2012 Ford Fiesta
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Transmission & Drivetrain
Transmission & Drivetrain leads by volume: 274 of 617 complaints (44%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more crash reports (8) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 730 in 2011 to 617 in 2012.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | vs. 2012 Subcompact Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 1,900–2,000 | 1,950 | 1,950 | 1,800–2,150 | |
| Combined MPG | 31–33 | 32 | 32 | 29–35 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 28–29 / 36–38 | 29 / 37–38 | 29 / 37–38 | 26–31 / 34–41 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 269–287 | 278 | 272–276 | 252–305 | |
| Complaints filed | 730 | 617 | 667 | 502 | |
| Recalls issued | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 32 | 12 | 12 | 23 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 5 | 5 | 4 | 8 | |
| Injuries reported | 34 | 17 | 9 | 17 | |
| Deaths reported | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2012 Ford Fiesta have?
3 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2012 Ford Fiesta?
Transmission & Drivetrain: 274 of 617 NHTSA complaints (44%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Ford Fiesta get?
EPA rates it 32 MPG combined across 3 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2012 Ford Fiesta?
EPA estimates $1,950 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (3)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (AM6) | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Subcompact Cars | 29 mpg | 37 mpg (low) | 32 mpg | $1,950 | 278 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Manual 5-spd | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Subcompact Cars | 29 mpg | 37 mpg (low) | 32 mpg | $1,950 | 278 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (AM6) | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Subcompact Cars | 29 mpg | 38 mpg (high) | 32 mpg | $1,950 | 278 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 75 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 274 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 66 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 24 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Steering | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 18 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 40 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 175 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 24 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Other | 85 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (3)
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH · Campaign 20V331000 · Jun 9, 2020
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy: 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 · Campaign 15V246000 · Apr 24, 2015
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy: 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 · Campaign 12V488000 · Oct 5, 2012
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.