2018 Ford Fiesta: problems, recalls and complaints

Problems owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Fiesta, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.

Power train10
Unknown or other9
Engine6
Electrical system6
Air bags5
Fuel system, gasoline2
Suspension2
Fuel/propulsion system1
Seats1
Back over prevention1

NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 1 deaths reported

Compared with other years

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 201720182019

NHTSA ODI complaints by model year

Fatal crashes in the US

From 2020 to 2023, 35 2018 Fiesta vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 28 people died inside them, and 4 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.

NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)

New York safety inspections

At its first New York inspection the 2018 Ford Fiesta failed the safety check 2.22% of the time — 34% more often than the average 2018 passenger car (1.65%). Median odometer at inspection: 50,426 miles.

3,882first inspections

2.22%failed on safety

50,426 mimedian odometer

NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count

Registered new in Europe in 2018

267,898 new Ford Fiesta cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2018; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (95,721), Germany (47,001), Italy (39,689).

Average mass: 1,173 kg
Average CO₂: 134 g/km (WLTP)
Average power: 70 kW
Fuel type recorded: Petrol 87% · Diesel 13%

European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement

Engines

The most common engines in 2018 Ford Fiesta cars on Dutch roads are the 1.0 petrol (74 kW, 99 hp), 1.1 petrol (63 kW, 84 hp) and 1.1 petrol (52 kW, 70 hp), out of 9 versions with at least 20 cars.

Engine	Power	Cars	Share
1.0 petrol	74 kW 99 hp	6,404	54%
1.1 petrol	63 kW 84 hp	2,487	21%
1.1 petrol	52 kW 70 hp	1,561	13%
1.0 petrol	92 kW 123 hp	631	5%
1.5 diesel	63 kW 84 hp	268	2%
1.5 petrol	147 kW 197 hp	249	2%
1.0 petrol	103 kW 138 hp	156	1%
1.0 petrol	59 kW 79 hp	29	<1%
1.0 petrol	63 kW 84 hp	28	<1%

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

11,828 first registered in 2018 are on Dutch roads; 20% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €21,566.

54.4%had an APK defect recorded since June 2022

98.6%logical odometer history

0.0%with a recall still open

Most common APK defects

Colours

Grey 37%Black 21%White 16%Blue 14%Red 8%Yellow 3%

RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording

In the United Kingdom

89,743 cars built in 2018 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 973 more were declared off the road (SORN).

89,743licensed, end of 2025

99%of those still registered are on the road

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, 93,598 of these cars first registered in 2018 took their annual MOT test. 86% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2018 the figure was 84%.

86%passed first time

84%all cars from 2018

33,900 miaverage mileage at the test (all cars 41,800 mi)

Failed on	These cars	All cars from 2018
Tyres	5.5%	5.2%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	4.3%	4.0%
Visibility	2.7%	3.6%
Brakes	2.2%	2.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks	0.8%	1.0%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems	0.7%	0.3%

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

2,949 of these cars first registered in 2018 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 85,000 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

344 2018 cars are on the New Zealand register; 1% arrived as used imports, 98% were sold new in New Zealand.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0

Crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; 0 of 2 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
2018 Ford Fiesta 4 DR FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	14.3 %
2018 Ford Fiesta 5 HB FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	14.3 %

Electronic stability control: Standard
Forward collision warning: No
Lane departure warning: No
Best overall rating: 4 / 5

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain

Fuel consumption

Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 7.6–8.2 L/100 km (about 29–31 mpg US), CO₂ 179–192 g/km.

Variant	Engine	Transmission	City	Highway	Combined	CO₂ g/km
Fiesta · Subcompact · Regular gasoline	1.6 L, 4 cyl.	AM6	8.6	6.4	7.6	179
Fiesta · Subcompact · Regular gasoline	1.6 L, 4 cyl.	M5	8.6	6.7	7.8	182
Fiesta ST · Subcompact · Regular gasoline	1.6 L, 4 cyl.	M6	9.0	7.1	8.2	192

Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada

Recalls

No recall campaigns cover the 2018 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 2018 Ford Fiesta: known faults, fixes and updates.

Bulletin	Summary
11001174	This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance related concerns. related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink
10254138	All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is lost, follow these steps to recover the code. Dealer Key Code access is granted through the Dealer Program Enrollment System (DPES); dealership managemen
10251952	For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and testing methods. Ford has evaluated turbochargers replaced for oil leak symptoms and although oil may collect on the external surface of a turbocharger, it is extremely rare for a turbocharger assembly to be the root cause of the oil leak. Careful inspection of the turbocharger oil feed and drain tubes should be performed along with the recommended WSM procedures as needed. Warranty claims for turbochar
10240743	The Service Awareness Newsletter is an informal communication that contains information that may not be presently available in a TSB, SSM, GSB, or other electronic communication. This article includes information on warranty, technical service tips and other service information.
10235153	For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a module from a vehicle or ordering a module using a different vehicle/VIN can cause ineffective repairs and additional vehicle down time. Make sure all appropriate Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures are
10217028	Some 2017-2022 Ford/Lincoln customers may experience a notification in the FordPass/LincolnWay app indicating Vehicle Has Entered Deep Sleep Mode. This occurs when the vehicle has not been started for 14 consecutive days, battery voltage is at/below 9.5 volts or the body control module (BCM) 12 volt battery state of charge (SOC) drops below 50%. A warning may also set if the telematic control unit (TCU) has received an over the air update. The TCU powers down all communication when in this mode and app features are disabled. Manually start the vehicle to wake if from mode. More information is
10205694	Some 2016-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may exhibit a condition where the navigation voice prompts are inoperative after a SYNC map update. This may be due to an incomplete installation of the SYNC map software. If possible, using the original USB that installed the update, reperform the update and verify the navigation voice prompts have returned. Multiple reboots are expected when this update is being performed. Verify the Installation Is Complete message displays in the touch screen. If the original USB is not available, go to website https://syncnavigation.com/ford/ho
10201050	Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. This may be due to small debris causing the VCT solenoid to stick. Before attempting any component diagnosis or replacement of the VCT solenoid, refer to Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) pinpoint test HK12 to cycle the affected VCT solenoid 10 times to attempt to clear the debris. For claiming, use causal part 6M280 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor
10201013	Some 2016-2021 Ford or Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 or SYNC 4 may exhibit a blank screen or other various SYNC symptoms only when the vehicle is in transport mode. This is considered normal due to the power saving features enabled while in transport mode. It is beneficial for battery life to keep the vehicle in transport mode until the vehicle is prepped for sale. To prevent a SYNC system lockup during transport mode deactivation, follow the Workshop Manual (WSM) procedure exactly allowing time for the SYNC system to complete its tasks such as fully booting up or powering down and shu
10198605	Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance related concerns.
10194428	Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. This may be due to small debris causing the VCT solenoid to stick. Before attempting any component diagnosis or replacement of the VCT solenoid, refer to Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) pinpoint test HK11 to cycle the affected VCT solenoid 10 times to attempt to clear the debris. For claiming, use causal part 6M280 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor
10187930	Some 2018-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with TCU and WiFi Hotspot, May display Vehicle Hotspot feature not enabled on this vehicle when attempting to enter the Hotspot menu. When using the FordPass/Lincoln Way application, the customer may receive a message saying Wi-Fi has been disabled from this vehicle. Check the vehicle specifications or vehicle build information for the mfal code on the PTS website (Detailed Vehicle Specifications). If mfal = WAFAC or WAFAB do not replace the TCU, engineering is currently investigating this condition. Inform customers Ford is developing a softwa
10181913	Some 2018-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with TCU and WiFi Hotspot, May display Vehicle Hotspot feature not enabled on this vehicle when attempting to enter the Hotspot menu. When using the FordPass/Lincoln Way application, the customer may receive a message saying Wi-Fi has been disabled from this vehicle. Check the vehicle specifications or vehicle build information for the mfal code. If mfal = WAFAC or WAFAB do not replace the TCU, engineering is currently investigating this condition. Inform customers Ford is developing a software fix that is expected in early January. In the inte
10180428	Some 2009-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbochargers may exhibit an oil leak from the turbocharger oil supply or return tubes, O-rings or 6.7L pedestal gasket. Although oil may collect on the turbocharger, it is very rare for a turbocharger to leak oil. To isolate the source of the leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 General Information > Diagnosis and Testing > Engine > Engine Oil Leaks - Fluorescent Oil Additive Method procedure. When an oil leak is present at a turbocharger oil supply or drain tube, remove the affected oil tube and inspect for damage, and re
10179185	Some 2011-2019 Fiesta vehicles may exhibit various concerns following IPC replacement. Symptoms may include: no crank, 'Contact Hotline message', odometer displaying incorrect English or Metric units and/or diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U2101 in multiple modules. If programmable module installation (PMI) has been performed on the replacement IPC, disconnect the IPC, start a new session using the appropriate Ford scan tool and perform a PMI on the IPC. Do not reconnect the IPC until after the scan tool states it is unable to communicate with the IPC, then allow the PMI process to complete. This
10179117	Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F150/Focus/CMAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/ Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance related concerns. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure.
10177042	Some 2016-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a SYNC 3 Touchscreen may experience the volume control unresponsive from the Front Control Interface Module (FCIM) and steering volume controls when using Apple Car Play. When the Apple device is removed, volume control is restored. This is due to a concern with the Waze Navigation App software and Apple iOS version. To correct the condition, update the Waze App software and iOS to the latest version available and reboot the customer's Apple device. Perform an ignition cycle and reconnect the Apple device via USB. Open Apple Car Play and c
10174421	Some customers may experience a notification in the FordPass and/or LincolnWay apps that indicates their vehicle has entered "deep sleep mode". This mode is enabled due to the vehicle not being started for 14 consecutive days or battery voltage is at/or below 9.5 volts. Some 2020 models will also set a warning if the telematic control unit (TCU) has received an automatic over the air update. The purpose of deep sleep mode is to conserve battery voltage. When deep sleep mode is enabled, the TCU is powered down and all communication with the FordPass and/or LincolnWay apps are disabled. To wake
10172972	SSM 48619 - Various Vehicles - Perimeter Alarm Armed And Original Vehicle Keys Cannot Be Accessed to Enter Vehicle - CAN Protection Strategy Some 2013-2016 Model Year Vehicles may exhibit a concern in which the Perimeter Alarm is active and the original keys cannot be accessed to disable the perimeter alarm. This concern would most often occur when a customer loses keys and the dealership is attempting to program new keys to the vehicle. The Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 419-01A Perimeter Anti-Theft Alarm - System Operation and Component Description has been updated to inform of the Contro
10170917	Some 2014-2018 Fiesta vehicles may exhibit a clicking noise from the driver side dash panel while operating the air distribution control. This may be due to a damaged door actuator and/or contact between the instrument panel (IP) ground and/or Sync 3 radio harnesses and the air distribution door actuating gear. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure steps to reroute the wiring harnesses and/or replace the door actuator.
10169986	Some 2015-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. This may be due to small debris causing the VCT solenoid to stick. Before attempting any component diagnosis or replacement of the VCT solenoid, refer to Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) pinpoint test HK11 to cycle the affected VCT solenoid 10 times to attempt to clear the debris. For claiming, use causal part 6M280 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labo
10168810	Some 2016-2019 vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience a map displayed on the left half of the SYNC screen with no other information/soft buttons present after updating to the latest version of V3.0 software. This issue occurs when the SYNC 3 system has been previously modified using an aftermarket device to display the Ford GT welcome screen/HMI Theme. To correct this issue, please contact the Technical Hotline Assistance Center to have the vehicle restored back to its original state.
10164596	Some 2013-2020 vehicles equipped with an EVDC air conditioning (A/C) compressor may exhibit poor A/C performance/improper climate function. To support the proper diagnosis of this compressor, the EVDC control valve tester has been provided to each U.S. dealership (339-EVDC100). Ensure the A/C system has a full charge prior to any compressor diagnostics. To support the proper diagnosis of this compressor, the EVDC compressor tool must be used, and the results recorded in the Technician comments field with the warranty claim. This tester will help reduce the potential for misdiagnosis and unnece
10164508	Some 2010-2020 vehicles may exhibit distorted glass with a subtle orange peel pattern or streaking etched into the surface. This is caused by hydrofluoric acid which is used in some car wash solutions as a cleaning agent. Hydrofluoric acid can attack the glass and cause visual distortion and/or discoloration on the outer surface which cannot be removed by further cleaning. If this type of distortion is found, inspect the area of the glass that is covered by the cowl and/or molding. The portion of glass that is covered by the cowl or molding will not be affected by the acid. Hydrofluoric acid d
10162087	Some 2016-2019 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 not at the latest software level may exhibit Various Performance Related concerns such as Display Operation, Navigation, Voice Recognition, Phone Pairing, Applink, Travel Link, Slow System Response, etc. Check for SYNC software update under the OASIS Tab SYNC selection. If an update is available refer to WSM,Section 415-00 and update the APIM software. After Installation, complete pop-up appears, remove USB flash drive and install into IDS tool to update Ford database. Perform a complete ignition cycle by turning the key off for 5 m

NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)