Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Engines
The most common engines in 1996 Ford Fiesta cars on Dutch roads are the 1.2 petrol (55 kW, 74 hp), 1.1 petrol (36 kW, 48 hp) and 1.6 petrol (65 kW, 87 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2 petrol | 55 kW 74 hp | 61 |
| 1.1 petrol | 36 kW 48 hp | 24 |
| 1.6 petrol | 65 kW 87 hp | 21 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
149 first registered in 1996 are on Dutch roads; 7% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen39
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af36
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse26
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm23
- Roestschade van 1,5 t/m 2,0E of meer dan 15% dikteafname23
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde22
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht21
- Band onvoldoende profiel21
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
200 cars built in 1996 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,868 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 410 of these cars first registered in 1996 took their annual MOT test. 58% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1996 the figure was 65%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1996 |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 17.6% | 11.5% |
| Suspension | 17.3% | 11.5% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 13.4% | 9.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.7% | 16.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.8% | 6.8% |
| Visibility | 8.3% | 6.7% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
102 of these cars first registered in 1996 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 52,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
1 1996 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1996 Ford Fiesta.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 1996 Ford Fiesta: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 605278 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HESITATION OR STUMBLE AT AROUND 2000 RPM DURING WARM UP. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)