The Ford Fiesta is no stranger to complaints. Sporting the infamous PowerShift dual-clutch transmission that is sure to fail, the Fiesta did come out as a nightmare for a majority of users, with probably the most number of individual lawsuits to be filed against a single problem. What essentially should have been an economy-biased, cheap-to-run subcompact sedan, the 2012 Ford Fiesta turned out to be more of a little wallet-burner than it should be, with some of the sketchiest warranty policies that did users no good. So, should you be spending a minimum of $13,200 on this sedan instead of other popular options like the Chevrolet Sonic, the Hyundai Accent, and the Nissan Versa? This section has all the common problems seen on the 2012 Ford Fiesta briefly discussed to make that decision easy for you.
2012 Ford Fiesta Sedan User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical Complaints
- Transmission Problems- Transmission problems account for nearly 60% of the complaints registered against the 2012 Ford Fiesta as per the NHTSA. Excessive shuddering, slipping out of gear while on the move, unintentional downshifts and noises are the main issues reported on the Fiesta’s dual-clutch automatic transmission. Though the dealers reported the issue as being a faulty TCM module, users who have received a module replacement complain of the issue recurring. Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturer on this problem and further reports suggest that Ford knowingly sold the cars with this transmission knowing that its clutch assembly had inherent engineering issues.
- Engine overheating- The 2012 Ford Fiesta has been reported to have coolant leaks and this might lead to engine overheating and stall when least expected. Owners also report a drop in coolant level in the surge tank without any noticeable leaks on the rest of the plumbing. However, gasket failures are pretty rare for the 1.6L motor and the issue is mostly traced to microscopic leaks that occur under pressure in the system, with the coolant evaporating as soon as it drips out, leaving no visible leaks.
Electric System complaints
- Headlamp Failure- Low-beam headlamp failure is a widespread issue in the 2012 Ford Fiesta. Even though Ford Canada has considered this issue under a recall, the manufacturer is yet to consider it under any service bulletins so far in the states. The issue is said to arise due to excessive corrosion on the relay unit, which is irreparable and does require a replacement, which incidentally is not covered under warranty.
- A/C issues- Blower motor resistor failure is an issue to watch out for on the 2012 Ford Fiesta. Though the replacement part is available for $25, the labor charges are said to range between $250 to $300. If the vents don’t blow air or intermittently cuts off from blowing air, there is a high chance that the blower motor resistor is failing.
Structural Complaints
- Door Lock issues- faulty door lock is another intrinsic issue the 2012 Ford Fiesta came with. An improperly manufactured component in the door latch assembly may break prematurely causing the door to open wide unexpectedly when the vehicle is on the move. A manufacturer-initiated recall (15V246000) has been rolled out to replace all four door latches on the affected batches of this subcompact sedan.
2012 Ford Fiesta Sedan Recalls
|
S. No |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
8th June 2020 |
20V331000 |
Doors may open while driving |
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, increasing the risk of occupant injury. |
The 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. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. |
|
2 |
24th April 2015 |
15V246000 |
Doors may unexpectedly open |
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, increasing the risk of occupant injury. |
The 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. |
|
3 |
5th October 2012 |
12V488000 |
Passenger side curtain airbag |
The passenger side curtain airbag will not deploy in the event of a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty, increasing the risk of injury. |
The dealers will reprogram the vehicle's software free of charge so that it no longer suppresses the passenger side curtain airbag 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. |
Should you buy a used 2012 Ford Fiesta Sedan?
Rushing new cars into production, Ford has certainly compromised quality control measures on their products in recent times. Their subcompact sedan, the Ford Fiesta is a prime example of that, coming in sporting its inherently unreliable DCT transmission that has been nothing but a snag for owners. Placed in a segment that is very sensitive to affordability and ease of use, the 2012 Ford Fiesta sports an intrinsic problem that is essentially a deal breaker. Even though the Fiesta sedan comes out as one of the better-driving and fun-packaged for the price, a $4,000 bill on a new transmission is certainly something we don’t want our buyers expecting, especially considering the budget-oriented class the sedan caters to.
