YearToAvoid

2018 Ford Fusion Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 106 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Ford Fusion, 24% of all 439 complaints filed for that year. Owners commonly report the shifter sticking in park, delayed or harsh shifts, and unexpected gear behavior, with a median failure mileage of 81,700. No related recalls are on file.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
106
24% of 439
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
81,700 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Gear shifter becomes stuck or seized in park, sometimes requiring manual override or towing to move the vehicle.
  • Transmission exhibits harsh or delayed shifting, including a reported jump from neutral to reverse while the car moved forward.
  • Vehicle fails to respond when shifting into drive from a parked position, with the shifter independently returning to park and no warning light illuminated.
  • A dashboard wrench or 'powertrain/engine fault' warning appears intermittently, in one case diagnosed as a brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI) issue.
  • One owner reported the transmission acting as if accelerating when placed in reverse, contributing to a crash, and acting as if in neutral while in drive.

When 2018 Ford Fusion transmission complaints were filed

First complaint May 22, 2019, latest Sep 9, 2026.

2018 Ford Fusion transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter82019 Q22021 Q12022 Q22023 Q12023 Q42024 Q32025 Q22026 Q1
106 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2019 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2024 Q1 (8).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2018 Ford Fusion

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Fusion model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2006150 (21%)
  2. 200774 (7%)
  3. 200847 (3%)
  4. 200920 (2%)
  5. 2010894 (17%)
  6. 2011268 (10%)
  7. 2012158 (6%)
  8. 2013280 (16%)
  9. 2014235 (18%)
  10. 2015143 (14%)
  11. 2016310 (19%)
  12. 2017311 (28%)
  13. 2018106 (24%)
  14. 201969 (22%)
  15. 202067 (37%)

Frequently asked questions

How many 2018 Ford Fusion owners reported transmission problems?
NHTSA lists 106 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Ford Fusion, which is 24% of the 439 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2018 Ford Fusion transmission?
NHTSA's data shows no related recalls on file for the Transmission & Powertrain issues reported on the 2018 Ford Fusion.
At what mileage do 2018 Ford Fusion transmission problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2018 Ford Fusion is 81,700 miles.
What kind of transmission issues do 2018 Ford Fusion owners describe?
Owners describe the shifter sticking in park, delayed or harsh shifting, and cases where the vehicle failed to move into drive or reverse as expected.
Did the transmission issues cause any crashes?
NHTSA data tied to these complaints records 1 crash and no fires or injuries among the 106 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Ford Fusion.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.