2011 Ford Fiesta: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
730 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Read the guide
Ford Focus and Fiesta 2011 to 2016: the PowerShift transmission, explained for buyers, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 730 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 48.67
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Ford has had a long known issue with 2011-2015-FIESTA ( Cuautitlan ) they issued a Customer Satisfaction Program that ended June 2025. I purchased the car July 2026 used w/o none issues. Checked VIN for recall and Maryland Inspected. Driving it one week and the check engine light comes on. Apparently the TCM recognized a change in driving pattern but FORD will not honor the replacement. How is it not a safety is…
While driving my car with my two little nieces in the backseat, I heard a sound that made me think a wheel was coming off. As long as I was driving straight, the vehicle seemed to be okay. But when I made a turn onto the next road, something broke underneath the car and we began to spin around. It felt like the wheels were rubbing under the floor of the car and we were in the middle of the street. When I got out, I…
I am having issues with the fuse box under the hood. I keep shorting out on my headlights ans AC clutch relay. I've purchased new head lights (bulbs), replaced them and they still didn't work. I checked the fuses after investigation online and they have blown. I had my AC completely fixed and it ran fine for a while, then stopped working. I had it checked and was told the AC relay clutch fuse was loose. I replace…
Recalls: 3 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 12V488000 | 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. |
| 20V331000 | 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. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed… |
| 15V246000 | 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. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 119,567… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a city car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 32 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $1,900
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Power Train366 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Structure125 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Engine108 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System96 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other58 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Vehicle Speed Control57 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Ford Fiesta years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Ford Fiesta?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (366 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Ford Fiesta a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 50/100, computed from 730 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Ford Fiesta's most common problem?
366 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Ford Fiesta sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Ford Fiesta cost to run per year?
About $5,314 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,572 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Ford Fiesta have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Ford Fiesta, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 05/10/2012. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other economys of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Ford Fiesta really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 730 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 730 NHTSA complaints on record (48.7/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (23.5/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems