2013 Ford Fiesta Electrical Problems

Static through speakers - possible cause, alternator, spark plugs, or faulty wiring. Passenger air bag light - comes on and off on its own randomly. Overheats - with fluids all topped off and car parked and running for 5 minutes it will start extremely overheating with visible smoke. Not sure why. Wire cover - plastic panel on ground towards front of door on driver side needs better coverage. Panel just keeps popping off showing wires. Not sure to what. If gets wet from getting in and out of car can shock you while your driving if touch it just right. Emergency break - don't work Warming indicator - says doors are open when they aren't. Headlights - work when they want to. Theft alarm - don't work Hood pop lever - the lever to pop your hood isn't connected well. The whole lever is just hanging under my steering wheel from the cords. Not latched into anything just kinda floating in the air, makes it hard to pop the hood, can be a distraction while driving with something hitting your knee. Belt buckles - when using seat belts, comes unclicked randomly while driving or won't buckle at all when first trying to put it on. Trunk - unlatches and opens randomly while driving or parked. Shocks? - not sure if it's shocks or what it is. But there is no comfortability while driving. You can feel every bump, pot whole, Crack, anything you drive across. Think it messed up my bearings because of it. But I'm not a mechanic so these are just examples of what's going on and what i think.

NHTSA ID

11655136

Incident

Apr 17, 2025

Ford Fiesta 2013 had a transmission malfunction warning pop up and the car aggressively jerked back then wouldn’t accelerate past 25 mph. The warning light stayed on. The car a couple miles after the incident wouldn’t accelerate at all even though the engine was on. This type of stopping happened twice. This issue is not related to my driving or accident but due to Ford producing a car with set malfunctions.

NHTSA ID

11591504

Incident

May 22, 2024

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.

NHTSA ID

11577740

Incident

Mar 8, 2024

we broke down in hopskinville kentucky at a gas station. had problems with going into drive and reverse. not wanting to shift. got it going on highway. wouldnt shift into gears lost of power. engine roars loudly and has difficulty shifting to higher gears when we attempt to accelerate. It feels like gears ears slipping or catching when speeding up or slowing down.Unpredictable shifting Trouble shifting into higher gear Trouble downshifting Getting stuck in the same gear. yes it has cause it would not shift and be stuck in the road.. took it to lovegreens in kirksville MO back at home. been nothing but issues and problems. they have lied to us and the ford customer service. they never ran a test on my vehicle they told ford that they havent done a test cause i was trying to get a loaner vehicle,. it has not been inspected. none of the lights came on until we experence the breakdown in kentucky. made it to athens alabama then had it trailered back to kirksville mo due to it almost causins a wreck. lovegreens said they have fixed the recall of the tcm but it was never fixed. i asked ford if i can get a diagnostic test if i can take it to another dealership for the recall... they would not honor it due to lovegreens claiming they fixed the tcm. 2 weeks later i went to pick the vehicle up it was stuck in first gear and it would not shift out of 1st gear. put it in L and then back to drive still would not shift gears. i decided to park it and i havent drove it since.

NHTSA ID

11559321

Incident

Jun 19, 2023

Intermittent door lock recycling

NHTSA ID

11517350

Incident

Apr 15, 2023

COMPLAINT - Request Ford Dealer to honor recall -to add me on waiting list Airport Ford service personal not helpful and abrupt TCM transmission RECALL 14M02 2013 fiesta it has 57000 miles

NHTSA ID

11495537

Incident

Nov 30, 2022

The contact's girlfriend owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights were inoperable. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that there was corrosion on both headlight relays after opening the fuse box. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with headlight relay corrosion. The headlight relays needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

NHTSA ID

11443639

Incident

Dec 13, 2021

Mileage

53,000 mi

BOUGHT THIS CAR USED 2013 ON 12-01-2020 HAD LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AND IT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ON MY DAUGHTER DRIVING TO WORK, TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER THEY SAID NOTHING THEY COULD FIND, BUT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO HAPPEN FOR NO REASON THE CAR JUST DOWN THANK GOODNESS SHE WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY! AGAIN, THE DEALER THAT SOLD US THE CAR DEFENDS THAT THEY HAVE CHECKED IT OUT BUT WE ARE AFRAID GOING FORWARD THE NEXT TIME SHE WONT BE SO LUCKY WE HAVE NO WARRANTY AND THE DEALER WHO SOLD US THE CAR KEPT INSISTING WE PAY AN EXTRA 2000 FOR A WARRANTY I FEEL MAYBE THEY KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG OR ABOUT TO BE FOR THEM TO BE SO PUSHY AGAIN, SHE WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND IT JUST SHUT DOWN LIGHTS STARTED TO FLASH AND THEN A NOISE WAS MADE, THE BRAKES WORKED STILL AND THE STEERING WHEEL WORKED BUT NOTHING ELSE

NHTSA ID

11384167

Incident

Dec 16, 2020

Mileage

81,030 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ALL POWER WAS LOST AND THE CAR WAS NOT CONTROLABLE. THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LILGHT DID COME ON. I DID HAVE THE CAR TOWED AND IS APPARENTLY A KNOW WIRING ISSUE RELATED TO SERVICE BULLETIN TSB-131115.

NHTSA ID

11365998

Incident

Oct 21, 2020

Mileage

61,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FIESTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL INTERMITTENT POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD THROUGH THE SPEAKERS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SOUND WAS LOUD AND DISTRACTING. THE CONTACT WAS DISTRACTED WHILE DRIVING AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 103,000.

NHTSA ID

11362412

Incident

Aug 1, 2020

Mileage

103,000 mi

ON THE FREEWAY CAR SPUTTERS WHEN SHIFTING AND ALL DASH LIGHTS FLICKER AND CAR LOZES POWER JERKS LIKE ITS GONNA DIE OUT WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY ON THE FREEWAY. WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ID

11361160

Incident

Aug 29, 2020

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE CAR HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE PCM. IT HAS A RECALL THAT WAS NEVER FIXED, BUT A CODE POPS UP REGARDING THAT ISSUE WHEN I SELF DIAGNOSE THE CAR. ALSO, MY TRANSMISSION IS ACTING UP AND A WRENCH LIGHT POPS UP SAYING "ENGINE MALFUNCTION. SERVICE NOW." THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS TOO WHEN ACCELERATING AND NOW THE CAR DRIVES SLOW CONSTANTLY.

NHTSA ID

11360170

Incident

Sep 9, 2020

Mileage

79,100 mi

THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS CALL AND I HAVE CALLED THE SHEHEEY FORD AND THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RECORDS ON THE CAR THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING AND THE ENGINE IS SLIPPING. *TR

NHTSA ID

11325253

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHILE WE ATE DINNER. WHEN WE STARTED IT, HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. DROVE HOME USING HIGH BEAMS. UPON INSPECTION DISCOVERED HEADLIGHT RELAY WAS CORRODED. RESEARCH YIELDED A RECALL IN ATLANTIC CANADA FOR THE SAME ISSUE (19S28) BUT FORD USA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE ISSUE. WHEN WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE TECH SAID HE'D SEEN THE ISSUE BEFORE. RESOLVED BY REPLACING THE BATTERY JUNCTION BOX AT GREAT EXPENSE.

NHTSA ID

11316983

Incident

Dec 14, 2019

Mileage

108,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. IT APPEARS TO BE CORROSION AT THE RELAY. THE HIGH BEAMS STILL FUNCTION. THERE IS A RECALL IN CANADA FOR THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11311788

Incident

Feb 21, 2020

Mileage

90,000 mi

THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE BATTERY LIGHT RANDOMLY COMING ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, MAKING ONE BELIEVE THE VEHICLE'S CHARGING SYSTEM IS IN NEED OF REPAIR. WHEN THIS FIRST OCCURRED IT WAS RECOMMENDED SINCE I WAS TRAVELING CLOSE TO 200 MILES EVERYDAY, THAT I HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED AS IT WAS THOUGHT A DIODE WAS GOING OUT. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE STILL HAS THIS LIGHT COME ON AND ILLUMINATE, MAKING YOU THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM. EVEN WHEN LIGHT IS ON THE CHARGING SYSTEM IS OPERATING AS IT SHOULD. ALL COMPONENTS ARE GOOD. IT RANDOMLY COMES ON AND STAYS ON, UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, SOMETIMES A COUPLE CYCLES OF THE KEY IS NEEDED. I HAVE SEEN ON FORUMS WHERE OWNERS HAVE PAID SOME MAJOR DOLLARS TRACKING THIS ISSUE. PROBLEM IS SINCE IT IS RANDOM, THE CAR'S DRIVER DOESN'T KNOW WHETHER THERE IS AN ISSUE OR NOT. THE ALTERNATOR ITSELF WITHOUT LABOR WAS AROUND $300 (ESTIMATED). ISSUE USUALLY OCCURS AT STARTUP AND REMAINS UNTIL VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. ISSUE LAST OCCURRED ON THE MORNING OF 02/19/ 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00 AM

NHTSA ID

11310497

Incident

Feb 19, 2020

Mileage

84,906 mi

DUE TO LACK OF SEALER PREVENTING OUTSIDE DEBRIS FROM ENTER THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE HOOD. CORROSION SETS IN AND CAUSES INTERMITTENT ISSUE WITH DAY TIME DRIVING LIGHTS WHILE NOT EFFECTING HIGH BEAMS. UNEXPECTED SCENARIOS SHOWED THIS COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, WITH A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD DURING COLD TEMPERATURES WITH FREEZING PARTICIPATION

NHTSA ID

11300721

Incident

Jan 20, 2020

Mileage

120,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS ON 2013 FORD FIESTA BEGAN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE LOW BEAM LIGHT RELAY WAS SO BADLY CORRODED THAT IT HAD BROKEN OFF INSIDE THE FUSE BOX, MAKING THE RELAY IMPOSSIBLE TO REPLACE. THE CORROSION APPEARS TO BE A RESULT OF A DESIGN FLAW ALLOWING MOISTURE IN THE FUSE BOX. CANADA HAS A SIMILAR RECALL REFERENCE NUMBER 19S28 ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EXACT ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11300484

Incident

Jan 2, 2020

Mileage

120,000 mi

DOOR LOCK CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MANY. ONLY 1 LOCK TO 4 DOORS THAT LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON IS IN DASHBOARD JUST BEFORE THE RADIO. VEHICLE WAS PARKED. KEY WAS NOT ON IGNITION I GOT IN VEHICLE SHUT THE DOOR AND LOCKED IT. I MISPLACED MY KEYS INSIDE CAR I TRIED GETTING OUT BY PRESSING UNLOCK.WHILE THE IGNITION WAS OFF AND VEHICLE DID NOT UNLOCK NO SOUND NOTHIN. I PANICKED NONE OF THE DOOR WOULDN'T OPEN UNTIL I FOUND KEY AND TURNED IGNITION TO OPEN DOORS. SOMETIMES IT DOES OPEN BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE IF MY CHILD WOULD GET STUCK IN THE CAR FOR NOT HAVING DOOR LOCKS

NHTSA ID

11288072

Incident

Dec 7, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FIESTA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS, INCLUDING THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS, ILLUMINATED AND CONTINUOUSLY FLASHED. ALSO, THE RPMS ERRONEOUSLY REVVED HIGH. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WAS NOT DETERMINED. RED HILL FORD (602 MAIN ST, RED HILL, PA) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: CAS-24520897. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ID

11267984

Incident

Sep 1, 2019

Mileage

42,000 mi

LOW LAMP HEADLIGHTS ON BOTH SIDES WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AT NIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO GET HEAD LAMPS REPLACED, HAD TO HAVE DIAGNOSTIC RUN AND FOUND THAT THE FUSE AND FUSE BOX WERE CORRODED TO THE POINT OF NEEDING REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11266827

Incident

Oct 6, 2019

Mileage

142,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FIESTA. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE "SERVICE IMMEDIATELY" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MEL HAMBELTON FORD (11771 W KELLOGG AVE, WICHITA, KS 67209, (316) 462-3673) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SENSOR FAILED ON THE THROTTLE BODY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE THROTTLE BODY, ELECTRICAL SENSORS, ACCELERATION PEDAL AND SENSORS WERE ALL REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. IT WAS DETERMINED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE NETWORK WIRING. *JS

NHTSA ID

11257466

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

Mileage

56,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET OR OTHERWISE, MY CAR'S ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT WILL COME ON. THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY JERK AND SLOW DOWN. NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL, IT WILL NOT GO OVER 30MPH. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN SLAMMED INTO SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THE SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED. I'VE TAKEN IT IN TWICE AND HAD THE GAS PEDAL REPLACED AS THE COMPUTER PICKS UP A PROBLEM BETWEEN THE CHIP AND THE COMPUTER. AND BOTH TIMES THE NEW PART HAS FAILED. I'VE LOOKED INTO THIS AND IT SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING PROBLEM ACROSS THE BOARD, AND A DANGEROUS ONE CONSIDERING FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

11252949

Incident

Sep 3, 2019

Mileage

45,000 mi

DPS6 TRANSMISSION SLIPPING INTO NEUTRAL & NOT GOING BACK INTO GEAR ON AT LEAST 4 OCCASIONS STARTING FROM WHEN I PURCHASED THE PRE-OWNED CAR, JANUARY 2019. TOTAL LOSS OF POWER, HAD TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11240331

Incident

Jul 1, 2019

Mileage

101,000 mi

ELECTRICAL FUSE BLOCK INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS RUSTED THROUGHOUT ENTIRE FUSE BLOCK. VEHICLE SPORADICALLY FAILS TO START, DRIVER SIDE HEAD LAMP DOES NOT WORK, AND AIR CONDITIONING IS BLOWING HOT AIR.

NHTSA ID

11235085

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi