2012 Ford Fiesta Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
88/100
#2 most-complained of 9 Fiesta years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2012 Ford Fiesta has 617 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 88 out of 100 — #2 highest of 9 Fiesta model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (274 complaints, 44% of the total). Complaints report 12 crashes, 5 fires, and 17 injuries.
- Complaints
- 617
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 12 / 5
- Injuries / deaths
- 17 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 32
- 29 city / 37 hwy
Top 2012 Ford Fiesta problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain274 (44%)
- Structure & Body175 (28%)
- Engine98 (16%)
- Other85 (14%)
- Electrical System79 (13%)
- Brakes24 (4%)
- Airbags15 (2%)
- Steering13 (2%)
- Fuel System8 (1%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (1%)
2012 Ford Fiesta recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 20V331000Jun 8, 2020Structure & Body2,147,323 vehicles
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
- NHTSA 15V246000Apr 24, 2015Structure & Body456,440 vehicles
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on April 23, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured July 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, and 2012-2014 Fiesta vehicles manufactured February 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 119,567 vehicles, including certain model year 2011 Ford Fiestas manufactured from November 11, 2009, to May 31, 2013 and certain model year 2013 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured from February 1, 2012, to June 30, 2012. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches with an improved part, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed to owners on June 5, 2015. The recall began on December 18, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S16.
- 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.
2012 Ford Fiesta fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 29 MPG
- Highway
- 37 MPG
- Combined
- 32 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,050
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other Fiesta years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Ford Fiesta a reliable year?
- Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 Ford Fiesta ranks #2 of 9 among Fiesta model years (Complaint Index 88/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 617 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Fiesta?
- The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (274 complaints), structure & body (175 complaints), and engine (98 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 45,000 miles.
- Does the 2012 Ford Fiesta have any recalls?
- Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2012 Ford Fiesta, most recently reported 2020, covering structure & body and airbags.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Ford Fiesta?
- EPA rates the 2012 Ford Fiesta at 32 MPG combined (29 city / 37 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,050. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.