Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2011 Ford Fiesta. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Doors May Open While Driving
- Summary
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
- Consequence
- A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
Doors may Unexpectedly Open
- Summary
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on April 23, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured July 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, and 2012-2014 Fiesta vehicles manufactured February 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 119,567 vehicles, including certain model year 2011 Ford Fiestas manufactured from November 11, 2009, to May 31, 2013 and certain model year 2013 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured from February 1, 2012, to June 30, 2012. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
- Consequence
- A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches with an improved part, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed to owners on June 5, 2015. The recall began on December 18, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S16.
Passenger Side Curtain Air Bag/FMVSS 208
- Summary
- Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Fiesta vehicles, manufactured from November 3, 2009 through September 21, 2012. The vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." The passenger side curtain air bag will not deploy in the event of a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty. Although the side curtain air bag system was designed to suppress the side curtain air bag under this scenario, that information is not explained in the owner's guide for these vehicles as required by FMVSS No. 208.
- Consequence
- An occupant in the right rear seating position will not have coverage from the side curtain air bag in a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty, increasing the risk of injury to the right rear occupant.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners and dealers will reprogram the vehicle's software free of charge so that it no longer suppresses the passenger side curtain air bag when the front passenger seat is empty, and consistent with the description in the owner's guide. The safety recall began on October 26, 2012. Owner's may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (730)
730 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The power train is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 366 | 50.1% |
| Structure | 125 | 17.1% |
| Engine | 108 | 14.8% |
| Electrical system | 96 | 13.2% |
| Unknown or other | 58 | 7.9% |
| Vehicle speed control | 57 | 7.8% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 41 | 5.6% |
| Steering | 26 | 3.6% |
| Air bags | 23 | 3.2% |
| Electronic stability control | 18 | 2.5% |
How 2011 compares with other Fiesta years
Best and worst Fiesta years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 | 2 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | 730 | 3 |
| 2012 | 617 | 3 |
| 2013 | 667 | 3 |
| 2014 | 502 | 7 |
| 2015 | 258 | 4 |
| 2016 | 178 | 0 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 4 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2011 Ford Fiesta 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 33 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,050
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 269 g/mi
- EPA class
- Subcompact Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 33 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 29 / 38 / 33 | $2,050 | 269 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 29 / 37 / 32 | $2,100 | 278 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual | Front-Wheel Drive | 28 / 36 / 31 | $2,150 | 287 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2011 Fiesta for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2011 Ford Fiesta FAQ
How many recalls does the 2011 Ford Fiesta have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 20V331000 (latch), 15V246000 (latch), 12V488000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2011 Ford Fiesta problems?
Owners filed 730 complaints with NHTSA. Power train (366), Structure (125), Engine (108) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2011 Ford Fiesta get?
EPA rates the 1.6 L 4-cyl · Automatic version at 29 city, 38 highway and 33 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2011 Ford Fiesta get?
NHTSA rated the 2011 Ford Fiesta 4 dr fwd 4 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (14.3% rollover risk).
How does the 2011 Fiesta compare with other years?
Among the 1989–2016 Ford Fiesta model years at least five years old, the 1989 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 2011 the most (730). The 2011 drew 730. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.