2013 FORD FIESTA Complaints

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE RIGHT REAR DOOR OF MY VEHICLE FLEW OPEN RAPIDLY. I WAS AFRAID OF THE DOOR STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE OR INJURING MY PASSENGER AND HAD TO QUICKLY PULL OVER. IN ORDER TO PULL OVER SAFELY, THE PASSENGER WAS FORCED TO GRAB AHOLD OF THE DOOR SO THAT I COULD STEER THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC. ONCE I REACHED THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WE EXAMINED THE DOOR, AT FIRST THINKING THAT PERHAPS IT HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY SHUT. WE DISCOVERED, IN FACT, THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. THERE WAS SOME DEFECT IN THE CAR THAT CAUSED THE DOOR TO FLY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AS-IS BECAUSE THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH SO WE HAD TO TIE THE DOOR SHUT FROM THE INTERIOR TO DRIVE IT HOME SAFELY. THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC WAS NOT OPEN AT THAT TIME. ONCE HOME, I COULD NOT ACTIVATE THE ALARM SYSTEM SO THE CAR SAT UNLOCKED OVERNIGHT WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ON. THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF BECAUSE THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP MECHANIC AS SOON AS THEY OPENED THE NEXT MORNING AND HAD TO MISS HALF A DAY OF WORK BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE. IT TOOK SEVERAL HOURS FOR THE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS TO FIX THE LATCH AND THEY REFERRED ME TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO VOICE MY COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT A DEFECT THAT CAUSED ME TO FEAR FOR MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY PASSENGER. I FILED A CLAIM WITH FMC. TWO WEEKS LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY SAYING THAT MY CASE HAD BEEN CLOSED. FMC OFFERED ME NO EXPLANATION OF OR RESOLUTION TO THIS SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

THE NEW* AUTOMATIC CLUTCH SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING AND JUMPING/STUTTERING/SKIPPING THROUGH THE FIRST 1-3 GEARS. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND AM SETTING UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT FIXED/REPLACED AGAIN. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW WITH 7 MILES THE FIRST OCCURRENCES HAPPENED BEFORE 5K AND NOW IT HAS LESS THAN 15K MI AND IS HAPPENING AGAIN. OFTEN THE RESPONSE TO ACCELERATE IS DELAYED MAKING IT UNSAFE TO MERGE, FLOW WITH TRAFFIC, CHANGE LANES ETC. *TR

I ALSO HAVE HAD ENGINE HESITATION WITH MY FIESTA SINCE THE FIRST DAYS WITH MY NEW CAR. FROM A STOP, EITHER ON A INCLINE OR FLAT SURFACE, THE CAR HAS TROUBLE ACCELERATING.IT SHAKES AND GIVE YOU A FEELING OF SAFETY CONCERNS THAT IT MIGHT STALL AND NOT MOVE FORWARD. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE THE CAR WILL TAKE A VERY LONG TIME, IF AT ALL, TO ADD TO YOUR SPEED. MAINTAINING YOUR SPEED WHILE DRIVING IS ALSO IMPOSSIBLE. THIS IS A UNSAFE CAR AND FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS MAJOR PROBLEM BEFORE A MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURS. I DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO BE A STATISTIC TO BEGIN ACTION. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO ME TO BE WELL DOCUMENTED IF ALL THE DEALERSHIPS ARE PASSING ON THE COMPANY LINE FROM FORD " THAT THIS IS HOW THE FORD FIESTA OPERATES" TO THE CONSUMERS THAT COME TO THE DEALERSHIPS FOR HELP.THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IF I OR ANY OF THE OTHER AFFECTED DRIVERS WOULD HAVE KNOW WE WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE.I HOPE FORD WILL CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE A TRAGEDY. *TR

DELIVERED ON 7/8/13 DEALER: JERSEY CITY FORD. DEAR FORD, WE ARE UPSET OVER THE REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH OUR 2013 FORD FIESTA, BRAND NEW ON 7/18/2013. THE CAR HAS BEEN BUCKING, GRINDING AND ALMOST STALLING. WHEN WE CALLED TO COMPLAIN OR ASK QUESTIONS WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. THE NEXT CALL AND VISIT FOR REPAIR WE WERE TOLD IT WAS THE NEW TRANSMISSION/ POWER SHIFT ON THE FIESTAS & FOCUS. ALSO INFORMED THERE WAS AN "OPEN RECALL" ON A PART THAT IS INVOLVED IN THE CLUTCH OF THESE NEW VEHICLES. THEY SAY IT SOUNDS/DRIVES AND FEELS LIKE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION BUT ITS GOOD ON GAS. WELL, THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS, WE TURNED IN A 2011 FORD FOCUS SE WITH THIS SAME TRANSMISSION THAT IS IN THE 2013 CARS AND NO WAY DID WE HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. HERE ARE THE FOLLOWING TIMES WE WENT TO JC FORD REPAIR: OCT 18, 2013 - SAME DAY STATES PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. MAY 2, 2014 - OIL CHANGE, COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSMISSION BUT NOT ON DOCUMENTS. MAY 21, 2014 - LEFT CAR FOR A REBOOT OF ELECTRONICS ON THE CAR AND PICKED THE VEHICLE UP ON MAY 23, 2014. THEY ORDERED PART DUE TO "HESITATION AND SHUTTER" IN TRANSMISSION (THEY SAID IT WAS THE CLUTCH; OPEN RECALL ON A PART). MAY 28, 2014 LEFT VEHICLE AT FORD FOR REPLACEMENT OF PARTS AND REBOOT OF ELECTRONICS, PICKED VEHICLE UP ON JUNE 4, 2014. WHEN WE PICKED UP THE CAR ON JUNE 4TH, 2014, MY WIFE PULLED OUT OF THE GARAGE AND WENT 3 BLOCKS AND TURNED BACK TO THE FORD GARAGE. [XXX], THE REPAIR SECTION MANAGER CALLED THE MECHANIC THAT DID THE REPAIR AND HAD HIM TAKE A TEST DRIVE WITH HER. THE CAR SOUNDED AND RAN WORSE THAN WHEN WE BROUGHT IT IN AND HAD A NEW SOUND, THE FRONT END OR WHEELS WERE MAKING NOISE, BRAKES WERE SHAKY AND THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM SOUND WAS STILL THERE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I BOUGHT A NEW 2013 FIESTA IN 6/13. I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT SINCE 3/14. THE CAR SHAKES, SHIFTS AND LOOSES POWER WHEN TAKING OFF. THESE PROBLEMS ARE A GREAT CONCERN TO ME SINCE I HAVE 2 KIDS AND I AM AFRAID WE ARE NOT SAFE IN THIS CAR. IN ONE INSTANCE CAR LOST ALL POWER WHILE ENTERING THE FREEWAY AND I COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY REAR ENDED BY SOMEONE. IN OTHER INSTANCE THE CAR SHAKE WHILE WAITING ON A RED LIGHT AND THEN NO POWER TO TAKE OFF. THESE ARE REALLY BIG PROBLEMS THAT PUT A PERSON AT A VERY HIGH RISK FOR ACCIDENTS. I HAVE BEEN TO FORD DEALER IN PITTSBURGH CA MORE THAN 7 TIMES RELATED TO MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND ALL THEY DO IS PUT FLUID/OIL AND CLEAN PARTS OF THE TRANSMISSION/ CLUTCH AND HONESTLY IS VERY DISAPPOINTING. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR TO HAVE A SAFE TRANSPORTATION FOR ME AND MY KIDS AND THIS IS NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING. I AM ALWAYS SCARED I AM GOING TO HIT SOMEONE OR THAT I AM GOING TO GOING TO GET HIT BECAUSE THE CAR CANT TAKE OFF . *TR

THE LATCH FOR THE REAR DOOR/HATCHBACK HAS MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE REAR DOOR TO FAIL TO OPEN. UPON BRINGING TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE, I WAS INSTRUCTED THAT THE TECHNICIANS OPENED THE DOOR BUT THAT IF I OPEN IT AGAIN, IT WILL NOT SHUT. FOR TWO MONTHS, IT HAS REMAINED AS SUCH WHILE THE LATCH IS ON BACKORDER WITH NO DATE IDENTIFIED FOR PART REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR AND WHETHER IT WILL REMAIN SHUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

ON THE VEHICLE THERE IS A FLAW IN LOCK OUT SAFETY SYSTEM. WHEN KEY IS IN IGNITION AND CAR RUNNING IT IS POSSIBLE TO LOCK YOUR SELF OUT. HERE'S HOW. WITH KEY IN IGNITION AND DRIVER DOOR OPEN. ENGAGE THE LOCK BUTTON FROM KEY FOB. STEP OUT SIDE VEHICLE AND CLOSE DOOR. YOU OUR NOW LOCKED OUT OF YOUR RUNNING VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPEN TWICE. I ACCIDENTALLY TOUCHED THE LOCK BUTTON WHILE TRYING TO ENGAGE THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON FROM KEY FOB. NOTE. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN TRUNK IS FROM KEY FOB AS WELL AS ENGAGING BUTTON LOCATED OUTSIDE AS LONG AS ALL DOORS ARE UNLOCKED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF YOUR VEHICLE IS IN WEATHER THAT COULD BE HARMFUL TO SMALL CHILDREN OR ANIMALS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FIESTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WAS SHUDDERING AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE OVER 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN UNKNOWN COMPUTER SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE ACCELERATION FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FIESTA. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED. THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. UPDATED 01/28/15*LJ UPDATED 9/8/2017*CN

I HAD JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FOUR DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION (STOP LIGHT). IT SEEMED AS THOUGH MY CAR *SKIPPED* AND *JERKED* A LITTLE IN ORDER TO GAIN MOMENTUM. THEN, WHEN I TURNED A CORNER, I HEARD A SLIGHT RATTLING/GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, ESPECIALLY ON THE LEFT SIDE. I CALLED THE DEALER'S ([XXX] IN ALEXANDRIA, KY) SERVICE DEPT TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY'RE SO BACKED UP, THE FIRST AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT IS ON 2/18/15. THE LADY I SPOKE TO MENTIONED THAT MY CAR IS PART OF A RECALL, AND THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SHE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE MANUFACTURER BEING UNABLE TO BUILD THE PARTS FAST ENOUGH. I'VE NOW HAD THE CAR TEN DAYS. ON THE EIGHTH DAY, THE *SERVICE ENGINE* LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS NOT TURNED OFF. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE DEALER HAS GIVEN ME AN APPOINTMENT ON 12/10/15 TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. ONE OF THE SALESMEN THAT I INTERACTED WITH ON THE EVENING OF THE SALE, SAID IT'S PROBABLY RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR