2013 Ford Fiesta recalls and problems

The 2013 Ford Fiesta has 3 safety recalls and 668 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Ford dealer.

Recalls
3
Complaints
668
Crashes / fires
12 / 4
Injuries / deaths
9 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2013 Ford Fiesta vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2013 Ford Fiesta recalls

Recall 20V-331: Latches/Locks/Linkages

Reported Jun 8, 2020 · 2,147,323 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

Recall 15V-246: Latches/Locks/Linkages

Reported Apr 24, 2015 · 456,440 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

Recall 12V-488: Air Bags

Reported Oct 5, 2012 · 154,471 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

2013 Ford Fiesta problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Power Train393
Engine110
Unknown or Other91
Structure78
Electrical System62
Latches/Locks/Linkages47
Vehicle Speed Control43
Fuel/Propulsion System14
Air Bags14
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)13
Service Brakes10
Exterior Lighting10

Most reported parts

  • Structure › Body — 56
  • Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch — 24
  • Structure › Body › Door — 20
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 6
  • Power Train › Clutch Assembly — 3
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) — 2
  • Exterior Lighting › Headlights — 2
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module › Software — 2

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 31,483 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2013 Ford Fiesta complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Engine · reported Oct 6, 2026
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
Latches/Locks/Linkages · at 88,000 miles · reported Jun 2, 2026
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…
Power Train · reported Apr 16, 2026
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…
Power Train · reported Mar 31, 2026
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…
Exterior Lighting · reported Feb 16, 2026
My low beam heads both stopped working at the same time. Upon investigation I identified the problem came from corrosion of the relay in the battery junction box. This problem exactly matches a Ford recall for some 2013 Ford fiesta manufactured in Canada. My vehicle is not covered by this recall, but the problem and failure point is identical. The text of that recall is as follows: "Safety recall in certain Canadian provinces of select 2012-13 Ford Fiesta vehicles for potential battery junction-box corrosion Ford is issuing a safety recall for certain 2012-13 Ford Fiesta vehicles in the…

Other Ford Fiesta years

Compare all Ford Fiesta years · All Ford models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Ford Fiesta have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2013 Ford Fiesta: 20V-331 (latches/locks/linkages), 15V-246 (latches/locks/linkages), 12V-488 (air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2013 Ford Fiesta?

Owners report power train problems most often (393 reports), followed by engine (110). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 31,483 miles.

Are Ford recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Ford dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.