2013 Ford Fiesta Exterior lighting Problems

My low beam heads both stopped working at the same time. Upon investigation I identified the problem came from corrosion of the relay in the battery junction box. This problem exactly matches a Ford recall for some 2013 Ford fiesta manufactured in Canada. My vehicle is not covered by this recall, but the problem and failure point is identical. The text of that recall is as follows: "Safety recall in certain Canadian provinces of select 2012-13 Ford Fiesta vehicles for potential battery junction-box corrosion Ford is issuing a safety recall for certain 2012-13 Ford Fiesta vehicles in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. In affected vehicles, battery junction-box relay or fuse corrosion can lead to a loss of low-beam headlamps and daytime running lamps while driving. This action affects 13,564 vehicles in Canada. Affected vehicles were built at Cuautitlán Assembly Plant from June 25, 2011, through April 27, 2013. Dealers will clean the battery junction box, install foam sealing to the cover and replace any corroded fuses, terminals or relays. There will be no charge to the customer for these services. The Ford reference number for this recall is 19S28"

NHTSA ID

11718262

Incident

Feb 9, 2026

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

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at night the low-beam headlights would turn off and on and eventually remained permanently inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the headlight relay was faulty due to excessive corrosion. The relay was replaced, and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,000.

NHTSA ID

11430660

Incident

Feb 15, 2021

Mileage

66,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FIESTA. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT STATED HE ASSISTED HIS FRIEND AND HAD THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOW BEAM BULB REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED A WEEK AFTER, BOTH FRONT SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND HAD BOTH FRONT SIDE LOW BEAM BULB REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIRS THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11386645

Incident

Dec 5, 2020

Mileage

100,000 mi

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

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FIESTA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. ROUSH FORD (5575 KEIN CIRCLE, COLUMBUS, OH) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11291961

Incident

Aug 1, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THEY ORIGINALLY HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WHERE THEY WOULD NOT COME ON. ORIGINALLY IT WAS ONLY HAPPENING WHEN THE COURTESY FEATURE WAS USED. TONIGHT THEY STOPPED COMING ON PERIOD. I HAVE NOT USED THE COURTESY FEATURE FOR QUITE SOME TIME SINCE I DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS CAUSING THE LOW BEAM ISSUE. AS I GOOGLE SEARCHED THE PROBLEM I AM FINDING THAT I AM NOT A LONE PROBLEM, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE HAVINFG THE SAME ISSUE. IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL SHOULD LOOK INTO. NO LOW BEAMS BUT THE HIGH BEAMS AND OTHER LIGHTS WORK PERFECTLY FINE. THE CAR WAS INITIALLY PARKED WHEN I TURNED MY LIGHTS ON AND I IMMEDIATELY DISCOVERED A LACK OF ANY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. DRIVING AND TRYING TO SWITCH BETWEEN LOW AND HIGH BEAM ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING AS IT APPEARS THE LOW BEAMS ARE OUT PERIOD. BULBS AND FUSES ARE ALL GOOD.

NHTSA ID

10957722

Incident

Feb 28, 2017

Mileage

40,120 mi

THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE INSTANCES THAT MY TRANSMISSION, WHILE IN MOTION, HAS STUTTERED, STALLED, OR BEEN COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. IN LOW GEARS, THE TRANSMISSION SOUNDS AS IF IT IS GRINDING METAL CANS. WHEN MY CAR STUTTERS OR JERKS SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE, MY LIGHTS AND DASH WILL FLICKER AS WELL. BOTH MY FORD DEALERSHIP AND FORD ITSELF HAS TOLD ME THESE SAFETY ISSUES ARE NORMAL AND TO BE EXPECTED. TWICE I'VE ALMOST COLLIDED WITH SEMIS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I WAS UNABLE TO GET UP TO SPEED PROPERLY DUE TO THE CHUGGING AND STUTTERING. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE. I'VE ALREADY HAD MY CLUTCH AND SEALS REPLACED ONCE, TO NO AVAIL. THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE I'VE BOUGHT AND I'M SCARED FOR MY SAFETY. FORD AND MY DEALERSHIP WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE HAZARDS AND INSIST THAT I'M NOT DRIVING MY CAR RIGHT. THE GRINDING, STUTTERING, STALLING, AND OUTRIGHT TRANSMISSION FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR THE FULL 7 MONTHS I'VE HAD THE CAR. IF MAINTENANCE INVOICES ARE NEEDED, I DO HAVE ACCESS TO THESE.

NHTSA ID

10781479

Incident

Oct 12, 2015

Mileage

48,783 mi