Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2012 record →
TRANSMISSION MAKES A GRINDING SOUND AND SHUDDERS WHEN SHIFTING. WHEN YOU GO TO TURN A CORNER THE CAR SHUDDERS SO BAD IT ALMOST STALLS. WHEN DRIVING UP HILLS WHEN THA TRANSMISSION SHIFTS IT STARTS TO SHUDDER AND YOU ALMOST STALL. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND YOU HAVE TO HIT THE BRAKES HARD TO SLOW DOWN FAST BUT NOT AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION THE CAR PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT TO THE POINT YOU ARE PULLED INTO THE LANE BESIDE YOU. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERS SHOP 4 TIMES TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL. *TR
CAR MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AT LOW SPEED ACCELERATION. *TR
THE "AFFECTED PART" IS THE TRANSMISSION. THE "INCIDENT" THAT OCCURRED IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE POWER SHIFT TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS IN "DRIVE" OR "REVERSE", AND THE DRIVER TAKES HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKE OR ACCELERATOR, THE CAR ACTS AS THOUGH IT IS IN NEUTRAL FOR ABOUT 1 SECOND. IF THE CAR IS ON A HILL, THE CAR WILL ROLL DOWNHILL DURING THAT BRIEF PERIOD WHEN THE BRAKE/ACCELERATOR IS NOT APPLIED. ALTHOUGH THIS HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT DRIVING THE CAR YET, I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARDS THIS COULD CAUSE. IF THE CAR IS STOPPED ON A HILL AND THE DRIVER LETS OFF THE BRAKE/ACCELERATOR, DESPITE ANY ACTION OF THE DRIVER, THE CAR MAY ROLL DOWNHILL AND HIT A CAR BEHIND IT. ADDITIONALLY, PARALLEL PARKING IS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION REMAINS IN NEUTRAL FOR THAT 1 SECOND, AND EVEN ON A SLIGHT HILL THE CAR WILL ROLL. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP TO ALERT THEM OF THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IS NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A CAR THAT, WHEN IN DRIVE, ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE I WAS ON A HILL. IF THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE TRANSMISSION, THEN THE TRANSMISSION HAS A FAULTY DESIGN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE HAZARDS THIS TRANSMISSION MAY CAUSE, SINCE IF A CAR IS CLOSE BEHIND ME WHILE I AM PARKED ON A HILL, MY CAR MAY ROLL BACK AND HIT IT OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL. IN A TYPICAL MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR, THE DRIVER IS ABLE TO CONTROL THIS ROLLING WITH THE CLUTCH A
HIGH PITCH NOISE/SQUEELWHEN CLUTCH IS USED FROM A COLD START FOR THE FIRST FEW MILES. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND REPLACMENT IN TWO MONTHS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FIESTA EQUIPPED WITH KUMHO SOLUS TIRES, TIRE SIZE 185/60/15. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE SPARE WITH A NEW TIRE. MOST RECENTLY THE REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE EXPLODED AND A SPARE WAS INSTALLED. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.
OCTOBER 24, 2012 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. I ACCELERATED VERY GINGERLY (THE POWERSHIFT IS EFFECTIVELY TWO THREE SPEED MANUALS SO YOU CAN'T JUST JAB IT) TO PASS. THE CAR GEARED INTO A LOWER GEAR AS EXPECTED AND THE ENGINE RPM'S SPIKED AS EXPECTED. THE LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION WAS TURNING RED SO I BRAKED EASILY TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. AT THIS POINT THE CAR WAS HOLDING THE LOWER GEAR AND REVVING OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR (AS IT WAS TRYING TO OVERPOWER THE BRAKES) AND PLACE IT INTO NEUTRAL WHICH STOPPED THE PROBLEM. THE CAR THEN DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. I RESTARTED THE CAR. AS I WAS GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE, I WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC THE TRANSMISSION GEARED DOWN AGAIN. THE PROBLEM REPEATED. I TRIED PLACING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AGAIN, HOWEVER, THIS DID NOTHING. I CUT THE CAR OFF COMPLETELY AT 50 MPH. MY STEERING GOT REALLY HEAVY. I USED THE BRAKES AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR AND STRONG ARM THE WHEEL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TRANSMISSION IS JUNK AND THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING MANY PARTS INCLUDING A COUPLE CLUTCHES (IT ONLY HAS TWO I BELIEVE) AND SOME OTHER INTERNALS. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE. IT ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO COMMANDS FROM THE GEAR SELECTOR. I POWERED OFF THE CAR TO AVOID FURTHER DAMAGE OR ACCIDENT. *TR
AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE SURFACE STREETS, THE CARS BRAKES DID NOT WORK. I PUMPED THE BRAKES THREE TIMES BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY LOCKED AND I SLID ON THE ROAD AND REAR ENDED A VEHICLE. THE IMPACT WAS QUITE INTENSE AND THE DAMAGED WAS QUITE LARGE. FOR SOME REASON THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY BEING THAT THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED ALL THE WAY IN-TILL THE ENGINE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FIESTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM BECAME DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HIS LEFT RING FINGER WAS CUT BY A SHARP METAL SHARD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80.
THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR ,PURCHASED AT FULLER FORD IN CINCINNATI OHIO, TWO DAYS IN MY POSSESSION, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AND STARTING BURNING, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL , IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD , THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATHS, FORD KNOWS ABOUT THESE TRANSMISSIONS BEING BAD AND SHOULD NOT BE SELLING THESE CARS . NOW THEY THINK I SHOULD KEEP DRIVING IT AND BREAKING DOWN UNTIL THE LEMON LAW CAN BE ENACTED, I AM NOT DRIVING THIS CAR AT ALL , EVER AGAIN. IT IS DANGEROUS, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BOUGHT THESE AND HAD THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS. I CALLED FORD CREDIT AND TOLD THEM TO CANCEL THE LOAN , I WILL NOT PAY A PENNY FOR THIS CAR! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FIESTA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND WOULD STEER THE VEHICLE INTO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION UPON TURNING. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO SEIZED FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. THERE WAS AN ILLUMINATION OF THE TRACTION CONTROL ON AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF WARNING INDICATORS. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DETECTED A TROUBLE CODE WITHIN THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR MODULE HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.
FORD SYNC MODULE STOPPED WORKING AND WHEN YOU PROMPT THE SYSTEM TO GO INTO MOBILE APPS SYNC RESPONDS "NO MOBILE APPS FOUND." TOOK TO FORD DEALER AND AFTER DAYS OF TROUBLESHOOTING GOT THE MODULE REPLACED. 2 DAYS LATER IT FAILED AGAIN. ITS NOT MY PHONE. PHONE WORKS JUST FINE IN EXACT SAME VEHICLE ON LOT. *TT
WHEN THE BRAKE IS RELEASED WHILE IN DRIVE THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARD AT TIMES. FORD SERVICE EXPLAINED THAT IT IS DUE TO THE DOUBLE CLUTCH TRANSMISSON. THE DRIVER HAS 3 SECONDS TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR BEFORE THE BRAKE RELEASES. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, DRIVER WAS ENTERING THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED THROUGH ALL THE GEARS RAPIDLY LEAVING THE VEHICLE MOVING AT ~40 - 45MPH AND NOT SPEEDING UP. THE ACCELERATION PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR AND THE CARE DIDN'T INCREASE IN SPEED AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE ALL OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD WAY WERE MOVING AT ~60MPH. THE DRIVER THEN LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND PRESSED DOWN AGAIN THE VEHICLE THEN REVVED REAL HIGH THEN SHIFTED VERY HARD AND SHOOK THROWING THE PASSENGERS FORWARD AND BACK CAUSING A WHIP-LASH TYPE OF MOVEMENT AMONG PASSENGERS. THE VEHICLE OFTEN GRINDS WHILE SHIFTING AND DECELERATING. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HOURS LATER CALLED TO REPORT THE VEHICLE IS DRIVING AS EXPECTED AND NO ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE GRINDING GEARS WAS EXPECTED. *TR
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A BRAND NEW FORD FIESTA 2012, IN THE FIRST WEEK ON USING THE CAR I STARED TO HEAR A LOUD SOUND AND SHAKING MOVEMENT WHEN THE CAR CHANGE SPEEDS, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. IT HAS BEEN THE WORSE EXPERIENCE WITH THE FORD. I JUST RECEIVED THE SAME RESPONSE, THE NOISE IS NORMAL AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM ON THE CAR, I JUST FAILED FOR THE LEMON LAW HERE IN FLORIDA TO SEE IF IT WILL MAKE ANY CHANGES. I DO NOT AND I WILL NOT ACCEPT TO LOSE MY MONEY AND MY TIME FOR A COMPANY THAT DO NOT RESPECT THERE COSTUMERS SHAME ON YOU FORD..... *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FIESTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS WERE POSITIONED VERY CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO DEPRESS ONE PEDAL WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE OTHER AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/20/12*LJ UPDATED 01/30/12
THE HEADREST IS CAUSING ME TO HAVE HEADACHES DUE TO THE FORWARD LEANING POSITION OF THE HEADREST. I HAVE TRIED ALL THE SITUATIONS OF THE SEAT AND IT IS THE SAME FOR ALL OF THEM. I AM 5'2 AND IN MY RESEARCH HAVE FOUND MOST OTHER SHORT PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2012 Ford Fiesta → · Every Fiesta year → · How the figures are calculated →