NHTSA vehicle safety data
2012 Ford Fiesta Recalls, Ratings & Complaints
The 2012 Ford Fiesta has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 617 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 2012 Ford Fiesta, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
2012 Ford Fiesta owner complaints
Owners have filed 617 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Fiesta, describing incidents dated August 18, 2011 to September 7, 2026.
Most-cited components
- Power Train 274 complaints
- Structure 128 complaints
- Unknown or Other 78 complaints
- Engine 75 complaints
- Electrical System 66 complaints
- Latches/Locks/Linkages 57 complaints
Of the 617 complaints on file, 12 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 617 complaints, owners report 17 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Newest complaints
ODI #11762980 · Filed
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle and closing the front driver’s side door, the door failed to latch properly. While driving 70 MPH, the front driver’s side door opened. The contact secured the door with a bungee cord and continued driving. A…
ODI #11734326 · Filed
My daughter and 2 friends were driving on the highway, the dash flickers and goes back to normal, flickered again and the car started slowing down so she pulled over, ( car still moving) and puts the car in park but the car still continues to move. Passenger notices out the side mirror the car is on…
ODI #11726329 · Filed
While driving, my son's car started to have issues when it was shifting gears (it's an automatic). Then a warning came up on the dash saying something like "Transmission malfunction, service immediately". We were on our way to a mechanic to pick up another vehicle so we left it with them. They…
Owner-reported
2012 Ford Fiesta mileage at failure
483 of the 617 complaints on file for the 2012 Ford Fiesta give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.
| Component | Median | Middle half | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | Median 45,000 miles | Middle half 20,000–80,000 miles | Based on 206 complaints |
| Structure | Median 45,000 miles | Middle half 35,000–55,000 miles | Based on 112 complaints |
| Engine | Median 35,000 miles | Middle half 13,000–65,000 miles | Based on 54 complaints |
| Electrical System | Median 80,000 miles | Middle half 35,000–115,000 miles | Based on 57 complaints |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | Median 45,000 miles | Middle half 40,000–55,000 miles | Based on 49 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 2012 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
- Engineering Analysis EA15-002: Door Latch Failure
Closed November 13, 2015
- Preliminary Evaluation PE14-028: Door Latch Failure
Closed March 18, 2015
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.
Other Ford Fiesta model years
Check your 2012 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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