2018 Ford FIESTA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Ford FIESTA has 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: been noticing now with the ford fiesta 2018 that my third gear. loses the grip going up hill. been like this for a few weeks. i have taken the car to the dealer. two times have they repair it. yet, sadly seems that this will be the third and final time. can't believe ford doesn't do durable manuals .

5 crash reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

10 complaints

22%

• BEEN NOTICING NOW WITH THE FORD FIESTA 2018 THAT MY THIRD GEAR. LOSES THE GRIP GOING UP HILL. BEEN LIKE THIS FOR A FEW WEEKS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER. TWO TIMES HAVE THEY REPAIR IT. YET, SADLY SEEMS THAT THIS WILL BE THE THIRD AND FINAL TIME. CAN'T BELIEVE FORD DOESN'T DO DURABLE MANUALS
• THE CAR WAS DRIVING AT 68 MPH AND APPROXIMATELY 2500 RPM STARTED TO LOOSE SPEED DOWN SLIGHT HILL AND RPMS INCREASED TO 5,500 RPM. LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR 3 SECONDS RPMS DECREASED REAPPLIED ACCELERATOR AND OPERATED PROPERLY.
• WHILE DRIVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS WHEN GOING INTO SECOND GEAR AND STALLS BEFORE ACCELERATING. SOME TIMES THE CAR WON'T START AND IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE BATTERY OR THE STARTER. IT ALSO HAD A PURGE VALVE REPLACEMENT THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. A FEW MONTHS LATER I HAD TO REPLAC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“BEEN NOTICING NOW WITH THE FORD FIESTA 2018 THAT MY THIRD GEAR. LOSES THE GRIP GOING UP HILL. BEEN LIKE THIS FOR A FEW WEEKS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER. TWO TIMES HAVE THEY REPAIR IT. YET, SADLY SEEMS THAT THIS WILL BE THE THIRD AND FINAL TIME. CAN'T BELIEVE FORD DOESN'T DO DURABLE MANUALS ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

9 complaints

20%

• THE 2018 FORD FIESTA IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 2014 FORD FIESTA. PROGRAM # 14M01 EXCESSIVE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH SHUDDER. ERROR CODE P087E. THIS NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AS WELL
• SEVERAL PROBLEMS ONE THE CAR VENT SYSTEM ACTUATOR FAILING TO OPEN VENT MAKING CRACKLING NOISE, SECOND PROBLEM WATER COOLANT CONTAINER LINES START LEAKING FAILING CAUSING ENGINE TO BURN UP CHEAP PLASTIC CONNECTIONS FAILING NO WATER LINES SHOULD AT THE CONTAINER OTHER THAN REFILL POOR ENGINEERING NEED
• Hello. While traveling in the right lane on the Interstate (I-43) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, heading southbound with a semi-truck in the center lane, the rear of my vehicle seemed to Lift/Rise off the ground and move (as if the rear of my auto was floating) to the right. I was at the point of being

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

“THE 2018 FORD FIESTA IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 2014 FORD FIESTA. PROGRAM # 14M01 EXCESSIVE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH SHUDDER. ERROR CODE P087E. THIS NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AS WELL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

6 complaints

13%

• THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY ON THE 2018 FORD FIESTA. NO POWER, NO ENGINE, NO LIGHTS, NO ELECTRICAL COMPONENT FUNCTIONED. NO HAZARD FLASHERS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTION OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND A STATE HIGHWAY. THE CAR COASTED AND I STEERED IT BETWEEN LANES TO AS SAFE
• FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON PROPERLY AND OCCASIONALLY THE BATTERY DRAINS. WHEN THIS WAS LOOKED INTO, IT WAS FOUND TO BE A BAD BODY CONTROL MODULE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PART FAILURE ISSUE FOR FORD. WE NEED THIS REPLACED/FIXED. BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING IN STATIONARY PO
• DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD... ABS, BRAKE, TSC LIGHTS KICKED ON AND THE CAR JERKED TO THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE AND SLOWED DOWN ABOUT 10MPH... AS I KEPT GOING IT LIT UP AGAIN AND JERKED HARD... AS I GOT SPEED TO ABOUT 55MPH DID IT A FEW MORE TIMES BEFORE I FINALLY SHUT THE CAR OFF AND HAD THE DEALERSHIP COME GE

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

“THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY ON THE 2018 FORD FIESTA. NO POWER, NO ENGINE, NO LIGHTS, NO ELECTRICAL COMPONENT FUNCTIONED. NO HAZARD FLASHERS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTION OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND A STATE HIGHWAY. THE CAR COASTED AND I STEERED IT BETWEEN LANES TO AS SAFE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

6 complaints

13%

• WHILE DRIVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS WHEN GOING INTO SECOND GEAR AND STALLS BEFORE ACCELERATING. SOME TIMES THE CAR WON'T START AND IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE BATTERY OR THE STARTER. IT ALSO HAD A PURGE VALVE REPLACEMENT THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. A FEW MONTHS LATER I HAD TO REPLAC
• CAR SHUDDERS UPON ACCELERATION FROM STANDSTILL. LOSES POWER SEVERELY GOING UPHILL. ENGINE/TRANSMISSION SHAKES SHUDDERS ENGINE RACES AND QUICKLY ACCELERATES AFTER LOSS OF POWER THEN DECREASES AGAIN. WHEN MOVING FROM STOP CAR SHUDDERS MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND THEN SLOWLY ACCELERATES BEFORE DECREASIN
• SEVERAL PROBLEMS ONE THE CAR VENT SYSTEM ACTUATOR FAILING TO OPEN VENT MAKING CRACKLING NOISE, SECOND PROBLEM WATER COOLANT CONTAINER LINES START LEAKING FAILING CAUSING ENGINE TO BURN UP CHEAP PLASTIC CONNECTIONS FAILING NO WATER LINES SHOULD AT THE CONTAINER OTHER THAN REFILL POOR ENGINEERING NEED

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

“WHILE DRIVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS WHEN GOING INTO SECOND GEAR AND STALLS BEFORE ACCELERATING. SOME TIMES THE CAR WON'T START AND IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE BATTERY OR THE STARTER. IT ALSO HAD A PURGE VALVE REPLACEMENT THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. A FEW MONTHS LATER I HAD TO REPLAC”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

5 complaints

11%

• ON 7/2/2019 MY WIFE AND I WAS IN A PRETTY BAD WRECK TOTALING OUR CAR. THERE WAS MASSIVE DAMAGE DONE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR HOWEVER THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. WITH THE DAMAGE DONE THERE'S NO REASON THE AIR BAGS SHOULDN'T HAVE WENT OFF. WE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY HEADING HOME WHEN
• DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD... ABS, BRAKE, TSC LIGHTS KICKED ON AND THE CAR JERKED TO THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE AND SLOWED DOWN ABOUT 10MPH... AS I KEPT GOING IT LIT UP AGAIN AND JERKED HARD... AS I GOT SPEED TO ABOUT 55MPH DID IT A FEW MORE TIMES BEFORE I FINALLY SHUT THE CAR OFF AND HAD THE DEALERSHIP COME GE
• Fan stopped working out of no where causing car to over heat happened multiple times even after being replaced. Airbag lights say airbag on passenger side is off even when someone is in the seat this happens alot. Back driver side turn signal will not work and everything has been changed and looked

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

“ON 7/2/2019 MY WIFE AND I WAS IN A PRETTY BAD WRECK TOTALING OUR CAR. THERE WAS MASSIVE DAMAGE DONE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR HOWEVER THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. WITH THE DAMAGE DONE THERE'S NO REASON THE AIR BAGS SHOULDN'T HAVE WENT OFF. WE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY HEADING HOME WHEN ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 46 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: BEEN NOTICING NOW WITH THE FORD FIESTA 2018 THAT MY THIRD GEAR. LOSES THE GRIP GOING UP HILL. BEEN LIKE THIS FOR A FEW WEEKS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER. TWO TIMES HAVE THEY REPAIR IT. YET, SADLY SEEMS THAT THIS WILL BE THE THIRD AND FINAL TIME. CAN'T BELIEVE FORD DOESN'T DO DURABLE MANUALS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE 2018 FORD FIESTA IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 2014 FORD FIESTA. PROGRAM # 14M01 EXCESSIVE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH SHUDDER. ERROR CODE P087E. THIS NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AS WELL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY ON THE 2018 FORD FIESTA. NO POWER, NO ENGINE, NO LIGHTS, NO ELECTRICAL COMPONENT FUNCTIONED. NO HAZARD FLASHERS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTION OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND A STATE HIGHWAY. THE CAR COASTED AND I STEERED IT BETWEEN LANES TO AS SAFE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: WHILE DRIVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS WHEN GOING INTO SECOND GEAR AND STALLS BEFORE ACCELERATING. SOME TIMES THE CAR WON'T START AND IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE BATTERY OR THE STARTER. IT ALSO HAD A PURGE VALVE REPLACEMENT THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. A FEW MONTHS LATER I HAD TO REPLAC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)