Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 35 safety complaints
about the 2018 Ford Fiesta with the US government. Of those, 4 describe a crash and 1 death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is the power train,
named in 10 complaints, 29% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 37,000 miles,
the median across the 17
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers April 2019 to January 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
35 complaints on file
35
Complaints
4
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
0
People injured
1
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 10 · 29%
10 29%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 9 · 26%
9 26%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6 · 17%
6 17%
ENGINE 6 · 17%
6 17%
AIR BAGS 5 · 14%
5 14%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2 · 6%
2 6%
SUSPENSION 2 · 6%
2 6%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 · 3%
1 3%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 · 3%
1 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 · 3%
1 3%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 1 · 3%
1 3%
SEATS 1 · 3%
1 3%
0815
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 35.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2020 at 7.
8 6 4 2
192019202020212021222022232023242024252025262026
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2019 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2018 Ford FIESTA, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
4 DR FWD
5 HB FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
14.3%
14.3%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
POWER TRAIN
1 death · crash · towed · 23,133 miles
VEHICLE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WHEN A VIBRATION WAS FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL, THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED LOSE POWER. GEAR SHIFT STILL IN DRIVE ENGINE STILL RUNNING AND COASTED TO A STOP ON SIDE OF HIGHWAY. VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED FOUND OUT THAT THE LEFT DRIVE AXLE HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED AT THE TRANSMISSION END. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE SV HAS NO WAY TO MAINTAIN A SAFE SPEED.-++++++*DT*DT*DT*JB*JB*DT*JB*DT
NHTSA complaint 11398847. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
crash · towed · 23,000 miles
ON 7/2/2019 MY WIFE AND I WAS IN A PRETTY BAD WRECK TOTALING OUR CAR. THERE WAS MASSIVE DAMAGE DONE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR HOWEVER THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. WITH THE DAMAGE DONE THERE'S NO REASON THE AIR BAGS SHOULDN'T HAVE WENT OFF. WE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY HEADING HOME WHEN THIS HAPPENED
NHTSA complaint 11230761. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
crash · towed
12/4/2023 while attempting to pull into a parking spot in a parking garage car suddenly accelerated forward at a very fast rate, just prior to acceleration felt like it shuddered. Afraid that it would keep going and go over edge so I pulled to the right while trying to brake and hit a concrete barrier. Terrifying! October 23, 2019 another couple had this happen in another parking garage downtown Indianapolis and they were killed. Car went over the edge. Must have been on my mind! Have owned this car since 02/23/2022, no problems whatsoever, checked out in September of this 2023, all maintenance up to date. Weather was dry and floor pads were not in way (bringing this up because I was asked …
NHTSA complaint 11562850, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
crash
Hello. While traveling in the right lane on the Interstate (I-43) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, heading southbound with a semi-truck in the center lane, the rear of my vehicle seemed to Lift/Rise off the ground and move (as if the rear of my auto was floating) to the right. I was at the point of being between at the semi-trucks front right tire and his bumper. I was involved in an accident with said semi-truck, thinking he was changing lanes from center lane to right lane and bumped my Left-Rear-Quarter-Panel. After much though and calming down, it seems as if my auto was pushed or lifted in a hydro plane effect by the air between my auto and the semi-truck. The day was clear and dry out around …
NHTSA complaint 11427692, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The back up camera quit working. The back seats are taller and it has made it very difficult to see if there are children behind my vehicle. I reported it to the dealership and now I have to pay $200.00 to have them check it.
NHTSA complaint 11710639. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Back-up camera goes in and out intermittently, sometimes the image is very faint and then totally disappears into a black screen, or says it is not available at this time, then goes black. This started about 4 months ago and I have not been able to identify a triggering factor, rain nor heat does not appear to be the factor that causes it. My car was purchased 2018 with 13 miles and I now have only 21,897 miles never been in an accident or anything to cause this issue. The dealer said my vehicle is not under the recall guidelines although it completely mimics the recalled issues listed under NHTSA#23S48/25V273 also the dealer says the issue has to be present for the mechanic to see. When I …
NHTSA complaint 11693432, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Purchased vehicle at the end of 2018 and this is the third time I have had to replace the horn. It's not a fuse, it's not wiring, it is the actual horn that either shorts or dies with no notice.
NHTSA complaint 11656291. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
Hello, I have zero idea why I am emailing, I may be secretly hoping for...anything. I drive a 2018 Ford Fiesta SE, I have owned it since 2019 as that is when I purchased it used. Over the weekend I experienced transmission issues and an auto shop informed me that I am in need of a transmission rebuild due to the clutch going out. The estimated cost is 3.4k. I came across this article from 2019: [XXX] Within the article Ford notes: "The transmissions (dual-clutch automatic transmissions known as DPS6 designed for fuel efficiency) were introduced in the 2011 model year Fiesta and 2012 Focus. They were used until the Focus was discontinued with the 2018 model year and until the 2019 Fiesta". …
NHTSA complaint 11635077, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
My engine has been malfuctioning over the following year. I've gotten repairs and it continues to do so. I'm asking for a recall.
NHTSA complaint 11614281. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
97,260 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger’s side door independently opened. The door ajar warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) however, neither the VIN nor the model year was included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 97,260.
NHTSA complaint 11597942. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst