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8.5

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
23,300 miles
Total Complaints:
11 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (9 reports)
  2. fix it again (2 reports)
2014 Ford Fiesta transmission problems

transmission problem

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2014 Ford Fiesta Owner Comments

problem #11

Nov 252019

Fiesta SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I’ve had this car since 2016, and it has been a... journey. A few months after I first got this car (it was a gift for graduating college), I noticed that when I accelerated, the car would jerk and shudder violently. I took it to my local Ford dealer, which happened to be where it was purchased from. They told me that it was a normal side effect of the type of transmission that they are installed with and don’t cause any problems. Just a minor thing, according to them. Oh, and they told me it was an automatic engine - which I already had my doubts because my last car did not roll backwards down hills like this one does.

Then I realized that this is NOT a minor thing. I couldn’t even tell you at this point how many times I have pulled out into traffic just for my car to decide to stay in neutral or 1st and rev itself into oblivion. About 75% of the time I accelerate from a dead stop, my car will shudder, shake, jerk itself around until it decides to move. If I gas it a little harder, it tends to not shake as much - but that hardly seems like a good long term solution. My local Ford Dealer won’t work on the car, and still maintains that everything is fine with the vehicle.

I want to get rid of this car as soon as I can financially, because it is a danger to myself and others, and I shouldn’t have to keep dealing with people telling me the car is completely fine. It’s not. A close friend works for another Ford dealer and has even told me about all these problems, and has given me some short term suggestions until I can find a new car (like treating it as a manual so no rolling constantly in traffic, giving it a nudge in Sport mode to shift gears, etc).

I would never recommend this car to anyone. I warn people with other Fiestas of these issues. I don’t want people to fall into this awful situation I have found myself in. I no longer trust Ford because of how they have treated this problem, and I know what cars I am looking at to replace it in the future - and none of them are American brands.

- Aoife M., Huntsville, AL, US

problem #10

Aug 122019

Fiesta S 1.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 99,485 miles

I just bought the damn car 5 days ago, the dealer asks me "would you like to bring it in for service?" I'd rather drive it where the sun doesn't shine!!!

- Brian D., Middletown, CT, US

problem #9

May 012015

Fiesta 4cil

  • CVT transmission
  • 3,000 miles

REALLY IS A JUNK. BRING CAR BACK TO DEALER, THEY SAID IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR BECAUSE IS A NEW TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROBLEM WON'T HURT THE CAR, BUT I KNOW SOMETHINGS GOT TO BE WRONG. THE SECOND TIME I BRING BACK TO DEALER THEY CHANGE SEAL. I WAIT 2 DAYS. THE CAR STILL THE SAME. ALSO IN PUERTO RICO WE HAVE MANY MOUNTAINS THE CAR WONT GO UP, IS TOO MUCH. THIS CAR IS A JUNK.

- rafaelotero, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

problem #8

Feb 192017

Fiesta 3.2lV6

  • CVT transmission
  • 10,232 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Noticing the hesitation on acceleration but thought was normal for it to shift this way, until I got notice in mail. Loved that car but Ford gets better gas mileage. Now I know it's not supposed to slip and hesitate. Never drove a car like it. I really do like a Ford product. Last car was a 2010 Nissan. I really hope to get a very reliable car as I am 76 years old and live in the country, so is important to have reliable vehicle. Thank you for listening.

- Norma F., Mulberry, KS, US

problem #7

Jan 052015

Fiesta V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,000 miles

This is a MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN...The car transmission shudders and bucks when taking off from a standing start, dangerous condition merging into traffic, and on turns as well as when you give it the gas...It does the same when coming to a stop and makes an awful noise...I can't emphasize enough how much we fear for the loss of our lives as at some point the car is not going to make it and someone will plow into us...

- Anita L., Celebration, FL, US

problem #6

Nov 142014

Fiesta Titanium

  • Automatic transmission
  • 5,000 miles

Transmission issues similar to those being experienced by others people: shuddering, jerking. inability to accelerate, waiting over a month for recall fix, item back ordered

- Lisa G., Houston, TX, US

problem #5

Jul 152015

Fiesta LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This car started out fine, great for my 74 year old mother, but started to have these sounds and the skipping. The dealer said that they are having these clutch problems and it needs to be fixed!!! That was over two months ago and its getting worse!!! Now to find out there is three recalls on this car. What a piece of crap!!! Dealer is no help, they just keep saying "waiting on the parts" and that it's Ford, not them, really? We just want this fixed. This car is worse than the piece of crap, she traded in.

- Millie P., Canon City, CO, US

problem #4

Sep 012014

Fiesta

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,000 miles

bought a brand new 2014 Ford Fiesta and had problems just about from day one. I thought maybe it was just because I wasn't used to the car but it hesitated on acceleration and it didn't feel like it was shifting right. Took it back to the dealership and they put it on the computer and said they could fix it with software. They then called me and said they had contacted the Ford Motor Company and that we needed new clutches, which they had to order.

My car had 6,000 miles on it. Took about a week to get the parts and 1/2 day to fix!!! It was better for a while then started again. Took it on vacation to Maryland and was scared to death it was going to break down. No power going up hills and the tranny shuddered so bad I thought it was going to fall out.

Back to the dealership, now I have 12,000 miles on it. It has been a month and they still say the parts aren't in. No one at the dealership told us anything about all the problems they were having with this car. A total stranger stopped us on the street and asked if we were having problems with the transmission. He also had Ford Fiesta and was filing a lemon law suit. I finally went and googled this and boy were my eyes opened. Now I have a brand new car that I am afraid to drive for any distance and it doesn't look like it going to be repaired any time soon. What a rip off. Ford motors should be ashamed.

- Cheryl S., Warren, PA, US

problem #3

Apr 062015

Fiesta SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,500 miles

When I accelerate or go from stopped to moving the car shakes and it feels like it is stalling. This is a new Ford Fiesta that I have had for a year.

- Raffaella G., Alexandria, VA, US

problem #2

May 052014

Fiesta

  • Automatic transmission
  • 5,000 miles

car shutters, jerks, looses power. Transmission slips.

- Angelica S., El Cajon, CA, US

problem #1

Dec 072014

Fiesta 1.6L I4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 7,000 miles

I traded in my lousey 2012 Ford Focus with the terrible "powershift" automatic transmission for a new 2014 Fiesta with the same transmission because Ford gave me a discount and assured me that all the "shuddering", "grinding" and generally poor shifting problems were rectified. At about 7000 miles the transmission started to act the same way. After complaining to the senior highest Ford executive in Detroit, the dealer service department took the car in on 3/16/15 and replaced the Dual-clutch assembly, 2 oil seals, cylinder assembly and reprogrammed the TCM (transmission control module). As of yesterday (3/19/15) the rough shifting and shuddering returned .

I am now sick and tired of this piece of junk car. I found out that the resale value has plummeted from the $20,000 I paid in 4/23/14 to $9000 !!!!! I have contacted a law firm in New York who are starting to pursue a class action against Ford because of this bad transmission. The name is Chimicles & Tikellis ,LLP , 361 W. Lancaster Ave. , Haverford, PA. , 19041 , 610-642-8500. Ask to speak to a Mr. Jesse Royer. He was very kind and helpful to me.

It's about time for Ford to finally admit that the "Powershift' 6-speed transmission has failed to live up to advertised hype and do something, like pay the difference in lost vehicle value back to the buyer.

- Frances M., Franklin, MA, US

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