Power Train Problems of Ford Fiesta - part 1

I have come to find that this vehicle suffers from premature slave cylinder failure, there are roughly 62,000 miles on the vehicle. Typical failure is reported to Ford between 70,000 and 80,000 miles. First symptoms appeared at roughly 58,000 miles. As I am a single father and a full time communications worker, I was not able to address this issue immediately upon discovering the initial symptoms as it would need further diagnosis. Clutch hydraulic fluids appear to be well sealed and clean. The design flaw with this system should be relatively obvious to a major automobile manufacturer such as Ford. The excessive temperatures caused by the transmission can and will affect any hydraulic systems severely. There are no avenues in which the temperatures can escape due to the bell housing of the transmission encasing the slave cylinder. In my experience as a prior automotive technician, most manual transmission automobiles place the cylinder in a more reasonable location, for example, beside the break booster in a 1991 Dodge stealth. When observing the firewall in this location on this model of vehicle I can confidently say there is enough room to place a clutch slave cylinder in this location. The current placement appears to be for no other reason then planned obsolescence. Vehicle has stalled in traffic multiple times, cannot complete shifts due to clutch pedal sticking to floor. Inability to properly operate transmission as expected per mileage with a manual vehicle is a safety hazard. This is a safety concern due to limited ability to engage warning lights being that the shifter needs to be operated as well as the vehicle needing to be steered. Inability to depress the clutch to mechanical certainty limits the drivers ability to confidently navigate to a safe area to assess the vehicle's possible malfunctions. This limits the ability to warn other motorists on the roadways, which can cause accidents that may also cause injury/fatality depending on the speeds driven.

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The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that after the battery was replaced, the message "transmission malfunction service now" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rpms fluctuated, and the engine revved abnormally. Whenever the contact attempted to depress the brake pedal, the engine jerked, and the transmission failed to shift as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to the customer satisfaction program: 14m02 (transmission control module); however, the VIN was not included. The failure persisted, and the vehicle remained at the residence unrepaired. The contact had parked the vehicle out of safety concerns. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 199,000.

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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. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission axle shaft had damaged the splines. The dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

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Malfunction of automatic transmission module. Reverse not engaging. Slipping of gears while operating. Diagonisis confirmed at peoria Ford peoria az on 8/25. 4 weeks after warranty expired!!!!!!!!!! check engine light at time of malfunction. Very dangerous situation not able to control auto !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Transmission unexpectedly malfunctions. Car lost the ability to shift into reverse and even numbered gears. Rough shifting when it can shift. Slipping when attempting to drive. Unable to accelerate from a stop sign. Based on simple web searches, the Ford Fiesta and focus with the dps6 transmission are notorious for defective transmissions.

Powershift dual-clutch transmission, slipping, bucking, and shuddering during acceleration. Subject of a class-action lawsuit.

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The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated or jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the shift motor was defective. The contact was informed that the part was covered under warranty and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after the repair, the check engine warning light returned while leaving the dealer parking lot. The contact continued driving the vehicle and the vehicle entered limp mode while driving to the residence. The vehicle was returned to the dealer the next day and the contact was informed that the transmission control module was defective and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was not covered under warranty and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair; the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 196,489.

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The transmission does not gear down when turning at an intersection at a green light, causing the transmission to stall and when pushing the gas pedal it just revs the engine and does not engage that transmission.

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Symptoms: no-start condition (wouldn't crank w/o jump); delayed or harsh shifting; lost power (stalled going up tiny hill). Warning lights: transmission malfunction - service now; check engine light. Our symptoms and warning lights are consistent with Ford's Fiesta transmission control module recall, however the VIN for our car is not part of the original recall. We meet all of Ford's recall eligibility criteria: reported before June 30, 2025; vehicle is less than 10 years old; vehicle has fewer than 150,000 miles. By virtue of the symptoms, warning lights and meeting Ford's other criteria strongly suggest our VIN should be included in the recall.

Vehicle presented to a&t auto repair with rotation-dependent clunking sound. This clunking started after loud metallic snapping noise occurred while coasting in gear on a flat surface. Mechanic noted that clunking noise came from the transaxle. Once the transmission fluid was drained, metallic grit and large chunks resembling gear teeth were found in fluid. A replacement transaxle was installed, along with a new "clutch kit" containing flywheel, pressure plate, and slave cylinder. Following installation and engine start up, slave cylinder leaked, prompting the order of new parts and replacement labor. According to mechanic, four different slave cylinders from two separate manufacturers leaked in the same fashion upon engine startup, due to a "locking" malfunction of the slave cylinder. The recurrent nature of the parts failure seems to indicate a deficiency in part design that causes a fluid leak, possibly endangering driver and passengers in the event of a transmission failure.

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and experienced hard shifts from first to second gear and from second to third gear. The contact stated that the rpm were significantly high prior to shifting gear, then decreased before the vehicle accelerated as intended. The contact stated that the transmission had failed to shift to reverse(r). The contact stated that dtc: 4p07a5; was retrieved, indicating transmission friction element b stuck on. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

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Transmission control module failure.

Static through speakers - possible cause, alternator, spark plugs, or faulty wiring. Passenger air bag light - comes on and off on its own randomly. Overheats - with fluids all topped off and car parked and running for 5 minutes it will start extremely overheating with visible smoke. Not sure why. Wire cover - plastic panel on ground towards front of door on driver side needs better coverage. Panel just keeps popping off showing wires. Not sure to what. If gets wet from getting in and out of car can shock you while your driving if touch it just right. Emergency break - don't work warming indicator - says doors are open when they aren't. Headlights - work when they want to. Theft alarm - don't work hood pop lever - the lever to pop your hood isn't connected well. The whole lever is just hanging under my steering wheel from the cords. Not latched into anything just kinda floating in the air, makes it hard to pop the hood, can be a distraction while driving with something hitting your knee. Belt buckles - when using seat belts, comes unclicked randomly while driving or won't buckle at all when first trying to put it on. Trunk - unlatches and opens randomly while driving or parked. Shocks? - not sure if it's shocks or what it is. But there is no comfortability while driving. You can feel every bump, pot whole, crack, anything you drive across. Think it messed up my bearings because of it. But I'm not a mechanic so these are just examples of what's going on and what I think.

2019 Ford Fiesta st first off the car is absolutely show room condition with 8,000 miles on it. I was rolling up to a stop side which is located on a hill and noticed when I put the clutch it the clutch was stuck to the floor. The car lurched forward and could not get the car to accelerate after being stuck in the middle of an intersection. Finally I was able to pop the clutch out with my toes off the floor and get the vehicle home. Spoke with a friend that has the same car with 30,000 miles on it and he is also having issues with the clutch going to the floor and getting stuck. Upon research this is a common complaint and a serious safety issue but Ford seems to be very quiet about it. I can't imagine there is not significantly more of these issues especially when my closest friend is having identical issues. Upon research this looks to be very common issue but no tsp or recalls.

Driving at highway speed, the vehicle began to switch between the 5 and 6 gear without warning several times, and a message "transmission fault service now" appeared on the car's dashboard display. The car then started hard-shifting, would not shift into some of the gears, and would not move in reverse. The car had poor acceleration and limited power and it was difficult to pass and keep up with other road traffic. Dealer estimate $4400 for clutch repair internal to transmission.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the nhsta hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure reoccurred. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the nhsta hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 67,649.

Hello, I have zero idea why I am emailing, I may be secretly hoping for. . . Anything. I drive a 2018 Ford Fiesta se, I have owned it since 2019 as that is when I purchased it used. Over the weekend I experienced transmission issues and an auto shop informed me that I am in need of a transmission rebuild due to the clutch going out. The estimated cost is 3. 4k. I came across this article from 2019: [xxx] within the article Ford notes: "the transmissions (dual-clutch automatic transmissions known as dps6 designed for fuel efficiency) were introduced in the 2011 model year Fiesta and 2012 focus. They were used until the focus was discontinued with the 2018 model year and until the 2019 Fiesta". The article then goes onto state: "technical analysis, warranty data and customer feedback show that the dps6 transmission in focus and Fiesta vehicles from 2016 (model year) through 2019 my are improved from prior model years. They perform well and have competitive levels of customer satisfaction. ” but I don't believe that to be true given the clutch issues that have just happened with my 2019 Ford Fiesta. It gets a bit more odd because I think Ford is lying about the 2019 model year being 'improved'. The mechanic I am going through put a pause on rebuilding my transmission because Ford reached out to them with potential fixes per an 'internal bulletin'. Those potential fixes include a redesigned clutch kit for the transmission. . . Why would that be a thing if my model year was 'improved'. Also, they are not covering any repairs. I don't even know if I have the right to demand that they do? given my model year wasn't included in the lawsuit, despite it being the last year Ford made the Fiesta. I also did find this update [xxx] I just want help or something done. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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Clutch and actuators diagnosed as needing to be replaced. This was a recall / campaign from Ford . I did not own the vehicle when recall was sent out in 2019. The new clutch has not been installed and now needs to be . Also, very low mileage on this vehicle . Ford should stand by its product and replace the recall free of charge .

Car shudders with noises on the transmission, not going on reverse and sometimes can not go on driver or forward too, car has codes for transmission clutches.

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

My clutch slave cylinder failed with approximately 64000 mi on the vehicle. This is a hydraulic system sharing the same reservoir as the brakes. The clutch pedal stuck to the floor leaving me unable to change gear while driving on the highway. Had to pull off on the side of the road and manually pull up the clutch with my hand. After that it functioned seemingly fine. I took the car to a local garage who diagnosed the issue and said it was fairly common on these cars. Part has not been replaced yet so it cannot be inspected but it is scheduled to go in to have the transmission dropped and slave cylinder replaced. There were no lamps messages or other warning signs prior to the incident on the highway aside from a slight softening of the clutch feel which occured during the months proceeding the failure. The clutch in this vehicle is notoriously soft to begin with so it did not feel much different. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shuddering. The contact stated that previously it was difficult to shift out of park(p). Additionally, the contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The message "turn vehicle off - transmission overheating" and "transmission malfunction - service now" were temporarily displayed. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch pads had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond as intended will not go into reverse and the vehicle hessites. Several warning lights illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced and the cost of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance informed the contact his VIN was not included in the recall however the contact does not have the recall number. The failure mileage was 70,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph, and while driving up an incline, the vehicle was losing motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle was not responding as needed. The contact stated that while at the top of the hill and driving down the hill, the vehicle regained motive power. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was occurring while driving up an incline. The contact drove the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the internal transmission seals were leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,429.

The contact called on behalf of a customer who owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated the owner had brought the vehicle in complaining about a metal sound coming from underneath the vehicle as if metal was dragging. The sound was most prominent when turning the vehicle to the left or right. The contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the sound was coming from the axle bearings. The transmission had failed due to the transmission gear due to the axle failure. The contact was aware of technical service bulletin: 16-0129; NHTSA id number: 10109047 (power train) and customer satisfaction program: 14m02 regarding the dts transmission for rough shifting and the differential gears failing. The contact spoke with a dealer where it was confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the TSB or the customer satisfaction program. The customer was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the TSB or customer satisfaction program. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. The “service transmission” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 approximately 149,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the rpm increased but the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving, the check engine warning light illuminated and then disappeared. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

This car has a double clutch transmission that was done overseas evidently this car's transmission does not run right and I've had it tested out at a mechanic shop the transmission slips gears does not operate correctly I was told by the mechanic that is not a normal transmission it can cause an accident you put your foot on the gas the car will rev into the wrong speed stay keep the tachometer running in the red and could cause a serious accident to other people and that Ford will not fix it as it was manufactured incorrectly the first time this car is dangerous and now I'm stuck paying for a used car that could cause an accident Ford denies any culpability.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "transmission hot" message was displayed, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted after the engine cooled down. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the dual clutch transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 168,000.

2016 Ford Fiesta with VIN: [xxx] with build date of 7/20/2015 at cuautitlan plant with 6 speed powershift auto transmission. Current miles on vehicle are 128,842. Ford motor company issued customer satisfaction program (csp) 14m02 on 6/14/2015. Since this date there have been 7 supplements to this program. The changes are that they are covering more vehicles with this known defective transmission. The first supplement covers vehicles with build date before 10/15/2014 and the most up to date supplement covers vehicles with build date before 6/30/2015. All of the supplements cover the same transmission. This is the transmission that my Fiesta has. I have spoken with the Ford vehicle concern team numerous times requesting to speak with stacy balzer, operating director, service engineering operations, Ford customer service division since she is the one that has been signing the updated supplements. Ford has issued technical service bulletin (TSB) 16-0129 that includes my specific vehicle. My complaint is that Ford motor company knows that my transmission is defective per TSB 16-0129 but the latest csp 14m02 supplement dates don’t currently cover my vehicle. My Fiesta would be covered if it was built 20 days earlier. I see this as an extremely shady form of business and instead of waiting until they issue another supplement that would probably cover my vehicle I have chosen to make a written complaint. The NHTSA website has 88 power train complaints towards a 2015 Ford Fiesta (currently being covered in csp 14m02) and has 86 power train complaints towards a 2016 Ford Fiesta. I have had the vehicle inspected at my local Ford dealership and they have stated that the issue is a defective transmission. A defective transmission that is not covered under csp 14m02 because of build date only. Thank you for your time. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, while the transmission was shifting between 1st and 2nd gear, the vehicle was shaking until the transmission had shifted to the higher gears. The contact sated that occasionally the vehicle failed to start intermittently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact also stated that the battery had been replaced by a friend approximately 7 times, and once by an o' riley’s within the past 2 years. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 80,100.

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 contact owns a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch and observed abnormal wear. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 109,000.