We perform exact coupled‐channels calculations, taking into account properly the effects of Coulomb coupling and the finite excitation energy of collective excitations in the colliding nuclei, for three Fm formation reactions,37Cl +209Bi,45Sc +197Au, and59Co +181Ta. For the37Cl +209Bi and45Sc +197Au reactions, those calculations well reproduce the experimental total fission cross sections, and a part of the extra‐push phenomena can be explained in terms of the Coulomb excitations to multi‐phonon states. On the other hand, for the heaviest system, the deep‐inelastic collisions become much more significant, and the fission cross sections are strongly overestimated. We also discuss the surprisingly large surface diffuseness parameters required to fit recent high‐precision fusion data for medium‐heavy systems, in connection with the fusion supression observed in massive systems. © 2004 American Institute of Physics