KnownCarProblems2012 Ford Fiesta Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 617 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Fiesta, most often about the transmission (44% of complaints, typically around 42,000 miles). It is the 3rd most complained-about Fiesta model year since 2000 and has 3 recalls.
Most common 2012 Ford Fiesta problems
Transmission
274 complaints · 44%Half of these problems showed up before 42,000 miles. Parts named most often: clutch assembly, automatic transmission.
The clutch/transmission is defective in these cars. We have had our clutch worked on twice since we have owned the car. It will fix the problem for about 10k miles and then it will start shuttering as we start from a stop. It will also nearly stall out and shudder going up a hill. Ford says it is not a common problem…
Car increasingly shifting hard. Accelerated from green light. Car jerking so severely almost lost control. This occurred numerous times since purchase. Car reprogrammed couple times but never lasts. Shudders, jerks, at times won't shift. Dealership mechanics advise that car should not shift in that manner. Under…
Body and structure
128 complaints · 21%Half of these problems showed up before 44,000 miles. Parts named most often: body.
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.
Rear passenger door of my 2012 Ford Fiesta will no longer close. The latch appears to be broken, as I can manually manipulate the latch but it does not latch when the door is closed. Luckily the latch broke after I had parked the vehicle, since children were riding in the back seat directly before the latch broke. I…
Other or unspecified
78 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 55,500 miles.
I was loading up to return home and went to close the right rear door and it would not latch closed. I ultimately had to tie it closed. Definitely not a safe condition especially if I was going down the road and the door opened by itself.
It happens intermittently but more frequently as time goes by. I will be at a stop light/sign and the RPM's will go as high as 3500; I turn on the air conditioner or heater and it comes down; and then stalls. It sputters and surges and then the power will all but go off and I get the warning: engine failure: see your…
Engine
75 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 34,500 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system.
Since I bought this car in dec 2012 I've had this problem, it's now 2015 still the problem is not fixed. So far this is my 3 recall letter I'm receiving for my vehicle. Recall 14m01, recall 12c26 and now recall 14m02. And through this website I found out there's a recall about airbags? While in low speed the car…
When I am at a stop sign or stop light my vehicle if I don't have the brake on securely I will roll a bit backwards until I put my foot on the break. As well as when I start to go at a light or stop sign the engine will sputter out while I put my foot on the gas peddle for the fist time since stopping. Then the engine…
Electrical
66 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 79,500 miles. Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery, ignition.
Lost power while driving, problem occurred 4 times in the span of driving 10 miles, struggled to get home. Occurred while on freeway, at red light, and high speed or slow speed did not matter. Car would ding the alert sound, several warning lights would flash, and I would be immediately be forced to coast to the side…
The exact time of the incident is unknown. I had not driven my car at night for at least two weeks before I tried to turn on my low beam head lights when I was parked in a friend's driveway at night. My car's low-beam headlights did not turn on. Upon further inspection it was discovered that the light bulbs were…
Doors and locks
57 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 45,000 miles. Parts named most often: doors, hood.
Rear passenger door of my 2012 Ford Fiesta will no longer close. The latch appears to be broken, as I can manually manipulate the latch but it does not latch when the door is closed. Luckily the latch broke after I had parked the vehicle, since children were riding in the back seat directly before the latch broke. I…
While driving at about 20mph and braking lightly, the rear drivers side door swung open. After stopping I attempted to secure the door but the door would not latch. The door when shut will not stay secured and will swing open. The latch/locking mechanism malfunctioned. I inspected the latch and all parts seem to be…
Speed control
40 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 27,500 miles. Parts named most often: accelerator pedal.
I have been experiencing a shudder when I go from a dead stop. When I had experienced this I took it to my Ford dealership. After they"looked it over" they said they didn't find anything and it is a year later and it is still doing it and now my check engine light is on. I'm not happy about this at all because I did…
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission module and battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired…
Lights
22 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 111,000 miles. Parts named most often: headlights.
I have performed routine maintenance on my car for years. The other day the headlights stopped working suddenly and without warning. The issue ended up being in the fuse box under the hood, which is allowing salt and sand to enter the fuse box without any filtration system of any sort. The low beam relay had…
The low beam lights work intermittently. They shut off while driving. This causes an unsafe condition for the driver, passengers, pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. This happens both while the vehicle is stationary and in motion. It happens in all weather conditions and temperatures. It occurs both during city driving…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2012 Ford Fiesta recalls
Doors and locks: latch
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on july 27, 2020. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20s30.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 fiesta, 2013-2014 fusion, 2015 mustang, 2013-2015 escape and c-max, 2012-2015 focus, 2014-2016 transit connect, 2013-2014 lincoln mkz, and 2015 mkc vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15v-246, 16v-643 or 17v-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Doors and locks: latch
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches with an improved part, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed to owners on june 5, 2015. The recall began on december 18, 2015. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15s16.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) notified the agency on april 23, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2013-2014 ford fusion and lincoln mkz vehicles manufactured july 1, 2012, to may 31, 2013, and 2012-2014 fiesta vehicles manufactured february 1, 2012, to may 31, 2013. On april 30, 2015, ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 119,567 vehicles, including certain model year 2011 ford fiestas manufactured from november 11, 2009, to may 31, 2013 and certain model year 2013 ford fusion and lincoln mkz vehicles manufactured from february 1, 2012, to june 30, 2012. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Air bags
Risk: An occupant in the right rear seating position will not have coverage from the side curtain air bag in a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty, increasing the risk of injury to the right rear occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners and dealers will reprogram the vehicle's software free of charge so that it no longer suppresses the passenger side curtain air bag when the front passenger seat is empty, and consistent with the description in the owner's guide. The safety recall began on october 26, 2012. Owner's may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Full defect summary
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 fiesta vehicles, manufactured from november 3, 2009 through september 21, 2012. The vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the passenger side curtain air bag will not deploy in the event of a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty. Although the side curtain air bag system was designed to suppress the side curtain air bag under this scenario, that information is not explained in the owner's guide for these vehicles as required by fmvss no. 208.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Door latch failures
Summary
In december 2019, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation based on 235 vehicle owner questionnaires (voqs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (my) 2012-2014 ford fiesta, and 2013-2014 fusion and lincoln mkz. Some voqs reported the failure occurred after the latch had been remedied under a prior recall which involved fracture of the latch pawl spring tab due to thermally induced cyclic fatigue. Other voqs alleged a similar failure in vehicles not previously recalled. A latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in a ?door will not close? Condition, however in certain somewhat rare circu
Door latch failure
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (my) 2011-2013 ford fiesta, my 2013 ford fusion and my 2013 lincoln mkz vehicles. All of the affected vehicles share the same door latch design.odi has received 281 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with over 100 claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion. There were no crashes reported however three separate injuries were indicated, all caused by a rebounding door striking a consumer after they attempted to close it. In response to odi's information request (ir) letter, ford motor
Door latch failure
Summary
On september 11, 2014 the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe14-028) to investigate claims of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (my) 2011-2013 ford fiesta vehicles. Odi has received 207 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with sixty-five claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion. Two injuries were reported, both caused by a rebounding door striking a consumer after they attempted to close it. In response to odi's information request (ir), ford motor company (ford) responded with 451 unique reports related to the alleged defect.one claim involved an incident in which property
Questions about the 2012 Ford Fiesta
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Fiesta?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: transmission (274 complaints, typically around 42,000 miles); body and structure (128 complaints, typically around 44,000 miles); other or unspecified (78 complaints, typically around 55,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2012 Ford Fiesta have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 8, 2020 (doors and locks). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2012 a bad year for the Ford Fiesta?
- It is the 3rd most complained-about Fiesta model year since 2000, with 617 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.