2011 Ford Fiesta

The DPS6 PowerShift dual-clutch transmission in the 2011-2019 Fiesta suffers the same catastrophic defects as the Focus. Owners experience violent shuddering, jerking, loss of acceleration, unexpected rollback, and complete transmission failure. The Fiesta's lighter weight makes the jerking even more pronounced and dangerous in traffic.

Ford extended the clutch warranty to 7 years/100,000 miles. The repair involves replacing the clutch assembly, input shaft seals, and reprogramming the TCM per TSB 18-2512. In severe cases, a complete transmission replacement is necessary. Check eligibility under the Vargas v. Ford class-action settlement.

The Fiesta is affected by Ford's massive door latch recall covering millions of vehicles. The door latch pawl spring tab can fracture due to a materials defect, preventing the door from latching securely. An unlatched door may open while driving at any speed.

Ford issued recalls 15S27 and 16S36 to replace all affected door latches with an improved design. Contact your dealer to verify your VIN. The repair is free of charge. Do not attempt to hold the door closed with aftermarket solutions.

The plastic thermostat housing on the 1.6L engine cracks and leaks coolant, similar to the Focus. The leak may start small but worsens over time. If the coolant level drops far enough, the engine will overheat, potentially causing head gasket or head warping damage.

Replace the thermostat housing with an updated part or an aftermarket aluminum housing. Replace the thermostat and coolant at the same time. Inspect the radiator hoses for deterioration while the system is drained.

The heater core can develop leaks, causing a sweet coolant smell inside the cabin, foggy windshield on cold starts, and wet carpet on the passenger side floor. Coolant loss from a leaking heater core can also lead to engine overheating if not noticed promptly.

Replace the heater core. On the Fiesta, this requires partial dashboard removal and is labor-intensive. Flush the cooling system after replacement. As a temporary measure, the heater core can be bypassed by connecting the two heater hoses together, though this eliminates cabin heat.

The electric power steering system can fail without warning, causing a sudden increase in steering effort. A 'Power Steering Malfunction' or 'Service Power Steering' message appears on the dashboard. The issue is caused by a failing steering column motor or control module and is a significant safety concern at low speeds during parking.

Have the dealer diagnose the steering column with a scan tool. The repair may involve replacing the EPS motor, steering column module, or the entire steering column assembly. Ford issued a TSB addressing EPS failures on 2011-2017 Fiesta models. Check for recall applicability.

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.

A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

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.

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.

A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

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.

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.

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.

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.