2015 Ford Fiesta: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Jul 22, 2025 · Engine · CA

In May, my 2015 Ford Fiesta SE went into "limp mode" before reaching the speed limit of 25mph. Immediately afterwards it was taken into a local shop, Mobile Mechanic, where no codes were active and coolant level was between min and max level. Next day, car experienced misfiring check engine light and overheating before being looked at by a mechanic. Mechanic replaced spark plugs due to code reading misfiring in cylinder 3. Car still continued to misfire and due to slight lower level of coolant, Engine overheated and cracked a cylinder block in the 1.0-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost engine. This car is used to travel with two children under [XXX] and [XXX]. The beginning of June the car overheated on a hot day traveling home with the two kids and myself. We had to sit in the heat for close to an hour before temperature gauge returned to normal, I checked the coolant and it was still between min and max levels. On the same trip, it was on the verge of overheating again due to climbing the hill before our house. After finding out the cylinder block was cracked by my mechanic we discovered there has been a recall issue with the same engine, Recall 17S09, that began in January 2018, a month before I purchased my car from Redwood Ford in Ukiah California ([XXX]). I called W. C. Sanderson Ford in Healdsburg, California on July, 15th, 2025 to see if it would be possible to see if this recall was actually fixed on my vehicle, which they responded that the recall has nothing to do with my car and they can't do anything about my car. The representative specifically said that due to my car being 10 years old it has been disqualified of the recall and is no longer attached to my VIN. I have taken this car to the same local mechanic 4 times since the ending of May, 2025 for the same issues before we discovered the cracked cylinder block, mechanic took pictures of fluid and water inside cylinder 3. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jan 10, 2023 · Engine · MI

This goes with Incident 11500972 2015 Ford Fiesta SE purchased 2.8.18 Crest Ford in Center Line, MI Right away, began having issues. Taken in to Dealership 9.18.18. In 2019, I contacted them 3-4 times, asking when I could bring in for Recall on ignition, which was Warranty. On 3.9.20, took to Costco, engine had no power, wouldn't go above certain speeds, felt like it would stall. Said needed new battery, which I purchased. Seemed OK when picked up, lights on dash off. Immediately came back on with same problems. Next day, on 3.10.20 again contacted the Dealership, my complaint via email: "Repair Services: Put in a new battery, immediately brought up submarine, wrench, Check Transmission now on screen. Was told it's under Recall or an Extended Powertrain warranty. Also has 2 other official recalls on it would like fixed while it's there." In addition, I told them it would not go above certain speeds, so shifting is broken, feels like it will stall out. Invoice from Crest Ford: "Customer states the wrench light is on, he feels like the vehicle will not shift past 3rd gear as well, a new battery was put in and after that the vehicle started to have more issues" and "Corrected by Tech: [XXX] Warranty Installed AE8Z 7Z369 F：MODULE - TRANSMISSION CONT Qty: 1 Warranty Installed WPR：WARRANTY PART RETURN Qty: 1 Warranty trans warning message on, wrench light on, ids ck found fault po606, replaced and reprogrammed tcm per 14m02, relearned adaptive memories 3 and road tested ok at this time" These are all items Ford Fiesta RECALL, replaced, repaired. NOW BROKEN AGAIN. They Installed AE8Z 7Z369 F: MODULE - TRANSMISSION CONT, Installed WPR: WARRANTY PART RETURN The issues are SAME as now: "trans warning message on, wrench light on" These issues were already repaired, and again, after a new battery was installed, needs expensive parts, dx, I don't have car to drive as it won't go above certain speed! Local Ford pretending/lying saying there's NO RECALL INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO

Filed Apr 28, 2022 · Transmission · IL

Transmission does not shift correctly. Ford refuses to address the issues. This model was proven to have a faulty design. When will there be a recall? Before someone gets killed?

Filed Mar 16, 2022 · OK

Dealer replaced a faulty TCM, After receiving the vehicle back it still doesn't shift correctly or seem to acknowledge input from the gas pedal. will occasionally shift into neutral before going into the correct gear. At 45 MPH the RPM was 5000

Filed Jul 27, 2021 · Transmission · VA

Transmission is stuck in gear and car will no longer operate. Check engine light is on as well as all other warning lights. This is the 3rd repair for the transmission.

Filed May 27, 2021 · Transmission · MO

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING TO THE HOSPITAL IT STARTED CUTTING OUT AND WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS AND WOULD NOT GO. sO WE CALLED THE ROADSIDE SERVICE & HAD TO HAVED IT TOWED TO THE SHOP. NOW 3 WEEKS LATER IT IS COVERED BY A RECALL AND EXTENDED COVERAGE BUT IT MAY TAKE UP TO A YEAR TO GET THE PARTS, AND WE NEED A CAR. This is supposed to be due to a problem with these particular model of Ford. Well then they should at least provide us with a car until this one is fixed.

Filed May 12, 2021 · Transmission · 130,000 miles · MO

This car was going down the street and would not shift and stopped going and we had too get it towed to the ford house for repairs,

Filed Sep 1, 2016 · Engine · 44,800 miles · AR

The wrench light would come on while driving the vehicle. It would happen in both city and interstate driving. The vehicle would go into limp mode and I would just barely be able to get on to the shoulder of the highway. Definitely a safety issue in 70 MPH traffic. Stopping and restarting the engine would allow normal operation for about 5 miles. The problem would then occur again. The dealer diagnosed a bad throttle body with a code of p2011. I've read that ford has a history of these problems with throttle bodies. It seems they have not fixed the issue on newer models.

Filed Nov 12, 2015 · Transmission · 18,000 miles · TX

Car lunges forward while stopped at intersections. While on a highway in traffic rpms remained high after the transmission failed to downshift for approximately a mile. While attempting to accelerate the transmission doesn't shift up and just doesn't go. Rolls backwards down hills while trying to go forward and makes a clicking sound. Car has a really bad shutter when rounding curves and turning corners and occasionally follows with the car not accelerating. Has been to ford to be checked once already and was told it had nothing wrong with it and has a second appointment next week. I've only owned the car for 9 months and have put less than 10,000 miles on it. Sometimes the car feels like it will stall out while trying to shift up. When the car is parked can hear clicking in transmission as it rocks excessively on level ground. Car also appears to have no power when pulling into traffic from a stop and has almost been involved in several accidents because of this.