2012 Ford Fiesta problems and recalls

Owners have filed 616 complaints on the 2012 Ford Fiesta, and NHTSA has issued 3 recalls. The most cited component is the Power Train (274 complaints).

616
Complaints
3
Recalls
12
Crash reports
5
Fire reports
17
Injuries
38.4
Severity index

Severity index 38.4 Low. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 38.4p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 120 of 130 by severity index among 2012 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 8% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2012 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Power TrainPower Train: 274 complaints (44.5%)274 44%StructureStructure: 128 complaints (20.8%)128 21%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 78 complaints (12.7%)78 13%EngineEngine: 68 complaints (11.0%)68 11%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 66 complaints (10.7%)66 11%Latches/Locks/LinkagesLatches/Locks/Linkages: 56 complaints (9.1%)56 9%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 40 complaints (6.5%)40 6%Exterior LightingExterior Lighting: 22 complaints (3.6%)22 4%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
POWER TRAIN27444.5%
STRUCTURE12820.8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7812.7%
ENGINE6811.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6610.7%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES569.1%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL406.5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING223.6%

Complaints filed per year

0701402011: 22012: 132013: 182014: 1382015: 1362016: 812017: 322018: 282019: 692020: 272021: 162022: 232023: 162024: 72025: 82026: 2 (partial year)11121314138151617181920212223242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20112
201213
201318
2014138
2015136
201681
201732
201828
201969
202027
202116
202223
202316
20247
20258
2026 (year to date)2
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 0.5x those in 2020 to 2022 (31 against 66).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
15V24600024/04/2015LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCHFord Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on April 23, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured July 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, and 2012-2014 Fiesta vehicles manufactured February 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. On
12V48800005/10/2012AIR BAGSFord is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Fiesta vehicles, manufactured from November 3, 2009 through September 21, 2012. The vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." The passenger side curtain air bag
20V33100008/06/2020LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCHFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recal

Other Ford Fiesta model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 8 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.