2020 Ford Fusion — Known Issues & Recalls

While driving home from work on Black Friday 2024, your car suddenly lost power even when pressing the gas pedal all the way down. Multiple warning lights appeared on your dashboard, followed by flames coming from under the hood. Within minutes, the entire car caught fire and was destroyed by the fire department.

Your car's shifter cable broke, preventing the transmission from changing gears properly. This happened without any warning signs beforehand. The issue was confirmed and repaired by a mechanic, and the same problem occurred in multiple vehicles of the same year, make, and model within a short timeframe. The repair will involve replacing the shifter cable assembly.

Your car's shifter cable failed, preventing you from changing gears properly. The problem was confirmed and repaired by a mechanic, with no warning lights appearing before the failure occurred. The mechanic replaced the damaged shifter cable to restore normal gear shifting.

Your backup camera and touchscreen display go completely dark and stop working, forcing you to shut off and restart the vehicle to get them working again. This problem has happened multiple times. The fix would likely involve diagnosing the infotainment system's power supply or software and may require a system reset or replacement of components.

Your vehicle caught fire and was completely destroyed while parked in front of your apartment. The fire also damaged a neighboring vehicle, and there's a risk it could have spread to nearby structures. The exact cause of the fire is unknown, but it appears to be related to an electrical system failure. Investigation and diagnosis by a qualified technician or manufacturer is needed to determine the root cause.

Your car displays a "SHIFT SYS FAULT" error message and becomes stuck in Park, preventing you from driving. This problem has returned multiple times even after a repair shop replaced the bushing kit and gear dial, and the Ford dealership has been unable to resolve it despite multiple attempts. The issue may require Ford technical support to diagnose and correct.

Your check engine light stays on due to a sensor issue that has occurred 3 separate times. The sensor keeps triggering the warning even after attempts to fix it. You may need the faulty sensor replaced or the electrical connection to that sensor repaired.

After a routine oil change in October 2025, your vehicle began leaking fluid and making loud knocking noises with significant vibration, especially during acceleration. A technician discovered a cracked flex plate (the component that connects your engine to the transmission), which can cause severe vibration, damage other parts, and potentially leave you unable to drive. The dealer confirmed the flex plate was cracked but denied a warranty claim, and the repair remains incomplete due to cost and safety concerns. Fixing this will require replacing the flex plate, which involves removing the transmission from the engine.

Your car is making a loud noise when you're not pressing the accelerator, and a mechanic diagnosed it as a cracked flex plate—a known issue in Ford vehicles that Ford has offered free repairs for under warranty. However, the dealer refused to cover the repair because your car has a salvage title, even though the car is under 90,000 miles and the flex plate failure is a manufacturing defect. A cracked flex plate repair typically involves removing the transmission to access and replace the flex plate component.

Your car's head gasket is failing, causing it to break down unexpectedly with smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. Your service center has confirmed this is happening to multiple 2020 Ford Fusions right now, suggesting this may be a widespread issue with this model year. There were no warning signs before the failure occurred. Fixing this will require your service center to remove the cylinder head and replace the failed gasket.

Your car is making a rattling sound while idling, especially when the air conditioning is on. A Ford dealership diagnosed this as a cracked engine flex plate requiring a $3,000 repair at 45,000 miles. You discovered Ford has a customer satisfaction program (22N12) for this exact issue, but the dealership says it only covers the 2.0L engine in your car, not your 1.5L engine. The repair typically involves removing and replacing the cracked flex plate.

Your transmission suddenly failed without any warning signs like shaking, jerking, or warning lights beforehand. When it finally stopped working, you felt jerking and saw a wrench symbol appear on the dashboard, but no check engine light came on. The transmission will likely need to be rebuilt or replaced, which is a major repair.

Your 2020 Ford Fusion PHEV experienced a sudden engine failure followed by smoke and fire coming from the high-voltage battery pack in the trunk, with no warning signs beforehand. The vehicle was previously sold at auction without disclosure of an active safety recall (NHTSA 23V440) issued in June 2023 for this exact issue. The fire caused damage to the vehicle and the owner experienced respiratory distress from exposure to fire extinguisher chemicals. Addressing this issue will require a complete battery pack replacement and electrical system inspection by a Ford dealer authorized to perform the recall remedy.

Your car's engine suddenly shut off with a 'System Performance' warning shortly after you put it in reverse. The cooling fans kicked into high speed, and the battery pack experienced a thermal runaway event that caused a fire. This issue is connected to a known recall (23V440/23S33) involving the battery control module. Repairs will likely involve inspection and replacement of the battery control module and possibly the entire battery pack.

Your 2020 Fusion has been experiencing shifting problems in sport mode and rough engagement when reversing. After the vehicle completely lost the ability to shift gears and accelerate, your check engine and wrench lights came on, and a diagnostic code P0772 appeared. This transmission issue will likely require professional diagnosis and repair, potentially involving transmission fluid, filter replacement, or internal transmission service.

Your 2020 Fusion developed multiple serious problems starting just 6 months after purchase, including transmission shifting issues, uncontrolled engine revving with light throttle input, brake system malfunctions (anti-collision assist failures), and unexpected steering wheel jerking toward oncoming traffic. The dealership visited three times within a year without resolving the issues, and these problems persisted until you stopped driving the vehicle.

Your car's purge solenoid—part of the fuel system—keeps becoming unplugged, which prevents your engine from starting after you fill up with gas. This causes your check engine light to come on repeatedly, and mechanics have to plug it back in each time you visit. The issue is related to the evaporative emission control system, which is supposed to manage fuel vapor. Fixing this will likely involve inspecting the solenoid connection and wiring, and possibly replacing the solenoid or related connectors if they're damaged.

Your seat belt buckle isn't locking properly, so the belt can slip out even after you've fastened it. You have to manually check and hold the belt in place before driving to make sure it stays secured. The buckle mechanism needs to be repaired or replaced to ensure your seat belt functions as intended.

Your 2020 Ford Fusion has been triggering a powertrain diagnostic code repeatedly, but the dealership kept clearing it without finding an issue during warranty visits. Now that your warranty has expired, actual problems are appearing that you had been reporting earlier. The dealership may need to diagnose the underlying cause instead of just clearing the code each time.

Your check engine light is on because the purge valve in your emissions system is stuck open. This valve is supposed to control fuel vapor flow, and when it's stuck, it can cause the symptoms you're experiencing. The fix will likely involve replacing or cleaning the purge valve.