2011 Ford Fiesta Problems

Severe Issues

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2011 Ford Fiesta.

20022012
Complaints
1,039
Crashes
52
Fires
7
Injuries
59
Fatalities
6
Recalls
3

Worst 2011 Ford Fiesta Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1336 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:60,628 mi
Crash-related:10
#2107 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:64,793 mi
Crash-related:4
Fires:1
#389 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:61,258 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2011 Ford Fiesta.

Transmission / Drivetrain
336
complaints
Crashes
10
Fires
Avg Miles
60,628
Engine Problems
107
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Avg Miles
64,793
Electrical Faults
89
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
61,258
Body Structure
89
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Avg Miles
61,143
Unintended Acceleration
55
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Avg Miles
72,402
Structure:Body:Door
34
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
54,010
Steering Defects
26
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
57,789
Airbags
23
complaints
Crashes
16
Fires
1
Avg Miles
48,570
Automatic Transmission
23
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
23,682
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
21
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
65,919
Latches / Locks
20
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
57,507
Electronic Stability Control
18
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
48,862
Fuel System
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
82,742
Brakes
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
115,289
Engine & Cooling
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
36,154
Gasoline Fuel System
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
42,270
Headlight/Taillight Failures
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
96,334
Seat Belt Issues
9
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
91,126
Seat-Related Issues
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
21,978
Suspension Failures
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
59,279
Traction Control System
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
40,476
Wipers & Visibility
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
35,800
Wiring & Fuses
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Child Seat
3
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Power Train:Clutch Assembly
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2011 Ford Fiesta. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2011 Ford Fiesta

3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,758,234 vehicles.

20V331000Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
~2,147,323 affected

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.

15V246000Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
~456,440 affected

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.

12V488000Airbags
~154,471 affected

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.

Other Ford Fiesta Years

2011 Ford Fiesta — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2011 Ford Fiesta reliable?
Verdict: Severe Issues. The 2011 Ford Fiesta has 1,039 NHTSA complaints, 52 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Transmission / Drivetrain with 336 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2011 Ford Fiesta?
Top reported problems: Transmission / Drivetrain (336 complaints, avg 60,628 mi); Engine Problems (107 complaints, avg 64,793 mi); Electrical Faults (89 complaints, avg 61,258 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2011 Ford Fiesta?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 60,863 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2011 Ford Fiesta?
NHTSA complaints for the 2011 Ford Fiesta include 52 crash-related reports, 7 fire reports, 59 injuries, and 6 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2011 Ford Fiesta have any recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 2,758,234 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2011 Ford Fiesta?
Proceed with extreme caution. The 2011 Ford Fiesta shows significantly more complaints than average for its class. If you're buying one, a pre-purchase inspection and a VIN history check are essential — skip them and you're gambling.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Ford Fiesta reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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