Traction Control System Problems of Ford Fiesta

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. While driving 30 mph, the transmission slipped out of gear and the shift lever locked into position and would not move. The check engine, service engine soon, and traction control warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, but there were no failure codes. The failure recurred twice. The failure mileage was 91,147.

See all problems of the 2011 Ford Fiesta 🔎.

With 1" of snow on the ground the vehicle stopped. The advance-trac control shut down the engine just because the wheels started to spin. This caused a large traffic tie up and a snow plow had to help get the car rolling again. There is no way to disable this traction control like in other Ford automobiles.

Traction control system in heavy snow slows car to a crawl while entering an intersection nearly causing an accident with oncoming traffic. In early 2011 Fiesta, there is no way to turn off the traction control system in order to maintain momentum to get through heavy snow which creates a dangerous situations.

2-3" of snow, car would not move no power to wheels in middle of intersection, no way to disable traction control! complained to Ford at various levels and got no satisfaction basically telling me "too bad".

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the traction control would remain activated erroneously and could not be turned off. The contact was concerned that the failure could possibly cause a crash when driving in inclement weather. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, but denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 10 and the current mileage was 12,155.

Early model 2011 Ford Fiesta are not equipped with defeat-able traction control. Late model 2011 and all 2012 models have a menu to disable the feature. Moderate snowfall. Approximately 4-6 inches. If vehicle is stopped because of traffic, or a stop sign or becomes stuck in the snow it is not possible to turn off the traction control feature on the vehicle to get moving again or to get un-stuck. The traction control is so aggressive that the wheels will literally not turn if any slip is detected. This forces the driver to exit their vehicle and push the vehicle or shovel down to the pavement, or wait for a tow truck. Either way the driver is exposed to traffic in inclement weather. You can sit in the car and hope no one hits you while you wait for the tow truck. Or you can get out and shovel or push and hope that no one hits you. I have attempted to contact Ford customer service, whose answer is that it is defeat-able and they cite a page in the owners manual that doesn't exist in the early model year Fiesta's. The dealership also attempted to give me the same answer. I had to show them that the page of the book they were citing was a later printing. Exiting your vehicle in a snowstorm or just after a snowfall is a very serious situation. Even staying in your car blocking traffic in a snowstorm or after snowfall is a serious and dangerous situation to the general public. Ford needs to correct this problem for all early model year 2011 Fiesta's. Ford has already acknowledged an oversight without saying it by putting the feature in latter built 2011's and all 2012's. As the snowy season approaches I am faced with the same dangerous situations that I thought Ford may fix on their own. I need your help.