Ford Fusion Recall Indicates Certain 2013 through 2016 Vehicles May Roll Away While in Park

More than a quarter million Ford Fusion vehicles from the 2013 through 2016 model years are being recalled, due to a risk that the parking brake may not fully engage, allowing the vehicle to roll away and cause injuries for occupants or bystanders.

The Ford Fusion recall was announced this week, after the manufacturer determined that the bushing attaching the shifter cable may degrade and detach from the transmission, allowing the transmission to be in a different gear than is indicated by the shifter.

In the event the cable that links the gear selector to the transmission fails, drivers may think they have put the vehicle in Park, even though it is still in Drive, Reverse, or Neutral. As a result, this may cause the vehicle to move out of position as a passenger is getting out of the vehicle, or the Ford Fusion may roll away after parked, and cause an accident or injure pedestrians.

To date, Ford is aware of at least three reports involving problems where a Fusion vehicle rolled away when the gear shifter was put in the Park position. Of the reports, three have involved property damage and one injury.

The recall impacts approximately 259,182 model year 2013 through 2016 Ford Fusions equipped with a 2.5-liter engine. The vehicles were manufactured by Ford at the Flat Rock, Michigan assembly plant from April 12, 2013 through February 29, 2016 and at the Hermosillo, Mexico assembly plant from February 9, 2012 through April 4, 2016.

Customers are being asked to not park the vehicles on hills or inclines until the vehicles are inspected and repaired. Drivers are also being instructed to engage the emergency parking brake until further inspection.

Ford is currently working on a repair remedy and will provide details to affected vehicle owners once one is decided on and parts become available.

Ford issued a similar recall in July last year, when the automaker recalled approximately 550,000 Ford Escape SUVs and Ford Fusion vehicles, which may have a defective shifter cable that may degrade and detach from the transmission, allowing the gear to unexpectedly shift out of the park position.

Just prior to the July 2018 recall, Ford had recalled another 350,000 Ford Expedition SUVs and F-150 trucks for a similar gear shift problem. This recall involved a gear cable clip that did not engage properly; however, it posed the same rollaway hazard.