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Ford · NHTSA safety record

2019 Ford Fiesta

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 105 safety complaints about the 2019 Ford Fiesta with the US government. Of those, 13 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 9 people were injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it, covering back-over prevention and the hydraulic brakes.

The most complained-about system is back-over prevention, named in 31 complaints, 30% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 51,000 miles, the median across the 41 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers May 2019 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

105 complaints on file

105

Complaints

13

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

9

People injured

0

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.

Complaints more than doubled year on year: 40 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 18 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
BACK OVER PREVENTION 31 · 30%
POWER TRAIN 21 · 20%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 17 · 16%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11 · 10%
ENGINE 10 · 10%
SERVICE BRAKES 10 · 10%
AIR BAGS 8 · 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 · 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 3 · 3%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 3 · 3%
STRUCTURE 2 · 2%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 · 2%
0 15 31

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 105.

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 2025 at 34.

36 27 18 9
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

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 2019 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.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

25V695000 · October 13, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
The risk
A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,448,655 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

24V951000 · December 20, 2024

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Flex, Fiesta, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. The rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image.
The risk
A rearview camera that displays a blank or distorted image can reduce the drivers view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed January 22, 2025. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated March 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S75.

Ford Motor Company · up to 30,715 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

19V629000 · August 28, 2019

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Fiesta vehicles. The brake calipers may have been manufactured with the incorrect assembly fluid, which can cause the caliper's rubber seals to swell.
The risk
The swollen seals can cause the brakes to drag, potentially overheating the brakes and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake fluid and replace the front brake calipers and brake hoses, free of charge. The recall began October 10, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S27.

Ford Motor Company · up to 2,624 vehicles across all model years covered

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.

ENGINE

4 injured

Catastrophic Engine Failure due to the manufacturer's recommendation and use of conventional motor oils in the form of Synthetic Blend Motor Oil or Super Premium Motor Oil, a specification WSS-M2C945-B1 , from the 2019 Ford Fiesta Owner Manual. It leaves the driver and occupants stranded in the middle of the road with an inoperable vehicle. Being a small 4 cylinder engine the engine is high revving and produces sludge. Whereas if the manufacturer recommended Full Synthetic oil as the car parts store do as part of the oils usable for that specific model. There would have been no engine failure as occurred with my vehicle on 11/22/2022. No sludge would form in the engine. Because synthetic

NHTSA complaint 11497766, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 30,000 miles

LOST CONTROL OF CAR. FIRST IMPACT WAS A TREE STUMP AS CAR WAS TURNING, HIT TREE STUMP. SHE WENT FORWARD AND HIT HEAD ON STIRRING WHEEL. AIR BAG AT STEERING WHEEL DID NOT INFLATE OR DEPLOY. ONLY SIDE DOOR ON LEFT SIDE FILLED WITH AIR.SECOND IMPACT CAR TILTS OVER THEN AIRBAG ON SIDE DOOR INFLATE. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET.

NHTSA complaint 11245817. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 20,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 FORD FIESTA. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO AN ELECTRICAL POLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER LANDING IN FRONT OF A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES DUE TO MAKING CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CITY'S LOCAL IMPOUND LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY

NHTSA complaint 11257503, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 40,800 miles

The contact owned a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, a deer simultaneously jumped in front of the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle crashed into the deer. The front driver’s side air bag deployed; however, the front dash air bag failed to deploy. The contact’s wrist, neck, and shoulder were sore. No medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,800.

NHTSA complaint 11516949. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
My granddaughter and I were driving the car around 50mph. When suddenly we smelled burning. The car wouldnt go when I pressed the gas pedal. We smelled the loudest weird smell. So I immediately pulled into the closest car clinic. The breaks were blue and almost on fire. No warning or anything. Turns out, It was the abs control module. It totally failed and caused the breaks to lock up completely. Which almost caught fire. The break pads were blue. We were terrified. After getting Calipers, break pads, and rotars repaired costing $712. I still have to pay another $1000 when I get paid in a week. To get the abs control Module repaired. Because the car isn’t drivable without that repair. I

NHTSA complaint 11766969, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Due to distorted camera image, that has been in our ford fiesta 2019 car for few years now, my daughter-in-law got to a parking accident that is going to insurance now. We have been contacting multiple times ford service to complete the recall. It is unfair that this kind of issue is not fixed and causing safety concerns.

NHTSA complaint 11767047. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was suppose to get a 2nd letter about the recall for the rear view camera to be fixed yet I never got the letter I got the 1st one but not the 2nd one I have been to the dealership they said to me it would be this month but now talking about not till December yet I heard from other ppl has gotten their fix why is it taking so long for me to get my letter

NHTSA complaint 11766293. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

65,400 miles

The contact owned a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, there was an abnormal burning odor on the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with ABS control modular failure. The contact was informed that during the production of the vehicle, the manufacturer used brake fluid which caused the brake pads to swell and corrode. The contact was informed that the front and rear brake pads and rotors had seized. The contact was informed that the failure was a fire risk. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The contact agreed to a voluntary buy back. The failure mileage was approximately

NHTSA complaint 11766063, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to perform the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were still unavailable.

NHTSA complaint 11764942. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint 11761832. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford Fiesta

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2018 35 0 1
2017 74 0 1
2016 178 0 1
2015 258 4 —
2014 502 7 —
2013 667 3 —
2012 617 3 —
2011 730 3 3

Other 2019 Ford models

F-150 1,329 F-250 SD 1,164 Edge 769 Escape 588 Expedition 505 F-350 SD 467 Ecosport 460 Fusion 315

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Ford on this site — 359 vehicles.

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.

Where these numbers come from

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.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst