Does the 2012 Ford Fiesta have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Ford Fiesta, the most recent reported on June 8, 2020 (Latches/locks/linkages: doors, latch). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Fiesta?

Owners have filed 617 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is power train (274 complaints), followed by structure (128).

How many 2012 Ford Fiesta complaints mention a crash or fire?

12 of 617 complaints report a crash and 5 a fire; 17 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2012 Ford Fiesta recalls and problems

3 recalls and 617 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Ford Fiesta.

recalls

617

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2012 Ford Fiesta recalls

Latches/locks/linkages: doors, latch

NHTSA campaign 20V331000 · reported June 8, 2020 · Ford Motor Company · 2,147,323 vehicles potentially affected

The 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.
The 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.
The 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.

Latches/locks/linkages: doors, latch

NHTSA campaign 15V246000 · reported April 24, 2015 · Ford Motor Company · 456,440 vehicles potentially affected

The 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.
The 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.
The 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.

Air bags

NHTSA campaign 12V488000 · reported October 5, 2012 · Ford Motor Company · 154,471 vehicles potentially affected

The 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.
The 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.
The 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.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Power train274
Structure128
Unknown or other78
Engine68
Electrical system66
Latches/locks/linkages57
Vehicle speed control40
Exterior lighting22
Air bags15
Service brakes15

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Sep 9, 2026 · Latches/locks/linkages · 190,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle and closing the front driver’s side door, the door failed to latch properly. While driving 70 MPH, the front driver’s side door opened. The contact secured the door with a bungee cord and continued driving. A dealer was notified of…

Apr 28, 2026 · Unknown or other · crash reported · fire reported
My daughter and 2 friends were driving on the highway, the dash flickers and goes back to normal, flickered again and the car started slowing down so she pulled over, ( car still moving) and puts the car in park but the car still continues to move. Passenger notices out the side mirror the car is on fire, she jumped…

Mar 23, 2026 · Power train
While driving, my son's car started to have issues when it was shifting gears (it's an automatic). Then a warning came up on the dash saying something like "Transmission malfunction, service immediately". We were on our way to a mechanic to pick up another vehicle so we left it with them. They confirmed the issue and…

Dec 19, 2025 · Unknown or other
The drivers side door latch will not latch, the door will swing open because the latch is defective. I have seen that this is a common issue with this vehicle and has been recalled on other 2012 ford fiestas but mine has not been.

Nov 5, 2025 · Unknown or other
The door latches have a safety recall and needs to be fixed or observed to ensure proper road safety. In addition I cannot move onto my vehicle registration renewal until this recall is repaired. I do not see any visible malfunction but the doors do have to slam shut to ensure they are properly closed. No individuals…

Fiesta model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2011	3	730	32	5
2012	3	617	12	5
2013	3	668	12	4
2014	7	504	23	8
2015	4	258	16	0

Across all years, the 2011 Fiesta has the most complaints (730). All Ford Fiesta years →

Questions

Does the 2012 Ford Fiesta have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Ford Fiesta, the most recent reported on June 8, 2020 (Latches/locks/linkages: doors, latch). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Fiesta?: Owners have filed 617 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is power train (274 complaints), followed by structure (128).
How many 2012 Ford Fiesta complaints mention a crash or fire?: 12 of 617 complaints report a crash and 5 a fire; 17 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received September 9, 2026.