The current generation of the Ford Fiesta sedan has been in existence since 2011. This sedan is far from the best of what Ford sells when it comes to the numbers and also has not been the favorite among its price-competitive rivals as well. Though we found it to be a fun-driving compact sedan in our initial impressions, the so-called “economy runner” turns out to be not all that reliable as buyers of such basic cars expect it to be. Engine and transmission problems have been pretty common at very low mileages for what essentially is deemed to be a daily runner. The increasing number of recalls and owner's complaints points right at the questionable longevity of this vehicle. So should the $14,260 2014 Ford Fiesta be your next economy city car instead of alternates like the Chevrolet Sonic, the Nissan Versa, and the Hyundai Accent? This section should give you a detailed insight into that.
2014 Ford Fiesta Sedan User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical Complaints
- Engine problems- Engine stalling has been a constant issue on brand new 2014 Ford Fiestas. The owner’s complaint about hesitation, sputtering, and unresponsiveness to throttle inputs before this happens couple with the engine malfunction light. The issue was noticed in cars with mileages below 10,000-miles. Although this issue was left unsolved initially it was traced to be a pressure drop in the fuel line due to a faulty fuel pump. The pump presumably had a manufacturing defect and was replaced under the recall 15V005000. High mileage cars also are reported to face coolant leaks and engine overheating issues. This is also something that has come to the notice of the automaker and di receive a recall 17V209000 for inspection of possible engine head failure and its replacement.
- Transmission problems- Both the, manual and automatic transmissionconfigurations of the 2014 Ford Fiesta are prone to failure. While the former is known for its clutch issues, the latter is known for miss-shifts, unintended shifts to neutral, harsh upshifts, and grinding noises due to faulty internal bearings. While the manual unit is known for clutch and related component replacement, the automatic unit requires complete replacements which have been reported by the NHTSA a concerning number of times. The average failure mileage reported is around 55,000-miles.
Electrical Complaints
- Radio problems- The radio/ media display is reported to go blank occasionally. The owners are forced to restart the vehicle to regain functionality. Also, this unit is said to occasionally fail to display information like high beam and door ajar warning. Constant crackling or ticking sounds from the speakers is also one issue reported by many owners. Though the system has been called in for a firmware update by the dealer, the glitches are still said to persist.
- Starting issues- The start fuse relay on the 2014 Ford Fiesta does malfunction. The ignition switch itself is also prone to failure causing the vehicle to switch to the accessory mode when driving causing loss of any sort of braking and steering asset. The car is said to function normally after a restart but we highly advise you to replace these units if found to be working faulty more than once.
Structural Complaints
- Steering failure- “Steering assist failure” warning is pretty common in the 2014 Ford Fiesta with an average mileage of failure reported at 30,000-miles. Owners report sudden loss of power steering or complete lockup during driving. The issue is mostly caused by a faulty power steering pump. Issues with the rack and pinion setup and steering shafts also have been reported by the NHTSA.
- Doors latch issues- Faulty door latch is a common problem seen on the 2014 Ford Fiesta. Owners have complained about the doors swinging open while driving, greatly risking passenger safety. Ford is aware of this issue and has, as updated, initiated 4 separate recalls (IDs-20V331000, 20V177000, 17V210000, and 15V246000) for inspection and replacement of the faulty door latches.
2015 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 injury to a vehicle occupant. |
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 |
23rd March 2020 |
20V177000 |
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 injury to a vehicle occupant. |
Ford or Lincoln dealers will replace the side door latches, free of charge. The recall began on September 21, 2020. |
|
3 |
27th March 2017 |
17V209000 |
The engine cylinder head may leak oil |
If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil, which in contact with hot engine elements can increase the risk of a fire. |
The dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 21, 2017. |
|
4 |
27th March 2017 |
17V210000 |
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 injury to a vehicle occupant. |
The dealers will replace all four door latches, free of charge. The recall began on May 1, 2017. |
|
5 |
24th April 2015 |
15V246000 |
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 injury to a vehicle occupant. |
The dealers will replace all four door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2015. |
|
6 |
9th January 2015 |
15V005000 |
Improper plating on the fuel pump may cause an engine stall. |
Improper nickel plating of components within the fuel pump may result in the fuel pump failing, causing the engine to stall and increasing the risk of a crash. |
The dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. |
|
7 |
2nd July 2014 |
14V402000 |
The fuel tank may leak. |
Due to a manufacturing error, the fuel tank may leak, which in presence of hot surfaces like the exhaust can increase the risk of a fire. |
The dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2014. |
Should you buy a used Ford Fiesta?
We don’t think there is a straight answer to this. People who usually browse this segment of cars usually look for something that is reliable, economical, and hassle-free in the long run. But with the Ford Fiesta reportedly having engine issues and transmission failure at mileages as low as 50,000-miles we find it pretty hard to recommend one of these compact sedans. You obviously can buy one new, assuming Ford has fixed most of the common issues, but buying one used may not be the brightest of ideas, especially with reports suggesting over 2 grand worth of transmission repairs on low-run cars(relatively speaking). For time being, a Nissan Versa or even the Hyundai Elantra would come out as more reliable options.
