2016 Ford Fusion · symptom sheet
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard
- 40owner reports
- 67,405median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Jul 26, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
310 of the 1,629 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 40 of those describe transmission shudder.
Tick what matches of 40 reports
Transmission shudder on other Fusion years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020.
What this problem usually is
This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.
What got replaced
Few of these reports name the part that was replaced.
Recalls and investigations
4 recalls on the transmission and drivetrain cover the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission.
The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission.
All 13 recalls on the 2016 Ford Fusion, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 42,312 and 102,704 miles, from the 22 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins or notices for the 2016 Ford Fusion that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
MULTIPLE 2014-2016 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 6F35 TRANSMISSION AND BUILT ON 1-JAN-2014 AND THROUGH 31-DEC-2015 MAY EXHIBIT HARSH REVERSE ENGAGEMENT AND HARSH/DELAYED 3RD AND 5TH GEAR UP/DOWN SHIFTS WITH NO DTCS PRESENT.
Some 2016 Fusion and Escape vehicles equipped with 2.5L engine may experience a delayed engagement/shudder during a drive to reverse shift. This condition occurs when the throttle is applied during reverse engagement.
Some 2015-2016 Escape and 2016 Fusion vehicles equipped with a 2.0L GTDI engine may exhibit a rolling reverse to drive engagement shudder on acceleration.
Some 2014-2016 Fusion and 2015-2016 Edge vehicles equipped with a 6F35 transmission and active start/stop feature may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with a harsh transmission engagement after an active stop/start event.
1 more on the 2016 Ford Fusion page.
What owners wrote
“Transmission is constantly jerking when engine light is on. Driver assist back up reports to return to dealership and the front just doesn't work at all.”
Filed May 8, 2024
“The transmission jerks sometimes between 1 and 3 gear. It was slipping a little in second gear. That issue only happened one time but for the most part itâs a hard shift on a regular basis between 1 and 3 gear.”
Filed Feb 14, 2024
“My driver door lock light will not glow when I lock my vehicle. Transmission is slipping and has a recall on it. Front brakes has a recall.”
Filed Oct 13, 2023
“I was driving and my car started to make whinny noises and my car started to jerk, I tried to accelerate but the car would just rev up and wouldnât move. I saw many people have this problem with the same vehicle”
Filed May 2, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 40 reports involved a crash and 1 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 364 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 335 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 186 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 161 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 133 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 123 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 100 reports
- Rolls away in Park or will not shift out of Park 63 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 50 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 47 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 46 reports
- Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 29 reports