Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Ford fiesta. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH uphill, the vehicle began to independently roll away in reverse. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200.
2012 Ford Fiesta powertrain problems
moderate 266 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
266
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
3injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 266 powertrain complaints filed for the 2012 Ford Fiesta, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Powertrain accounts for 43% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 10 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 266 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
What owners are reporting 12 most recent
Car makes a grinding noise at low speed acceleration. *tr
The "affected part" is the transmission. The "incident" that occurred is a recurring problem with the power shift transmission. When the car's automatic transmission is in "drive" or "reverse", and the driver takes his foot off the brake or accelerator, the car acts as though it is in neutral for about 1 second. If the car is on a hill, the car will roll downhill during that brief period when…
Car won’t go in reverse. Transmission buckles and shifts violently at times.
When I purchased the car it has a really bad hesitation whenever it switched gears. I took it back the very next day and it was supposedly fixed. However when I got the car back I was told that the shutter would never go away because that's how the car was supposed to function. Lately this is the third time I have had to take the car back since feb 2016. This last time I was leaving from my…
Car has had transmission problems delay in shifts and jerky loud grinding noises. Have had 3 clutch repaires to solve and now to my forth. I've had three close calls as the car failed to accelerate acting almost if the brake was applied when entering trafic. These have been spaced over my ownership since 10/2011. The dealer and the tech tells me this is a design defect and that Ford will no…
Transmission failed when driving on city streets. The car started to make a grinding/rattling noise then started slipping out of gear.
Transmission/shift vibrates and shakes when it shifts and on occasion dies at stops. Hesitates sometimes when accelerating from stop. Taken to dealer multiple time, they apply software updates and deny anything is wrong. Dealer and Ford motors say it is within guidelines and refuse to do anything further.. *tr
TCM transmission module recalled my Ford store in fort walton beach said they would not replace TCM under recall I would have to pay out of pocket
High pitch noise/squeelwhen clutch is used from a cold start for the first few miles. This will be the second replacment in two months. *tr
Had powertrain trouble with your 2012 Ford Fiesta?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2012 Ford Fiesta?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 266 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 194 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 24,000 and 78,000 miles, with the median around 45,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 24,000; a quarter make it past 78,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Ford/Fiesta.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.