1: Occurred before I owned the vehicle (confirmed later in the vehicle’s history). The flexplate was replaced by a prior owner in 2022. Failure #2: [8/2023] – While I owned the vehicle, a loud rattling noise came from the engine area. My vehicle was towed to Foothill Ford, where it was purchased, and they replaced the flexplate. No power loss occurred. Failure #3: [5/2025] – The same rattling sound returned. I drove it to Green Ford, who confirmed the flexplate needed to be replaced, and they replaced it. No power loss occurred, but the noise was severe. After the third flexplate replacement, the transmission began slipping during acceleration. This issue did not exist before the repair, and Green Ford had told me the transmission was fine before they replaced the flexplate. Safety concern: Repeated flexplate failures and subsequent transmission slipping could cause loss of propulsion or difficulty maintaining speed if the problem occurs at highway speeds or in heavy traffic, creating a potential crash risk. I did lose power on the highway, but was able to pull safely off the shoulder and called a tow truck.
The rear view camera will display a black screen or the image will be reversed causing confusion and dangerous reversal actions. Also the camera will go black in the middle of parking or not display at all. The transmission will slip without warning and the vehicle will have have to be shut down and restarted in order to drive correctly.
Accident caused by brakes slipping and failing to stop even when pushed all the way down to the floor. Air bags failed to deploy. Resulting in a total loss estimate after accident.
The transmission failed suddenly. To my understanding there have been reported issues with the transmissions for this vehicle having sudden failures without warning. My car slipped out of gear while driving 60mph. I have had the car towed and checked by a certified mechanic who confirmed that the transmission has failed, and its poorly built. My mechanic used to be a mechanic for FORD and is familiar with the poor build quality of the engine, transmission and turbo. I have not had the component inspected by anyone else. There were no symptoms or warning lights before this failure. The car was driving fine and then, the transmission slipped and failed.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V001000 (Air Bags). The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact was able to drive to the residence by using manual strength to steer the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact also stated that the doors and the windows had failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 162,000.
Transmission slips hard shifting loses power wrench light comes on
Complete loss of steering and transmission slips/shifts hard.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was a rattling noise coming from the front end near the driver’s side close to the transmission. The vehicle would start moments after the failure had occurred. The rattling was more pronounced while the A/C system was running. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the rattling sound was noticeable. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the transmission felt as though it was slipping while changing gear. The contact stated that while inspecting the engine, underneath the hood was hotter than normal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission flex plate had failed. The failure was linked to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 10218899 (Power Train). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 117,000.
Related recalls
Power train: manual transmission
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
- Risk
- A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were October 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on on July 6,2026.
Recall number 26V376000 · Recall details
Power train: shift linkage/cable/rod
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
- Risk
- A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Recall number 22V413000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: floor shift
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles equipped with 2.5 liter engines. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
- Risk
- If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S16. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made. This recall is an expansion of 18V471.
Recall number 19V362000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: floor shift
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
- Risk
- If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S20. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.
Recall number 18V471000 · Recall details
Power train: manual transmission
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Fusion vehicles equipped with a 1.6L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission and 2015-2016 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission. Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
- Risk
- A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Focus vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. Owners of Fusion vehicles will have their clutch assembly replaced free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07.
Recall number 18V169000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: torque converter
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Edge and Fusion vehicles. On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.
- Risk
- If the torque converter weld studs fail, the torque converter will not be connected to the engine flexplate and the vehicle will lose the ability to move, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford or Lincoln will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S16.
Recall number 17V427000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured July 27, 2013, to October 31, 2014, 2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to October 31, 2014, and 2015 Ford Fusion Energi vehicles manufactured July 14, 2014, to October 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the key may be able to be removed even while the transmission is not in Park. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
- Risk
- If the key can be removed despite that the transmission is not in Park, a driver may think the vehicle is safety parked, when it is not, increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway that could cause the vehicle to strike and injure the driver, other vehicle occupants, or bystanders.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on December 15, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14C11.
Recall number 14V736000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, milan, and escape vehicles manufactured from february 27, through march 26, 2010. The park rod guide retention pin may not have been properly installed which fails to conform to the requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection and rollaway prevention".
- Risk
- A vehicle parked without an engaged park pawl and without an applied parking brake may have unintended movement which may cause a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on may 28, 2010. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1‑866‑436‑7332 and for the hearing impaired call 1‑800‑232‑5952 (tdd). Representatives are available monday through friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm.
Recall number 10V222000 · Recall details
Questions about the Ford Fusion slipping
Which Ford Fusion years have transmission slipping problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2010 (65 complaints), 2006 (44 complaints) and 2012 (13 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix transmission slipping on the Ford Fusion?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $4,500 (median of 16 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used Ford Fusion?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history