2011 Ford Fiesta: check engine light

Filed Aug 20, 2026 · Engine · MD

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 issue with the vehicle can decide not to engage risking a collision? I am willing to pay for the labor of the part but would like the part covered as it should.

Filed Jul 30, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · 144,000 miles · SC

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure was not duplicated. Additionally, the contact received notification of Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02; however, the dealer informed the contact that there was no indication of transmission failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the repair could not be covered under an unknown special program or recall. The contact was advised to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the safety failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

Filed Jul 8, 2025 · Transmission · 196,489 miles · NM

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated or jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the shift motor was defective. The contact was informed that the part was covered under warranty and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after the repair, the check engine warning light returned while leaving the dealer parking lot. The contact continued driving the vehicle and the vehicle entered LIMP Mode while driving to the residence. The vehicle was returned to the dealer the next day and the contact was informed that the transmission control module was defective and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was not covered under warranty and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair; the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 196,489.

Filed Sep 23, 2024 · Engine, Transmission · 82,000 miles · NJ

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the battery was replaced. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond and sputtered. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle the following day, the vehicle failed to start and was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic related the failure to the transmission. The contact was referred to the dealer for an unknown recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for the TCM to be replaced under Ford Campaign Number: 14M02. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the TCM was replaced; however, the dealer informed the contact that the TCM could not be programmed to the transmission clutch. The dealer determined that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Filed Jun 9, 2023 · Acceleration, Transmission · MI

Upon acceleration from a stop the transmission seriously shutters and stalls the vehicles engine seriously putting the occupants life and safety at risk as well as others. I also noticed that the vehicle shutters badly at speeds 3mph through 25mph bucking and stalling the engine all the way through making driving the vehicle a real danger and threat to the safety of others on the road. This is a serious and dangerous situation I’ve been placed in and by this vehicle being my only source of transportation endangers my life and safety and the safety of others on the road due to the stalling and hesitation upon entering traffic it’s deadly. Weather conditions also contribute to the life threatening dangers while traveling. Vehicle has not been inspected by a certified technician due to to my extended hours of required employment with no other source of transportation yet I am more than willing to get a free inspection by a Ford Facility. Yes there is a yellow check engine light on the dashboard that was never present up until the shuttering and stalling started 3 to 4 months ago. Please update me with any solutions you may have ASAP to address this urgent and faulty issue, this is of great importance and safety concern. It has been brought to my attention that a article dated July 18, 2019 in the Detroit Free Press states “Ford is aware of this problem yet still put the vehicle into production and sent a memo to its dealers advising them to address the issue and customers concerns and repair the Known Problem free of charge. Please reach out and instruct me with this Known Ford Problem so that we can resolve this ASAP.

Filed Feb 2, 2023 · Transmission · 111,000 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while attempting to shift the vehicle into reverse, the vehicle failed to respond. The check engine and an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 111,000.

Filed Jan 8, 2023 · Transmission · NE

No incident yet but can smell burnt clutch only 58,000 miles it's the dual clutch for DP6 transmission I think is the name of the transmission , if clutch fails while going up hill and hits the vehicle behind you because all of a sudden your car is not moving . Not related to 2011 Ford Fiesta , but girlfriends 2014 Ford Focus with around 58,000 miles on it ,mileage is close to my miles , transmission has problems transmission and engine light came on , code said actuator A is bad , but from what I've read on the internet that when transmission and engine light both come on it says bad transmission control module . Her car is 2014 Ford focus , going to call dealer tomorrow, her extended warranty expired in August of last year . I have also read that Ford has extended warranty on TCM to 10 years . We are not wanting to take it there an have them tell us transmission needs replaced . I've owned Ford's all my life never seen so many transmission problems with a vehicle as Ford has with this dual clutch transmission. I used to be a mechanic all my life , I rebuilt transmissions for 14 years never seen any ford problems like these transmissions are having . If we are told her transmission is bad that will be the last Ford's I'll ever own , transmission replacement is 7000 to 8000 dollars to replace when Ford knows this transmission has problems , not really fair an owner has to spend that kind of money on something that Ford knows is bad from the year 2011 to 2018. Thank you for your time

Filed Nov 7, 2022 · Transmission · RI

My car would lose power while driving. Also, my 2011 Ford Fiesta would jump out of gear to hit the car in front of me when stopped at a light. Shuddering noises and when it lost power I would get locked out of the car. My safety and that of a passenger was at risk! I parked the car afraid to drive it and had it towed to a Ford Dealership. I was told a clutch module was recalled but, they didn't know if it was the problem.. As of today November 7, 2022 since last Wednesday the 3rd of November I have not heard back. I have anxiety waiting and I am afraid of my own car. I feel this car was a danger to drive as there were no warning lights and I did manage to stop at auto zone and 10 different codes came up all referring to the clutch and my ck engine light did not come on. I am a senior and I wish to sue the Ford company for this dangerous problem and safety issue. I could have been killed or have rear ended the car in front of me and the power loss was dangerous as well.

Filed Nov 5, 2022 · Engine · CA

On 4 Nov 22 the engine started shifting abruptly when accelerating - automatic transmission. Vehicle would not reverse while in R on the handle. Check engine light icon appears on dash panel. Unable to go beyond low speeds on road, causing safety hazard.

Filed Aug 23, 2022 · Transmission · 135,000 miles · AZ

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that when the vehicle was shifted to reverse, the vehicle failed to engage in the correct gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the TCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred on numerous occasions. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer and remained. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

Filed May 19, 2022 · Transmission · FL

We have owned this vehicle for approximately two years. The vehicle would occasionally loose power/shut off while driving, specifically when slowing to a stop or turning a corner. Several times when this occurred the vehicle was being driven in heavy traffic and we were almost rear ended by drivers behind us due to the sudden stopping of the Fiesta. We initially believed that it was due to faulty oxygen sensors and had them replaced. (There was a check engine light that came on and the codes indicated an issue with the oxygen sensors.) Earlier this year the problem started again. When leaving our neighborhood, the car shut off and would not start again. The car was placed in park and would not shift out of park. After leaving the car parked on the side of the road for approximately 30 minutes, we were able to start the car and shift it out of park. It drove fine the rest of the day. The next day the car again lost power while driving. We were unable to shift the car out of drive and had to have it towed. It has been sitting at the dealership since the beginning of February awaiting a replacement Transmission Control Module, which we have been told is on back order. We have purchased three used/rebuilt TCMs and taken them to the dealer (one was pulled from a car at a local junk yard and two were purchased online) to have them installed. None of the parts that we provided were able to be programmed by dealership after being installed. We were originally told by the dealership that a new replacement parts from Ford are on backorder and aren't expected to be received for at least 6 months. Our local Ford dealership (where our vehicle currently is awaiting repairs) has 8 Focus and Fiesta's sitting awaiting new TCMs.

Filed Apr 15, 2022 · Engine, Transmission · 106,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the clutch was slipping. Additionally, oil was leaking onto the transmission. The check engine warning light illuminated and then went off. The contact called the local dealer, who informed her that the vehicle did not meet the criteria for the service campaign. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.