Ford Fusion Coolant Leak Recall: Engines, Lawsuits & What Gets Covered

Smoke trails from the tailpipe. Coolant vanishes. Misfires kick in. The Fusion stumbles like it’s lost compression, then throws a random misfire code. Mechanics chase hoses, sensors, thermostats, anything but the block itself.

The real failure sits lower. Ford’s open-deck EcoBoost engines, especially the 1.5L and 2.0L, warp under heat and hammer coolant straight into the cylinders. Cracked bridges, crushed gaskets, and coolant intrusion wreck engines before 100,000 miles.

This guide breaks it down. Which Fusions are hit hardest. What 17S09, 19B37, 21N12, 22-2134, and 25SA4 actually cover. How Ford responds, when they pay, when they stall. And what steps still exist if your engine’s already circling the drain.

1. Why the Fusion leaks from inside the block, not outside the hoses

Open-deck blocks, slitted bridges, and how they crush the gasket

The 1.5L and 2.0L EcoBoost engines in the Fusion came with an open-deck aluminum block. Instead of thick solid material around the cylinders, Ford machined thin bridges between the bores, then added slits across those bridges to improve cooling. That design turned out fragile under boost.

Cylinder pressures climb fast in turbocharged engines. Add GDI combustion heat and thermal cycling from daily shutdowns, and those slitted bridges start flexing.

Over time, that flex crushes the fire ring in the head gasket. Once the seal breaks, coolant doesn’t just seep, it gets forced straight into the combustion chamber.

Later versions switched to a closed-bridge casting. But early Fusion builds ran slitted decks for years, especially in the 2014–2019 range. That’s the weak spot: thin aluminum that warps under stress and opens a direct coolant path into the cylinder.

What owners see: misfires, steam, and missing coolant

Internal coolant loss leaves no puddle. Most owners don’t notice until the coolant tank runs low for the second or third time. First signs show up at startup. Cold misfire. Damp white smoke out the tailpipe. Engine smooths out after warmup. That’s early-stage coolant intrusion burning off pooled fluid from the night before.

It escalates fast. Once a cylinder takes on too much, it starts misfiring under load. The car may stall, trigger a limp mode, or flash P0300–P0304 codes. Shops chase sensors, coils, or injectors, because there’s no obvious leak. Meanwhile, the real damage spreads inside the block.

This pattern fools both owners and techs. External leaks like a bad water pump or cracked reservoir leave a trail. Internal intrusion leaves guesswork until compression drops or the coolant boils off completely.

The 1.6L fire setup and how Recall 17S09 rewired the warning system

The 1.6L EcoBoost in early Fusions took a different path. That engine didn’t just misfire, it caught fire. The head would overheat in one corner, crack under pressure, and push oil onto the red-hot exhaust manifold. Fires broke out while driving or after shutdown.

Ford’s answer was Recall 17S09. It didn’t involve structural fixes. Dealers added a new coolant level sensor, updated the PCM and cluster software, and built in an “overheat strategy” that cut power and flashed messages if coolant ran low.

No new head. No stronger block. Just more warnings. While programs like 17S09 and 21N12 focused on detection and mitigation, CSP 19B37 introduced a proactive preventive measure.

By reprogramming the PCM to run the electric water pump and cooling fans after shutdown, Ford aimed to eliminate the ‘heat soak’ that causes thermal stress on the slitted bridges, directly addressing the issue of gasket degradation before failure occurs.

2. Which Fusion engines qualify and which got left out

Where each EcoBoost sits and which ones drop coolant first

Ford split the Fusion lineup across several engines. The base models ran the 2.5L Duratec, which isn’t part of the coolant crisis. Everything below is EcoBoost.

The 1.6L launched first, found in 2013–2014 models, mostly SE trim. It’s the only one with an official safety recall, but for fires, not engine failure.

The 1.5L took over in 2014 and ran through 2019. Most SE and mid-trim cars got this engine. These blocks carried the slitted-deck flaw that triggered widespread coolant intrusion. They saw multiple CSPs and TSBs, but no safety recall.

The 2.0L was paired with Titanium and Sport trims, running from 2013 to 2020. It shares the same open-deck design and intrusion failures as the 1.5L, but never received a CSP, only TSBs, leaving owners stuck with warranty limits or full-price repairs.

The 2.3L, used briefly in later models and shared with the Mustang/Lincoln MKC, got swept into a separate recall for block heater fire risk. These were tied to external leaks, not gasket failure.

Only the 2020 2.0L closed-bridge block is considered structurally improved. Anything earlier runs the risk.

What Ford offered by engine, year, and VIN range

Why VIN filters matter more than model year

Ford didn’t always apply coverage across an entire model year. Both 19B37 and 21N12 filter by VIN build date and powertrain warranty start, not just calendar year. Some 2017–2019 1.5L Fusions were excluded despite showing textbook intrusion signs.

The 2.0L fared worse. TSBs are only honored inside warranty. If your Fusion’s powertrain clock ran out, Ford won’t cover the long block, even with identical failure symptoms.

No VIN lookup, no help. Owners who bought used or missed Ford mailers often found out too late, usually after the engine gave up.

3. How Ford’s coolant-leak fixes actually work (and when they don’t)

What Recall 17S09 really fixed and what it didn’t touch

17S09 was triggered by fire risk in the 1.6L EcoBoost, not gasket failure. Ford didn’t redesign the head or improve cooling flow. Instead, they added a coolant level sensor to catch low volume early and rewrote the PCM to force limp mode before the head cracked.

A jumper harness tied the sensor into the dash cluster. Software updates brought new warnings, reduced throttle response, and overheat failsafe logic. That combo gave drivers more time to pull over, but if coolant loss still went unchecked, the damage continued.

Engines that had already overheated or cracked before the recall weren’t covered for repairs. Ford’s position was clear: the recall added protection moving forward. Any past damage was on the owner.

CSP 19B37 and the shutdown heat it tried to bleed off

The 1.5L EcoBoost was prone to “heat soak” after shutdown. When the key turned off, coolant stopped moving, but heat in the head kept climbing. That spiked temps near the gasket’s sealing surfaces, especially around the slitted bridges.

CSP 19B37 changed that. Ford reprogrammed the PCM to run the electric water pump and cooling fans for several minutes after engine shutdown. That post-run bleed dropped deck temps and slowed down the gasket crush cycle.

But it was only preventive. If a block had already started warping or showed signs of coolant loss, this update didn’t fix anything. No parts changed. No gasket replaced. No deck reinforced.

CSP 21N12: the narrow window for a free short block

21N12 came two years later. It extended coverage for 1.5L engines to 7 years or 84,000 miles from warranty start. If coolant intrusion was confirmed, Ford paid for a short block, once.

But there were catches. Owners had to complete 19B37 first. If the car missed that update or the software wasn’t showing as done in Ford’s system, 21N12 wouldn’t trigger. That blocked secondhand buyers, late claimants, and anyone who ignored the 19B37 notice.

Miss the mileage limit by 100 miles or the deadline by one week, and the claim was denied, regardless of failure severity.

2.0L TSBs: long blocks only if you’re still under warranty

Ford never gave 2.0L Fusion owners a CSP or extended warranty. Only TSBs, specifically 19-2346 and 22-2134, outlined how to handle coolant intrusion. The fix was a complete long block, not just a short block.

If the car was under the 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain limit or an active Extended Service Plan, Ford would approve the swap. But if the car was outside that window, the owner got the bill.

Dealers followed a VIN-triggered protocol. No warning letter. No goodwill exception. No override if the TSB matched the failure but the coverage expired.

Here’s how Ford split the repairs by engine and program:

Why 2.0L owners feel boxed out

The 2.0L shares the same slitted-deck flaw and failure pattern as the 1.5L, but Ford treated it differently. No CSP. No warranty bump. Only a technical bulletin.

That gap left thousands of Fusion Titanium and Sport owners stuck with $7,000–$11,000 engine quotes, even when Ford’s own bulletins called the failure pattern “known.”

Dealers followed protocol. If the warranty had lapsed, the answer was no. No override, no escalation. Just a dead car and a repair bill that exceeded its Blue Book value.

4. Catching coolant intrusion before the engine gives up

DTCs that flag coolant in the cylinders

Coolant intrusion doesn’t hide forever. It starts with light misfires that clear up after warm-up, then shows up as full-on stumble under load. When the PCM flags a problem, these are the codes Fusion techs see the most:

Relative compression tests show imbalance on wet cylinders after sitting overnight. Misfire counters spike in the first 30 seconds, then drop off once the coolant burns out. Scans with IDS or ForScan help flag which bores are dropping power before the block fully lets go.

How pressure tests and borescopes confirm the failure

Cold pressure testing tells more than a hot drive cycle. Techs pressurize the cooling system to 15–20 psi, then wait. No visible drip? Doesn’t matter. If pressure drops and the reservoir empties without a trace, it’s time for a borescope.

Pull the spark plugs. The cylinder that’s steam-cleaned will look like polished aluminum, no carbon, no oil film, just a silver piston top. That’s where the coolant’s coming in.

One clean piston and a cold misfire code is usually enough for Ford warranty review or CSP approval. Even without a puddle, that’s direct proof of intrusion.

Why these blocks rarely get rebuilt

Once the head comes off, the failure shows up fast. Bridges between the cylinders are often cracked. Gasket fire rings are blown out sideways or heat-cycled into failure. In some cases, coolant paths eroded into the bore wall.

Shops rarely try to salvage the block. Ford doesn’t spec machining or repair for slitted-deck engines. The only fix is a factory short block or long block, and that’s if you catch it in time. Miss the warranty or CSP cutoff, and it’s full price with reused turbos, sensors, and emission gear unless you pay to swap it all.

Skip any reuse step, and the new engine may inherit the same problems that ended the last one.

5. External heater recalls and the parked-fire threat

How coolant in the cord sparked fires before the engine even started

Recall 25SA4 (NHTSA ID 25V685000) was officially issued in October 2025 after reports of parked fires.

This safety recall affects 2019–2020 2.0L and 2.3L EcoBoost models, specifically addressing the risk of short circuits in the engine block heater when the vehicle is plugged in. The issue originated from block heaters on certain 2019–2020 2.0L and 2.3L EcoBoost models.

The heater element could crack, leaking coolant into the power cord socket. Once coolant reached the pins, it shorted across the terminals, overheated the connector, and ignited surrounding wiring. Fires didn’t need the engine running, just a live outlet and a cracked heater core.

Drivers often spotted burn marks near the lower grille, puddles with a chemical sheen under the bumper, or smelled scorched plastic and coolant after unplugging the car.

Ford’s fix replaced both the element and the cord. No changes were made to the engine, but the recall was logged as a full safety risk. As with 17S09, this one doesn’t expire and doesn’t depend on mileage.

Why Ford recalls some cooling failures and sidelines others

Internal coolant leaks cause stalls and misfires. External heater leaks start fires while the car’s off. That split matters.

Regulators only require a safety recall when there’s a direct risk of injury or fire. The 1.5L and 2.0L head gasket failures didn’t meet that threshold, at least on paper. They stalled engines. They ruined blocks. But they didn’t light cars on fire in dealer lots.

So Ford gave the block heater leak full recall status and left the gasket problems under CSP or TSB handling. The same cooling system, two very different risk labels.

The result? Heater recalls cover late-model Fusions with no mileage cap. Gasket CSPs get denied after 84,000 miles, even with identical techs doing the teardown.

6. Lawsuits, pressure, and why Ford’s strategy may backfire

Miller v. Ford claims recalls were too little, too late

The class-action lawsuit Miller et al. v. Ford Motor Company argues that Ford knew the slitted open-deck blocks were fatally flawed years before any program launched.

Plaintiffs say Ford chose low-cost software patches and narrow CSPs over redesigns or full safety recalls, leaving most owners exposed when their engines failed outside coverage.

The suit points to stalling, limp mode, and loss of power as safety defects, not durability problems. It also highlights Ford’s internal data trails: tech bulletins, service patterns, and warranty denials that suggest long-term awareness of the failure rate.

The case is headed to a jury trial set for June 15, 2026. If successful, Ford could be forced into expanded warranty terms, reimbursement for past repairs, and compensation for diminished resale value on affected Fusions.

Fusion owners looped into wider EcoBoost litigation

The Miller case isn’t the only fight. Multiple suits have pulled in Fusion, Escape, Edge, MKC, and Mustang owners who share the same EcoBoost engine architecture.

Some focus on the 1.5L and 2.0L, others on the 2.3L, which uses the same slitted-deck layout. Claims include breach of warranty, concealment of material defects, and violations of consumer protection laws.

These suits borrow tactics from earlier engine defect settlements like the Hyundai/Kia Theta II and GM 2.4L Ecotec cases, both of which led to court-ordered buybacks, extended warranties, and large cash payouts.

Owners tracking their repairs, parts invoices, and denied claims may have a better shot at future settlement relief if those lawsuits expand.

How these programs shape Fusion resale and trade value

Fusion values took a hit. Dealers and auctions flag coolant-intrusion history. Any car with white smoke, startup misfires, or an open CSP code gets low-balled, or passed over entirely.

But not all coverage claims drag value down. A Fusion with a completed 21N12 short block or a dealer-installed 2.0L long block often fetches more than a low-mile original-engine car. Buyers know the fix is done and the risk is buried.

Cars with denied coverage or partial repairs, 19B37 done but no engine, are the worst hit. Many get dumped at wholesale, flipped at small lots, or unloaded with vague ads claiming “just needs head gasket.” Most don’t. They need a full engine.

7. What to know if you’re keeping, or buying, a Fusion post-failure

Owning a high-risk Fusion with no coverage left

If your 2013–2018 Fusion still runs and you’re out of warranty, coolant checks need to become routine. Check the reservoir with every fuel fill. Don’t wait for the light, by then, the gasket’s likely gone.

Pressure test anytime the level drops without a clear leak. Shorten oil intervals. The EcoBoost runs hot, and once the coolant breaks down, thermal cycling gets worse. Don’t run extended drain intervals on a block already known for head gasket crush.

Avoid towing and steep high-speed grades if possible. And never shut the engine off immediately after a hard drive in hot weather, heat soak starts the minute coolant flow stops.

After the engine swap: what’s changed and what hasn’t

Ford’s revised blocks dropped the slitted-deck bridges. The updated 1.5L and 2.0L replacements use thicker, closed-bridge castings with drilled coolant channels. Gasket clamp strength is higher, and warp risk is lower. That’s the good part.

What didn’t change: GDI still carbon loads the valves. Turbo heat still cooks oil. And coolant still matters more than most owners think. Miss one reservoir check or stretch one oil change too far, and you can still lose a new engine to heat damage or turbo failure.

Even post-replacement, it’s smart to borescope every 30,000 miles, run annual pressure tests, and flush coolant early, not late.

Which used Fusions are safe to buy and which to avoid

Start with the VIN. Check owner.ford.com or NHTSA.gov/recalls. Ask for OASIS printouts. Scan the car for P0300, P0316, and coolant temp codes. Look for white smoke at startup and fresh coolant on the dipstick.

If a seller says ‘just needs a thermostat,’ walk. If they say ‘head gasket’s an easy fix,’ run. If there’s no record of 19B37 or 21N12 on a 1.5L, you’re likely buying someone else’s imminent engine failure.

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Rami Hasan is the founder of CherishYourCar.com, where he combines his web publishing experience with a passion for the automotive world. He’s committed to creating clear, practical guides that help drivers take better care of their vehicles and get more out of every mile.