2016 Ford Fusion: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
1,686 NHTSA owner complaints · 12 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Fusion's record has two separate problems in it. The 2010–2012 first generation carries complaints about the power steering (an electric-assist failure that was recalled) and the throttle body. Read the full note on the model page. 2016 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 1,686 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Ford Fusion (and Fusion Hybrid): the years to avoid and the years to buy, including 2016 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 1,686 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 168.6
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The reverse rear view camera is intermittantly not working. The electrical system will often say "camera not available". There has been a recall notice for almost a year, and we are still waiting for a fix from Ford.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while in reverse, the back over prevention camera displayed a black or blue screen and failed to show…
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacture…
Recalls: 12 campaigns (6 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 15V618000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 13, 2015, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a fuel tank that may have insufficent wall thickness. |
| 16V875000 | Seat Belts:Front | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured November 2, 2012, to July 31, 2014, and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 14, 2012, to July 31, 2014. 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. |
| 23V162000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid. |
| 22V413000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Gear Position Indication (Prndl) | 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. |
| 18V167000 | Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving. |
| 19V362000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor Shift | 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. |
| 25V695000 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse. |
| 18V471000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor Shift | 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 25 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,450
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine460 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train315 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other219 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Steering184 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System161 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes140 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Ford Fusion years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Ford Fusion?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (460 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Ford Fusion a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 47/100, computed from 1,686 NHTSA complaints and 12 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Ford Fusion's most common problem?
460 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Ford Fusion sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2016 Ford Fusion cost to run per year?
About $7,723 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $38,615 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2016 Ford Fusion have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 12 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Ford Fusion, 6 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/10/2015. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2016 Ford Fusion really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 1,686 complaints, 12 recalls on record
- 1686 NHTSA complaints on record (168.6/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (120.8/yr)
- 12 recall campaigns, 6 touching safety-critical systems