2012 Ford FIESTA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Ford FIESTA has 833 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 10.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (33% of all complaints), specifically: when the brake is released while in drive the car rolls backward at times. ford service explained that it is due to the double clutch transmisson. the driver has 3 seconds to press the accelerator before the brake releases. *tr. ⚠️ 8 fire reports filed.

8 fire reports 8 crash reports 16 injuries

833

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

10.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

276 complaints

33%

• WHEN THE BRAKE IS RELEASED WHILE IN DRIVE THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARD AT TIMES. FORD SERVICE EXPLAINED THAT IT IS DUE TO THE DOUBLE CLUTCH TRANSMISSON. THE DRIVER HAS 3 SECONDS TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR BEFORE THE BRAKE RELEASES. *TR
• THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR ,PURCHASED AT FULLER FORD IN CINCINNATI OHIO, TWO DAYS IN MY POSSESSION, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AND STARTING BURNING, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL , IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD , THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATHS, FORD KNOWS ABOUT THESE TRANSMISSION
• OCTOBER 24, 2012 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. I ACCELERATED VERY GINGERLY (THE POWERSHIFT IS EFFECTIVELY TWO THREE SPEED MANUALS SO YOU CAN'T JUST JAB IT) TO PASS. THE CAR GEARED INTO A LOWER GEAR AS EXPECTED AND THE ENGINE RPM'S SPIKED AS EXPECTED. THE LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION WAS TURNING RED SO I BRAKE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WHEN THE BRAKE IS RELEASED WHILE IN DRIVE THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARD AT TIMES. FORD SERVICE EXPLAINED THAT IT IS DUE TO THE DOUBLE CLUTCH TRANSMISSON. THE DRIVER HAS 3 SECONDS TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR BEFORE THE BRAKE RELEASES. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

129 complaints

15%

• WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE IT WAS SNOWING. ALL OF THE OTHER VEHICLES WERE SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT BLOCKING OFF THE HIGHWAY. EVENTUALLY WE ALL CAME TO A STOP. AFTER WE STOPPED THERE WAS A YUKON THAT WAS UNABLE TO STOP BECAUSE OF CONDITIONS AND ITS LOAD AND HIT US FROM BEHIND. HE
• DOOR LATCH WILL NOT CATCH. THE DOOR DOES NOT LOCK OR STAY CLOSED. THIS IS HAPPENING ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE DOOR. HAS ALREADY HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGER BACK DOOR AS WELL. *TR
• THE PROBLEM, OR I SHOULD SAY 'THE JAM' AS IN DOOR JAMB, IS THAT BOTH SIDE REAR PASSENGER DOORS ON MY 2012 FORD FIESTA ARE NOT WORKING ON THE CLOSE. THE DOORS WON'T STAY CLOSED OR STAY SHUT. WHEN YOU TRY SHUTTING EITHER DOOR IT JUST BOUNCES BACK OUT A LITTLE. NEITHER DOOR WILL LATCH CLOSED. ONLY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE IT WAS SNOWING. ALL OF THE OTHER VEHICLES WERE SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT BLOCKING OFF THE HIGHWAY. EVENTUALLY WE ALL CAME TO A STOP. AFTER WE STOPPED THERE WAS A YUKON THAT WAS UNABLE TO STOP BECAUSE OF CONDITIONS AND ITS LOAD AND HIT US FROM BEHIND. HE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

86 complaints

10%

• FORD SYNC MODULE STOPPED WORKING AND WHEN YOU PROMPT THE SYSTEM TO GO INTO MOBILE APPS SYNC RESPONDS "NO MOBILE APPS FOUND." TOOK TO FORD DEALER AND AFTER DAYS OF TROUBLESHOOTING GOT THE MODULE REPLACED. 2 DAYS LATER IT FAILED AGAIN. ITS NOT MY PHONE. PHONE WORKS JUST FINE IN EXACT SAME VEHICLE ON L
• THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2012 FORD FIESTA SEEMS FAULTY. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR I DO NOT FEEL SAFE AND AT TIMES FEEL LIKE THE CAR "HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN". THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I TRY TO SLOW DOWN WHEN COMING TO A STOP LIGHT, ETC. AND THE CAR SURGES FORWARD AS THE RPM DIAL SPIKES. THERE ARE OTHER TIMES WHE
• MY MOTHER (83 YO) WAS RIDING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND AS SHE WAS GETTING OUT OF THE CAR SHE CLOSED THE DOOR AND IT BOUNCED BACK AND HIT HER ON HER LEFT HIP. WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE DOOR LATCH BROKE BECAUSE THE PART THAT LATCHES IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND WE HAVE BEEN HAVING SOME HOT WEATHER TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“FORD SYNC MODULE STOPPED WORKING AND WHEN YOU PROMPT THE SYSTEM TO GO INTO MOBILE APPS SYNC RESPONDS "NO MOBILE APPS FOUND." TOOK TO FORD DEALER AND AFTER DAYS OF TROUBLESHOOTING GOT THE MODULE REPLACED. 2 DAYS LATER IT FAILED AGAIN. ITS NOT MY PHONE. PHONE WORKS JUST FINE IN EXACT SAME VEHICLE ON L”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

75 complaints

• I RECENTLY PURCHASED A BRAND NEW FORD FIESTA 2012, IN THE FIRST WEEK ON USING THE CAR I STARED TO HEAR A LOUD SOUND AND SHAKING MOVEMENT WHEN THE CAR CHANGE SPEEDS, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. IT HAS BEEN THE WORSE EXPERIENCE WITH THE FORD. I JUST RECEIVED THE SAME RE
• WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, DRIVER WAS ENTERING THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED THROUGH ALL THE GEARS RAPIDLY LEAVING THE VEHICLE MOVING AT ~40 - 45MPH AND NOT SPEEDING UP. THE ACCELERATION PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR AND THE CARE DIDN'T INCREASE IN SPEED AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE ALL OTHER DRIVE
• I PURCHASED MY "NEW" VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2012 AND VERY SOON THERE AFTER I HEARD A RATTLING NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIP MADE A DATE FOR ME TO BRING THE CAR IN. THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HEAR THE NOISE BUT THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“I RECENTLY PURCHASED A BRAND NEW FORD FIESTA 2012, IN THE FIRST WEEK ON USING THE CAR I STARED TO HEAR A LOUD SOUND AND SHAKING MOVEMENT WHEN THE CAR CHANGE SPEEDS, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. IT HAS BEEN THE WORSE EXPERIENCE WITH THE FORD. I JUST RECEIVED THE SAME RE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

66 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, DRIVER WAS ENTERING THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED THROUGH ALL THE GEARS RAPIDLY LEAVING THE VEHICLE MOVING AT ~40 - 45MPH AND NOT SPEEDING UP. THE ACCELERATION PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR AND THE CARE DIDN'T INCREASE IN SPEED AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE ALL OTHER DRIVE
• FORD SYNC MODULE STOPPED WORKING AND WHEN YOU PROMPT THE SYSTEM TO GO INTO MOBILE APPS SYNC RESPONDS "NO MOBILE APPS FOUND." TOOK TO FORD DEALER AND AFTER DAYS OF TROUBLESHOOTING GOT THE MODULE REPLACED. 2 DAYS LATER IT FAILED AGAIN. ITS NOT MY PHONE. PHONE WORKS JUST FINE IN EXACT SAME VEHICLE ON L
• THE PROBLEM, OR I SHOULD SAY 'THE JAM' AS IN DOOR JAMB, IS THAT BOTH SIDE REAR PASSENGER DOORS ON MY 2012 FORD FIESTA ARE NOT WORKING ON THE CLOSE. THE DOORS WON'T STAY CLOSED OR STAY SHUT. WHEN YOU TRY SHUTTING EITHER DOOR IT JUST BOUNCES BACK OUT A LITTLE. NEITHER DOOR WILL LATCH CLOSED. ONLY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports

“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, DRIVER WAS ENTERING THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED THROUGH ALL THE GEARS RAPIDLY LEAVING THE VEHICLE MOVING AT ~40 - 45MPH AND NOT SPEEDING UP. THE ACCELERATION PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR AND THE CARE DIDN'T INCREASE IN SPEED AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE ALL OTHER DRIVE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 833 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: WHEN THE BRAKE IS RELEASED WHILE IN DRIVE THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARD AT TIMES. FORD SERVICE EXPLAINED THAT IT IS DUE TO THE DOUBLE CLUTCH TRANSMISSON. THE DRIVER HAS 3 SECONDS TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR BEFORE THE BRAKE RELEASES. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE IT WAS SNOWING. ALL OF THE OTHER VEHICLES WERE SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT BLOCKING OFF THE HIGHWAY. EVENTUALLY WE ALL CAME TO A STOP. AFTER WE STOPPED THERE WAS A YUKON THAT WAS UNABLE TO STOP BECAUSE OF CONDITIONS AND ITS LOAD AND HIT US FROM BEHIND. HE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: FORD SYNC MODULE STOPPED WORKING AND WHEN YOU PROMPT THE SYSTEM TO GO INTO MOBILE APPS SYNC RESPONDS "NO MOBILE APPS FOUND." TOOK TO FORD DEALER AND AFTER DAYS OF TROUBLESHOOTING GOT THE MODULE REPLACED. 2 DAYS LATER IT FAILED AGAIN. ITS NOT MY PHONE. PHONE WORKS JUST FINE IN EXACT SAME VEHICLE ON L
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: I RECENTLY PURCHASED A BRAND NEW FORD FIESTA 2012, IN THE FIRST WEEK ON USING THE CAR I STARED TO HEAR A LOUD SOUND AND SHAKING MOVEMENT WHEN THE CAR CHANGE SPEEDS, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. IT HAS BEEN THE WORSE EXPERIENCE WITH THE FORD. I JUST RECEIVED THE SAME RE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)