2013 FORD FUSION HYBRID Complaints

BEGINNING ABOUT JANUARY 2015, AND OCCURRING A TOTAL OF ABOUT SIX TIMES SO FAR, MY WIFE'S 2013 FUSION HYBRID (CURRENTLY WITH 25,500 MILES) EXPERIENCED WHAT FEELS LIKE A POWER SURGE. (I EXPERIENCED THIS ONCE IN THIS VEHICLE; THE REMAINDER WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING.) IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM AT LEAST IN PART, AS I HAVE SEEN OTHERS DESCRIBE IT AS A FEELING OF HITTING AN ICE PATCH. THE GENERAL CONDITIONS WOULD INCLUDE: A) FOOT ON BRAKE; B) DECELERATING; C) PRESUMABLY IN EV MODE [THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY]; D) BEGINNING A LEFT TURN [BUT WE BELIEVE THIS IS INCIDENTAL]; E) WARM ENGINE; F) LESS THAN 30 MPH. ON OCTOBER 1, 2015, A NEW CONDITION CAUSED THE FEELING OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, AS MY WIFE WAS ON A SIDE STREET NEAR OUR HOME WHEN SHE WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND FELT THE POWER SURGE, WHICH SHE STATES WAS MANY TIMES WORSE THAN ANY OTHER INSTANCE OF THIS EVENT THAT SHE EVER EXPERIENCED. CONDITIONS THIS TIME WERE THE SAME AS ABOVE BUT MOVING STRAIGHT AND LESS THAN 25 MPH. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP THE EVENING OF THE LAST INCIDENT. OF COURSE THEY FOUND NO CODES AND NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING WRONG. I ALSO CONTACTED THE FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER WHILE IT WAS IN THE SHOP TO DOCUMENT THAT WE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THEY SEEMED HELPFUL HOWEVER, UNLESS FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEIR ENGINEERING COMMUNITY ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM AND DO SOMETHING TO ADDRESS IT, IT WILL FOREVER BE A GHOST IN THE MACHINE, WITH THE BLAME AND DOUBT FALLING ON THE VEHICLE OWNERS, NOT UNLIKE TOYOTA'S WELL DOCUMENTED, FATAL AND SHAMEFUL UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CASES. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SAFETY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I HOPE THAT NO ONE GETS HURT OR KILLED WHILE THIS PROBLEM EXISTS AND URGE FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO GET TO THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE THAT MYSELF AND OTHER OWNERS ARE FEARFULLY EXPERIENCING.

WHEN BRAKING ON AN UNEVEN SURFACE THE ELECTRIC MOTOR SURGES AHEAD FOR AN INSTANT CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THIS VEHICLE IS IN THE DEALER'S SHOP FOR THIS ISSUE. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. A LETTER TO FORD PROVED TO BE FUTILE; WITH NO FIX IDENTIFIED FOR THE SURGING ISSUE.

MY WIFE AND I WERE ENTERING A PARKING LOT WITH THE FORD FUSION HYBRID AND SLOWED DOWN, THEN STARTED TO SLOWLY ACCELERATE, THE FFH WOULDN'T GO FORWARD NORMALLY AND SORT OF STALLED. MY HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY STATE WAS LOW (1/8 CHARGED) AND THE CAR HAD ABOUT 3/4 TANK OF GAS. IT BEGAN WITH A SERIES OF SURGES THAT WERE CAUSED BY THE CAR NOT KNOWING WHICH PROPULSION SOURCE TO USE. IT TRIED THE GAS ENGINE, SURGED FORWARD A FEW FEET THEN TRIED TO SWITCH BACK TO THE ELECTRIC MOTOR, ETC, - THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO SURGE OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND PARK SAFELY. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL TRYING TO FORCE THE GAS ENGINE TO TAKE OVER AND THAT CAUSED AN ENGINE STUTTER AND AGAIN THE CAR TRIED EACH SOURCE OF POWER - I TURNED THE KEY OFF. UPON A RESTART IT WAS AS IF NOTHING WAS WRONG, IT RAN NORMALLY SO I RAN A FORD VEHICLE HEALTH REPORT (VHR) WHILE SITTING IN THE CAR IDLING, THAT REPORT IS SENT TO MY FORD OWNER'S ACCOUNT, I DID THIS TO TRY AND CATCH ANY ERRANT DTC'S (TROUBLE CODES). AFTER THAT I RESTARTED THE CAR INTO THE ENGINEERING TEST MODE TO SHOW MY DIGITAL DASH DISPLAY'S INTERNAL READINGS, NO DTC'S WERE PRESENT THERE EITHER. WE FINISHED OUR BUSINESS AND DROVE THE 20 MILES HOME WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS, ALL NORMAL. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND IS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION.

I WENT TO AUTONATION FORD IN DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA FOR A OIL CHANGE AND FORD RECALLS. UPON ARRIVING AT THE DEALERSHIP THE VEHICLE SEEMED FINE. ONCE LEAVING THE FACILITY IT ALSO SEEMED TO BE RUNNING NORMALLY. TWO DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING UNUSUAL NOISES IN THE ENGINE WHEN ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. I THEN ALERTED THE TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP. I TOLD THEM I DID NOT FEEL SECURE DRIVING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE TOWING. NEVER THE LESS, I THEN DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR IT TO BE REVIEWED. UPON ARRIVING AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY GAVE ME A RENTAL VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING DAY THEY REVIEWED THE VEHICLE AND NOTIFIED ME. THE ENGINE BRACKET WAS COMPLETED SHEARED OFF. THIS IS A BRACKET THAT KEEPS THE ENGINE IN PLACE. IT PREVENTS THE ENGINE FROM MOVING IN THE VEHICLE WHEN ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A ACCIDENT PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT NOR THERE AFTER. THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE OR UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE THAT JUSTIFIED THE DAMAGE. IN MY OPINION, THERE WAS SOMETHING OCCURRED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP DISAGREED. HOWEVER, HE DID AGREE THAT THERE WAS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR THE ENGINE BRACKET TO HAVE BEEN SHEERED IN HALF. LATER, THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER ALSO LOOKED AT THE DAMAGE. HE ALSO AGREED THAT THERE WAS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR THE SHEARING OF THE ENGINE BRACKET. HOWEVER, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE COST OF THE REPAIR. IT STILL DOES NOT MAKE SENSE AS TO WHY THE ENGINE BRACKET WAS SHEARED. THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN OFF-ROAD, GRAVEL AND/OR DIRT ROADS. THE DRIVING OF THIS VEHICLE IS 80% IN TOWN AND 20% ON HIGHWAY. IN MY OPINION THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE OR THE DAMAGE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS NOTIFICATION IS ONLY FOR OTHER FORD FUSION DRIVERS TO BE AWARE OF SUCH AN ISSUE

PURCHASED A USED 2013 FORD FUSION HYBRID FROM CARMAX AROUND MAY 2015 WITH APPROX 25000 MILES. ON 8/6/15 AT APPROX 4:15PM THE CAR WAS TRAVELING APPROX 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE COMMAND ON THE DASH WAS GIVEN TO STOP SAFELY NOW. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND RESTARTED THE CAR. A WEEK LATER ON 8/12/15 WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH THE SAME MESSAGE STOP SAFELY NOW APPEARED AFTER THE CAR SHOOK GENTLY. ALL POWER WAS DISABLED AND WAS ABLE TO PULL ONCE AGAIN TO THE SHOULDER AND RESTART WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUE. CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING CHECKED OUT AT THE FORD DEALER.

THE DOOR LATCH ON MY REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED. THE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH AND STAY CLOSED. THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL ON MY CAR FOR THIS ISSUE. IN THE RECALL FORD SAYS THAT ALL LATCHES MUST BE REPLACED. OBVIOUSLY I HAVE DEFECTIVE PARTS IN MY CAR. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THAT THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE THE BROKEN PART AND NOT THE OTHER THREE DOORS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARTS. THAT IS NOT MY PROBLEM. MY PROBLEM IS BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL DOWN THE FREEWAY SAFELY AND NOT WORRY THAT MY DOORS ARE GOING TO FLY OPEN. IT'S UNETHICAL THAT FORD CAN KNOW THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT ADDRESS IT IN A TIMELY MANNER. I WONDER IF ANYONE IN THE FORD FAMILY IS DRIVING A CAR WITH DEFECTIVE DOOR LATCHES. I BET NOT.

I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE I HAVE BECOME VERY DISPLEASED WITH THE FORD FUSION HYBRID (VIN): [XXX] PURCHASED FROM JIM HUDSON FORD LOCATED IN LEXINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA ON FEBRUARY 19, 2013. MY REASONING FOR PURCHASING THE FUSION HYBRID WAS BECAUSE OF IT AVAILABLE SAFETY FEATURES AND GAS MILEAGE I EXPECTED TO RECEIVED THEN ADVERTISED AS 40 MPH. IN SO MANY WAYS I HAVE BEEN PLEASED WITH THE SAFETY FEATURES PROVIDED ON THE FUSION, ESPECIALLY THE FORWARD SENSING, FORWARD COLLISION WARNING, CROSS LANE ALERT, VOICE ACTIVATED TELEPHONE, RADIO AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE CAR HANDLES WELL AND MOST IMPORTANT BOTH MY SPOUSE AND I ARE COMFORTABLE WITH ITS HANDLING. NOW MY DILEMMA! THUS FAR THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST TEN RECALLS PERTAINING TO THE FORD FUSION, NOT ALL APPLIES TO MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE, HOWEVER THERE HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO GIVE ME CONCERN ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON ANY EXTENDED TRIP. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS TO THE REPRESENTATIVE AT JIM HUDSON FORD WHERE I TAKE MY CAR FOR SERVICE BUT BEING TOLD IF SOMETHING HAPPEN WHILE YOU ARE ON A TRIP ANY FORD DEALER WOULD ASSIST WAS NO RELIEF. BOTH MY WIFE AND I ARE IN OUR MID-SEVENTIES, HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES AND RELIABILITY, SAFETY AND A PEACE OF MIND ARE IMPORTANT! I NEED A CAR I CAN DEPEND ON NOT JUST ONE WITH SOME GREAT SAFETY FEATURES THAT HAVE BEEN NULLIFIED DUE TO PENDING RECALLS. I FEEL THIS CAR NO LONGER REPRESENT TO ME THE CAR I ASSUMED I WAS PURCHASING AND EVEN-THOUGH IT MAY STILL BE SAFE TO DRIVE I NO LONGER HAVE THE CONFIDENCE, NOR DO I ANY LONGER FEEL COMFORTABLE WHEN BEHIND THE WHEEL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FUSION HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LATCH FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE DOOR TO INADVERTENTLY OPEN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITH THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR OPENED WHERE A CHILD WAS SEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE LATCH WAS REPLACED WITH PART NUMBER BE82-5426413-D. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES WITH A CHILD SEATED NEAR THE FAILED DOOR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:15V246000(LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE PART WHICH WAS USED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BEFORE WOULD BE USED AGAIN FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,083.

DRIVING INTO WORK IN THE MORNING ON A 3 LANE BUSY ROAD, THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" ALERT CAME ON AND THE CAR STALLED. IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE ROAD WITH CARS RUSHING AROUND ME TO BE ON THEIR WAY. I HAD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND, WITH THE HELP OF SOME GOOD SAMARITANS, PUSH IT TO SAFETY ACROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC INTO A COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS HELD FOR 7 DAYS AND THEY TOLD ME IT "JUST STARTED WORKING OVER THE WEEKEND AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY IT FAILED BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ANY ERROR CODES TO READ". HERE IS THE REPORT FROM THE DEALERSHIP: "TOWED IN WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AND STOP SAFELY LIGHT CAME ON ALSO CAUSED BY NO CRANK, NO START. SELF TEST, 20 DTC S. CLEARED DTC S. STARTED OK AFTER DTC S CLEARED. ROAD TESTED & RETESTED, DTC S DID NOT RETURN. NEEDS TO BE DRIVEN MORE." I HAVE PLAYED PHONE TAG WITH THE FORD CUSTOMER REP FOR WEEKS NOW AND I HAVE GROWN IRRITATED. I DO NOT HAVE ANY TRUST IN THIS CAR TO RELIABLY KEEP MYSELF, MY WIFE AND NEWBORN CHILD SAFE. WE FEEL HELPLESS AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY CONCERN OR REASSURANCE SHOWN ON FORD'S BEHALF AND WE'RE STUCK IN A CAR THAT WE OWE MORE THAN ITS WORTH. THE MONEY WOULD FEEL MORE WELL SPENT HAD THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EFFORT SHOWN BY FORD TO MAKE IT RIGHT AND REBUILD OUR TRUST IN THEIR PRODUCT. HOWEVER, THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ON OUR OWN TO JUST DEAL WITH THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS IT COMES UP OR DROWN OURSELVES IN NEGATIVE EQUITY BY TRADING IT IN FOR A CAR THAT WE CAN TRUST. THIS CAR IS A SAFETY RISK TO MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

CAR SURGES WHILE TURNING AS IF IT HIT A PATCH OF ICE, REGARDLESS OF SPEED, BUT ONLY WHEN REGENERATIVE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. HAPPENS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND IS CONSISTENTLY REPRODUCED, MORE NOTICEABLE WITH HIGHER SPEEDS. REGENERATIVE BRAKING IS ALSO INCONSISTENT, AT TIMES IT WILL NOT PROPERLY SLOW THE CAR DOWN. AS MORE PRESSURE IS APPLIED, THE CAR IS NOT SLOWING AS EXPECTED, AND HAS GONE INTO INTERSECTIONS AS THE TRANSITION FROM REGEN BRAKING TO HYDRAULICS DOES NOT OCCUR QUICK ENOUGH, AND FEELS LIKE BRAKES ARE FADING. DEALER AND FORD HAS LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID NO TROUBLE CODES, NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THIS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AS IT IS NEVER KNOWN IF THE CAR WILL SLOW DOWN USING THE REGENERATIVE BRAKES OR NOT UNTIL THEY ARE APPLIED. I DO NOT FEEL FORD IS TAKING THIS SERIOUS ENOUGH, AND REFUSES TO SPEND TIME TO DIAGNOSE. *TR