U.S. public vehicle records

2012 Ford FIESTA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

616 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

45,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 490 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 269 of 616 complaints (43.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	256	41.6%
Engine operation	89	14.4%
Braking behavior	46	7.5%
Electrical and battery issues	42	6.8%
Steering behavior	8	1.3%
Fuel system concerns	2	0.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train

269

Structure:Body

Unknown Or Other

Engine

Electrical System

Structure:Body:Door

Vehicle Speed Control

Latches/Locks/Linkages

Power Train: 269; Structure:Body: 80; Unknown Or Other: 78; Engine: 68; Electrical System: 63; Structure:Body:Door: 44; Vehicle Speed Control: 39; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 30

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

116

25,000 to 49,999

151

50,000 to 74,999

105

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 116; 25,000 to 49,999: 151; 50,000 to 74,999: 105; 75,000 to 99,999: 57; 100,000 to 149,999: 47; 150,000 and above: 14

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (151). 126 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2011

2012

2013

2014

138

2015

136

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2011: 2; 2012: 13; 2013: 18; 2014: 138; 2015: 136; 2016: 81; 2017: 32; 2018: 28; 2019: 69; 2020: 27; 2021: 16; 2022: 23; 2023: 16; 2024: 7; 2025: 8; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 256 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 89 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 46 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10450356 · 2012-03-05 (March 5, 2012)

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450356 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10469277 · 2012-08-06 (August 6, 2012)

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 T…

Owner-reported narrative. 250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10469277 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10496885 · 2013-02-08 (February 8, 2013)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 13,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496885 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10537401 · 2013-08-27 (August 27, 2013)

AFTER PURCHASING IN DECEMBER OF '12, THE FIRST PROBLEM AROSE AFTER ONLY 15 000 MILES. THE CAR WAS MAKING A S NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TWICE, FIRST TIME THEY DIDN'T WANT TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. THEN AT 30000 I NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. TURNS OUT IT IS THE OIL LEAKING INTO THE BELL-HOUSING, CAUSING THE CAR JERKING,STALLING ON HILLS AND FREEWAYS-VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE IT. SOMETIMES IT TAKES UP TO 4 SECONDS AFTER PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL FOR CAT TO REACT(VERY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGE ON FREEWAY OR C…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10537401 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10440385 · 2011-12-19 (December 19, 2011)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10440385 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10456798 · 2012-04-29 (April 29, 2012)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10456798 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10607223 · 2014-06-30 (June 30, 2014)

I BOUGHT MY 2012 ON MAY 1 2012, AND AT 101 MILEAGE IT WAS IN FOR BATTERY LIGHT ON , THEN 08/20/12 BACK IN FOR ENGINE LIGHT AND AGAIN 08/23/2012 AND AGAIN12/21/2012 AND AGAIN ON 01/09/2013 I HAVE ALWAYS TOLD THEM AT TIME OF SERVICE THAT THE CAR ACTS FUNNY GOING UP A HILL EVEN A SMALL ONE AND THEY TELL ME ITS FINE ITS JUST THE WAY THE RUNS. WELL I'VE HAD THE ENGINE LIGHT ON A LOT OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS BUT SINCE THEY ALWAYS MAKE IT SOUND LIKE ITS ME. OF COURSE WHEN I GET IT IN THE LIGHTS OFF. BUT I'VE TAKEN PICS WITH THE LIGHT ON. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 101 miles reported. Look up ODI 10607223 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10628206 · 2014-08-25 (August 25, 2014)

THIS CAR SEEMS TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WHERE THE DOOR LATCH SEEMS TO FAIL WHENEVER IT FEELS LIKE IT. ITS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. I TOOK A LEFT HAND TURN LEAVING MY NEIGHBORHOOD AN THE PASSENGER DOORS FLEW OPEN. LUCKILY MY KIDS WERE NOT IN MY CAR,RATHER SOME GROWN MEN THAT COULD GRAB THE DOORS AND HOLD THEM CLOSED. THE DOORS WILL NOW NOT SHUT AND I HAVE TO DISCONNECT MY BATTERY TO KEEP IT FROM DYING. THIS WAS MY FIRST NON GM VEHICLE AND WILL DEFINITELY BE MY LAST. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE I DO NOT SEE HOW THIS HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED YET. …

Owner-reported narrative. 50,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10628206 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10462759 · 2012-06-22 (June 22, 2012)

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 MO…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10462759 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10482879 · 2012-11-01 (November 1, 2012)

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 TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,980 miles reported. Look up ODI 10482879 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10881346 · 2016-06-28 (June 28, 2016)

I BOUGHT MY CAR IN 2011, AND SINCE 2012 MY AIR CONDITIONER ONLY BLOWS HOT AIR. I HAVE HAD IT REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT IT CONTINUES TO BREAK. MY TRANSMISSION, AFTER SEVERAL RECALLS, HAS CONTINUED TO SLIP AND MESS UP. NOW, IN THE 4TH YEAR OF ME HAVING MY NEW CAR, I CANNOT PUMP GAS AT ANY STATION. WHEN THE NOZZLE IS IN THE FUEL TANK, IT CONTINUES TO CUT OFF, CAUSING ME TO TAKE 10X THE AMOUNT TO PUMP GAS AS IT USED IT.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10881346 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11427375 · 2021-08-01 (August 1, 2021)

While my 16 yr old twin sons were driving on freeway, a loud pop of pressure release from motor occured, and steam blew out from under hood obscurring their visibilty. they were able to pull over safely and call me. Upon arrival, after confirming they were ok, I checked under hood to see that the intake manifold had built up to much pressure for the PCV hose and the recirculating hose that connects to top of valve cover. Oil had sprayed out everywhere and car will not start. Ive lost compression in 2 cylinders now from the fast overheat. My chi…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11427375 at NHTSA ↗