Most common 2013 Ford Fiesta problems
Share of the 668 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Fiesta complaints by model year
Best Fiesta years: 2018, 2017, 2019. Years to avoid: 2011, 2013, 2012. Compare all years →
2013 Ford Fiesta recalls (3)
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
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.
Remedy: 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.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
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.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags
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.
Remedy: 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…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2013 Ford Fiesta:
Door Latch Failures
In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (MY) 2012-2014 Ford Fiesta, and 2013-2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ.
Door Latch Failure
On September 11, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE14-028) to investigate claims of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2011-2013 Ford Fiesta vehicles. ODI has received 207 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with sixty-five claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion.
Door Latch Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2011-2013 Ford Fiesta, MY 2013 Ford Fusion and MY 2013 Lincoln MKZ vehicles.
What 2013 Ford Fiesta owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 391 →
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while making a left turn at the traffic light, with her grandchild in a car seat in the rear passenger seat, the rear passenger's side door opened inadvertently. The contact stopped in the middle of the road. A bystander attempted to close the rear passenger's side door; however, the door failed to closed. The bystander was able to keep the door closed by using a cord. The contact moved her grandchild to the rear middle seat. The contact also stated that while driving on another occasion, the front driver's side and front passenger's side doors inadvertently opened. Additionally, the contact stated while driving on a slight incline, the vehicle inadvertently rolled back. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the failed to respond. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the transmission seemed to have slipped out of gear, and the vehicle decelerated to 10 MPH. As the contact depressed the accelerator, the vehicle was bucking into gear. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated and there was an indicator flashing that the transmission had overheated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the TCM needed to be replaced. Additionally, the TCM failure caused damages to the transmission and the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact drove the vehicle from the dealer to her residence; however, while driving, the vehicle stalled and was towed to the residence. …
Engine & cooling all 113 →
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on three occasions, the vehicle jerked, lost motive power, and failed to accelerate above 25 MPH. The check engine, oil, and ECM warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and restarted. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where the failure could not be replicated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the failure persisted. The check engine and ECM warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the Transmission Malfunction message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the RPM increased with the engine revving; however, the vehicle failed to respond. Additionally, the vehicle also failed to reverse as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle also failed to exceed 10 MPH while driving. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
Body & structure all 78 →
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle would not accelerate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that as he restarted the vehicle and switched gears to drive, the vehicle would not move. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the brake calipers had seized onto the rotors. The contact stated that the brake calipers, brake pads, brake lines, and the rotors were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred intermittently while driving. The independent mechanic diagnosed that the ABS assembly needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The vehicle had failed to start. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was not safe to drive. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 14M02. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch, the TCM, and the doors needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
2013 Ford Fiesta engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 6-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 29 / 37 / 32 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 29 / 37 / 32 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Ford Fiesta a good car?
Based on 668 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Fiesta rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Fiesta at the same age. It is one of the Fiesta years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Ford Fiesta?
The transmission & drivetrain — 391 complaints, 59% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (113) and body & structure (78).
How many recalls does the 2013 Ford Fiesta have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2013 Ford Fiesta, the most recent from June 8, 2020 (latch). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Fiesta?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018, 2017 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011, 2013 and 2012. See the full Ford Fiesta years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 Ford Fiesta problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 31,000 miles; 66% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.