2012 Ford Fiesta: grinding or squealing brakes

Filed Dec 23, 2019 · Transmission · 54,000 miles · CA

Transmission failed when driving on city streets. The car started to make a grinding/rattling noise then started slipping out of gear.

Filed Nov 2, 2016 · Transmission · NC

Jerks and shudders when accelerating constantly - on highways and city streets. Transmission makes a grinding noise when driving. Sometimes will take a few seconds to accelerate at all - this is very dangerous on highways because the car will get "stuck" and not accelerate.

Filed Apr 4, 2016 · Transmission · 26,000 miles · FL

This is my daughters car she lives in los angeles. She had me fly over from florida to evaluate her car because she was afraid to drive it. I was shocked what I found. The auto 'powershift' transmission developed serious stutter hesitation and grinding when pulling away from a stop. Vehicle sometimes failed to accelerate unless full throttle applied which was terrifying on the interstate. Serious shudder was experienced at low speed giving impression engine could stall. No confidence car was safe to drive. Transmission has already been repaired twice but is now worse than ever with only 26000 miles. I have had two vehicles with the ford powershift both developed similar problems with low mileage. These transmissions are not safe!

Filed Feb 18, 2016 · IN

I bought my fiesta last year in march. Since the day I got the car it has violently shaken and shuddered when pressing the gas and moving the car forward. It makes a horrible grinding noise. It's almost as if the transmission is going out but I've been told by the dealer that I bought it from that it's not the transmission and that "it's supposed to sound like that." I don't think so and after reading all of the similar complaints from other drivers, I'm starting to get frustrated. This sounds like a serious issue and I would like to see it corrected. My car had somewhat stalled several times in oncoming traffic both in the city and on the highway and I fear for my safety and fear for myself financially if this vehicle dies before it even turns 5 years old.

Filed Jan 29, 2016 · Transmission · 1 miles · TX

The transmission has a hard time shifting, it jerks, grinds and shakes a lot. The dealer has replaced the clutch, transmission module, and the whole transmission twice. It happens mostly in traffic at lower speeds, and not it is having problems in higher speeds. I have almost hit a few people because it will suddenly jerk forward when it shifts violently. Nothing ford or other mechanics have done to fix it have helped, and carmax just laughs and sends me away when I go back to them. This car has had this problem everyday since I got it.

Filed Jan 8, 2016 · Transmission · GA

The transmission slips, shudders and makes very unusual noises, I've had the clutch in it replaced just a few months ago and 2 weeks ago it starts the same thing all over again only now it's making a grinding noise when I start off until I get out of second gear, on occasions I could be stopped at a red light and the car would't even go, it's very difficult dealing with ford on this matter because they need to keep my car and leave me with nothing to drive, they refuse a rental car. I have to drive my car many miles with my 7 year old son in it and it's not safe at all.

Filed Dec 24, 2015 · Transmission · NY

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 longer offer this transmission design. This is a truly unsafe car when the clutch fails. The car was purchased new and had been reprogrammed 6 times and now will have its 4th new clutch installed and it only has 58,800 miles.

Filed Dec 7, 2015 · Engine, Transmission · 32,889 miles · FL

I bought the car less than 5 months ago and have driven it 2,580 miles. The transmission and clutch are defective. It has been to the shop 3 times, they have already reprogrammed it, replaced the clutch and now they are replacing the transmission control module. The car has not shifted right from the day I bought it. It feels like it is going to "stall" when I'm in reverse (in motion), or when going from stop to go. I have been braking on numerous occasions, when it decided to upshift, lurching the vehicle forward, once into a crosswalk, once very close to another vehicle. This is very dangerous. It never drives the same way twice. When entering traffic, it doesn't always want to shift properly, and has lack of acceleration or a delay. It shakes, hard sometimes (in motion and stationary), it feels like you are in a massage chair. It makes a weird clicking noise, at times (in motion.) other times a weird grinding noise. Today it wouldn't get out of 1st gear (in motion) and had to be towed back to the dealer. I had to call out of work and I am concerned for my safety. Car bought 7/72015 - problems have been going on until today - 12/7/2015

Filed Nov 24, 2015 · Acceleration, Transmission · 26,000 miles · MA

Have had many instances of jerking and grinding while the vehicle shifted gears. However now vehicle struggles to accelerate when under load, engine revs but vehicle does not accelerate. This occurs notably when going from 10-20mph and trying to accelerate, as when trying to merge onto a highway from a ramp. Owned manual cars that required clutch replacement, sensation is similar. Vehicle has 26k miles, has had two clutches and three computer updates. Told by dealership that vehicle is safe to drive while they wait for parts, I disagree.

Filed Nov 15, 2015 · Transmission · AR

Our 2012 fiesta with 30k miles has had constant problems with the automatic transmission. It has uneven and erratic shifts, pronounced shuddering, grinding and rattling. Slow progressive starts from a stop usually result in shuddering, it's actually smoother to mash the accelerator to the floor. Pulling up our steep driveway and into the garage is tricky, also results in shuddering and lurching. The behavior of the transmission is unpredictable to the point that I consider it to be an unsafe distraction. The dealer, and ford, have issued service bulletins and a recall of sorts. It has been back to the dealer three times but apparently the only fix is reprogramming which isn't working. From conversations with the ford technician and from what I've seen online I get the impression that it's common knowledge that these transmissions don't work and are potentially unsafe.

Filed Oct 21, 2015 · Transmission · 40,000 miles · ME

I have had consistent problems with the dual automated clutch transmission(powershift) in this vehicle...some of the symptoms include shuddering, hesitation, gear clanging, grinding, and bucking of the vehicle (which I believe are directly related the car's transmission). These symptoms have at times dangerously impacted my ability to control the vehicle during normal driving conditions. I have made several attempts with the dealership and car manufacturer to get these issues resolved, and their attempts have been disappointing and ineffective thus far. I am currently involved in the third attempt to get these issues resolved with the dealership...this is also the second attempt of the dealership to correct the problems by replacing several failing components in transmission. I don't feel confident that these issues can be resolved. I feel unsafe driving this vehicle. The above mentioned symptoms occur intermittently while the car is in motion and in stop and go traffic.

Filed Oct 19, 2015 · Transmission · 75,000 miles · MO

Transmission is not shifting right. Had it to the dealership on 3 separate occasions. Stalls out when shifting, losing power while accelerating, often pausing before finally shifting. Transmission shifts when it doesn't need too. Usually in motion is when all of the above takes place. Grinding noise and shudder. Clearly it is the faulty transmission.