84 of the 4,342 complaints filed about the Ford Fiesta are about the braking system — 2% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2011.
84
Complaints
2%
Share of all complaints
14
Crashes
2
Fires
SERVICE BRAKES
The brakes stick and then when i hit the gas its sluggish and just takes off full force. Causing 50% gas loss. The breaks are getting stuck. Calipers sticking. This is a fire hazard
NHTSA complaint #11729893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Brakes started seizing up while driving. Became extremely dangerous as the car would rock at speed and also would not start moving if I came to a stop. Went immediately to a shop, when I arrived into the shop, inspection found that the caliper was locked onto the wheel preventing the front wheel from moving. Had the caliper replaced but the caliper was still seizing, and then had to get the ABS Hydraulic Assembly, P/N D2BZ 2C405-E replaced. This P/N seem to be causing a lot of troubles from online forums. This issue had no warming lamps, messages or anything indicating this other than a feel that the car is accelerating more slowly. However, when the brakes started seizing, the situation felt extremely dangerous.
NHTSA complaint #11706724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
ABS Module failure. I had to leave the break lines direct, losing my ABS. I had to replace the brake pump because of that too. The car was only 80k ish.
NHTSA complaint #11699544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the rearview camera image was distorted or black while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure had obstructed the visibility of the roadway and had prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking and screeching coming from the front passenger's side and the driver's side. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the brake pads and calipers had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V629000(Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 24V951000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the VIN was not included in the recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11674257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed over a pothole, the vehicle made a clunking sound, and the front passenger’s side wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the front brake system had melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the brake pads had previously been replaced a year before the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V629000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
NHTSA complaint #11672781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the contact became aware that the braking system had overheated. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the ABS module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000.
NHTSA complaint #11660340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed several times before the vehicle came to a stop. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle almost crashed into another vehicle due to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with brake master cylinder and vacuum brake booster failure. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder and the vacuum brake booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact was informed that a brake fluid leak was not visible. The contact stated that the low brake fluid warning light was illuminated, and the brake fluid was refilled two days prior to the failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included with the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
NHTSA complaint #11659907 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
My brakes on my ford fiesta are not giving me enough pressure to stop on time , which is an hazard. The master cylinder and calipers have been replaced and my brakes are still not working properly and safely. The brake pads have been replaced , the rotors as well and nothing is still working. I’ve been driving like this for more than 6 months and it’s a hazard. I’ve taken it to different mechanics , etc nothing still not working. When pressing the brakes it’s no pressure and I have to mash it all the way to the ground which still feels Iike it does not want to stop for me.
NHTSA complaint #11655985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
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.
SERVICE BRAKES
Upon stopping when applying the brakes they locked up. There were no warning lights on. It was diagnosed by an independent auto repair shop, not drivable I had it towed to the Ford Dealership. The ABS module, and calipers have failed. I learned there was a recall on these parts but do not apply to my specific vin #. The ABS module is on national back order, likely a month out. I have paid for the part. The service dept quoted new rotors calipers/hose and pads I think this vehicle may need to be added to the recall since it is the exact same failure. Luckily I was in town and not on the interstate when the brake system failed.
NHTSA complaint #11622915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
My clutch slave cylinder failed with approximately 64000 mi on the vehicle. This is a hydraulic system sharing the same reservoir as the brakes. The clutch pedal stuck to the floor leaving me unable to change gear while driving on the highway. Had to pull off on the side of the road and manually pull up the clutch with my hand. After that it functioned seemingly fine. I took the car to a local garage who diagnosed the issue and said it was fairly common on these cars. Part has not been replaced yet so it cannot be inspected but it is scheduled to go in to have the transmission dropped and slave cylinder replaced. There were no lamps messages or other warning signs prior to the incident on the highway aside from a slight softening of the clutch feel which occured during the months proceeding the failure. The clutch in this vehicle is notoriously soft to begin with so it did not feel much different. Thank you
NHTSA complaint #11612879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I started to notice a bit of resistance when pressing on the brakes. Minor initially, but then if you had to apply slightly more pressure the car would jerk/pull hard to the right. The harder and faster you had to press, the more intense the jerk. I took her in to the dealership and they noticed something with the reservoir into the hydraulics unit that feeds fluid into the brakes. The fluids are not circulating back into it and the caliper is not building enough pressure to close. They said it's the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit: D2BZ-2C405-E and the part is on national backorder with no ETA. The car is unsafe to drive without the part. She's a 2014 with only 28k miles and it seems strange to have this failure with such low mileage. I just have texts with the dealership right now. I spoke with Ford directly today and they guesstimated 5-6 months for the part. I ordered a used part and will take her to another mechanic to get it replaced in the interim since the dealership won't work with a used part. At that point I will have invoices. Thanks.
NHTSA complaint #11611904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
On a long road trip with my mother while accelerating onto a highway I heard a metal object from the front right of my car drop onto the road. Subsequently, I heard a minor clanking/rattling noise every now and then but everything was operating normally and I could not connect any driving actions to this noise. Later on I looked under the vehicle for any loose hanging objects but could see none. When I got home I went to my home Ford dealer they were charging an exorbitant diagnostic fee so I went to a different dealer with a more reasonable fee. I was asked if I recently had my brakes serviced to which I replied yes. I was told there was a missing upper right caliper bolt. This explained the noise I heard of a metal object dropping. I brought it to the attention of the service manager of my home dealer. I was reimbursed by my home dealer for the cost of the diagnosis and repair at the other dealer. Some months later there was management shakeup of personnel and I learned that the service manager and technicians that I spoke with were replaced. I didn't think much at the time that it was anything more than carelessness but I came across some new information. The use of Torque to Yield (TTY) bolts in vehicle safety related components presents a safety hazard. These type of bolts are one-time or single use. They are indistinguishable from traditional bolts. Once torqued to specification, the loosening of these bolts will cause them to fail. They complicate routine maintenance, require more precise equipment, and leave a lot to chance of human error. Improper installation or reuse of these bolts will lead to catastrophic failure. General ignorance among professional trained mechanics, as well as auto part stores, DIY vehicle owners, as well as lack of labeling, and lack of proper warning from vehicle manufacturers is a recipe for disaster. Vehicle manufacturers should not use these bolts for safety related vehicle components. Vehicle owners should be informed.
NHTSA complaint #11589387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Oil pickup is clogged in sump, preventing proper oiling of engine, in turn effecting air vacuum pump, in turn sporadically effecting brake effectiveness. Brake pedal is suddenly stiff and car does not slow down. Oil warning light on cluster illuminates, but not always.
NHTSA complaint #11575618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I was driving down a very busy highway about 60 mph when my oil light started flashing on my dash and my check engine light came on and when I tried to push my brake pedal to stop my car I couldn't push it in. My brakes were very hard, I had to pull my emergency brake to stop my car and coast into a gas station so I didn't hit anyone. I have done a lot of research online and this same issue is already under recall on 2 other Ford Models as well as a class action lawsuit against Ford because of this issue. My model however is not listed under the recall because it has a manual transmission and they said that those models are not affected but that's clearly not true.
NHTSA complaint #11574597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I was driving down [XXX] headed to Columbia and as I was approaching a stop light and getting ready to press my break my oil light on my dash started flashing, and when I attempted to push my brake pedal I couldnt. My brake pedal was hard as a rock and wouldn't press in at all. The highway I was traveling on is a very busy 4 lane highway, I was traveling about 60mph and had to pull my emergency brake and practically stand on my brake pedal to get my car to slow down and coast into a gas station parking lot. I barely missed hitting the car in front of me by a few inches. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11572852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH and descending a grade in the road, the contact attempted to depress the brake pedal to slow down however, the brake pedal went to the floorboard. The contact had to pump the brake pedal to slow the vehicle. The contact stated that the check brakes warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that there were also mechanical issues with the transmission. The vehicle could not be shifted into reverse (R) and while the vehicle was in drive (D), the vehicle would hesitate while shifting gear. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the dealer had not diagnosed a failure with the brakes. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
NHTSA complaint #11572178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I believe that it is the ABS brake system I am bringing it to the ford dealer Thursday. The caliper on the front driver side was not working so I changed it still didn't work fluid go's to the ABS pump but doses not come out of that one. When you use the brakes the front passenger side locks up and slides like it's not going to stop it is really bad when the roads are wet and there were no warning signs. It's going to the dealer Thursday.
NHTSA complaint #11538811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owned a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she depressed the brake pedal to slow the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to engage. The contact had to apply pressure to the brake pedal to glide the vehicle to a stop. Additionally, the contact added that the front passenger side door became stuck and failed to open and the front driver’s side door failed to remain closed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact then stated that three days later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, attempting to make an undisclosed turn onto the interstate when she depressed the brake pedal to slow the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to slow. As a result, the wheels caught onto the ground gravel and spun off the road and rolled over, flipping the vehicle to a complete 180-degree turn. The contact sustained bruising to the chest, the right thigh, and a scratch on the right leg. No medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000. UPDATE 07/03/2023- Consumer would like update on the report submitted May 2023.
NHTSA complaint #11524656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while attempting to close the doors, the four doors failed to latch properly. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to be repaired; however, while driving off the lot, the contact became aware that the radio was inoperable, and the brake pedal was firm and difficult to depress. The vehicle was not taken back to the dealer. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000. The VIN was unavailable.
NHTSA complaint #11503786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.