Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Ford Fiesta - part 1

Ford and Ford dealearship is not willing to provide or service 15b22 recalls.

See all problems of the 2014 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

In 2020, documents were subpoened proving that Ford falsified doors and used a dangerous faulty transmission in Ford Fiesta and focus moodels from 2011-2015. There were so many lawsuits, they settled through arbitration. The judicial system only required an extended waranty- no recall or redesign. These vehicles are dangerous, and when transmission overheats, the cars stop in the middle of the road. Many will not go in reverse. Ford is recouping their arbitration settlement money by continuing to sell these cars on the used car market with the same dps6 transmissions which they knew were faulty and dangerous, and falsified documents about, with clean car faxes, often low mileage- because heat starts transmission failure, and that is not fair. The pledge does not say. . . . "with liberty and justice for all who can afford it!" I have amost been rear-ended twice, because car stops when trans gets hot. One driver of a 4'4 truck, speeding around a blind spot, swerved into oncoming lane, rolled down his window, pointed a pistol at me, cursing because I almost made him wreck! although my safety flashers were on. There are no shoulders on these rural roads. This car is dangerous! why was Ford allowed to get away with this? falsification of documents about a cars safety is fraud. There are tens of thousands with clean car faxes still being sold unfairly to unknowing victims with modest incomes who trust car fax documentation.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

There is a recall (recall no. 17v209000) that my VIN should have been included in but is not. My vehicle was not equipped with a coolant level sensor from the factory and does not alert to low coolant levels in the vehicle, which can lead to overheating, engine damage, and potential engine fire. The recall fix is a new updated coolant tank design, the inclusion of a coolant level sensor, and a software update for the function of said sensor.

Customer satisfaction program 16b11 covers a faulty high speed cooling fan relay. This bulletin was issued on April 5, 2016. I purchased the vehicle on [xxx]. An incorrect relay was installed at the factory, and the program should have replaced the relay with the correct part. This was not performed on my vehicle before I purchased it from sheehy Ford of ashland. The faulty relay failed, melting the fuse box in the process and causing the vehicle to overheat and cause permanent severe engine damage. Remnants of the melted relay show the part number, which matches the obsolete part number. Visual comparison of the faulty relay matches the obsolete part as well, and differs from the correct superseded part number relay outlined in the 16b11 bulletin. Ford motor company insists my vehicle was not a part of this program and any repairs will not be covered. The build date, make/model/engine, assembly plant and most importantly, part number of the relay and mode of failure exactly match the 16b11 csp bulletin. Ford denies that there is any issue with my vehicle. Local Ford dealers refer me to Ford motor company to escalate this problem, but Ford refuses to investigate. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2016 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

In may, my 2015 Ford Fiesta se went into "limp mode" before reaching the speed limit of 25mph. Immediately afterwards it was taken into a local shop, mobile mechanic, where no codes were active and coolant level was between min and max level. Next day, car experienced misfiring check engine light and overheating before being looked at by a mechanic. Mechanic replaced spark plugs due to code reading misfiring in cylinder 3. Car still continued to misfire and due to slight lower level of coolant, engine overheated and cracked a cylinder block in the 1. 0-liter three-cylinder ecoboost engine. This car is used to travel with two children under [xxx] and [xxx]. The beginning of June the car overheated on a hot day traveling home with the two kids and myself. We had to sit in the heat for close to an hour before temperature gauge returned to normal, I checked the coolant and it was still between min and max levels. On the same trip, it was on the verge of overheating again due to climbing the hill before our house. After finding out the cylinder block was cracked by my mechanic we discovered there has been a recall issue with the same engine, recall 17s09, that began in January 2018, a month before I purchased my car from redwood Ford in ukiah California ([xxx]). I called w. C. Sanderson Ford in healdsburg, California on July, 15th, 2025 to see if it would be possible to see if this recall was actually fixed on my vehicle, which they responded that the recall has nothing to do with my car and they can't do anything about my car. The representative specifically said that due to my car being 10 years old it has been disqualified of the recall and is no longer attached to my VIN. I have taken this car to the same local mechanic 4 times since the ending of may, 2025 for the same issues before we discovered the cracked cylinder block, mechanic took pictures of fluid and water inside cylinder 3. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, however the failure was not duplicated. In addition, the contact received notification of customer satisfaction program 14m02, however the contact was informed that there was no indication of transmission failure. The failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under any unknown special program or unknown recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

See all problems of the 2011 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

•make: Ford •model: Fiesta st •model year: 2019 •engine: 1. 6l ecoboost •mileage at incident: 95000 component affected: engine / cooling system summary of problem: coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber of my 1. 6l ecoboost engine due to a suspected internal engine defect. This issue caused noticeable white smoke from the exhaust, engine misfires, and a loss of power while driving. The coolant loss was not visible externally, indicating internal leakage. After diagnostic testing at a Ford dealership, I was informed the engine block or cylinder head is compromised, allowing coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The dealer quoted approximately $12,000 for a full engine replacement and confirmed that this is a known issue with Ford ecoboost engines. Safety concerns: the vehicle became unreliable and unsafe to drive, especially at highway speeds, due to the misfiring and sudden power loss. If this failure had occurred during certain driving conditions, it could have led to an accident. Furthermore, the cost of repair is unreasonably high for a systemic engine defect not caused by consumer neglect. Request for investigation: this appears to be part of a broader, well-documented problem with various ecoboost engines across Ford’s lineup ( technical service bulletin 19-2346 2. 0l ecoboost - coolant in cylinders, white exhaust smoke and/or illuminated mil). I am submitting this complaint in hopes that NHTSA will investigate the safety implications of this engine defect and push for accountability from Ford through recalls or reimbursement programs.

See all problems of the 2019 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

I am reporting a serious mechanical and safety issue involving my 2011 Ford Fiesta. After receiving a partially state-funded engine replacement in June 2025, my vehicle began experiencing serious transmission problems shortly after. Within a month, it went into limp mode multiple times, and warning lights appeared: the wrench light, incline warning, and “transmission malfunction – service now” messages. A diagnostic scan revealed multiple dtcs related to the transmission control module (tcm), input/output shaft speed sensors, and clutch a disengagement (p286f) — which I understand are linked to known issues with this model’s transmission. These failures make the car dangerous to drive. The vehicle has lost power unexpectedly, putting me at risk of an accident. I’ve also been told by the repair shop that I may now need a new transmission and/or tcm, despite just receiving a major engine repair. I am unable to afford another large repair and this situation has severely impacted my ability to travel safely. I am requesting an investigation into the Ford Fiesta’s transmission problems and to confirm whether this should have been covered by a recall or warranty extension. I want to also add that my transmission clutch was repaired by Ford only 2 years ago. Please advise if this falls under known manufacturer defects or safety bulletins, and whether Ford motor company can be held responsible for the faulty transmission and associated safety risks.

On 3/10/2025, when driving my 2015 Ford Fiesta se, I experienced a sudden failure consisting of a "lurch", lost all drive power to the vehicle, and had to use inertia to steer myself out of traffic to the shoulder of the road. After exiting the vehicle, I inspected all tires (no issues) and popped the hood (no visible issues like smoke). I requested emergency roadside assistance to tow my vehicle to the nearest mechanic shop. After troubleshooting the vehicle, the shop confirmed that all fluid levels were okay and the timing belt had failed, specifically noting that the manufacture-recommended pmi is at 150,000 miles and my vehicle only had 118,579 miles. What component failed = timing belt. Is it available for inspection = it can be. How was safety at risk = losing all mechanical power while going up a grade in heavy traffic. Has the problem been confirmed = yes, by an independent service center. Has the vehicle been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance = no, but I did call Ford's service line to notify them; no action taken on their part. Any warnings = no sounds, no transient loss of power, no warning lights; just a sudden "bang" and "lurch".

Overheating issue still occurred on cylinder 2, previous recall did not assist in repairing the problem due to poor cooling design from factory. Refer to recall 17s09 (17v209000) from April 21, 2017.

On the coldest night of the winter the engine overheated. Pulled over immediately; , , now car will not start believe lit cracked the head or head gasket.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

The ignition is out on the car. And I’ve heard it’s common with Ford Fiesta.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact was uncertain if any warning lights were illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that the engine oil pump belt needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the mechanic linked the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v905000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was then towed to a dealer and the cause of the failure was confirmed; but the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact was then provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided the contact with the same information. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Transmission won't move in reverse and goes slow in drive.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

My engine has been malfuctioning over the following year. I've gotten repairs and it continues to do so. I'm asking for a recall.

See all problems of the 2018 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that during cold weather conditions, the check engine and the low oil pressure warning lights illuminated intermittently. The failure had become constant over time. The contact who is a certified mechanic, diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the camshaft had failed due to a camshaft position timing performance bank code. The contact replaced the spark plugs and, while doing so, noticed oil in the thread of cylinder #3 spark plug. The contact became aware of NHTSA campaign number: 17v209000 (engine and engine cooling). The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 17v209000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine compartment, and the vehicle began to vibrate violently, after which the contact observed white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact also stated that there was a coolant odor throughout the interior of the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The overheating and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 17v209000 (engine and engine cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

See all problems of the 2012 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

I believe oil pump has malfunctioned. I had a significant loss of power while driving, that could cause sudden accident, had I not been proactive. After the loss of power, I heard a knocking from the engine, then the oil light came on and alerted me. I believe it can be inspected, but have not been able to have it towed to the dealership.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the battery was replaced. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond and sputtered. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle the following day, the vehicle failed to start and was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic related the failure to the transmission. The contact was referred to the dealer for an unknown recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for the tcm to be replaced under Ford campaign number: 14m02. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the tcm was replaced; however, the dealer informed the contact that the tcm could not be programmed to the transmission clutch. The dealer determined that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Cars transmission went out at 64000 miles car started jerking then showed a message to use brake stop safely I pulled over and then said transmission hot give a few minutes then after a few minutes it said transmission ready then I tried to drive it and it did the same thing all over again. When I got it home I found out the reverse is out.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on three occasions, the vehicle jerked, lost motive power, and failed to accelerate above 25 mph. The check engine, oil, and ecm warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and restarted. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where the failure could not be replicated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the failure persisted. The check engine and ecm warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission malfunction message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

The back passenger back door had problems wouldn’t close rt now can’t open. In may it felt like it wasn’t getting power, engine light said turn off car for 10 minutes, while stuck in traffic, so I had it towed to upland Ford dealers, they charged me $209. 99 just to look at it! then after inspecting it they wanted almost $4,000. Which I can’t afford. They said it was the clutch assembly part. The car also has some electrical problems like the car stopped showing the millage last was a round 101. The phone not connecting & the charger plug not working either.

My engine is acting up. According to the auto repair shop they say that my car is suffering from carbon build up which is affecting my engine. As well as the throttle body in the car. My car just keeps stopping to the point my engine refuses to start. So I decided to clean it myself only to no avail.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a transmission diagnostic requested by the manufacture, however, the contact stated they felt the dealer did not do the diagnostic because they only identified general maintenance issues unrelated to the transmission. However, the contact stated the dealer informed them the lower dog bone mount was tearing from the engine torque restrictor. The contact also stated the vehicle was still making a rubbing noise and the rpm sensor continued to fluctuate when driving as well as slowing down upon accelerated and driving. Also, the contact stated the vehicle drifted back when on a incline. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,465.

The car hasn’t been sold since 2021 and I was told there where no issues with the car but it was sold as is it doesn’t start needs a new modem head gaskets maybe and it’s a lot that needs repairing.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 mph, and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and the vehicle started shuddering. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway to restart the vehicle, but the failure reoccurred. The messages "mobilizer malfunction" and "engine service" was displayed on the instrument panel. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

Oil pickup is clogged in sump, preventing proper oiling of engine, in turn effecting air vacuum pump, in turn sporadically effecting brake effectiveness. Brake pedal is suddenly stiff and car does not slow down. Oil warning light on cluster illuminates, but not always.

I was driving down a very busy highway about 60 mph when my oil light started flashing on my dash and my check engine light came on and when I tried to push my brake pedal to stop my car I couldn't push it in. My brakes were very hard, I had to pull my emergency brake to stop my car and coast into a gas station so I didn't hit anyone. I have done a lot of research online and this same issue is already under recall on 2 other Ford models as well as a class action lawsuit against Ford because of this issue. My model however is not listed under the recall because it has a manual transmission and they said that those models are not affected but that's clearly not true.

I was driving down hwy 378 headed to columbia and as I was approaching a stop light and getting ready to press my break my oil light on my dash started flashing, and when I attempted to push my brake pedal I couldnt. My brake pedal was hard as a rock and wouldn't press in at all. The highway I was traveling on is a very busy 4 lane highway, I was traveling about 60mph and had to pull my emergency brake and practically stand on my brake pedal to get my car to slow down and coast into a gas station parking lot. I barely missed hitting the car in front of me by a few inches.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the engine malfunction, abs, and hill assist warning lights were illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed; however, the contact was unaware of the diagnostic result. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same mechanic who again diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was taken to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the throttle body, engine electrical harness, and engine mounts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred, and the vehicle stalled with white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The contact had not taken the vehicle back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse. The vehicle failed to turn on. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was not safe to drive. The contact stated that the failure was due to customer satisfaction program 14m02. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clutch tcm and doors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was previously repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

For as long as I've had my car - 2017 till now - it's had what I term a "hiccup" after receiving gas. The engine would slightly shudder for the first 5-10 minutes after I filled the car with gas. This was not from overfilling the tank as I never max out the tank. I didn't think much about this until a few months ago. A few minutes after filling my car with gas, the engine shuddered severely and the rpm dropped to zero. This caused the engine to die and left me unable to exit from the turn lane. No warning lights appeared on my dash. I turned on the hazard lights and rolled down the window, but eventually all the lights inside the car died. I was stuck in a left turn lane, unable to move. I had to stick my hand out the window to direct other cars to drive around me. I requested a tow via my car insurance company and the drive arrived within ~15 minutes. The tow truck driver was able to restart my car and we towed it to the local Ford service center. I explained the issue to the service department, but they were unable to replicate the issue and thus did not resolve it. Since then, the same issues has occurred every time I refill the gas tank. Regardless of how much gas is added or how full the tank was after receiving gas. After adding gas, I have begun immediately parking at the gas station to wait out the engine shudders. They do stop after ~10 minutes, but during that time they have caused the engine to die again. In the past weeks, I've also begun to observe a minor engine shudder even when stopped at a red light. I have never observed a warning light. Online research has shown a number of other people experiencing this issue. It seems the likely cause is a faulty fuel vapor purge valve. This valve may be allowing liquid fuel to flow to the engine, causing the engine to shudder and die. I will be taking my car to a different service center in hopes of the issues being resolved and not getting stranded again. . Read more...

The contact's wife owns a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling or driving below 20 mph, the vehicle sputtered and then shut off with the battery and check engine warning lights flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The contact asked for an estimate for a diagnostic test but was denied service. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer then referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse. While driving, the vehicle skipped third and fourth gears. The engine light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The contact informed her about the warranty coverage, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 122, 000.

The incident happened on November 1, 2023, and the complaint is on a 2019 Ford Fiesta with approximately 22,700 miles and still covered under the power train warranty. A family member and I were driving and I started to feel nauseous, and had difficulty thinking clearly. This improved once exiting the vehicle. My family member experienced the same symptoms of nausea and difficulty thinking when driving, and additionally had a headache. This was improved by rolling down the windows. The vehicle was taken to pearson Ford in zionsville, indiana and was found to have a cracked exhaust manifold with exhaust fumes leaking into the cabin. This was deemed a premature part failure of the exhaust manifold, as there was no damage done to the vehicle and the vehicle having low miles, approximately 22,700. The dealer agreed to replace the exhaust manifold under warranty, but had to order the part. Repair is still pending.