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2013 Ford Fiesta problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2013 Ford Fiesta has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated November 2, 2026.
- 3safety recalls
- 668owner complaints
- 12crash reports
- 4fire reports
- 36%fail the UK MOT
The most complained-about Ford Fiesta year on file: 668 complaints, against an average of 253 for the other 7 model years.
Every Ford Fiesta model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2013 Ford Fiesta?
The components named most often in the 668 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2013 Ford Fiesta owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 668 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why does my 2013 Ford Fiesta transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?120 owners · 18%
- Why does my 2013 Ford Fiesta idle rough, misfire or hesitate?111 owners · 16.6%
- Why does my 2013 Ford Fiesta stall, lose power or shut off while driving?95 owners · 14.2%
- Why do the doors lock or unlock by themselves on my 2013 Ford Fiesta?48 owners · 7.2% · Recall 20V331000
- Has the 2013 Ford Fiesta had transmission failures?40 owners · 6%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Ford Fiesta?37 owners · 5.5%
Fault codes 2013 Ford Fiesta owners mention
Diagnostic trouble codes owners wrote in their complaints. Open a code to see what it meant on other cars and whether a recall names it.
Has the 2013 Ford Fiesta been recalled?
3 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
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.
Fix: 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.
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.
Fix: 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.
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.
Fix: 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.
Is the 2013 Ford Fiesta recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAThe engine cylinder head may crack
Risk: Localized overheating of the engine cylinder head may cause the cylinder head to crack.This may cause a pressurized oil leak which in extreme circumstances could result in a fire in the engine compartment.
Fix: On affected vehicles Inspect engine and cooling system. Replace affected components and fit a Coolant Level Sensor along with associated software to provide and audible and visual warning to the driver.
UK DVSAFire may occur
Risk: The Glow Plug Control Module (GPCM) can be affected by wet conditions. It is not waterproof and water ingress into the module may cause overheating with the potential to result in a fire. As the GPCM has a permanent electrical live feed there is also a potential risk of an unattended vehicle fire.
Fix: Replace the Glow Plug Control Module
EU Safety GateThe glow plug control module in the diesel engine can be affected by water ingress which could potentially result in a fire.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 10/09/2016
How often does the 2013 Ford Fiesta fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2013, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2013 Ford Fiesta owners report?
12 of the 668 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
My transmission is going out I call ford they tell me there's no recalls on my transmission but I paid for a vin recall check and there is a recall on my transmission
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact received the recall notification letter for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (latches, locks, and linkages). The contact stated that the passenger-side door opened while driving at 30-35 MPH. While her daughter was driving, the passenger side rear door came ajar. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was able to inspect and confirm the failure. The repair was approved then denied. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who referred her to another dealer. The approximate…
The vehicle experienced a sudden transmission failure while driving. Before the failure, the car began shuddering and hesitating during acceleration. It then started making loud metal grinding noises from the transmission area and eventually lost the ability to move properly when placed in Drive or Reverse. This created a safety risk because the vehicle could not accelerate normally in traffic and became difficult to control. The issue appears related to the transmission and/or clutch system. Warning messages and abnormal shifting behavior occurred prior to the failure. I previously asked a…
I was driving down [XXX] . I stopped at a stoplight. When the light turned green I pressed the gas to accelerate when suddenly mid intersection my transmission went out causing me to have no power. Approximately 5 minutes prior to this I did get a message about a transmission malfunction. Due to the transmission going out I was stuck in the intersection. I had it towed to a shop where they have confirmed that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) has failed. There are a couple parts of the transmission that they have not been able to confirm whether they are working due to the TCM failing. I…
Top of the driver side door handle broke free from the door. The car has previously been cleared of any recall defects - but a loose door handle may absolutely have something to do with the inner workings of the door/latch and may be a safety issue.
All 4 door airbags spontaneously deployed while driving. The air bag deployment knocked me unconscious and I woke up on the shoulder of the road. The vehicle dialed 911 after the incident occurred.
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…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The vehicle had failed to start. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was not safe to drive. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 14M02. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch, the TCM, and the doors needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was…
Ford Fiesta 2013 had a transmission malfunction warning pop up and the car aggressively jerked back then wouldn’t accelerate past 25 mph. The warning light stayed on. The car a couple miles after the incident wouldn’t accelerate at all even though the engine was on. This type of stopping happened twice. This issue is not related to my driving or accident but due to Ford producing a car with set malfunctions.
I have a 2013 Ford Fiesta that I had financed through a 3rd party just right at a year . The ride was rough to begin with and I began experiencing problems such as a loud shrieking/grinding noise under the hood , which triggered the check engine light . Also pressing the gas and the car not accelerating properly which causes jerking , stalling , and etc. I had a mechanic look at it and did minor repairs but this problem is reoccurring. Recently , I was backing out of a parking spot and shifted the car into drive from being in reverse and pressed the gas and it didn't accelerate it just made a…
Rear Passenger Door Latch Failed. We were forced to use a ratchet strap to return home safely due to door swinging open on turns. The safety recall for this was created in 2015 but as of June 2023 there is still not a solution from Ford. They also will not reimburse any repair done after 2017. This is unacceptable.
THE VEHICLE IS STRAINING TO PICK BACK UP SPEED ONCE IT COMES TO A STOP OR SLOWS DOWN. THERE ALSO SEEMS TO BE A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION ON THE DRIVER SIDE. IT SEEMS TO HAVE TROUBLE SWITCHING OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE IT'S A DUAL TRANSMISSION I'M SUSPECTING SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THE CLUTCH THERE SEEMS TO BE A SHUTTER.
2013 Ford Fiesta: questions owners ask
Is the 2013 Ford Fiesta reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 668 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Fiesta; the most common categories were power train (391, 58.5%), engine (110, 16.5%), structure (78, 11.7%). There are 3 safety recalls. 12 complaints mention a crash, 4 mention a fire, 9 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford Fiesta?
Across 668 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are power train (58.5% of complaints), engine (16.5% of complaints), structure (11.7% of complaints), electrical system (9.3% of complaints), latches/locks/linkages (7% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2013 Ford Fiesta have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2013 Ford Fiesta; the most recent (campaign 20V331000, 2020-06-08) concerns Latches/Locks/Linkages: Doors: Latch. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2013 Ford Fiesta transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?
120 of the 668 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford Fiesta (18%) describe harsh, jerky or delayed transmission shifting or shuddering. One owner wrote: "PowerShift dual-clutch transmission, slipping, bucking, and shuddering during acceleration. Subject of a class-action lawsuit." (NHTSA complaint 11683162, August 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Ford Fiesta idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
111 of the 668 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford Fiesta (16.6%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "On the freeway car sputters when shifting and all dash lights flicker and car lozes power jerks like its gonna die out while driving on freeway on the freeway. while driving" (NHTSA complaint 11361160, September 2020). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Ford Fiesta stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
95 of the 668 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford Fiesta (14.2%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Vehicle randomly stalls in traffic while accelerating on the interstate. turning off vehicle for a few minutes and turning it back on usually temporarily fixes the issue. this has nearly caused an accident with an eighteen wheeler." (NHTSA complaint 11415121, May 2021). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why do the doors lock or unlock by themselves on my 2013 Ford Fiesta?
48 of the 668 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford Fiesta (7.2%) describe door locks or door latches failing. 2 related recalls exist: campaign 20V331000 (latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch). The fix: 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. One owner wrote: "Rear Passenger Door Latch Failed. We were forced to use a ratchet strap to return home safely due to door swinging open on turns. The safety recall for this was created in 2015 but as of June 2023 there is still not a solution from Ford." (NHTSA complaint 11525028, June 2023). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Has the 2013 Ford Fiesta had transmission failures?
40 of the 668 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford Fiesta (6%) describe transmission failure, slipping or a replaced transmission. One owner wrote: "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…" (NHTSA complaint 11600981, July 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Ford Fiesta?
37 of the 668 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford Fiesta (5.5%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "The car suddenly couldn't move in reverse gear or any other forward gear except 1st gear. It is definitely very risky especially if you were on the highway, car cannot move faster than 10 mph. The check engine light was also on." (NHTSA complaint 11427536, August 2021). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Fiesta
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved November 2, 2026. Model year 2013 only. How these reports are made.