AI Damage2020 Ford Fusion: common problems
Owners of the 2020 Ford Fusion filed 184 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine. The maker issued 92 service bulletins for this year. We found 2 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 184
- involving a crash
- 10
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 92
- YouTube repair videos
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 36% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 28% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 7% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- 7 Forward collision avoidance 5% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 67 complaints (36% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 12.
- Engine: 52 complaints (28% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Electrical system: 38 complaints (21% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 45.
- Steering: 12 complaints (7% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 11 complaints (6% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 7 complaints
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 3 complaints
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2 L · hybrid · 4 cylnamed in 3 complaints
- 2 L · plug-in hybrid · 4 cylnamed in 3 complaints
- automatic, 6-speed
- CVT
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 184 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 67 | 1 | 12 |
| Engine | 52 | 0 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 38 | 0 | 45 |
| Steering | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 10 | 2 | 3 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Engine and cooling | 7 | 0 | 5 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| Suspension | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Backover prevention | 3 | 0 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
No warning lights or messages were displayed before the control arm broke. If this had happened at hi-way speeds, it is likely that the resulting loss of control would have resulted in a multi-vehicle accident, resulting in fatalities.
The air bags did not deploy, which he held responsible for his resulting injuries. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility and deemed a total lost by the contacts insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported.
The contact stated that while making a turn in either left or right direction, the Traction Control warning light had displayed, and the vehicle had reduced speed independently. During failure, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a mailbox. During the crash, no injuries were reported.
My air bags did not deploy. I injured my head and neck by striking the sun visor which cause a laceration and a cervical strain. My vehicle has been maintained well and there was no indication of air bag malfunction prior to the crash. Insurance adjuster has not inspected the vehicle yet.
I was backing out of my driveway and my brake pedal went to the floor. I could not stop and hit a vehicle brhind me.
The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact also stated that while the vehicle was in park(P) on an inclined driveway, the vehicle rolled forward without warning and crashed into a home.
In order to avoid a crash, the driver veered to the right where they went over a curb, into a bush, and eventually came to a stop by crashing into a guard wire. The driver then drove the vehicle in a parking lot nearby and when attempting to stop the vehicle again, the vehicle failed to stop again.
The contact was concerned that as severe as the crash was that the air bags did not deploy. The local dealer was contacted, and she was referred to the manufacturer for assistance.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 359 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Fusion has 769 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 184, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and…
Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and Escape, 2016-2024 Model Year Explorer, 2019-2020 Model Year Fusion, 2016-2018 Model Year Focus RS, 2022-2024…
- Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest…
- Some 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC3 may experience various connectivity concerns…
Some 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC3 may experience various connectivity concerns with The Ford App Lincoln App including but not limited to: missing activation prompt pop-upon the vehicle's…
- Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless…
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated…
- This is a proactive investigation program by Ford Motor Company to inspect a limited number of affected…
This is a proactive investigation program by Ford Motor Company to inspect a limited number of affected vehicles that are customer-owned. Ford is voluntarily conducting this program to evaluate the software currently…
- Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes…
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- Various 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience a partially or fully black…
Various 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience a partially or fully black center display screen at start-up using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. This does not affect rear camera…
- CERTAIN 2018-2024 MODEL YEAR VARIOUS VEHICLES — UPDATE SYNC SOFTWARE
- Certain 2018 - 2024 Model Year Various Vehicles Update SYNC Software
- While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal…
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some…
- Some 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a telematics control unit module (TCU) may exhibit…
Some 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a telematics control unit module (TCU) may exhibit the Location toggle button in the Connectivity setting menu grayed out with an inability to switch it off.
- Certain 2018 - 2024 Model Year Various Vehicles Update SYNC Software In all the affected vehicles, due to…
Certain 2018 - 2024 Model Year Various Vehicles Update SYNC Software In all the affected vehicles, due to an error in the SYNC software, you may experience SYNC system instability concerns and/or a failure to preserve…
NHTSA lists 92 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Ford Fusion?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 184. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (29%), knocking, grinding or other noise (17%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA lists 92 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2020 Ford Fusion from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2020 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.