The vehicle experienced a sudden transmission failure while driving. Before the failure, the car began shuddering and hesitating during acceleration. It then started making loud metal grinding noises from the transmission area and eventually lost the ability to move properly when placed in Drive or Reverse. This created a safety risk because the vehicle could not accelerate normally in traffic and became difficult to control. The issue appears related to the transmission and/or clutch system. Warning messages and abnormal shifting behavior occurred prior to the failure. I previously asked a dealership in 2020/2021 to inspect and repair the transmission issues while the vehicle was still under warranty, but they stated the problem was not “bad enough” at that time and did not perform any repairs. The vehicle is currently inoperable due to this malfunction.
2013 Ford Fiesta: complete transmission failure
39 of the 668 complaints about the 2013 Ford Fiesta describe complete transmission failure.
- owner complaints
- 39
- of this car's complaints
- 6%
- typical mileage
- 25,000
- recalls
- 0
Complete transmission failure by model year
What owners say
I was driving down [XXX] . I stopped at a stoplight. When the light turned green I pressed the gas to accelerate when suddenly mid intersection my transmission went out causing me to have no power. Approximately 5 minutes prior to this I did get a message about a transmission malfunction. Due to the transmission going out I was stuck in the intersection. I had it towed to a shop where they have confirmed that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) has failed. There are a couple parts of the transmission that they have not been able to confirm whether they are working due to the TCM failing. I believe that the TCM failing can put drivers in a potentially unsafe position like it did to me. I was stuck in an intersection of 2 very busy roads due to this failure. I dont currently have the part that failed with me. It is still currently on the vehicle. The vehicle and component has not been inspected by anyone other than the shop it was towed to. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Cars transmission went out at 64000 miles car started jerking then showed a message to use brake stop safely I pulled over and then said transmission hot give a few minutes then after a few minutes it said transmission ready then I tried to drive it and it did the same thing all over again. When I got it home I found out the reverse is out
I have a 2013 Ford Fiesta that I had financed through a 3rd party just right at a year . The ride was rough to begin with and I began experiencing problems such as a loud shrieking/grinding noise under the hood , which triggered the check engine light . Also pressing the gas and the car not accelerating properly which causes jerking , stalling , and etc. I had a mechanic look at it and did minor repairs but this problem is reoccurring. Recently , I was backing out of a parking spot and shifted the car into drive from being in reverse and pressed the gas and it didn't accelerate it just made a loud revving noise and jerked until I proceeded out the parking lot into traffic. The car continued to jerk really ridiculously, and I had to put on emergency lights and pull over into the nearest parking lot. I then had to call someone to trail me home. I recently had it towed to a local transmission shop after it jerked/stalled out really bad on me in heavy traffic again and didn't really want to accelerate to the proper speed. The mechanics at the Transmission shop ran a thorough diagnostic , and other tests and let me know that it's the Transmission Control Module that needs replaced and that it has to go to the dealership. Well I called a Ford Dealership , and the representative said it takes months to get in a new Transmission Control Module and also that even when replaced it really does not fix the problem as per many other similar situations the service representative has dealt with. I have been completely screwed all the way around with this car and I'm not even sure why there isn't a recall on these 2013 Fod Fiesta because they are really dangerous and it's so very inconvenient with all the troubles that come with it.
Transmission keeps having problems. I was told to replace transmission module
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unintendedly shifted into neutral(N). Additionally, the contact stated that the transmission failed to shift into reverse(R) as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed a relearn, a visual inspection, and an adaptation test. No failure was found; however, the contact stated that the failure recurred. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Programs: 15N22 (Transmission Control Module), 19N07 (Transmission Control Module), and 14M02 (Transmission Control Module). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,901.
I bought a Ford Fiesta in 2013 at Ford Parkway, Winston Salem. I received a letter from Ford to recall this car due to the transmission being defective stating that I can either file a lawsuit or bring the car to Ford to replace the transmission. Ford said they would replace the transmission. After that, I noticed that the noise was a bit less than before and my wife started using the car but not daily because she has been working from home, which resulted in having less than 56K mileage. Recently, I noticed that the car was not running smoothly, and a loud noise started to come every time I drive the car. I went to Ford Parkway, they said the entire transmission needs to be replaced, I told them that they should have done so when they said they did back to 2017. However, the service department informed me that they only replaced the outer shaft and the clutches back then, even though this was a known manufacturer defect issue and Ford stopped making this model because of that. Now, because of not driving this car daily for long miles like most people do, the transmission problem popped up later than expected and after my warranty period has expired which I wouldn't have benefit from it anyway because of the coverage that was for the transmission software only. I talked with the service director at Ford parkway, and explained to him that the warranty period should have nothing to do with the defect issue because lots of people who were lucky enough discovered this fatal issue early enough to get reimbursed and settled from Ford without waiting all that long as in my case because of not driving the car daily. I also talked to Ford customer service and asked to speak with a regional manager, they refused and said that they opened a case for me but they could not let me talk with the regional manager because he couldn't do anything. I have the call Ref number. Please advise on how this fatal issue can be settled as it threats our safety every time we drive the car.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to respond and was jerking significantly. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while driving at various speeds. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to dealer several times. The dealer replaced the transmission clutch under warranty. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred 6 years later. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced; however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while coming to a stop, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated before stalling. The transmission failure message was displayed. Additionally, on several occasions, the vehicle would not immediately respond after shifting to reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission clutch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no assistance was offered. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
Constituent experienced transmission failure on their 2013 ford fiesta. The consumer stated the vehicle was apart of a class action lawsuit, but the consumer was unsatisfied with the settlement.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made abnormal sounds and then lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with transmission failure. The mechanic replaced the transmission; however, the failure recurred. Several unknown dealers were made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and two cases were opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the Better Business Bureau and the federal safety agency for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford fiesta. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the transmission failed to shift gears as needed. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to family ford (909 pike st, marietta, oh 45750) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired twice however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2016 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with...
- Ford is extending the warranty coverage on the DPS6 automatic transmission TCM to 10 years of service or...
- This customer satisfaction program updates the TCM software in affected vehicles to provide improved...
- Certain 2011 through 2014 Model Year Fiesta and Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission
- Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2016 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with...
- Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2014 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with...
- Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2014 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with...
- Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2014 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with...
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2013 Ford Fiesta transmission failure
Is complete transmission failure a common problem on the 2013 Ford Fiesta?
39 of 668 owner complaints about the 2013 Ford Fiesta (6%) mention complete transmission failure. The model year with the most reports is 2011.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2013 Ford Fiesta?
There are 0 recalls and 42 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2013 Ford Fiesta
Jerking 133Hesitation 97Shudder 93Door locks 90Grinding brakes 81Stalling 72Check engine light 47Slipping 40Loss of power 36Headlights 21Won't shift 20Harsh shifting 15Won't start 13Sudden acceleration 11Overheating 9Engine failure 7Adaptive cruise 6No deployment 6Airbag light 5Warning lights 5
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