2013 Ford Fusion Problems

The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak. 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.

Fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge.

The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid. A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge.

The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach. 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.

Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022.

These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not. A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct.

Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts. If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle.

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. 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.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.

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. 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.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.

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. 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.

Fix: 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.

A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not. A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches, free of charge.

6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil. If the cylinder head cracks and leaks oil, the oil may contact a hot engine or exhaust component, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge.

In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pretensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail. If the driver or front passenger seatbelt cables cannot properly restrain the front seat occupants, they would be at an increased risk of injury.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable, free of charge.

In the affected vehicles, snow or water containing road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts. If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist. Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply sealer and replace the steering gear motor bolts as required. If one or more of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle.

On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 119,567 vehicles, including certain model year 2011 Ford Fiestas manufactured from November 11, 2009, to May 31, 2013 and certain model year 2013 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured from February 1, 2012, to June 30, 2012. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not. A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches with an improved part, free of charge.

The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short. The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available.

The driver and passenger seatback assemblies may have been produced with sub-standard weld joints used to attach the seat back recliner mechanism to the seat frame. The affected seat backs may have insufficient strength to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems." The back of the subject seats may become loose or lean while driving and potentially increase the risk of injury in certain crashes.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seatback, free of charge.

In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may develop a crack, allowing fuel to leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S04.

The steering gears may be missing an internal retaining clip. If the clip is missing, components inside the steering gear may become dislodged inside the gear assembly. This could result in impaired steering, including the loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Ford's recall number is 13S06.

6L engines, as well as certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured from February 3, 2012, through November 29, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. Coolant system leaks may cause the engines to overheat and leak flammable engine fluids. If flammable engine fluids come in contact with the vehicleÂ’s hot exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine for coolant system leaks and reprogram the vehicleÂ’s powertrain control module and instrument cluster with an updated calibration and overheat strategy software. There will be no charge to owners for this service.

" The affected vehicles may not have had the low beam headlamp projector coating properly cured during its manufacturing process. An improperly cured projector coating will become hazy through operation, over time, reducing the brightness of the low-beam lamp. This may decrease driver visibility and increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp assembly.