Ford Fiesta
Owners filed 3,177 complaints across 12 model years of the Ford Fiesta. The 2011 drew the most (730).
Model years12
Complaints3,177
Recalls23
Fires25
Deaths6
Which Ford Fiesta years should you avoid?
Going by 3,177 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the Ford Fiesta years to avoid are 2011, 2013 and 2012.
- 2011730 complaints, 2.8× a typical Fiesta year, most often about the transmission.
- 2013668 complaints, 2.6× a typical Fiesta year, most often about the transmission.
- 2012617 complaints, 2.4× a typical Fiesta year, most often about the transmission.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
Every Ford Fiesta model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 106 | 3 | 1 | 13 | Back Over Prevention | Routine | |
| 2018 | 35 | 0 | — | 4 | Power Train | Fatalities reported | |
| 2017 | 75 | 0 | 1 | 7 | Power Train | Fatalities reported | |
| 2016 | 179 | 0 | 1 | 10 | Power Train | Fatalities reported | |
| 2015 | 259 | 4 | — | 16 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2014 | 504 | 7 | 8 | 23 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2013Avoid | 668 | 3 | 4 | 12 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2012Avoid | 617 | 3 | 5 | 12 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2011Avoid | 730 | 3 | 5 | 32 | Power Train | Fatalities reported | |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Latches/Locks/Linkages | Routine | |
| 1991 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.