The Ford Fusion was one of the most popular mid-size sedans that was only on the market ever since 2005.
Despite its discontinuation back in 2020, it remains a top performer in its class alongside the likes of the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Chevy Malibu.
In this article, we will be providing you with information regarding the bolt patterns and other relevant specifications of the Ford Fusion.
Regardless of your Fusion’s generation or facelift, this will be the perfect guide for when you plan on changing its wheels but are not entirely sure what options can fit.
What is the bolt pattern of a Ford Fusion?
2013 to 2020 Ford Fusion models were equipped with a bolt pattern of 5×4.25 inches (5x108mm).
Earlier Ford Fusion models from 2005 to 2012 were equipped with a slightly larger 5×4.5-inch (5×114.3mm) bolt pattern.
The Ford Fusion only had a total of two bolt patterns during its entire production run, and these bolt patterns actually line up perfectly with the 1st and 2nd-generation model years.
But as we mentioned earlier, we’ve got other information in store for you when it comes to making sure that the wheels that you want will fit on your Ford Fusion.
Aside from the bolt pattern, we’ve provided you with the wheel and bolt specifications of every Ford Fusion model from beginning to end.
Unlike the bolt pattern, these other specifications will vary depending on the production year and even the different trim levels within each generation.
Wheel and Bolt Specifications for the Ford Fusion
The Ford Fusion was made in only two generations, but these generations also have different facelift model years that determine their wheel and bolt specifications.
For the Fusion’s wheel specifications, we have simply listed the tire and rim sizes that were offered from the factory for each Fusion generation’s trim levels.
As for the bolt specifications, these will include the center bore diameter, type of wheel fastener used, torque tightening specification, and thread size of the Fusion generation in question.
While the Fusion’s wheel specifications tend to vary a lot with its numerous trim levels, the bolt specifications, on the other hand, actually line up with the two bolt patterns mentioned earlier.
This means that such bolt specifications will be the same for all Fusion models under the same generation, regardless of their trim level.
With that said, you should have no trouble keeping the bolt specifications in mind as long as you’re already familiar with the two bolt patterns.
2nd Generation (CD4) (2013 to 2020)
The 2nd-generation Ford Fusion, made on the Ford CD4 platform, had three different sets of production years because of having been facelifted twice.
This enabled the late Ford Fusion to have a lot of variety when it came to trim levels and wheel specifications.
But as we mentioned earlier, every single trim level uses the same set of bolt specifications, as long as it’s within the same generation.
Center Bore Diameter: 2.5 inches ( 63.4mm)
Wheel Fastener: Lug Nuts (5)
Thread Size: M12x1.5
Torque Spec: 100lb-ft (135Nm)
2019 to 2020 (Facelift 2)
The second facelift of the 2nd-generation Fusion came in 2019, which also eventually signified the end of its 15-year production run the following year.
It had a good mix of inline-4 (I4) Ecoboost, PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle), and iVCT (Intake Variable Cam Timing) trim levels that were otherwise absent in pre-facelift models.
The 1.5 and 2.0 Ecoboost models shared the same set of tire and rim sizes, while the 2.5 iVCT models only borrowed the smallest tire and rim sizes from the former two.
Similarly, the 2.0 PHEV, 2.0 iVCT, and 2.7 Ecoboost V6 models also shared their wheel specifications with each other.
2017 to 2018 (Facelift 1)
The first facelifted 2nd-generation Fusion started its production run in 2017 and ended the year after.
It had a lot of commonalities that were shared with the second facelift when it came to the trim levels, save for the 2.0 HEV model that had slightly lesser battery capacity than the PHEV one.
It was also the first to receive Ford’s then-new Ecoboost technology, which still gets incorporated into other Ford vehicles up to this day.
With the first facelift, you can still see the same tire and rim sizes listed on the second facelift. The only difference is the way by which they are paired up with the trim levels.
2013 to 2016 (Pre-Facelift)
The 2nd-generation pre-facelift Fusion models had trim levels that were equipped with similar engine sizes to those found on the facelift ones.
It first started off with a base 1.6-liter option, but slowly replaced it with a smaller 1.5-liter one in a span of two production years. These two engines shared the same wheel specifications.
While the Ecoboost options were yet to be introduced at that time, one of the 2.0-liter engine options was still equipped with hybrid technology.
This engine, together with the more-powerful 240-horsepower variant, had their own respective tire sizes but paired with the same 7.5Jx17 ET55 rim size.
Only the top-of-the-line 2.5-liter option received two different sets of wheel specifications, which were actually identical to the ones used in the 2.5-liter facelifted model too.
1st Generation (CD3) (2005 – 2012)
The 1st-generation Ford Fusion went into production for 7 years and had also undergone a facelift in 2010 that introduced new trim levels and wheel specifications.
Having said that, Fusions made from 2010 to 2012 were referred to as the “facelift” models, while those made from 2005 to 2009 were the “pre-facelift” ones.
As for its set of bolt specifications, it was almost identical to the ones found on the 2nd generation, except that it had a slightly bigger 2.64-inch (67.1mm) center bore diameter.
Center Bore Diameter: 2.64 inches (67.1mm)
Wheel Fastener: Lug Nuts (5)
Thread Size: M12x1.5
Torque Spec: 100lb-ft (135Nm)
2010 to 2012 (Facelift)
The 1st-generation facelift model introduced four different trim levels that were equipped with bigger-displacement engines on average.
It had two different inline-4 and two different V6 engines, but the inline-4 hybrid actually had the same 225-millimeter tires and 17-inch rims as the smaller 3.0-liter V6.
In comparison, the base 2.5-liter non-hybrid trim only had 205-millimeter tires and 16-inch rims, while the top-of-the-line 3.5-liter V6 one received 225-millimeter tires that could fit 18-inch rims.
2005 to 2009 (Pre-Facelift)
The 1st-generation pre-facelift Fusion was the first in line to show what Ford’s then-new mid-size sedan was all about.
It was the first Fusion made on Ford’s CD3 platform, and it also had the fewest trim levels and wheel specifications up to this day.
Only Fusion models manufactured during this time period ever received the 2.3-liter inline-4 engine, which had the same tire and rim size as the base trim of the facelift models.
In the same vein, notice how the pre-facelift 3.0-liter V6 trim has the same tire size as its previously-discussed facelift counterpart above as well.
Be mindful of the slight difference in their rim sizes, though, as the pre-facelift model has an “ET40” offset compared to the facelift’s “ET44” offset.
How to Tighten the Bolts on the Ford Fusion
By now, you should have already familiarized yourself with your specific Ford Fusion model’s bolt pattern and specifications.
Now is the perfect time to talk about keeping those bolts secure by tightening them in the correct order.
After all, if you plan on taking off your wheels and switching them with new ones anytime soon, you also need to learn how to put them back just like the manufacturer did.
If you go back to the bolt patterns of the 1st and 2nd-generation Fusion, you would notice how they both show a 5-lug pattern (denoted by the first number on the bolt pattern).
This simply means that you have 5 bolts (or lug nuts) to work with, and this requires a specific tightening pattern to be followed.
Every vehicle that has a 5-lug pattern should have its bolts tightened while following the star-shaped pattern demonstrated above.
Rather than going around in a circle, doing this tightening pattern will allow you to spread the tightening force evenly across the wheel’s mating surface.
Take note that if your car is still currently up on jack stands, you should hand-tighten the bolts only to about half of the recommended torque tightening value of your Fusion.
You should only tighten them up with a torque wrench to the full specification of 100lb-ft (135Nm) after you have already lowered the car back to the ground.
This ensures that you’ll have a more solid foundation to safely put force on the bolts.
It’s also generally recommended to check the bolts’ torque values again after driving for about 50 miles (80.5km).
If they slightly loosened up, then you need to retorque them back to the right specification.
If this keeps happening even after cleaning the mating surfaces or recalibrating your torque wrench, then you may need to change your wheels altogether.
How to Change the Tires on the Ford Fusion
After laying out each Ford Fusion’s wheel specifications above, it’s now time to talk about how long its tires last and when you should be changing them.
Just like any car model, the Ford Fusion delivers optimum handling and safety when you keep its tires in check.
Irrespective of your Ford Fusion’s tire size, you should expect your tires to last around 60,000 to 75,000 miles (97,000 – 121,000km) under normal use.
Of course, if you constantly drive around the clock, the actual value may even dip below the mileage range mentioned above.
But even if you don’t take your car out for a spin that often, it’s still recommended to change its tires every 4 to 5 years.
Regardless of the amount of tread life they have left, the rubber compounds on tires are still subject to some deterioration over time.
If you’ve bought your Ford Fusion secondhand and are unsure just how many miles you’ve already driven on its tires, then we’ve prepared two ways to measure their tread life right here.
One common way to measure the tread life of your tires is through the penny test, which basically involves inserting a penny upside down between the tire treads.
On newer tires, half of Abraham Lincoln’s head should still be hidden from view. But when the top of his head is already exposed, you have less than 1/16 of an inch left on your treads.
This means you’ve already gone past the legal tread depth and it’s now time to change your tires.
Another way of checking your tread depth is checking your tire’s indicator bars as shown in the photo below.
From the factory, these bars are made to sit deep between the tire treads, and would slowly get exposed as the tires wear out.
By the time your tire treads are at the same height as these bars, then that’s already indicative of a worn-out tire that’s due for replacement.
When to Rotate the Tires on the Ford Fusion
Compared to changing tires, rotating your Ford Fusion’s tires is a more frequent type of maintenance that you should be doing regularly.
Tire rotations are done to ensure that your tires evenly wear out and, therefore, last longer before their next change.
In the Ford Fusion’s case, the manner and frequency of its tire rotations will actually depend on its drivetrain layout.
Since the Fusion was offered in either a front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) layout, we’re going to be presenting two different rotation patterns for each respective layout.
The diagram on the left shows the “forward cross” pattern, and is the correct tire rotation pattern for FWD vehicles.
FWD vehicles should undergo this kind of tire rotation every 5,000 to 7,500 miles (8,000 to 12,000 kilometers).
The right diagram, however, demonstrates the “rearward cross” pattern, which is applied to vehicles with AWD (and RWD) systems.
AWD vehicles will require more frequent tire rotations at 3,000 to 5,000 miles (4,800 to 8,000km) due to all four wheels receiving extra wear from the engine’s power output.
The general rule to keep in mind is whichever axle doesn’t receive the engine’s power (also called free-rolling) should be the one to have its tires switch sides.
The exception to this rule would be AWD vehicles, which are treated exactly like RWD ones when it comes to tire rotations.
