What breaks most · 1991 to 2018 model years
Ford Fiesta problems by year
Owners have filed 1,950 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Ford Fiesta across model years 1991 to 2018. Three years stand out: 2011 for powertrain and transmission complaints, 2013 for powertrain and transmission complaints and 2012 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 2001, 2002 and 1991.
- Years to check closely: 2011, 2013, 2012
- Fewest complaints: 2001, 2002, 1991
- Complaints on file
- 19501991 to 2018, all trims
- Worst year
- 2011572 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 7314 fires · 63 injuries · 4 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 39kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 20Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Engine and cooling (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Latches and locks (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (1) | |
| 572 | 29 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (269) | |
| 454 | 11 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (187) | |
| 481 | 7 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (282) | |
| 301 | 18 | 7 | Powertrain and transmission (126) | |
| 94 | 3 | 4 | Powertrain and transmission (34) | |
| 33 | 2 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (13) | |
| 10 | 3 | 0 | Brakes (3) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) |
What fails on the 2011 Ford Fiesta
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 47% |
269 | 8 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 20% |
112 | 3 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2011 Ford Fiesta |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 15% |
85 | 4 | Shop engine parts for the 2011 Ford Fiesta |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 11% |
64 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2011 Ford Fiesta |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 8% |
48 | 3 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Latches and locksDoor latches and actuators | 7% |
38 | 0 | Shop latches and locks parts for the 2011 Ford Fiesta |
| Unknown or other | 6% |
34 | 0 | — |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 4% |
23 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2011 Ford Fiesta |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Car makes a loud "grinding" sound coming from the transmission area. Also, the car started to "jerk" and/or "lunge" around as you either come to a stop or accelerate from a stop.
-
Shifting from first and second gear is getting harder and harder. Taking off and going to shift is getting where it feels stuck. It happens a lot when i'm taking off.
-
I bought a 2012 FORD fiesta .i made a clutch that went out took it to the shop .the half fix it now i'm out of warrantery i will never by a FORD again .....
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Ford Fiesta years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2011, 2013, 2012 carry the most filings on the Ford Fiesta. The 2011 alone has 572 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Ford Fiesta problem?
On the 2011 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 269 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Ford Fiesta problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Ford Fiesta complaints that include mileage is about 39,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.