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.
2012 Ford FiestaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 617 owner complaints about the 2012 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 September 9, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Ford Fiesta has problems
617 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
274Power train3 crash/fire/injury
128Structure5 crash/fire/injury
68Engine4 crash/fire/injury
66Electrical system4 crash/fire/injury
57Latches/locks/linkages
40Vehicle speed control
22Exterior lighting
15Air bags
15Service brakes
6814 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 274 | 3 |
| Structure | 128 | 5 |
| Engine | 68 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 66 | 4 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 57 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 40 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 22 | 1 |
| Air bags | 15 | 8 |
| Service brakes | 15 | 3 |
| 14 other systems | 68 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2012 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?
42kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 211 power train complaints. 91% were reported before 100,000 miles.
80under 30k miles191under 100k miles20100k 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.
Structure
17 owners mentioned a cost$400median
Middle half: $300 – $450
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
2012 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
2012 Ford Fiesta safety ratings
2012 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 2012 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.
While driving, my son's car started to have issues when it was shifting gears (it's an automatic). Then a warning came up on the dash saying something like "Transmission malfunction, service immediately". We were on our way to a mechanic to pick up another vehicle so we left it with them. They…
I was driving to work this morning; the car made a horrible "clunk" when I accelerated to around 20 then lost power and nearly crashed. The car then displayed error lights (yellow CEL, yellow wrench icon, HEAD unit showed "transmission issue service immediately" This is a direct result of the DPs6…
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to a gas station for servicing, the contact was informed that the brake calipers were sticking, and the calipers and rotors were extremely hot. The calipers and rotors were replaced; however, the failure persisted.…
Own a 2012 Fiesta?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.