2014 Ford Fiesta transmission problems

POWER TRAIN

Brand new OEM ford clutch slave cylinder failed while in traffic. Part number DG9Z-7A564-B fell apart during test drive after it was newly installed. Lost ability to use the clutch pedal and could not pull the car out of gear while in traffic. Component was not inspected by manufacturer yet, there were no warning lights on the dash when it occurred. Was able to get the car back home and noticed brake fluid pouring out from inside the bell housing of the transmission where the slave cylinder is housed.

NHTSA complaint #11736922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission was supposedly rebuilt back July 26, 3021. Now transmission has had a new dual clutch replaced but other concerns are still there jerkiness on accelerations. In 2021 the transmission was not fully rebuild as per recall. Only clutch assembly was done and not the back end. Which now could be the problem. Second, colonial Ford sated transmission rebuilt has lifetime warranty which a lie. Colonial Ford doesn’t offer lifetime. The service advisors lie about this all the time. Now the car jerks on acceleration after clutch replacement. Dealer and Ford still take no responsibility over the product! The car has 145,000 miles still under the 150,000 mile warranty isssue by you!

NHTSA complaint #11726642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I’m reporting a failure with the Transmission Control Module (TCM) in my 2014 Ford Fiesta. The vehicle has exhibited consistent issues tied to the known PowerShift DPS6 transmission defect: including gear slipping, delayed acceleration, hesitation, and sudden loss of power while driving—particularly dangerous during intersections or merging situations. Ford previously issued Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02 to address this issue, but I was told my VIN is no longer eligible due to build date. I also requested coverage under Ford’s one-time TCM replacement extension announced in 2023, which was meant to support customers outside the 10-year window through June 30, 2025—but I was denied this assistance as well. I’ve opened a formal case with Ford Customer Relationship Center under reference number CXH05170436-N7Z6Z1, after being denied support for a documented transmission control module failure. These symptoms present a clear safety risk, and the refusal to support a documented transmission failure—even under goodwill— I hope this will be reconsidered for safety investigation.

NHTSA complaint #11678521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked, and an abnormal sound was coming from the engine. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and unknown messages were displayed. The contact's wife continued driving at slower speeds. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission control module (TCM) and engine control module (ECM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

NHTSA complaint #11675845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Vehicle presented to A&T Auto Repair with rotation-dependent clunking sound. This clunking started after loud metallic snapping noise occurred while coasting in gear on a flat surface. Mechanic noted that clunking noise came from the transaxle. Once the transmission fluid was drained, metallic grit and large chunks resembling gear teeth were found in fluid. A replacement transaxle was installed, along with a new "clutch kit" containing flywheel, pressure plate, and slave cylinder. Following installation and engine start up, slave cylinder leaked, prompting the order of new parts and replacement labor. According to Mechanic, four different slave cylinders from two separate manufacturers leaked in the same fashion upon engine startup, due to a "locking" malfunction of the slave cylinder. The recurrent nature of the parts failure seems to indicate a deficiency in part design that causes a fluid leak, possibly endangering driver and passengers in the event of a transmission failure.

NHTSA complaint #11671633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The vehicle has experienced ongoing failures with the DPS6 PowerShift transmission system. Symptoms included slipping between gears, failure to engage 6th gear, jerky shifting, and bucking during acceleration. A transmission warning light appeared multiple times. These issues occurred daily and worsened over time. Eventually, the vehicle became unsafe to drive—it would over-rev, buck violently, and lose power during traffic conditions. A retired Ford Senior Master Technician confirmed the issue is consistent with a faulty Transmission Control Module (TCM), which is covered under Ford’s Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) 14M02. Despite this, the dealership refused to replace the TCM. Instead, they replaced a speed sensor and returned it to me. The vehicle broke down again within minutes and had to be returned. The dealership has now suggested dropping the transmission for further inspection at a cost of $2,500, rather than honoring CSP 14M02. They also encouraged me to trade in the vehicle instead of repairing it. The TCM failure has not been resolved, and the vehicle remains unsafe to drive.

NHTSA complaint #11659807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the RPM increased quickly to over 7,000 RPM; however, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the Transmission Control Module (TCM), resulting in damages to the clutch. The contact was informed that the transmission and clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 59,000.

NHTSA complaint #11652018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Driving at highway speed, the vehicle began to switch between the 5 and 6 gear without warning several times, and a message "TRANSMISSION FAULT SERVICE NOW" appeared on the car's dashboard display. The car then started hard-shifting, would not shift into some of the gears, and would not move in reverse. The car had poor acceleration and limited power and it was difficult to pass and keep up with other road traffic. Dealer estimate $4400 for clutch repair internal to transmission.

NHTSA complaint #11650247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Car jerking and sometimes will not move

NHTSA complaint #11610487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Transmission Hot" message was displayed, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted after the engine cooled down. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the dual clutch transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 168,000.

NHTSA complaint #11600263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal shuddering sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 70,000.

NHTSA complaint #11583529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

The contact owns 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced jerking, lunging, and a hard deceleration without depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the failure occurred without warning. The wrench and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The Service Engine Soon and Hill Start Assist not available messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a failed clutch. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

NHTSA complaint #11579729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a transmission diagnostic test that was requested by the manufacturer; however, the contact felt that the dealer had not performed the diagnostic test because the dealer only identified general maintenance issues unrelated to the transmission. The contact was informed by the dealer that the lower dog bone mount was detaching from the engine torque restrictor. The contact also stated that the vehicle was making a rubbing noise and the RPM sensor continued to fluctuate while driving or slowing down during acceleration. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle rolled back while on an incline. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,465.

NHTSA complaint #11579296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact's husband owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The dealer determined that there was a defect with the transmission. The contact was provided an estimate for a rebuilt transmission. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

NHTSA complaint #11570873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

This car has a standard transmission and a hydraulic clutch. The synchronizer for low gear lets it pop back out of gear. This is extremely dangerous if you are pulling out into a busy lane of traffic. It throws the shift lever back out of gear with a lot of force. I have had the hydraulics bled but plan to take it to a dealer soon. There are others listed on YouTube as having the same problem.

NHTSA complaint #11554975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

This car has a standard transmission and a hydraulic clutch. The synchronizer for low gear lets it pop back out of gear. This is extremely dangerous if you are pulling out into a busy lane of traffic. It throws the shift lever back out of gear with a lot of force. I have had the hydraulics bled but plan to take it to a dealer soon. There are others listed on YouTube as having the same problem.

NHTSA complaint #11554975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle started to jerk and made an abnormally loud sound while shifting gear. Upon arriving to her destination and attempting to reverse into a parking space, the vehicle failed to shift into reverse. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch and transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 38,000.

NHTSA complaint #11553191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he waited for several minutes to restart the vehicle after which the warning lights turned off; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist where the contact was informed that the vehicle was included in Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M01 and 14M02 and advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission failed, and that the transmission and the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was included in the Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02 but not included in Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M01. The contact was then provided a case number and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

NHTSA complaint #11551653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I was driving on the highway on October 3 and suddenly my vehicle stalled on me. When I pressed the gas pedal, the vehicle no longer moved. I had the vehicle towed to my house and had a mechanic do a diagnostics. The mechanics thinks the issue could be the computer or the transmission not communicating with the computer. The vehicle can no longer shift gear and it can not crank as well. It is very dangerous for a vehicle to stall in the middle of highway like this. The 18 wheeler behind me barely missed me and it could have been a fatality if I was hit in the rear. Thanks god I managed to pull to the center median and had a friend come help towe the vehicle to my house.

NHTSA complaint #11548369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact received notification of Customer Satisfaction Programs: 14M02 (Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage) and 19N08 (Transmission Clutch Shudder - Transmission Clutch Warranty Extension). The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and parked the vehicle. The failure nearly caused a crash. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the TCM and clutch needed to be replaced; however, the contact was informed that only Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02 (Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage) was covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact that Customer Satisfaction Program: 19N08 (Transmission Clutch Shudder - Transmission Clutch Warranty Extension) had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

NHTSA complaint #11544370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH, the vehicle decelerated, then accelerated unintendedly. The contact released the accelerator pedal and continued driving. The contact also stated that the vehicle jerked and was not operating as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission element A was stuck. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the TCM had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer then diagnosed that the transmission clutch assembly, the transmission lever, and bearings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that she had previously filed a complaint regarding a similar failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA complaint #11521434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH, the vehicle decelerated, then accelerated unintendedly. The contact released the accelerator pedal and continued driving. The contact also stated that the vehicle jerked and was not operating as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission element A was stuck. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the TCM had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer then diagnosed that the transmission clutch assembly, the transmission lever, and bearings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that she had previously filed a complaint regarding a similar failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA complaint #11521434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

My vehicle was serviced by elk grove ford service dept. only 250 miles ago and the vehicle is back in for more service. time before did the same thing said the problem was this and when they repaired they called and said this is now wrong, I keep asking why no answer. Now the vehicle had to be taken in and I believe because I have put in complaints before that they are f with me and messing with me I told them elk grove ford [XXX] that the engine light came on and the wrench light on the engine came on, they called me and told me around march 30th that it needed this and that, they came back now and said the power train control module is needed and they cant find any part for it I found a part the advisor said the parts person looked half a day I don't believe them as see that the pcm can maybe reset they have not said to me if they tried resetting the pcm and I would like the part number. I feel I am being set up for more charges as if they would have check the wrench lamp I would not have two charges, they keep repairing items that I believe did not need to be replacement as the plugs were working find. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #11515080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

MY 2014 FORD FIESTA HAS A MANUEL CLUTCH THAT HAS MALFUNCTIONED SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN SEPTEMBER, 2013. THE PROBLEM BEGAN WHEN THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WOULD SOMETIMES STALL OUT AND OTHER TIMES IT WOULD NOT PROPERLY GO INTO GEAR. I WOULD HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE TO GET IT INTO GEAR. I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE CLUTCH HAS CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION OCCASIONALLY UP UNTIL THE LAST 6 MONTHS. NOW IT HAS BECOME DANGEROUS. THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR PROPERLY MOST OF THE TIME. WHILE RUNNING, THE CLUTCH WILL KEEP PULLING EVEN THOUGH IT IS PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR OF THE CAR. I WAS IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC AND ALMOST HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE IT KEPT PULLING. I HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT TO STOP THE PULLING. THERE ARE NO WARNINGS OF ANY KIND PRIOR TO THE FAILURE OR DURING THE FAILURE. THIS IS PUTTING MY LIFE AND OTHERS AT RISK. I ONLY HAVE 94,000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BY FORD. IT IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED AS OF NOW.

NHTSA complaint #11505968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, she started to hear an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to her residence. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the transmission and a clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called a local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The contact stated that the clutch was replaced three years prior by the local dealer. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA complaint #11500502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at vehicle speeds, the transmission would shutter upon the depression of the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but the dealer failed to diagnose the failure. As the failure worsened, the vehicle would not accelerate above 20 MPH and would not operate while in reverse(R). The contact also stated the transmission warning light had appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and this time the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective TCM(Transmission Control Module). The manufacturer was also notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

NHTSA complaint #11483539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder failure. Both leaked, clutch pedal ceased functioning while driving, leaving the car inoperable

NHTSA complaint #11465512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle began to vibrate abnormally. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle started shuddering. The contact was eventually able to drive the vehicle without the failure recurring. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer and it was diagnosed that the transmission had a "flutter" and determined that numerous transmission parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

NHTSA complaint #11463522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

At the time of this complaint, the Ford Fiesta that's the subject of this complaint has received 1 whole new transmission and 1 TCM replacement within 2.5 years. The first two times there were warning lights, but now no warnings are showing. To put this issue into perspective, I have only owned this car for 2.5 years, and it was purchased from a dealership used (however the dealership never mentioned the rampant transmission issues or informed me of the recent lawsuits about the Ford Fiesta). The replacement of the TCM was completed on September 16, 2021. This repair took a month to complete. Now, after being repaired for a mere 2 months, the car is exhibiting the exact same behaviors as both previous occurrences. Both previous repairs were completed by professionals, and should have fixed the issue. However, the transmission issues continue to reoccur. At this point, the car has become a major safety concern. The transmission issues are becoming extremely frequent after the "repairs" and "replacements", and are sudden in occurrence while driving. There is no warning the gear will slip into what seems to be "neutral", or that it will fail to accelerate. Additionally, the car will randomly fail to respond to gas pedal presses, especially at intersections or on hills. I fear that this car is dangerous to drive, as the issues are so sudden in nature. I have tried to settle the issue with Ford directly, but they have ignored me every step of the way. At one point, they said they would try to start a buy-back process, but then refused to return my follow-up calls.

NHTSA complaint #11441859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.