Vehicle has a loss of coolant but no visible leaks think may be due to a engine leak.

- Milledgeville, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust, and the engine was running abnormally rough. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #1, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

- Clinton Township, MI, USA

My vehicle has had the check engine light come on intermittently. I took a look under the hood to see if I could spot any issues. The only issue seen was the coolant level was low. After refilling the coolant and a short time driving, perhaps 50-60 miles, the light went out. Then the light came back on a couple days later. Without making any changes the light went out a couple days later. It has done this several times and I thought it may be a faulty sensor or something. I have recently taken it to the dealership for a tune-up, emissions test, multipoint inspection and a transmission flush. I informed the service person that the check engine light will come on and go out and the only thing I have done to the vehicle was add coolant. He suggested the complimentary diagnostic to further identify the issue. During the diagnostic process the auto tech discovered that the coolant has been leaking into the number 2 cylinder. This is the reason for both the fluid loss and the check engine light. From my understanding this is a known issue with my vehicles engine type and has been for some time now. The only fix is to replace the engine. My overall issue is that the safety light (CEL) will say that there is an issue and then it goes away signifying the issue is resolved. The potential hazards of this could possibly lead to an individual unknowingly putting themselves and others at risk with an engine that is prepped for failure. An engine that could overheat, catch fire, throw a rod, or simply lose power in a very dangerous location. For example the freeway, a bridge with heavy traffic, or on train tracks-??etc. I believe the risk of failure and potential to lose a life should be considered heavily against the cost of a recall. I don-??t believe during the buying process it has ever been disclosed that this specific engine is prone to this problem. I know I would not have made my purchase knowing the engine would need to be replaced within the first 10 years of ownership.

- Azle, TX, USA

Unknown. Car will not start, dashboard says overheating, white smoke was coming out of muffler but stopped and etc.

- Phillipsburg, NJ, USA

Unknown. Car will not start.

- Phillipsburg, NJ, USA

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" The engine experienced coolant intrusion, which is a known defect in certain Ford EcoBoost engines. My independent mechanic diagnosed the issue after I noticed significant engine performance problems. The affected components, including the engine block and cooling system, are available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Coolant intrusion can lead to engine overheating, misfires, and in severe cases, engine fires. This significantly increased the risk to my safety and that of others on the road. Had I not addressed the issue promptly, a fire could have occurred while driving. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The problem was confirmed by an independent, certified mechanic-?"not by a Ford dealership. The dealer failed to properly diagnose or even acknowledge the problem, which appears to be common based on other consumer complaints. Ford did not identify what was truly going on with the vehicle, despite clear symptoms. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Ford has not inspected the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified, but they declined to take responsibility or offer a solution. There was no inspection by police or insurance representatives, as the issue was caught before a fire or accident occurred. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" Yes. The engine began running rough and hesitating under acceleration. I also noticed excessive white smoke from the exhaust, and the check engine light came on intermittently. These symptoms began appearing several weeks before the full diagnosis, and Ford service failed to address them accurately during prior visits

- Oceanside, CA, USA

The engine is losing coolant on a daily basis; I keep gallons of it my car to keep it from running out. The safety risk is the vehicle hoses burst while driving in rush hour traffic and causing a worse delay and maybe injury to myself and passengers. I had the vehicle checked by an independent service station and they recommend a head gasket replacement or engine replacement, and the dealer just brushed me off with the head gasket may need replacing but it is not a recall item. It has not been inspected by any other agency. The check engine light is an on and off again problem -- and that's when the coolant is low the light comes on and when I refill it, it goes off. The vehicle coolant system is losing coolant every two days -- as of this date 4/28/2025, smoke comes from the oil filler cap area but none from the tailpipe. This is a frustrating situation and lawsuit waiting to happen situation that could easily be avoided -- They know it's a problem and want the consumer to reveal this frustrating and potential mega colossal problem to grow out of control.

- Upper Marlboro, Md 20772, MD, USA

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power. The check coolant and engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was inspected by a local independent mechanic who diagnosed a misfire coming from the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was later towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a coolant intrusion in cylinders #1 and #2. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12, 22-2134, and 19b37; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 98,207.

- York, SC, USA

The check engine light came on and something about the cooling system. I can-??t totally remember. The Service desk confirmed the eco boost engine has known issues of the cooling system which may cause the engine to go bad. Reported I needed a new engine and transmission. Then after they had started that job and after I put $1,500 down they called me back and said the radiator has issues from it all and needed changed as well. I asked him if all fords only lasted approximately a 100,000 miles or just this one and he responded that it is a known issue by ford and happens with this engine. It cost me approximately $15,000 out of pocket to get the car fixed. Within a week there were more -??issues-?? with the engine and I am now being charged over $300 to fix this part that they didn-??t change even though they put in a new engine.

- Lincoln, IL, USA

Driver was driving at 55 miles per hour engine light illuminated. Car began to sputter and not drive. Ford Dealership mechanic, -?? DRIVEABILITY CONCERN, CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE WILL NOT GO OVER 40 MPH AND HAS A MISFIRE PLEASE CHECK AND ADVISE. verfied engine is misfiring, hooked up scan tool and ran dets and found p0302 and p0316, #2 cylinder misfire and misfire and the first 1000 rev, ran a relitive compression test and found cylinder #2 is 25% diference than the other cylinders. pulled spark plug and put a boar scope in the cylinder and found a exhaust valve is missing a piece of the valve and the engine has ate the valve. recommend a ford long block-?? Owner was quoted $8553.37 for a used engine. Happened at 95,405 car is not drivable and unfixed. When owner asked what was the main cause the answers was -??these cars just have bad engines-??

- Monticello , AR, USA

We have a 2018 Ford Fusion EcoBoost. The engine started to run hot, we made an appointment to bring to dealer. Morning of the appointment car would not start. We had it towed to dealer. After several hours at the dealership they called to tell us the engine needed to be replaced, quote was $14,000. The issue they explained was coolant in the engine that corroded the engine and all parts. Not salveable, needed to be replaced. We have excellent service records on our car, always keep up with routine maintenance and have owned at least 10 Fords various makes and models. Never had an issue.

- Hazlet, NJ, USA

Engine throws misfire code on cylinder accompanied by loss of coolant with no visible leaks. Coolant intrusion into the cylinder has begun due to Ford-??s engine block design flaw.

- Dallas, TX, USA

My car had a bad shifting linkage which I paid for out of pocket. My 2.0 Ecoboost engine is leaking coolant into my oil and makes a very loud concerning ticking noise, along with reduced engine power and sporadic/random loss of brakes. There has been recalls for these issues on most other Ford Fusion models and this one NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. My engine is going to blow any day now and I will be stuck paying for the rest of my car loan for a vehicle I cannot drive. All of the Ecoboost engines should be recalled for poor design.

- Warren, ME, USA

While driving about 60 miles per hour the vehicle started to buck and loose speed. The check engine light came on and I pulled over. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where I was told that I have a coolant leak. The leak caused a break in cylinder 2 and the engine would have to be replaced.

- Picayune , MS, USA

Was driving and car started overheating. Looking at coolant levels, they were low. Refilled coolant and car started fine. Next day driving the vehicle, the engine shut down completely. Took the vehicle to Parks Ford dealership in Hendersonville NC to find the problem. I received a call from a service representative and he said there is a coolant intrusion into the cylinder or cylinders and the engine needs to be replaced. I asked to check for recalls and he stated none were found. I did my own research and found many vehicles with the 1.5 liter Ecoboost engine have had this issue and have had a recall in the past. I. Short, Ford has said they will not have my vehicle fixed due to the fact the 3 year warranty has expired and or 85,000 miles have been passed. I have financed this vehicle starting [XXX]. As of now my vehicle has almost 110,000 miles. Doing more research into this Ford has offered a fix for this. A new midi small block replacement and head gasket replacement. Doing more research into this, I have found the vehicle engine could possibly catch on fire if the coolant intrusion is not corrected. The Ford dealership quoted me $9,000 without tax to replace the engine. This just isn't doable. How can this not be a safety issue if the vehicle can and will shut off while driving and potentially catch on fire? Ford should replace the flawed engine design that they have been very well aware of. I am still making payments on this vehicle to own and I cannot risk driving it because it is used to transport my children and my wife, not with the safety factors involved. Help to have the manufacturer flawed design fixed to the updated design, that has no issues of the same, would help blue collard individuals a tremendous amount. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Zirconia, NC, USA

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the "WRENCH" symbol was displayed. The contact was unable to shift the transmission into drive(D). The contact had to wait for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before attempting to restart the vehicle before shifting into drive(D). The contact stated that the failure recurred, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

- Saint Louis, MO, USA

At 135,815 miles, my 2018 Ford Fusion SE experienced a sudden transmission failure while driving, with no prior warning signs. The vehicle was towed to Certified Transmission, where technicians confirmed: Transmission fluid level was correct but black/degraded. Multiple failure codes were present. Transmission pump whined and stopped functioning. Diagnosis: Internal transmission failure (6/17/2024). The shop stated this issue is common in these transmissions. The entire transmission had to be replaced. At 141,164 miles, just 5,349 miles later, the engine shut off on the highway while driving, again with no warning lights. After pulling onto the shoulder, it restarted after 10 minutes but was smoking heavily. Coolant was critically low in the reserve tank. Diagnosis: Cracked cylinder head due to coolant intrusion, a known defect in 1.5L EcoBoost engines. I contacted Ford Customer Care about CSP 21N12, but they refused assistance since my vehicle exceeds 84,000 miles, despite this well-documented defect. Safety Concerns: Unexpected transmission & engine failure while driving creates a serious risk. Engine shutoff on the highway could have led to an accident. Coolant intrusion in 1.5L EcoBoost engines is a known issue, yet Ford has failed to notify all owners. This issue affects many owners and creates major safety risks. I urge the NHTSA to investigate and consider a mandatory recall to prevent further incidents.

- Liberty, MO, USA

On 4 occasions, the car has shut off while moving and in traffic. A dashboard message appears, saying "full accessory mode". After coming to a stop, the car will immediately restart. My obd reader shows no error codes. The car has 18,000 miles on it and this problem occurs randomly. It happened first when the car was a few weeks old. I took it to dealer and they found no problem. Ot has happened 3 times since then. This problem has been reported at least 15 times on the ford fusion sport forum.

- Bellevue, WA, USA

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started hesitating. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle and the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #2, and the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to TSB: 20-2100 (Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke, And/or Illuminated MIL); however, the VIN was not included in the service bulletin. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the TSB. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.

- Heidelberg, MS, USA

Engine overheated multiple times during high speed/high traffic situations due to a design flaw within the engine. Ford was aware of these issues in this engine for years and still knowingly sold them to American consumers, myself included. This is wrong and erodes the trust myself and others have in the American auto industry.

- West Deptford, NJ, USA