6.7

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,000
Average Mileage:
24,050 miles
Total Complaints:
9 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (9 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.

problem #9

Jan 012020

Fiesta S 1.6L V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 111,300 miles

I think my transmission is acting up because every time I stop the car and go again the car seems to have trouble going into the first and second gears. This problem occurs every single time and makes a really bad noise as well. I'm hoping that the cause of the behavior is due to the transmission module. If so, I believe this part would be under warranty. Thank you.

- Luisa R., Atlanta, GA, US

problem #8

Dec 182014

Fiesta

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,000 miles

Transmission hesitates on shifting and the Ford Dealership has not been able to repair the problem. The repairs to date have been under warranty; but the problem persists despite Ford's effort to fix it. It should be fixed or Ford should replace the transmission at no monetary cost to the owner. The transmission appears to be a lemon.

- carj, Boise, ID, US

problem #7

Jul 172014

Fiesta V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

After taking it in 4 other times, they said yes it was a problem. Funny how it was 1 year and 13 days. Past the Lemon Law time allowance. They kept telling us it was normal. I finally took it in and threatened to sue them, as I was almost rear ended by a semi truck because the light turned green and I hit the gas, it started to go and suddenly stopped its momentum

- Robin K., Fontana, CA, US

problem #6

Dec 012013

Fiesta SE 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50 miles

If anyone has a problem with a Ford Motor Company vehicle, report it to the Better Business Bureau. You will prompt action.

- mscval, Glenrock, WY, US

problem #5

May 012014

Fiesta Hatchback

  • CVT transmission
  • 12,000 miles

Jerks, shudders and hesitates going into first gear. Dealership resets computer that learns driving style and then it starts shuddering again a month later. Very annoying and possibly dangerous,

- mbailey2013, Mills River, NC, US

problem #4

Jun 072014

Fiesta

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,872 miles

For the last 4 months the car has been shuddering and hesitating when moving from a full stop (as you tend to need to from a stop sign or red light or a parking spot!). I complained about this when I brought the car in for an oil change and I was told that's a common problem. When I brought my car in for its 15K service I again complained and was told I could schedule a transmission check and there may be reprogramming that could fix that. I was told at the end of the service that my 14 month old car had an oil leak. Service Rep said maybe the oil was leaking on the automatic trans clutches. I brought the car back the next week at a scheduled appointment armed with the relevant Ford Service Bulletin TSB 14-0047 that covers the very problem I was having. I had read on a couple of boards that Ford is reluctant to authorize the warranty repair of replacing the clutch ($3,000) but only replacing seals and cleaning the clutch results in the car having to come back. I don't blame the dealer so much, but Ford did refuse to allow the replacement. The car is running better now, but not as much pep as the Fiesta rental I drove for a few days that had more mileage than my car on it. We'll see what happens.

Update from Aug 17, 2014: At 16,364, the repair (initial part of TSB 14-0047, clutches cleaned and not replaced) lasted the evening after I picked up the car and the same shuddering and acceleration problems began to occur the very next day. Over the next few days the problem got worse than ever and I even almost stalled going up a hill. Car sounded like it has a bad carburetor and I felt like I was back in my mother's old 1984 Ford Escort.

At 17682, I brought the car back and had the full TSB 14-0047 repair including replacement of the clutches. Car returned to me driving like it was supposed to. That last barely a day and it started going bad again. I am back to where I was before. Have to reach back out to Ford to see if there is anything that can be done. Bottom line, as the service repair person said, they haven't perfected the design of this dry transmission. Doesn't seem like this repair is going to make the difference and I am stuck with a bad transmission.

Update from Mar 10, 2015: I returned to Ford not long after the full repair and this time they refused to even test the transmission. They insisted that this is just the way the transmission was designed and it was supposed to do that. They announced to the service agents at large that it was a mistake that I wasn't given the special Ford instructions that tell me that the transmission is supposed to shudder, jerk, hesitate and generally suck. It was I who needed instructions on how to drive and accept their design flaws.

Now, the transmission hesitates when accelerating from a full-stop and then shoots forward. I rear-ended someone in heavy traffic because of it. The Ford dealer won't event hear my concerns or complaints.

- laurak, San Diego, CA, US

problem #3

Oct 282013

Fiesta

  • Automatic transmission
  • 9,000 miles

Been dealing with the rattling almost from day one. Finally took it in to the dealership. They kept my car for a few days and then told me to come pick it up. Not only is the front end still ratting, but now the ncylight is on, the oil light is on, and the tire pressure light is on. I'm tired of this. Naturally, the rep from the dealership is saying the rattling is normal but I know for a fact the type of noise coming from the front end is not "NORMAL>" I'll give them one more chance, but if I continue to have this problem, I'm contacting Georgia's Consumer Protection Agency.

- savanah53ga, Atlanta, GA, US

problem #2

Aug 022013

Fiesta

  • Manual transmission
  • 20,000 miles

Had these issues and was told they changed the throttle body in the car. lifted the hood this morning and nothing had been moved, my antifreeze was down to about 1/4" and it was supposed to have been serviced, and the oil filter looked like he had not been changed. I called another ford place and he was very familiar with the issues that my car has and said they first Ford place lied, if they changed the Throttle body that doesn't fix the trouble. Has nothing to do with it. So, they didn't change that, didn't service my car as i paid them to do and kept it for 3 days the 2nd time. don't think i am not going to blister someone over this. i will be writing my letter to the manufacturer to have my bases covered for lemon laws.

- georgiagirl11965, Gibsonville, NC, US

problem #1

Jul 082013

Fiesta

  • Manual transmission
  • 18,000 miles

Took it in to the dealer for it to be fixed, they weren't sure what was wrong. I told them I went to take off down an on ramp and the car almost died and then all of the sudden it picked back up and took off. The engine light came on. I got to work and they came and towed it in. They say they changed the wiring under the dash and windshield. I asked how they knew to change that and I got the response that it had been that before. I pick it up and no more power than i had when i dropped it off. But they say they drove it. Whatever.

- georgiagirl11965, Gibsonville, NC, US