2013 Ford Fiesta Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2013 Fiesta mostly write about the automatic (dual-clutch) transmission: shuddering, hesitation, delayed or failed engagement, slipping, and warning messages such as "Transmission Malfunction." Many describe repeated trips to the dealer, clutch and control-module replacements, and repair costs they paid themselves. Secondary themes in the sample are doors unlatching or failing to close while driving, corroded headlight relays, and intermittent electrical or drivability faults.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Dual-clutch transmission shudder, hesitation and slip

   • 307 complaints (46%)
   • median 18,000 mi at 2.0 yrs old (261 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2026

   Complaints describe shuddering, jerking and hesitation when pulling away from a stop or accelerating, with the engine revving but speed not following. Owners report rough or delayed shifting between first and second gear, slipping, and occasional loss of motive power. Dealers often replaced the clutch, shift forks or related seals, and some owners say the same symptoms returned after repair or that the dealer found nothing wrong. Reported from very low mileage up past 150,000 miles, frequently from a stop or at low speeds.

   7 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car repeatedly from a stop and at low speed, feeling for shudder or hesitation, and ask for service records showing whether clutch or transmission software work was already done. Note that a service bulletin describes an extended warranty on the transmission control module for these vehicles.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am the 2nd owner of the vehicle. This car had no known issues until 6 mohts after purchase. I purchased this car in march 26, 2018. Car stutters when accelerating, when I first push the gas pedal the car acts as if I’m push both the gas and break it doesn’t know if it wants to go or not the RPM revs up really high but the speed doesn’t change. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11372885, filed 2020-11, 122,518 miles

   “At a red light my car began acting funny when the light turned green the car was hesitant to go it was having trouble shifting and accelerating the check engine light came on the next day and the code came back for a clutch sensor I have a dual transmission Ford Fiesta the car wont turn over sometimes and has trouble stopping”

   NHTSA complaint #11338312, filed 2020-07, 77,900 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission control module failure and warning messages

   • 233 complaints (35%)
   • median 24,534 mi at 2.7 yrs old (194 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2026

   Owners describe the vehicle failing to shift into reverse or dropping out of gear, sometimes with a check engine light and messages such as "Transmission Malfunction" or "Transmission Overheating." In several cases the dealer diagnosed a failed transmission control module and quoted a replacement, and some owners mention parts back orders or repeated failures after earlier repairs. Others report no warning light during the event. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 150,000 miles, occurring during ordinary driving including reversing and inclines.

   7 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the transmission control module software update or replacement has been done and keep any warranty paperwork, since coverage was extended. Check that reverse engages promptly on a test drive and scan for stored transmission codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The car has an issue with the PCM. It has a recall that was never fixed, but a code pops up regarding that issue when I self diagnose the car. Also, my transmission is acting up and a wrench light pops up saying engine malfunction. Service now. The transmission shudders too when accelerating and now the car drives slow constantly.”

   NHTSA complaint #11360170, filed 2020-09, 79,100 miles

   “Car remains stuttering idiling high then low atemps to shut off from time to time, I have taking vehicle to get checked at local Ford dealer only when check engine light comes on and says TCM failure or mal function, they repair the part if it's available but now car still does the same thing only difference no oncheck engine light comes on now all repair has to come out of my pocket because they say no check engine light displayed sonrhwy have to guess whatbitnis. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11297157, filed 2020-01, 72,675 miles
3. 3
   Latches, locks and linkages

   Doors unlatching or failing to stay closed

   • 151 complaints (23%)
   • median 43,000 mi at 2.8 yrs old (128 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $500 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2026

   Complaints describe a door, often a rear passenger door, opening on its own while driving, and in some cases the door then not staying closed. Owners mention improvised fixes to keep doors shut and visits to the dealer, where some were told a latch part needed replacement or that the door was inspected and no fault was found. Several owners connect the symptom to a door latch recall campaign. Reported across a wide mileage range, typically in everyday driving at moderate speeds.

   Recall 20V331000Recall 15V246000

   What to check: Verify with a dealer whether the door latch recalls were completed on the specific vehicle, and open and close every door firmly to check that latches hold and release normally.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The door on my 2013 Ford Fiesta open!! My daughter was making a left turn to merge on to the interstate when the rear passenger door flew open and all the things she had fell out! Suppose my little nieces were in there or the door flies open and a car hits it! I looked up how to fix when I came across a recall stating the doors unlatch!! Recall: 20s30 is the recall; I went to the dealership. The service advisor stated they don?t have the ?kits? To fix all 4 doors right now and they won?t have them until september !! …”

   NHTSA complaint #11331199, filed 2020-06, 90,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the front passenger's side door latch had malfunctioned and the door would not remain closed or locked. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 105,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11349001, filed 2020-08, 105,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine stalling or losing power while driving

   • 47 complaints (7%)
   • median 40,000 mi at 3.0 yrs old (39 state mileage)
   • filed 2013–2021

   Some owners describe the engine stalling, sputtering or losing power at speed, sometimes with rough idling and warning messages, and restarting the vehicle temporarily helping. Complaints mention dealers being unable to reproduce the fault or finding no stored codes, leaving the problem unresolved. A few owners describe the accelerator becoming unresponsive during the event. Reported from about 60,000 miles upward, including highway driving and acceleration from a stop.

   What to check: Ask for a diagnostic scan and any history of stalling or no-start reports, and test the car on a highway run. Since some complaints note no fault codes stored, a pre-purchase inspection focused on drivability is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Bought this car used 2013 on 12-01-2020 had less than 2 weeks and it completely shut down on my daughter driving to work, took to local dealer they said nothing they could find, but this is a very dangerous thing to happen for no reason the car just down thank goodness she was not on the highway! …”

   NHTSA complaint #11384167, filed 2020-12, 81,030 miles

   “Engine malfunction service now message appears randomly. Engine loses power, no accelerator pedal function while highway or street driving, in traffic, presenting a dangerous driving hazard. Ford dealer say's no DTC found upon testing. Cannot determine cause, cannot repair .”

   NHTSA complaint #11351499, filed 2020-08, 167,000 miles
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Low-beam headlights failing (corroded relay)

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report low-beam headlights going out intermittently and then failing entirely, with some finding a badly corroded headlight relay in the fuse box. Complaints describe the corrosion as severe enough that the relay could not be pulled, and one owner says replacing the battery junction box resolved it. Some owners note a similar recall in Canada that they say does not apply to their vehicle. Reported mostly between about 50,000 and 110,000 miles, often noticed while driving at night.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Inspect the fuse and relay box in the engine bay for moisture or green corrosion at the headlight relays, and test the low beams on a test drive. A service bulletin for these cars describes cleaning and sealing the battery junction box.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle was parked while we ate dinner. When we started it, headlights would not come on. Drove home using high beams. Upon inspection discovered headlight relay was corroded. Research yielded a recall in atlantic canada for the same issue (19s28) but Ford USA does not recognize the issue. When we took our vehicle to the dealership, the tech said he'd seen the issue before. Resolved by replacing the battery junction box at great expense.”

   NHTSA complaint #11316983, filed 2020-03, 108,000 miles

   “Headlights on 2013 Ford Fiesta began working intermittently while driving at night. Upon further inspection, the low beam light relay was so badly corroded that it had broken off inside the fuse box, making the relay impossible to replace. The corrosion appears to be a result of a design flaw allowing moisture in the fuse box. Canada has a similar recall reference number 19s28 associated with this exact issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #11300484, filed 2020-01, 120,000 miles

Buying note. The dominant theme for this model year is the automatic transmission, so a long test drive at low speed and a check of warranty and repair history matter more than cosmetics. Confirming that open recalls were completed and that transmission and electrical service updates were applied helps set expectations before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.