NHTSA vehicle safety data

2011 Ford Fiesta Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2011 Ford Fiesta has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 730 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Ford dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2011 Ford Fiesta, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2011 Ford Fiesta owner complaints

Owners have filed 730 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Fiesta, describing incidents dated July 1, 2010 to August 6, 2026.

Most-cited components

Power Train 366 complaints
Structure 125 complaints
Engine 118 complaints
Electrical System 96 complaints
Unknown or Other 58 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 57 complaints

Of the 730 complaints on file, 32 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 730 complaints, owners report 34 injuries and 3 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11758235 · Filed August 20, 2026
Ford has had a long known issue with 2011-2015-FIESTA ( Cuautitlan ) they issued a Customer Satisfaction Program that ended June 2025. I purchased the car July 2026 used w/o none issues. Checked VIN for recall and Maryland Inspected. Driving it one week and the check engine light comes on…
ODI #11691605 · Filed October 6, 2025
While driving my car with my two little nieces in the backseat, I heard a sound that made me think a wheel was coming off. As long as I was driving straight, the vehicle seemed to be okay. But when I made a turn onto the next road, something broke underneath the car and we began to spin around. It…
ODI #11684826 · Filed September 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road on several occasions. The vehicle was able to restart after 10 minutes; however, the failure…

Read all 730 complaints

Owner-reported

2011 Ford Fiesta mileage at failure

586 of the 730 complaints on file for the 2011 Ford Fiesta give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Power Train	Median 60,000 miles	Middle half 30,000–85,000 miles	Based on 293 complaints
Structure	Median 55,000 miles	Middle half 35,000–75,000 miles	Based on 112 complaints
Engine	Median 65,000 miles	Middle half 30,000–90,000 miles	Based on 100 complaints
Electrical System	Median 70,000 miles	Middle half 35,000–105,000 miles	Based on 69 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control	Median 50,000 miles	Middle half 25,000–75,000 miles	Based on 48 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Most complaints NHTSA received since May 17, 2021 give no mileage. So that they aren't undercounted, each one received since then that gives a mileage also stands in for those that gave none, which can put a component's median above most of the mileages it is based on.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2011 Ford Fiesta in 3 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Recall Query RQ19-005: Door Latch Failures
Closed February 7, 2022
- Recall 20V-177
- Recall 20V-331
Engineering Analysis EA15-002: Door Latch Failure
Closed November 13, 2015
- Recall 15V-246
- Recall 20E-010
Preliminary Evaluation PE14-028: Door Latch Failure
Closed March 18, 2015
- Recall 20E-010

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Doors May Open While Driving

NHTSA #20V331000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages — Doors — Latch · NHTSA notice

Reported June 8, 2020 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 2,147,323 vehicles

Repair completion: 58.39% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Ford campaign 20S30 · Owners notified July 27, 2020 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

Ford 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 recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Safety consequence

A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Manufacturer remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Doors may Unexpectedly Open

NHTSA #15V246000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages — Doors — Latch · NHTSA notice

Reported April 24, 2015 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 456,440 vehicles

Repair completion: 70.44% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Ford campaign 15S16 · Owners notified December 18, 2015 · Vehicles built November 3, 2009 – May 31, 2013 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

Ford 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 April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 119,567 vehicles, including certain model year 2011 Ford Fiestas manufactured from November 11, 2009, to May 31, 2013 and certain model year 2013 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured from February 1, 2012, to June 30, 2012. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Safety consequence

A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Manufacturer remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches with an improved part, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed to owners on June 5, 2015. The recall began on December 18, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S16.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Passenger Side Curtain Air Bag/FMVSS 208

NHTSA #12V488000 · Air Bags · NHTSA notice

Reported October 5, 2012 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 154,471 vehicles

Ford campaign 12C26 · Owners notified October 26, 2012 · Vehicles built November 3, 2009 – September 21, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Ford 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 will not deploy in the event of a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty. Although the side curtain air bag system was designed to suppress the side curtain air bag under this scenario, that information is not explained in the owner's guide for these vehicles as required by FMVSS No. 208.

Safety consequence

An occupant in the right rear seating position will not have coverage from the side curtain air bag in a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty, increasing the risk of injury to the right rear occupant.

Manufacturer remedy

Ford will notify owners and dealers will reprogram the vehicle's software free of charge so that it no longer suppresses the passenger side curtain air bag when the front passenger seat is empty, and consistent with the description in the owner's guide. The safety recall began on October 26, 2012. Owner's may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Notes

Ford's recall campaign number is 12C26.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2011 Ford Fiesta 4 DR FWD

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Frontal Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Driver: 4, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Rollover

14% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

3 investigations

2011 Ford Fiesta 5 HB FWD

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Frontal Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Driver: 4, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Rollover

14% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

3 investigations

730 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Ford Fiesta.

Engine

ODI #11758235

Incident: August 6, 2026 · Filed: August 20, 2026

Ford has had a long known issue with 2011-2015-FIESTA ( Cuautitlan ) they issued a Customer Satisfaction Program that ended June 2025. I purchased the car July 2026 used w/o none issues. Checked VIN for recall and Maryland Inspected. Driving it one week and the check engine light comes on. Apparently the TCM recognized a change in driving pattern but FORD will not honor the replacement. How is it not a safety issue with the vehicle can decide not to engage risking a collision? I am willing to pay for the labor of the part but would like the part covered as it should.

Steering; Unknown or Other

ODI #11691605

Incident: June 18, 2025 · Filed: October 6, 2025

While driving my car with my two little nieces in the backseat, I heard a sound that made me think a wheel was coming off. As long as I was driving straight, the vehicle seemed to be okay. But when I made a turn onto the next road, something broke underneath the car and we began to spin around. It felt like the wheels were rubbing under the floor of the car and we were in the middle of the street. When I got out, I saw the rear wheels were cocked at an angle to the rest of the car. I thank God we weren't on a busy highway where we could have all been killed.

Power Train

ODI #11684826

Incident: August 27, 2025 · Filed: September 3, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road on several occasions. The vehicle was able to restart after 10 minutes; however, the failure recurred upon resuming driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed. The mechanic related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 15B22 (Transmission Control Module Reprogramming for Overt TCM Failure Warning). The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled for the vehicle to be repaired under Ford Campaign Number: 15B22. The contact stated that upon towing the vehicle to the dealer, the dealer refused to service the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 106,902.

Electrical System

ODI #11678059

Incident: July 10, 2024 · Filed: August 3, 2025

I am having issues with the fuse box under the hood. I keep shorting out on my headlights ans AC clutch relay. I've purchased new head lights (bulbs), replaced them and they still didn't work. I checked the fuses after investigation online and they have blown. I had my AC completely fixed and it ran fine for a while, then stopped working. I had it checked and was told the AC relay clutch fuse was loose. I replaced it. Three weeks later it shorted out, again.

Power Train

ODI #11677798

Incident: July 16, 2025 · Filed: August 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving on a main road at 30 MPH, the transmission shifted independently to neutral(N). The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle. The contact shifted to drive(D) and drove to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Power Train; Engine

ODI #11677361

Incident: May 22, 2025 · Filed: July 30, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure was not duplicated. Additionally, the contact received notification of Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02; however, the dealer informed the contact that there was no indication of transmission failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the repair could not be covered under an unknown special program or recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the safety failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

Electrical System; Unknown or Other; Engine

ODI #11675540

Incident: April 24, 2025 · Filed: July 23, 2025

I am reporting a serious mechanical and safety issue involving my 2011 Ford Fiesta. After receiving a partially state-funded engine replacement in June 2025, my vehicle began experiencing serious transmission problems shortly after. Within a month, it went into limp mode multiple times, and warning lights appeared: the wrench light, incline warning, and “Transmission Malfunction – Service Now” messages. A diagnostic scan revealed multiple DTCs related to the Transmission Control Module (TCM), Input/Output Shaft Speed Sensors, and Clutch A disengagement (P286F) — which I understand are linked to known issues with this model’s transmission. These failures make the car dangerous to drive. The vehicle has lost power unexpectedly, putting me at risk of an accident. I’ve also been told by the repair shop that I may now need a new transmission and/or TCM, despite just receiving a major engine repair. I am unable to afford another large repair and this situation has severely impacted my ability to travel safely. I am requesting an investigation into the Ford Fiesta’s transmission problems and to confirm whether this should have been covered by a recall or warranty extension. I want to also add that my transmission clutch was repaired by Ford only 2 years ago. Please advise if this falls under known manufacturer defects or safety bulletins, and whether Ford Motor Company can be held responsible for the faulty transmission and associated safety risks.

Power Train

ODI #11675149

Incident: July 21, 2023 · Filed: July 21, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked, and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle stalled while driving. The contact waited for a short while and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact was able to move over to the side of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while attempting to reverse out of a parking space, the vehicle failed to function while in reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission PTU had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that recently while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and waited for a while and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that while attempting to enter the driveway, the vehicle failed to respond while in reverse(R) and failed to move while in drive(D). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle warranty had expired in March 2025. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 123,000.

Power Train

ODI #11671919

Incident: June 17, 2025 · Filed: July 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated or jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the shift motor was defective. The contact was informed that the part was covered under warranty and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after the repair, the check engine warning light returned while leaving the dealer parking lot. The contact continued driving the vehicle and the vehicle entered LIMP Mode while driving to the residence. The vehicle was returned to the dealer the next day and the contact was informed that the transmission control module was defective and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was not covered under warranty and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair; the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 196,489.

Electrical System

ODI #11665936

Incident: May 15, 2025 · Filed: June 9, 2025

Door locks keep unlocking and locking as I'm driving. It is very loud. 4 or 5 times as I'm going 35 and 60 mph

Other Ford Fiesta model years

Check your 2011 Ford Fiesta VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Ford Fiesta at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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