411 of the
4,342 complaints filed about the Ford Fiesta
are about the body and structure —
9% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2012.
I have been made aware of this issue in writing by Ford in October 2025. I took my car in for the service to Ford in Palatka, Florida. I was advised that needed parts had not been authorized by the Ford. I was advised that the needed parts are in stock, but to get the problem fixed I would have to pay out of pocket. They advised me to just wait. It should be noted that my reverse camera is out and I am in need of this repair as it is a safety hazard. My camera blinks on and off (sometimes). And other times I turns on, and the image is upside down. I have waited on this recall since October 2025 and we are approaching a year with no resolve. The local dealerships advise me that they can fix the problem, just I will have to pay out of pocket. I do not believe this to be a fair practice. I am in need of help with this matter. I have a [XXX] who is a driver now and this safety hazard is very dangerous. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11754893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS TOLD WAY BACK WHEN THAT DOOR LATCHES HAD A DEFECT. THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. COLONIAL FORD OF DANBURY CT AVOIDED DOING THE COMPLETE RECALLS. SUCH IS SO THAT I PAID OUT OF POCKET A TRANSMISSION REBUILD AND TOOK FORD 2 YEARS TO REEMBURSE ME THE COST. BUT THE DOOR LATCH RECALL WAS STILL IN EFFECT. IT TURNS OUT THAT IM GETTING A DOOR OPEN WARNING ON DASH WHILE DOORS ARE CLOSED. THIS WAS A DEFECT RECALL GOING BACK 5-6 YEARS BUT WAS NEVER REPLACED. NOW DEALER TELLS ME MY CAR WAS'NT PART OF THE RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #11728773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving to work this morning; the car made a horrible "clunk" when I accelerated to around 20 then lost power and nearly crashed. The car then displayed error lights (yellow CEL, yellow wrench icon, HEAD unit showed "transmission issue service immediately" This is a direct result of the DPs6 transmission put into all 7th gen Ford Focus/Fiesta models. This DCT transmission has been replaced 3 times for this particular car and failed the same manner each time - meaning 3 near accidents have occured because this transmission fails. Across the USA; more than 50 people have been injured as a result of this transmission failing.
NHTSA complaint #11696374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Top of the driver side door handle broke free from the door. The car has previously been cleared of any recall defects - but a loose door handle may absolutely have something to do with the inner workings of the door/latch and may be a safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11685557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal mold odor inside the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact found standing water inside the spare tire enclosure inside the trunk of the vehicle. The contact noticed white mold spores growing on the trunk lid. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that her health had been affected by the mold spores. The contact stated that the failure was ongoing. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.
NHTSA complaint #11667660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The door latch on one of the doors has a broken piece inside of it that won't allow the door to close, no dealer has checked it out yet, my safety is a concern because any of the doors could break as well and open while I'm driving
NHTSA complaint #11665792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2014 Ford Fiesta manual sedan exhibiting recurring, dangerous hood latch malfunction (recently noticed) where hood unlatches while driving/parked & experiencing sudden power loss when AC is used (fuse removed to prevent this dangerous condition). Potential safety hazards: obstructed vision, hood detachment, engine tampering, sudden loss of control. Ford Service Advisor admitted hood latch "should" be a recall, yet dealership attempts to charge $350-$500 ($250 diagnostic) for repair instead of initiating recall. This raises concerns Ford prioritizes profit over safety, esp. since Fiesta is discontinued. Other issues include previous brake pad lock-up requiring costly ABS Hydraulic Control Unit repair & door latch recall 20S15 ("door may unlatch while driving"). Multiple recurring issues suggest vehicle may be a lemon overall. Request immediate NHTSA investigation into hood latch defect & electrical/AC power loss issue. Urge recall consideration. I will gladly allow my vehicle to be studied in a NHTSA lab to aid investigation. Concern heightened by Ford's discontinuation of model.
NHTSA complaint #11650672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car worked perfectly fine, I was out using it and coming back from the place I was at. My door just stopped closing out of nowhere. Realizing my door latch is not working at all anymore. It does not move
NHTSA complaint #11643064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Trunk latch releases randomly. Like so many other people with this generation of Ford Fiesta. They have taken them in for the same issue and told they don't by the shop that they don't know what the problem is. The problem is random so getting to to happen while at the shop is next to impossible. If the problem can't be reproduced by a garage mechanic, how would Insurance, or police have any luck? There needs to be a recall, because some people are having them pop open while driving at night, and all of a sudden the interior lights come on, safety hazard!!! Some will pop open and kill the battery because the dome light comes on when the trunk opens. Then you're standing in subzero temperatures trying to jump start the car. That in and of itself is a safety issue. No warning lights are associated with this.
NHTSA complaint #11636370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The vehicle had failed to start. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was not safe to drive. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 14M02. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch, the TCM, and the doors needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
NHTSA complaint #11623625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was discovered that there was rust on the roof of the vehicle around the base of the antenna. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the VIN not being included in an unidentified recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
NHTSA complaint #11610046 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The vehicle has a really serious issue relating to the fuse box that is mounted under the hood. This issue has a recall and I scheduled it for service at the Ford dealer in bryan, ohio. (Bryan Ford) I have issues with this vehicle that make it extremely unsafe for me and my family to drive. The headlights randomly go out while driving, both passenger and drivers side are affected by this. The doors will not lock and I have no horn now either, making us a target for car jacking. About a month before I found out there was a recall for this I hit a racoon and it knocked off the plastic wheel cover. After I took it in to have the recall fixed Bryan Ford refused to repair this recall due to the missing plastic. I believe my family and I are going to be seriously injured in this vehicle because of the electrical problems related to the recalled fusebox. I blow a headlight approximately once a week and the fuses blow constantly. I believe they do not want to fix this because it is a very time consuming repair that they feel isn't worth thier time. The anxiety I have while driving this car after dark is excruciating and i feel that my families lives are worth the time for this repair. Is this legal for them to decline a known and well documented safety issue related to the fuse box in this vehicle? Perhaps a buy back should be recalled since this does make the vehicle a serious Hazzard to anyone on the road including my family.
NHTSA complaint #11564159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When a rear seat passenger exits the vehicle and closes the door, the rear door does not latch properly. This causes the door to swing open while the car is moving. The vehicle is available for inspection. The problem has manifested itself on several occasions, especially when I am dropping off school children at their stop. The crossing guard has been kind enough to close the door for me. That is, he closes the door after it swings open. The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer or repair shop (yet). The problem first appeared last week, after the Thanksgiving holiday break. There were no symptoms to warn of the problem. It just appeared out of the blue, so to speak. To describe the problem further: The door is closed by the passenger who has just exited the car. There is no "door open" light to indicate a problem. Then, after a few seconds, the door springs open and the "door open" light appears. It is annoying when it happens. It is also a safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11558647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Drivers door since purchasing the car in 2017 when it's cold out "winter time" by drivers door once open, will not latch back and close- takes it warming up before my drivers door will latch and shut . Temps 30 or under , the mechanism freezes and will not allow the door to latch shut
NHTSA complaint #11558494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
back ride side door will not latch and stay closed,if aperson was in back seat with door that won't latch that person is in a dangerious position.backing out of drive way door opened and wouldnot latch shut.
NHTSA complaint #11528039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rear Passenger Door Latch Failed. We were forced to use a ratchet strap to return home safely due to door swinging open on turns. The safety recall for this was created in 2015 but as of June 2023 there is still not a solution from Ford. They also will not reimburse any repair done after 2017. This is unacceptable.
NHTSA complaint #11525028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Its the third time i find the hud of my car open! I was driving in the city and the speed was under 25 mph when i found out , im just concerned if im driving in a highway and that happens!
NHTSA complaint #11519706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front windshield and the windows became foggy, causing poor visibility of the roadway. The contact opened the rear liftgate door and noticed that the spare tire well was filled with water. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that water was leaking into the rear of the vehicle from the rear liftgate door. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
NHTSA complaint #11516768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.