2011 Ford Fiesta Airbags Problems
NHTSA lists 23 airbag complaints for the 2011 Ford Fiesta, 3% of its 730 total complaints for the year. Sixteen of those involved a crash, one a fire, and 15 injuries were reported, with median failure mileage at 46,000. A related recall (12V488000) addresses software that suppressed airbag deployment.
- Airbags complaints
- 23
- 3% of 730
- Crashes reported
- 16
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 15
- Median mileage
- 46,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical airbag symptoms owners report
- Frontal airbags fail to deploy in moderate-speed front or angled collisions, even when the airbag warning light comes on.
- Side or floor-mounted airbags either fail to deploy in side impacts or deploy with a sharp, poorly finished seam that owners say could injure occupants.
- Owners report crashes at highway speed and multiple-impact collisions where no airbags deployed at all, leaving occupants relying only on seat belts.
- In at least one case an airbag deployed but was linked to facial and arm fractures, which the owner attributed to a Takata inflator.
- Some owners report the vehicle was totaled or occupants required hospital treatment for injuries such as fractured backs, head contusions, or internal bruising after airbags failed to deploy.
When 2011 Ford Fiesta airbag complaints were filed
First complaint Oct 4, 2010, latest Oct 11, 2020.
Airbags recalls for the 2011 Ford Fiesta
- NHTSA 12V488000Oct 5, 2012Airbags154,471 vehicles
Air bags
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Fiesta vehicles, manufactured from November 3, 2009 through September 21, 2012. The vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." The passenger side curtain air bag will not deploy in the event of a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty. Although the side curtain air bag system was designed to suppress the side curtain air bag under this scenario, that information is not explained in the owner's guide for these vehicles as required by FMVSS No. 208.
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 empty, increasing the risk of injury to the right rear occupant.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners and dealers will reprogram the vehicle's software free of charge so that it no longer suppresses the passenger side curtain air bag when the front passenger seat is empty, and consistent with the description in the owner's guide. The safety recall began on October 26, 2012. Owner's may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Airbags complaints by Fiesta model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Are 2011 Ford Fiesta airbags reliable?
- NHTSA recorded 23 airbag complaints for the 2011 Fiesta, making up 3% of that year's 730 total complaints. Sixteen of these complaints involved a crash and 15 involved injuries, so airbag deployment failures are a notable pattern for this year.
- Is there a recall for 2011 Ford Fiesta airbags?
- Yes. Recall 12V488000, reported October 5, 2012, covers 2011-2013 Fiesta vehicles built between November 3, 2009 and September 21, 2012, for software that suppressed airbag deployment under FMVSS No. 208. Ford dealers reprogram the vehicle software free of charge.
- At what mileage do airbag problems show up on the 2011 Fiesta?
- The median mileage at failure among reported airbag complaints is 46,000 miles.
- How does the 2011 Fiesta compare to other Fiesta years for airbag complaints?
- The 2011 model year has the highest raw airbag complaint count among listed years at 23, compared to 15 in 2012 and 13 in 2013, though 2018 has a higher complaint share at 14%.