Problems · NHTSA complaints
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid problems
Owners filed 1,861 complaints about the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid with NHTSA between Dec 2012 and Jun 2026. The most-cited component is steering (398).
Complaints
1,861
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
61
Reported by owners
Fires
89
Reported by owners
Injuries
52
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
58
86
120
175
246
315
279
157
102
108
100
81
29
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 58 |
| 2014 | 86 |
| 2015 | 120 |
| 2016 | 175 |
| 2017 | 246 |
| 2018 | 315 |
| 2019 | 279 |
| 2020 | 157 |
| 2021 | 102 |
| 2022 | 108 |
| 2023 | 100 |
| 2024 | 81 |
| 2025 | 29 |
| 2026 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Steering
398 reports9 crashes5 fires
“While driving a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium (approximately 157,000 miles), the Electronic Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) system suddenly failed without warning during heavy rain in Philadelphia, PA. I was driving near the riverfront area by [XXX] when the steering immediately became extremely stiff and difficult to turn. No prior warning lights or steering-related symptoms were present before the failure. Due to wet road conditions and the sudden loss of steering assist, I temporarily lost the ability to maneuver the vehicle normally and nearly collided with roadside structures near the river. Considerable physical force was required to maintain directional control and safely move the vehicle. This created an immediate safety hazard to myself and nearby traffic. The vehicle has not been involved in a crash, but the failure created a near-miss situation. My VIN currently shows no open recall for this issue, despite similar steering-system failures reported in comparable Ford vehicles using EPAS.”
Engine
380 reports4 crashes75 fires
“In 2019, my car suddenly began to leak engine coolant. A low engine coolant signal alarmed, the car started to smoke, and then was un-usable. I took it to a Ford dealership, they ran some diagnostics, and determined that the issue was related to a known recall. They repaired the issue and for 5 years, things seemed ok. This April, the engine coolant warning came back on and the car shut down. I inspected the engine coolant revisor and it was extremely low and the check engine light came on. I took the car in to be inspected and it was noted that the hoses and gaskets were corroded. The hoses and gaskets were replaced and that seemed to resolve all of the alarms and check engine light, but weeks later, the low engine coolant light came back on. This week the same Ford dealership determined that there was an issue with the water pump and that it needed to be replaced. I wondered if anyone else with a Ford Fusion experienced water pump issues and there seem to be two class action lawsuits against Ford siting several vehicle models with faulty water pumps. I can submit my water pump replacement receipt when I receive it from the Ford dealership on Monday.”
Power train
305 reports11 crashes1 fire
“The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to respond normally while depressing the brake pedal. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The failure caused the steering wheel to lock up, the brake pedal became extremely firm, and the accelerator pedal became inoperable. Additionally, the exterior lights shut off unexpectedly and the vehicle lost electrical power. The vehicle was safely pulled into a parking lot, and the contact waited for several minutes before restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted; however, 30 seconds after resuming driving the vehicle shut off again. The vehicle was towed to a Ford dealer; however, the mechanics were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 179,000.”
Structure
175 reports4 crashes4 fires
“Two recalls for this make year and model car had been recalled previously but not for my VIN specifically and the issues are appearing. The first is “doors may open driving” recall on your website and the second is “engine cylinder head may leaks oil” which is also on ur website. Both were recalled for this make and year of the ford fusion but not for my VIN so ford is stating they cannot fix it and want to charge me even for a diagnostic.”
Electrical system
171 reports6 crashes24 fires
“The factory-installed rearview backup camera on my 2013 Ford Fusion fails intermittently. When shifting into reverse, the display screen frequently goes black, shows a distorted or flickering image with multicolored lines, or displays an error message stating the camera is unavailable. The failure is unpredictable but occurs more often in hot weather or after rain, suggesting a hardware defect. The component that has failed is the rearview camera system, likely the camera module itself, which is available for inspection. This malfunction creates a significant safety hazard by eliminating rear visibility, substantially increasing the risk of a back-over collision with pedestrians, children, or other objects. The failure to display a rearview image is a non-compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer due to its intermittent nature, making it difficult to reproduce on demand. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer or other parties regarding this issue. The symptoms first appeared several months ago and have become progressively more frequent. The primary warnings are the on-screen…”
Fuel/propulsion system
124 reports6 fires
“I had coolant leaking in my 2013 Ford Fusion SE 1.6L causing a misfire in cylinder 3 from diagnostics code P0303. After going to a repair shop on 3 seperate occasions and paying to fix issues thought to remedy the issue, I had the Ford dealership in Hudson WI look at it while they took care of a recall. They quoted me $9,900 to replace the engine due to a cracked block. It was hard to get a response from the technician and they were really unprofessional towards me when I requested the part numbers. So much time has been spent on this not to mention that I have been without a vehicle for 1.5 years because my inability to cover additional repairs or the cost of a new car. I also lost my job due to my transportation issues, and paid over $19,000 for this vehicle. I wish Ford would issue a recall because this is a very common issue for this make and model. 2013 Ford Fusion SE L4 1.6L (102K miles)”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.