This page covers 4 recalls, 666 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2013 Ford Fiesta.
32 mpg combined
7.4 L/100km
Subcompact Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 2 tested variants for this model year.
4/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
The dominant pattern in 2013 Ford Fiesta complaints is powertrain trouble, specifically the dual-clutch automated manual transmission. Owners very frequently report shuddering and hesitation during acceleration, delayed or missed gear engagement, and the transmission losing the ability to move the vehicle in drive or reverse. Several owners describe receiving a transmission malfunction warning shortly before the failure, and grinding or rattling noises from the transmission area are a recurring detail. Some owners report the transmission dropping out of gear or losing communication with the transmission control module, sometimes accompanied by a clutch-related warning light. With roughly half of all complaints pointing to the powertrain, this is clearly the central concern for this model year. Structure complaints come in second at around 62 reports, though the specifics there are less concentrated. The transmission shudder and stall pattern shows up across a wide range of mileage, not just high-mileage examples.
666
Total Complaints
12
Crash-Related
4
Fire-Related
7
With Injuries
By System
The 2013 Ford Fiesta has 4 recalls, the most serious being a side curtain airbag that fails to deploy in a side-impact crash when the front passenger seat is empty, leaving anyone seated in the right rear without airbag protection.
Two recalls address door latches that can fail to hold securely and allow a door to swing open while driving. These cover the same underlying problem, with the second recall acknowledging that prior repair attempts on some vehicles may not have fully resolved the issue. There is also a label recall affecting certain Canadian-market vehicles where the tire and loading information label may list incorrect tire size or inflation pressure figures.
At a glance
What can fail
A door latch component may break, making doors hard to close or allowing doors to appear closed when they're actually unsecured.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect door latches and replace them if needed at no cost. Owners can also check latch date codes online to verify if repair was done correctly.
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Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A component in the door latches may break, making doors hard to close or causing them to appear securely closed when they are not.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace all four door latches with improved parts at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The tire information label may show wrong tire size or pressure. Using incorrect tires or pressure can damage tires and affect how the vehicle handles, raising crash risk.
What the fix does
Dealers will check the tire label and install a corrected label if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger side curtain air bag won't deploy during a side-impact crash when the front passenger seat is empty. The system was designed to suppress the air bag in this condition, but this wasn't explained in the owner's guide as required.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the vehicle software to allow the passenger side curtain air bag to deploy when the front passenger seat is empty.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
