Ford · Fiesta · 2016
0
Recalls
178
Complaints
4/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 Ford Fiesta has no recalls and 178 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: power train (69 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
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Rollover Resistance
14.3% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
The transmission started slipping in 1st and 2nd gear.
I have come to find that this vehicle suffers from premature slave cylinder failure, there are roughly 62,000 miles on the vehicle. Typical failure is reported to Ford between 70,000 and 80,000 miles. First symptoms appeared at roughly 58,000 miles. As I am a single father and a full time communications worker, I was not able to address this issue immediately upon discovering the initial symptoms as it would need further diagnosis. Clutch hydraulic fluids appear to be well sealed and clean. The design flaw with this system should be relatively obvious to a major automobile manufacturer such as Ford. The excessive temperatures caused by the transmission can and will affect any hydraulic systems severely. There are no avenues in which the temperatures can escape due to the bell housing of the transmission encasing the slave cylinder. In my experience as a prior automotive technician, most manual transmission automobiles place the cylinder in a more reasonable location, for example, beside the break booster in a 1991 Dodge Stealth. When observing the firewall in this location on this model of vehicle I can confidently say there is enough room to place a clutch slave cylinder in this location. The current placement appears to be for no other reason then planned obsolescence. Vehicle has stalled in traffic multiple times, cannot complete shifts due to clutch pedal sticking to floor. Inability to properly operate transmission as expected per mileage with a manual vehicle is a safety hazard. This is a safety concern due to limited ability to engage warning lights being that the shifter needs to be operated as well as the vehicle needing to be steered. Inability to depress the clutch to mechanical certainty limits the drivers ability to confidently navigate to a safe area to assess the vehicle's possible malfunctions. This limits the ability to warn other motorists on the roadways, which can cause accidents that may also cause injury/fatality depending on the speeds driven.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 110,000. It was later discovered that the actual mileage was 190,000.
Customer satisfaction program 16B11 covers a faulty high speed cooling fan relay. This bulletin was issued on April 5, 2016. I purchased the vehicle on [XXX]. An incorrect relay was installed at the factory, and the program should have replaced the relay with the correct part. This was not performed on my vehicle before I purchased it from Sheehy Ford of Ashland. The faulty relay failed, melting the fuse box in the process and causing the vehicle to overheat and cause permanent severe engine damage. Remnants of the melted relay show the part number, which matches the obsolete part number. Visual comparison of the faulty relay matches the obsolete part as well, and differs from the correct superseded part number relay outlined in the 16B11 bulletin. Ford Motor Company insists my vehicle was not a part of this program and any repairs will not be covered. The build date, make/model/engine, assembly plant and most importantly, part number of the relay and mode of failure exactly match the 16B11 CSP bulletin. Ford denies that there is any issue with my vehicle. Local Ford dealers refer me to Ford Motor Company to escalate this problem, but Ford refuses to investigate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, no cause for the failure was found. The mechanic informed the contact that it was possibly the battery and the key fob battery that had caused the issues. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where the key fob battery was replaced. The contact replaced the battery independently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Symptoms: No-start condition (wouldn't crank w/o jump); delayed or harsh shifting; lost power (stalled going up tiny hill). Warning lights: transmission malfunction - service now; check engine light. Our symptoms and warning lights are consistent with Ford's Fiesta Transmission Control Module recall, however the VIN for our car is not part of the original recall. We meet all of Ford's recall eligibility criteria: reported before June 30, 2025; vehicle is less than 10 years old; vehicle has fewer than 150,000 miles. By virtue of the symptoms, warning lights and meeting Ford's other criteria strongly suggest our VIN should be included in the recall.
The TCM was defective. It has been known that the TCM, transmission control modules are defective for Ford Fiestas and Focus. My daughter was driving the car and it stalled. If she was in heavy traffic are making a turn when this happened she could have been seriously injured. Ford said that they fixed this issue in the 2015 editions, that's why they stop the recall for 2016 models, but they really did not fix the problem. The vehicle was taken to a Ford dealership in Wisconsin and they confirmed all this information to me. And eight hundred dollars was paid to fix a problem that is on a recall for most models except the 2016, because they supposedly fixed the problem.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 MPH. The contact stated that the transmission warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that when the gear shifter was shifted into drive, the vehicle quickly lunged forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission control module failure. The contact was informed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall however, the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.
Trunk latch releases randomly. Like so many other people with this generation of Ford Fiesta. They have taken them in for the same issue and told they don't by the shop that they don't know what the problem is. The problem is random so getting to to happen while at the shop is next to impossible. If the problem can't be reproduced by a garage mechanic, how would Insurance, or police have any luck? There needs to be a recall, because some people are having them pop open while driving at night, and all of a sudden the interior lights come on, safety hazard!!! Some will pop open and kill the battery because the dome light comes on when the trunk opens. Then you're standing in subzero temperatures trying to jump start the car. That in and of itself is a safety issue. No warning lights are associated with this.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving 25-30 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering as if it would stall, and the vehicle made an abnormal whining sound. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while driving over a speed bump. The contact had noticed that the failure mostly occurred while driving at low speeds and while the RPMs were low. Additionally, the contact stated that the transmission was slipping while driving and making right turns. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer determined that the failure was related to an undisclosed recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that no assistance could be provided unless the VIN was added to the unknown recall. The failure mileage was approximately 71,600.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended and hesitated to respond. Additionally, the vehicle failed to reverse as intended. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was 70,000.
The contact called on behalf of a customer who owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated the owner had brought the vehicle in complaining about a metal sound coming from underneath the vehicle as if metal was dragging. The sound was most prominent when turning the vehicle to the left or right. The contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the sound was coming from the axle bearings. The transmission had failed due to the transmission gear due to the axle failure. The contact was aware of Technical Service Bulletin: 16-0129; NHTSA ID Number: 10109047 (Power Train) and Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02 regarding the DTS transmission for rough shifting and the differential gears failing. The contact spoke with a dealer where it was confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the TSB or the Customer Satisfaction Program. The customer was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the TSB or Customer Satisfaction Program. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.
This car has a double clutch transmission that was done overseas evidently this car's transmission does not run right and I've had it tested out at a mechanic shop the transmission slips gears does not operate correctly I was told by the mechanic that is not a normal transmission it can cause an accident you put your foot on the gas the car will rev into the wrong speed stay keep the tachometer running in the red and could cause a serious accident to other people and that Ford will not fix it as it was manufactured incorrectly the first time this car is dangerous and now I'm stuck paying for a used car that could cause an accident Ford denies any culpability.
2016 Ford Fiesta with vin: [XXX] with build date of 7/20/2015 at Cuautitlan plant with 6 speed Powershift auto transmission. Current miles on vehicle are 128,842. Ford Motor Company issued Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) 14M02 on 6/14/2015. Since this date there have been 7 supplements to this program. The changes are that they are covering more vehicles with this KNOWN defective transmission. The first supplement covers vehicles with build date before 10/15/2014 and the most up to date supplement covers vehicles with build date before 6/30/2015. All of the supplements cover the same transmission. This is the transmission that my Fiesta has. I have spoken with the Ford Vehicle Concern team numerous times requesting to speak with Stacy Balzer, Operating Director, service Engineering Operations, Ford Customer Service Division since she is the one that has been signing the updated supplements. Ford has issued Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 16-0129 that includes my specific vehicle. My complaint is that Ford Motor Company knows that my transmission is defective per TSB 16-0129 but the latest CSP 14M02 supplement dates don’t currently cover my vehicle. My Fiesta would be covered if it was built 20 days earlier. I see this as an extremely shady form of business and instead of waiting until they issue another supplement that would probably cover my vehicle I have chosen to make a written complaint. The NHTSA website has 88 power train complaints towards a 2015 Ford Fiesta (currently being covered in CSP 14M02) and has 86 power train complaints towards a 2016 Ford Fiesta. I have had the vehicle inspected at my local Ford dealership and they have stated that the issue is a defective transmission. A defective transmission that IS NOT covered under CSP 14M02 because of build date ONLY. Thank you for your time. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping, causing the vehicle to lost motive power or stall. The contact was able to coast over to the side of the road and waited approximately 10 minutes before restarting the vehicle. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart intermittently. The contact stated that DTC: PO606 was displayed; indicating a failure with the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the PCM had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact found information about the Technical Service Bulletin: 16/0129 with the NHTSA ID Number: 10109047 (Power Train) and the Customer Service Program: 14M02 with NHTSA ID Number: 10057231 (Power Train); however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer transferred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, while the transmission was shifting between 1st and 2nd gear, the vehicle was shaking until the transmission had shifted to the higher gears. The contact stated that occasionally the vehicle failed to start intermittently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact also stated that the battery had been replaced by a friend approximately 7 times, and once by an O' Riley’s within the past 2 years. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 80,100
My key battery apparently died and the whole car shut off in the middle of the forlane 75 mph. Had no breaks lights, or anything there Should be a warning sign or should let u keep driving to get off the road
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle did not accelerate as intended. Additionally, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently however, the failure had become persistent. The contact stated that several times the vehicle failed to start, and the “Service Transmission” warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a TCM failure. The contact was informed that the TCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the dashboard made abnormal clicking sounds. The contact stated that the air inlet blend door actuator had previously been replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the air inlet blend door actuator needed to be replaced for the second time. The dealer replaced the air inlet blend door actuator. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 57,183.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2016 Ford Fiesta has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 178 owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Ford Fiesta.
The 2016 Ford Fiesta received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2016 Ford Fiesta are power train (69 reports), engine (11 reports), unknown or other (10 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2016 Ford Fiesta. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.