This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Electrical fuse block inside engine compartment is rusted throughout entire fuse block. Vehicle sporadically fails to start, driver side head lamp does not work, and air conditioning is blowing hot air.
Since I bought this car in 2012 it has had problems with the transmission every time I took it to Ford they would tell me nothing was wrong with it or that it was something I did. I took it back in a few years ago and it seems like the problem was fixed but it started back up shortly after. So I just stopped complaining about it since it seems it's a wild goose chance. Also my stereo has completely cut out and I've had it checked and my mechanic can't seem to find a anything wrong with or why it has cut out and it's been a year I still have yet to figure out the problem.
The headlights quit working. I was out shopping and finished at just about sunset. I went to turn the headlights on but no lights but all the running lights were on. I turned the switch on and off repeatedly still no headlights; tried the high beams, they worked. I drove home with the high beams on and was constantly flashed by on coming traffic. The next morning I checked the fuses then the relays for low beam. Found the problem - relay R11 had a badly corroded prong which broke off in the box itself. I can not pull the corroded prong out - nor can I drive a night until the entire unit is replaced. My wife is on hospice and this couldn't have happened at a worst time. After researching online, it seems that mine is not an isolated problem at all, but none the less is very dangerous.
Turn signals stopped working, replaced bulbs with no luck. Checked fuses and it was blown, replaced fuse and it worked for about 45 minutes then blew the fuse again. Every time we replace the fuse it blows within an hour. Radio stopped working and would make very loud popping noise while driving. We finally had to pull the fuse for the radio to make it stop. So now there is no working radio as we are afraid to replace the fuse. My daughter drives this lemon daily as it is her only transportation to work. She still owes more for the car than she could get if she tried to trade it in on something else. This car needs to be classified as a lemon and taken off the roads. She has had nothing but problems since she bought it, but she didn't get it new so by the time she bought it of course there was no warranty and now she is stuck with it. Also, she previously had to put it in the shop due to transmission issues. She stopped at a red light and on take off the car wouldn't go, rpms were around 3000 and all warning/message lights went off at the same time. Found out there was a recall on her car that we never knew about when we purchased it from the dealer.
- Keithville, LA, USA
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Headlights quit working. Brought it to auto parts store. Manager stated that relay fuse for the low beams was fully corroded and one of the prongs broke off in the fuse box. He said the fuse box looks poorly designed and allows sand and water to enter. Prong stuck in fuse box -- not sure how much it will cost to get out - can't reach it with a tweezers or anything else. I live in the midwest where they put salt on the roads which may be the root of the problem. Looks like there may be a recall in Canada for this same issue but none in the usa. Internet search shows many people having the same issue.
It was giving a roaring noice and the radio dont work and alot of buuum noice wether it was park in the garage or parking lot it is like a fire work when you lite it. Ford send me a notice of the recall, but becouse I move I cant find the notice of the recall
There are issues with both the radio and the message screen on the dashboard. The radio problems are indeed a safety issues. I purchased this car in February of this year. At first, the radio would just intermittenly go out and would come back on after a short period of time. However, as time went on, extremely loud static would burst from the speakers every time the radio went out, whether or not keys were in the ignitiod. This has happened while driving - which is a terrifying distraction when you least expect it. The radio has been out for weeks now - it has come back once or twice, but always quickly goes back out, with that loud static blast. Beyond that loud blast...there has also been instances where the static simply continues - again this has happened while traveling and it's so distracting it really could cause an accident - I feel lucky that hasn't happened. I also have a few videos of this happening and would be happy to share. In addition to the radio, random messages are displayed on the display screen, I.e driver/passenger door open while not actually open. The "critical engine failure" message has displayed more than once when nothing was actually wrong - again, a terrifying distraction when traveling (especially on the highway as I have been when that message appears.) from what I have seen online, this is an insanely common problem with 2013 Ford Fiestas. An estimate to replace the radio came in at $280 without labor - that's really insane for a problem that is clearly a design/system flaw specific to this make and model, not simply the vehicle I specifically own. I do have a couple of pictures of the message display (unfortunately not the critical engine failure message) but again, I have multiple videos of the radio issue that I'm happy to provide (also the date below is random - it's happened many times on different occaisions)
I bought this car from a houston Honda dealership in may of 2017, I late September 2017, early October 2017, I took my car into the Honda dealership because my 'traction control', 'ABS', & 'anti-skid' lights came on. My radio cut in & out, my headlights would cut off and on/dim while driving, causing the gears in my car to shift. I was told to take it to Ford. I took it to Ford, they diagnosed it, I needed a new 'tcm' which is the computer system inside of the car. The warranty covered it, & I got a new one. After that, I was told I needed a new battery, so I got one, put it in, the car ran good for a month or so. The 'tcm' slipped again, & I was back to square one. November 2017 is then the transmission problems really began; interior dashboard lights began to flicker, & my engine light came on, shortly after exiting the highway, my car stopped accelerating. My foot was pressed down on the gas pedal, but the car wouldn't speed up, all you could hear was the engine running. I had to pull over, turn off, and turn my car back on, to continue driving. After numerous trips to Ford, two new batteries, & two new alternators, I am still having the same problems. It has been about a year having this car, & they are still unable to properly diagnose, & fix the problem. In a year span, I have been car-less for about 4 weeks (collectively), have taken multiple uber rides, to and from the dealership(s), and no progress has been made on my 2013 Ford Fiesta!
On 9/20/18, while stopped at a busy intersection for a red light, upon attempting to move forward when the light turned green the car simply would not move. I placed the car in park, shut it off to restart thinking it would reset itself somehow and instead not only would it not restart but the gear shift would not move out of park so that I could push it out of the traffic. I had to call the local police to wait in the road with lights flashing at the intersection to avoid being rear-ended and until the tow truck could arrive. The "engine malfunction" light comes on so often (which usually gets a "reprogramming" at the dealer) that it has become unnoticeable, but I do not recall seeing it before becoming immobile. It was taken to a local Ford dealer, where they said it was covered under the extended warranty Ford issued (tcm part, I believe). This car has approximately 70,000 miles on it but has been in the shop for "warrantied" repairs involving reprogramming, throttle, gas pedal sensor, clutches, etc. On many many occasions. In the past, I have taken it in complaining about the returning light and when it has shuddered and lost power momentarily while attempting to enter traffic on the interstate (once even as a tractor trailer approached). Traffic has had to shift lanes to avoid hitting my car. It has shuddered in intersections and onramps before, but never became completely immobile without recovery. If this isn't a safety issue, I don't know what is. I cannot experience the fear and helplessness that occurred last week again, so two days later I went and purchased a new vehicle (not Ford) and accepted a huge loss on the trade-in value because I value my family's safety and my life far more. My many services have all been through Ford and are available in my service record at Ford.
While driving air conditioning, radio and headlights cuts out intermittently and warning lights come on and then go off. Turn tcs system off? is also displayed when this happens. Since this car has a manual transmission it happens when clutch is being engaged.
Ongoing issue - key was not in the ignition, you hear loud static coming from radio/audio system. Please note this happens randomly while the car is moving or parked - key not in ignition. The radio no longer functions - you hear 'cracking and popping' regularly and sometimes the volume is startling driving down the road and the audio system starts blaring static, you jump reacting to the noise. This causes distracted driving which is illegal in California and many other states. This is a safety issue. There are hundreds of complaints online in many blogs about this product who are experiencing the same problem. Intervention by NHTSA is needed before someone is hurt in an accident from being distracted by this blaring noise. Some consumers can not afford to replace or remove the systems. Additionally due to the design of the system you would have to replace it with another Ford product since the air vents are attached to the system. Please note while these electrical/audio static problems are going on, the sync system hasn't been fully operational either. My state does not allow driving with cellphones so an unavailable sync system is not only a pain but prevents compliance with the law.
My traction control off keeps coming on with the check engine light also and my blue tooth on the steering wheel won't work. When the traction control off comes on I loose power in my pedal and acts like it doesn't wanna go.
The car slips and suddenly goes off while in motion and all the dashboard lights come up so it has to be left for few minutes and it will start all over again. I got a real notice from a dealership which I took to them and they called me back that it was fixed but to my surprise the problem was still there. I sent several emails to them but got no response back from them.
All warning lights come on, headlights go off, and the radio goes off at random times. Also the transmission warning comes on randomly (per the message boards this is a common issue with this model). It's been in the dealership's shop 3 times and they've not been able to duplicate the problems therefore they have not fixed the problems.
Engine malfunction error and loss of performance due to manufactor defect in wire harness. Ford claims this is a issue done during manufacturing and the fix is to re wire the harness under dash but is not covered due to it being a wiring issue. Loss of performance in vehicle is a safety issue if driving on a free way or other roads and you car loses most power. Ford has said that this issue is not the worry but it is a very known issue and consumers just have to pay and have it fixed which is costs in the thousands for there manufacturing defect.this issue happens when accelerating or just driving on highway or city streets. It happens non stop randomly and has been happeniing for about 6 months with no help from Ford to fix the issues.this is a safety issue because when it happens your car does not want to accelerate it jolts and starts not buring gasoline all the way it also will cause smog issues due to check engine light and you also need to pull vehicle over where ever you are at to turn it off wait a few mins and then it back on so you can keep driving
My "engine malfunction service now" light came on. The vehicle has 30,300 miles. Took it in and was told that the wires from the gas pedal to the panel were "frayed." They couldn't give me an answer on how this occurred but that it would cost $875. My 3yr/36,000 warranty is up. I did take it in for the check up before warranty expired and was told everything was ok. Today I was told that they wouldn't have seen this during that inspection. I have no choice but to get it fixed but 30,300 miles and no explanation on how the wires frayed?
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. When the vehicle was started, the contact heard a loud popping noise near the radio. At times, the radio failed to turn off. The vehicle was not yet inspected and diagnosed by a dealer. The radio continued to stay on after the vehicle was turned off. An independent mechanic suggested that a fuse be disconnected, but the contact needed a permanent solution. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Car sputters on take off almost dying in the middle of major intersections. Radio electrical shorted out the first 3 months and smoke from hood. The right rear door flew open going down the highway
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Winchendon, MA, USA