2012 Ford Fiesta Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2012 Ford Fiesta ranks 2nd worst of 9 model years with a complaint index of 88 and 617 complaints, earning an Avoid verdict. Transmission and powertrain issues dominate at 44% of complaints, alongside door-latch and airbag recalls.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 88/100
- #2 of 9 Fiesta years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 617
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 3
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 12
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 5
- Injuries
- 17
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 32
- 29 city / 37 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 17 / 0
Top 2012 Ford Fiesta problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA 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%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Brakes reportedly failed to generate pressure during stop-and-go or highway driving, causing the pedal to sink to the floor before a rear-end crash.
- Airbags failed to deploy in some crashes, including one where the vehicle struck a tree after the driver lost control.
- Door latches were reported to fail repeatedly, letting doors fly open while driving even after earlier repairs.
- Owners described the engine struggling to reach highway speed and jerking uncontrollably during acceleration.
- Electrical faults in the fuse box were linked to moisture and corrosion, causing headlights, power, and door locks to malfunction, with some cases involving smoke or fire from the engine compartment or dashboard.
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 reliable?
- Compared to other Fiesta model years, the 2012 ranks 2nd worst out of 9 years tracked, with a complaint index of 88 and 617 NHTSA complaints, so it carries an Avoid verdict relative to the rest of the lineup.
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Fiesta?
- Transmission and powertrain problems account for 44% of complaints (274 total), followed by structure and body issues at 28% (175 complaints), often involving door latches.
- Does the 2012 Ford Fiesta have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Fiesta, covering structure and body issues (door latches) and an airbag software problem that could suppress deployment.
- How does the 2012 Fiesta compare to the 2013 or 2014 model years?
- The 2012 Fiesta's complaint index of 88 is higher than the 2013 (75) and 2014 (63), meaning it has more reported problems relative to those later years, which carry Avoid and Caution verdicts respectively.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Ford Fiesta?
- The 2012 Fiesta gets an EPA-rated 32 mpg combined (29 city / 37 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,050.