The Lemon Index2013 Ford Fusion.
The 2013 Ford Fusion is worse than average by owner complaints: 456 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 127, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about steering, it has 19 recalls, and it gets 25 to 41 mpg combined. The best Ford Fusion year is 2008.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 100 YouTube videos about the 2013–2020 Ford Fusion, 20.9M views. The 2013 is the same generation.
- Gauges, lights & wiring1.6M views
Ford Fusion Headlight bulb replacement 2013-2020 *UPGRADE* // HOW TOThe Driver Mod · 877K views · 5 videos - Infotainment, battery & electrical1.1M views
2013-2020 Ford Fusion 4" to 8" Sync 3 Touchscreen Upgrade - Infotainment.comInfotainment · 269K views · 6 videos - Transmission & shifter669K views
2015 Ford Escape or Ford Fusion Shifter ProblemArkland Farm · 212K views · 5 videos - Brakes & ABS617K views
How To Put A Ford Fusion's Electronic Park Brake Into Service Mode (2013-2018)How to Automotive · 235K views · 4 videos
Show 2 more
- Intake, EGR & engine sensors238K views
How To Reset The 2007-2019 Ford Fusion TPMS Light Low Tire Pressure SensorVehicle Freak · 156K views · 2 videos - Steering & suspension82K views
How to Replace Front Lower Control Arms 2013-2020 Ford Fusion 2.0L I4TRQ · 82K views
Before you buy, watch
Top 5 Problems Ford Fusion Sedan 2013-2020 2nd Generation1A Auto: Repair Tips & Secrets Only Mechanics Know · 232K views
Ford Fusion (2013-2020): A Complete Reliability GuideThe Long Last Expert · 160K views
What You Should Know before Buying 2015 Ford Fusion "Common Problems"Flat Rate Mechanic · 82K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
How serious. Out of 1,957 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Ford Fusion year. 2013 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 42K to 106K miles on the car (1,463 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- steering complaints mostly came at 42K–105K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 56K–110K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 65K–126K miles
Recalls 19
- transmission & drivetrain 2026
The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
- brakes 2023
The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
- transmission & drivetrain 2022
The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Show all 19 recalls
- latches/locks/linkages 2020
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.
- steering 2019
Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
- transmission & drivetrain 2019
The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission.
- transmission & drivetrain 2018
The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission.
- transmission & drivetrain 2018
Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially affected parts.
- latches/locks/linkages 2017
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.
- engine 2017
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.
- seat belts 2016
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.
- steering 2015
In the affected vehicles, snow or water containing road salt or oth.
- latches/locks/linkages 2015
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 Fu…
- airbags 2014
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.
- seats 2014
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.
- steering 2013
The steering gears may be missing an internal retaining clip.
- fuel system, gasoline 2013
In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may develop a crack, allowing fuel to leak.
- engine 2012
Coolant system leaks may cause the engines to overheat and leak flammable engine fluids.
- lights 2012
" The affected vehicles may not have had the low beam headlamp projector coating properly cured during its manufacturing process.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 217 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Ford/lincoln: the interior door panel area will exhibit a rattling noise, which may be…
- Lincoln/ford: due to seal and/or bushing wearing caused by halfshaft surface finish, on some…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenDesiccated air bag inflator rupture2021
- ClosedPedestrian alert sounds2023
- ClosedFront brake jounce hose failures2022–2023
- ClosedDoor latch failures2019–2022
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Fusion 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford Fusion 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford Fusion Energi 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $1550–2550 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.6L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.
In owners' words
The rear passenger door latch failed again, the recall was performed 14 months ago. The dealer refused to repair it under the recall. I took the car back and it is parked in the garage with the battery disconnected.
2013 Ford Fusion owner · NHTSA complaint 10914832
More owner reports
Power steering system failure. Vehicle has lost all power steering rendering the vehicle extremely difficult to drive, and definitely unsafe to drive.
NHTSA complaint 10691311
A popping can be felt and heard from both driver and passenger sides while turning the wheel.
NHTSA complaint 10523421
Quick answers
Is the 2013 Ford Fusion reliable?
No, it is worse than average by government complaints. It drew 1.3× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 127; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford Fusion year by this measure since 2010 is 2018.
What are the most common 2013 Ford Fusion problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are steering (17%), body structure (16%) and engine (15%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2013 Ford Fusion have?
19 safety recalls (latest: transmission & drivetrain). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2013 Ford Fusion get?
25 to 41 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2013 Ford Fusion safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2013 Ford Fusion problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 42,000 and 106,000 miles. The middle report was at 75,000 miles, from 1,463 complaints.
Does the 2013 Ford Fusion have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2013 Ford Fusion cost in fuel a year?
About $1550 to $2550 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2013 Ford Fusion have?
1.6L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.
What Ford Fusion year is better than the 2013?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works