repaired · 2022 Q2
Doors: latch
Risk. A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
2011 Ford FiestaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 730 owner complaints about the 2011 Ford Fiesta, most often about the power train. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 20V-331 the manufacturer reports only 44% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 20, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2011 Ford Fiesta has problems
730 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
366Power train10 crash/fire/injury
125Structure5 crash/fire/injury
108Engine6 crash/fire/injury
96Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
57Vehicle speed control
41Latches/locks/linkages
26Steering
23Air bags
18Electronic stability control (ESC)
11917 other systems13 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 366 | 10 |
| Structure | 125 | 5 |
| Engine | 108 | 6 |
| Electrical system | 96 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 57 | 5 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 41 | 0 |
| Steering | 26 | 0 |
| Air bags | 23 | 16 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 18 | 1 |
| 17 other systems | 119 | 13 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2011 Ford Fiesta recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2017 Q1
Doors: latch
Risk. A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
no report yet
Air bags
Risk. 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…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
56kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 303 power train complaints. 86% were reported before 100,000 miles.
84under 30k miles260under 100k miles43100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
10 owners mentioned a cost$3,700median
Middle half: $2,000 – $5,238
Structure
9 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $400 – $550
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2011 vs. every other Fiesta year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Fiesta median. How we score
'78'88'89'91'01'02'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2011 Ford Fiesta safety ratings
2011 Ford Fiesta 5 HB FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
- Rollover: 4 stars (14.3% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2011 Ford Fiesta, and the recalls they led to.
- Door Latch FailureLed to recall 15V-246
- Door Latch FailureLed to recall 20E-010
- Door Latch FailuresLed to recall 20V-177
In owners' words
What Fiesta owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road on several occasions. The vehicle was able to restart after 10 minutes; however, the failure…
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving on a main road at 30 MPH, the transmission shifted independently to neutral(N). The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle. The contact shifted to drive(D) and drove to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the…
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure was not duplicated.…
Own a 2011 Fiesta?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.