This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Driving on interstate 75 in the middle lane at 70 mph my tcm malfunctioned, I knew this because of the customer satisfaction program 14M02 that I received in February 2015. My car abruptly had no power. I feared for my life because I had semi trucks and vehicles coming up behind me at very high speed and I had no power to my vehicle. I had to coast over one lane as safely as possible to the shoulder to safety. I am very thankful me or my family was not in a serious accident. The park and drive symbols on the dash were flashing between P and D and the engine light kept flashing. I turned off my car and called my brother. He said to see if it starts. It did after several tries. I then turned on my hazards and drove to the next exit which was within 200 ft. I got off the highway and took the back roads home. I got within 4 blocks of my home and it did it again, lost power. Let it sit a minute and turned it on again, and pulled into my residence. The next morning I drove the side streets to the dealer but made a stop. Came back out to my car and the vehicle would not start. Called the dealer and they sent a tow truck but I had to wait 1 hour for the truck to arrive. This is a very dangerous situation with the tcm. A very serious problem is since it's not a recall you do not have the option to have it fixed before you're put into a dangerous situation. You have to wait until you have problems before Ford's will fix the tcm. Ford did replace the malfunctioning tcm on my car. A recall needs to replace the customer satisfaction program 14M02, this is a very dangerous and life threatening problem.
I was driving my vehicle and the engine light came on as did the wrench icon signifying a need of immediate repair. The car kept driving, but I had to slow down for traffic. When I tried to accelerate again, my car had little power. I pressed the gas pedal further and the car jerked forward, then slowed itself down immediately and bucked on me a few times. I was in traffic and it caused me to almost get rear ended twice as it would abruptly stop. The engine ran, I could drive, but it wouldn't let me go very fast and kept switching gears on me. I took it to the shop, and they said it was a logic issue but could be a further transmission issue and I should drive it until something else happens. They also promised me that the logic was fixed and nothing like that would happen again. This something else happened a week later exactly as it had happened before. Again, I almost got into an accident because of how abruptly the car stopped and sped up. The internet is full of stories just like this one.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. While driving at 50 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The engine warning light illuminated and service engine, transmission soon was displayed across the message board. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who was unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 6,000. MA 10/6 the dealer reprogrammed the transmission. Updated 10/15/15
When acceleration transmission shifts very rough. Bangs gear -> grinding noise. Car feels weak and rolls backward very easy. Gas pedal not responsive. Caused almost a car crash on the freeway when sudden loss of power. I have been driving manual and automatic cars but this is dangerous!!
- Spokane, WA, USA
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Suddenly hard shift, and weak performance. Grinding noise when shifting or driving slow. Gas pedal not responsive. Caused almost a accident on the freeway when suddenly the car lost power and neither up or downshift was possible. I have been driving manual and automatic cars and trucks for years, this is poor engineering and very dangerous. Cars also tends to roll back and engine often vibrates, it wants to stall because its in the wrong gear or something. And again, it bangs the gears and the car literally wants to jump forward in the car in front of me.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. While driving 20 mph, various warning lights illuminated and the vehicle came to a complete stop. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the automatic transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 28,000....updated 09/22/15 updated 11/07/2017
September 2013- whining/grinding noise in car. Nothing found. All 4 tires replaced (was told the sound was the tires). Sound was still there after tires were put on. Was told it was "normal". February 2014- transmission whine, grinding noise, car shudders when changing gears. Ford replaced the clutch assembly (first clutch replacement). May 2014- grinding noise in car. Ford checked the wheels, nothing found. July 2014- transmission whine, grinding noise, shudders in between gears. Ford replaced clutch (second clutch replacement). Also, gas tank was slow to fill. Ford replaced gas tank. August 2014- gas still slow to fill. Ford adjusted filler neck. October 2014- car overheated, stranded me at a gas station. Had to get car towed to the Ford dealership. Ford replaced cooling fan. February 2015- replaced serpentine belt (believe this was damaged when car was hit on the interstate by a crate that flew out of a truck 2 months prior. Insurance covered repairs at the time, but believe the damages to this belt was missed.) April 2015- transmission whine, grinding noise, shudders when shifting gears. Ford replaced clutch assembly (third clutch replacement). Took 2 months for parts to come in because they were on national backorder. Ac was also not cooling. Ford replaced the rt valve. The car now has 125K miles on it and our warranty has run out. Called Ford this week to launch a complaint and was told they couldn't do anything else because the warrant was out (warranty was good thru 125K miles). There are thousands of people who have the same issues. I do not understand how this is not a recall item yet. This transmission has slipped and on more than one occasion, my family and I were almost hit because of the car stalling. Why do you have to wait until someone gets killed to recall something"?"
There were two incidents where car lost all power while travelling at 35 and 50 mph, the check engine light came on, the transmission dashboard indicator flashed from P to D back and forth. When restarting and idling, the engine shuddered. After the first incident (5/29), Ford dealership reprogrammed the transmission control module. After the second incident (6/13), two weeks later, the dealership replaced the clutch and the transmission control module (tcm).
My vehicle would not start on this date. Approximately 1 to 2 months before this date I notice that my vehicle would accelerate at an erratic rate while driving on the highway. After taking my car to a Ford certified mechanic I discovered that my car did not turn on, and the reason I was experiencing erratic acceleration, was because there was a defect in my car's transmission. On 05/22/2015, while shifting from park to reverse I experienced a considerable delay in shifting gears and my car's display informed me that there was an error in my transmission. It appears that the error my car's transmission was experiencing was not properly fixed or the transmission itself is inherently flawed if it requires constant repairs.
While parked with the vehicle running (about 30 minutes in 87 degree weather with the ac on), the transmission felt like it tried to go into drive and rocked forward slightly. I looked at the dash and the check engine light came on. I tested the vehicle and it seemed road worthy enough to try and get home. When driving home and stopped at a stop light, the car's display for park, neutral, reverse, drive, started quickly flashing between drive and park. I could not accelerate the vehicle while this was going on. I placed the vehicle in park, and then met fairly heavy resistance putting it back into drive. After a few seconds of flashing between drive and park, it stopped and I was able to drive again. The same thing happened a few minutes later while I was about to turn into the Ford dealership. This time I tried turning off the vehicle to see if that would remedy the issue. I was unable to start the vehicle for a minute or two after because it was acting as if I was in drive (or the fast park / drive flutter) and trying to start it. It's been two days, yet I haven't heard back from the dealership on what this problem is. I did receive a recall notice that spells out the exact symptoms that I had, yet the mechanic has twice said it is very unlikely that the recall part, the tcm or transmission control module (which is back ordered six weeks), is the actual problem.
While driving on the expressway (70 mph) the car suddenly had no power. I was pushing the gas pedal down to the floor but, the car was not responding. I yanked the steering wheel hard and the car settled on the shoulder. If a car were behind me (rarity for a car not to be right behind on expressway) it would have plowed right into my car. Mechanic could not find a problem. A year later same thing is still happening. The last happened while, I was stopped at a red light. Car just went dead. I drive stop and go to work and back. Car seems to shift from first gear to third gear every time I have to slow down or stop. Seems to fight me from moving, then suddenly lurches forward. My mom borrowed my car one day and says she will never step foot in it again. The dealership just told me that they can't find a problem but, that the front brakes and rotors are bad and I need a new catalytic converter! if Ford knows they can't fix the transmission problem (or what they call not a problem), why did they extend the warranty" Ford claims it is normal for this transmission to jump. Then why did it not jump the first two years I owned it"! my check engine light goes on all the time. My traction control light and hill climb light both came on in the summer, on a flat surface. There was no snow, no slush, no ice, and no hill! the dealership said they didn't find a problem with that either. I am finally down to 8 more car payments and I'm scared to drive any distance in this car! especially in traffic!
As I was leaving work pulling out of the road I stepped on the gas and the car stalled. Making multiple vehicles come to a screeching stop almost causes multiple wrecks. This was the first time. Other times I was in traffic passing people or just driving down the road and the car started to shake and would stall not accelerating. Last of all my car would not start at least 3 times in one week due to code P2837 and P2832
I reported to sterling mccall on 8/18/14 at 5:50 P.M. the problems that I have been having with my 2011 Ford Fiesta. I also reported the customer satisfaction program 14M01.0N 8/20/14at 7:19 a.M. I brought my vehicle into sterling mccall. Sterling mccall refused to fix the problem. I reported to legacy Ford on 9/5/14at 4:05 P.M. to [xxx]. the problems that I have been having with MY2011 Ford Fiesta. I also reported the customer satisfaction program14M01. On 9/11/14at 6:59 P.M. I brought vehicle into legacy Ford. They gave me a rental car at 7:15 P.M. on 9/12/14 legacy Ford refused to fix the problem. I filed a case [xxx]-5211951 with the customer relationship center at 2:15P.M. I brought my 2011 Ford Fiesta to Firestone for a diagnostic on 12/4/14. The find was that the article supersedes tsb 11-9-2 to update the issue statement and service procedure. I brought it to legacy Ford again on 1/14/15. And legacy Ford refused to fix my 2011 Ford Fiesta again. Then on 1/17/15 my car was in a accident. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle shifted gears without being prompted. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the transmission and automatic clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
This cars transmission slips out of gear whenever it wants too, shifts erratically and unpredictable especially in traffic at speed between 0 and 45 miles per hour. Two time I was almost in a fatal accident because when I stepped on the gas with the car in drive it was not it gear, the engine tachometer jumped to 4,000 RPM and then snapped into gear, the transmission sounds like it is falling apart from the inside out, sounds like rocks inside. The rider side air bag light saying they are off comes on when ever it wants as well even with the seat belt buckled, up hill assist shuts off causing no or very little acceleration. The car is a death trap it was sold to me with a certified pre-owned warranty 12 month bumper to bumper and 150,000 mile drive train warranty. I have taken it back twice already and paradise Ford in cocoa says its fixed its worse now than when I took it in and now the owner at the dealership refuses to service the car anymore.
This vehicle hesitates and shudders upon acceleration, - mostly between the lower gears. It has done this from the start. This has resulted in several close calls in traffic. Ford replaced a seal in the transmission, then they told us the shuddering and hesitation was within "normal specs." It is worse when the vehicle is warmed up and is dangerous -as it can lose power when you need to cross traffic. Ford has now agreed to replace the clutch but there aren't any in stock and we were told to drive it until the part can be obtained. However, I feel the car is a danger in traffic and may break down altogether, leaving myself and two disabled persons stranded. I don't feel that the clutch repair will last as they are only replacing what is a defect in the first place in these transmissions. I don't understand why there hasn't been a safety recall on them. Maybe they are only waiting for enough people to be killed or injured. I hope we aren't one of them.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled several times without warning. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who replaced the clutch. Four months later, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer for further inspection and diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Trenton, MI, USA