2012 FORD FIESTA — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 614 complaints · 3 recalls
Most-reported system: POWER TRAIN (228 complaints · 37.1%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 12
  • Fires 5
  • Injuries 17
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2011 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution POWER TRAIN appears in 228 of 614 owner complaints (37.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. POWER TRAIN: 228 complaints, 37.1% of reports POWER TRAIN 228 · 37.1% STRUCTURE: 102 complaints, 16.6% of reports STRUCTURE 102 · 16.6% ENGINE: 33 complaints, 5.4% of reports ENGINE 33 · 5.4% · 1 fire reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 27 complaints, 4.4% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 27 · 4.4% · 3 fire reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 25 complaints, 4.1% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 25 · 4.1% · 1 crash reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING: 21 complaints, 3.4% of reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING 21 · 3.4% · 1 crash reports STEERING: 11 complaints, 1.8% of reports STEERING 11 · 1.8% SERVICE BRAKES: 10 complaints, 1.6% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 10 · 1.6% · 3 crash reports AIR BAGS: 8 complaints, 1.3% of reports AIR BAGS 8 · 1.3% · 5 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 250 complaints, 40.7% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 250 · 40.7% · 2 crash reports 1 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
POWER TRAIN 228 37.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 102 16.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 33 5.4% 0 crashes · 1 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 27 4.4% 0 crashes · 3 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 25 4.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 21 3.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 11 1.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 10 1.6% 3 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 8 1.3% 5 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 250 40.7% 2 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2011; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 2012. 2011-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2013-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2013-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2013-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2014-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2014-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2014-Q3: 68 owner reports 68 2014-Q4: 52 owner reports 52 2015-Q1: 44 owner reports 44 2015-Q2: 35 owner reports 35 2015-Q3: 27 owner reports 27 2015-Q4: 29 owner reports 29 2016-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2016-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2016-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2016-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2017-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2017-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2017-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2017-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2018-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q3: 43 owner reports 43 2019-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2020-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2020-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2020-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2022-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2023-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2024-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2025-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 2011 Apr 2026 Recall campaign 12V488000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V488000 Recall campaign 15V246000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V246000 Recall campaign 20V331000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V331000 Investigation PE14028 ● Investigation PE14028 Investigation EA15002 ● Investigation EA15002 Investigation RQ19005 ● Investigation RQ19005
  • Campaign 15V246000 was reported 1,279 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 20V331000 was reported 3,151 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2011-Q4 Owner reports 2
2012-Q1 Owner reports 2
2012-Q2 Owner reports 3
2012-Q3 Owner reports 2
2012-Q4 Owner reports 5
2013-Q1 Owner reports 5
2013-Q2 Owner reports 3
2013-Q3 Owner reports 4
2013-Q4 Owner reports 6
2014-Q1 Owner reports 11
2014-Q2 Owner reports 7
2014-Q3 Owner reports 68
2014-Q4 Owner reports 52
2015-Q1 Owner reports 44
2015-Q2 Owner reports 35
2015-Q3 Owner reports 27
2015-Q4 Owner reports 29
2016-Q1 Owner reports 23
2016-Q2 Owner reports 25
2016-Q3 Owner reports 19
2016-Q4 Owner reports 14
2017-Q1 Owner reports 7
2017-Q2 Owner reports 13
2017-Q3 Owner reports 7
2017-Q4 Owner reports 5
2018-Q1 Owner reports 4
2018-Q2 Owner reports 6
2018-Q3 Owner reports 9
2018-Q4 Owner reports 9
2019-Q1 Owner reports 3
2019-Q2 Owner reports 9
2019-Q3 Owner reports 43
2019-Q4 Owner reports 14
2020-Q1 Owner reports 12
2020-Q2 Owner reports 3
2020-Q3 Owner reports 7
2020-Q4 Owner reports 5
2021-Q1 Owner reports 3
2021-Q2 Owner reports 4
2021-Q3 Owner reports 5
2021-Q4 Owner reports 4
2022-Q1 Owner reports 3
2022-Q2 Owner reports 2
2022-Q3 Owner reports 10
2022-Q4 Owner reports 8
2023-Q1 Owner reports 6
2023-Q2 Owner reports 3
2023-Q3 Owner reports 6
2023-Q4 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 4
2024-Q3 Owner reports 3
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2025-Q3 Owner reports 4
2025-Q4 Owner reports 3
2026-Q1 Owner reports 1
2026-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 12V488000
Recall campaign 1 15V246000
Recall campaign 1 20V331000
Defect investigation 1 PE14028
Defect investigation 1 EA15002
Defect investigation 1 RQ19005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (3)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 12V488000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    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.
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V246000

    Report date
    Component:
    LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
    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.
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 20V331000

    Report date
    Component:
    LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
    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.
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 614 complaints · page 1 of 25

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EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources