Ford Fiesta: common faults & what to check

Which Ford Fiesta are you looking at?

6 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

3 variants documented

2004–2009WP2004–2009WP1.6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues7 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: OSX via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

2009–2019WS2009–2019WS1.4 petrolPetrolDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2009–2019WS2009–2019WS1.6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues2 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Fuel not stated

3 variants documented

2009–2019WS2009–2019WS1.0 EcoBoostFuel not statedDocumented issues1 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2009–2019WS2009–2019WS1.6 turbo (ST)Fuel not statedDocumented issues2 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2019–2022WG2019–2022WG1.5 turbo (ST)Fuel not statedDocumented issues1 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Ford Fiesta

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Ford Fiesta before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Test drive in stop-start traffic conditions: multiple gentle take-offs from a standstill, low-speed creeping, and a hill start.

  See why

  PowerShift DPS6 dry dual-clutch — shudder, slipping and repeat failures (AU class action)

  The 6-speed 'PowerShift' auto in 2011-2018 Fiestas is a dry dual-clutch that shudders, slips, lurches and repeatedly eats clutch packs, seals and control modules; many cars had multiple warranty replacements and failed again. It was the subject of an Australian class action (Capic v Ford) and the ACCC fined Ford $10 million for its handling of customer complaints. Ford's extended warranties on these have expired, so every future repair is on you. On any auto Fiesta of this era, assume the transmission is a problem until a specialist proves otherwise — or buy the manual.

  What you would notice

  • Shudder or vibration pulling away from a stop, like a learner slipping the clutch
  • Lurching or banging between 1st and 2nd
  • Hesitation then sudden lunge when accelerating from a roll
  • Transmission warning light or limp mode

  Typically $1,500–$5,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Ask for the service book and an invoice that names the timing belt (cambelt) and tensioner, with the date and odometer reading.

  See why

  Timing belt overdue on an interference engine (1.4 / 1.6 Duratec Sigma, incl. 1.6 Ti-VCT)

  The 1.4 and 1.6 Duratec (Sigma family) petrol engines in the WP/WQ and WS/WT Fiesta use a rubber timing belt that Ford specifies be replaced every 160,000 km or 8 years, whichever comes first. The engine is an interference design with tight valve clearances, so if the belt snaps or jumps a tooth the valves hit the pistons and the head is usually wrecked. Because of the 8-year age limit, every car in this range is now due at least once by time alone, and many low-kilometre cars have never had it done. There is no recall or warranty cover; it is a scheduled service item that owners often skip.

  What you would notice

  • No symptoms at all before the belt fails, which is why the paperwork matters
  • Engine stops suddenly while driving and will not restart, or cranks with an uneven fast spin
  • Ticking or slapping noise from the right-hand (passenger side) end of the engine as a worn belt or tensioner flaps

  Typically $650–$4,500 to put right.

• Serious issue

  This cannot be inspected from outside — the service history is the inspection.

  See why

  1.0 EcoBoost wet timing belt (belt-in-oil) degradation

  The 1.0 EcoBoost runs its timing belt inside the engine, bathed in oil. Old or wrong-spec oil attacks the belt; shed rubber blocks the oil pick-up and starves the engine, and a snapped belt bends valves. Ford's original 'lifetime-ish' interval has been walked back — specialists now recommend replacement by 8-10 years or ~150,000 km, earlier on cars with patchy servicing. The belt job is expensive on such a cheap car because the engine is partially dismantled to do it.

  What you would notice

  • Low oil pressure warning
  • Rattle from the front of the engine
  • Sudden non-runner (belt failure gives little warning)
  • Rubber debris visible in the sump/oil filter at services

  Typically $1,500–$8,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Check coolant level cold and look for evidence of constant top-ups (fresh coolant, stained tank).

  See why

  Fiesta ST (ST180) 1.6 EcoBoost cylinder head cracking and coolant loss

  The Mk7 Fiesta ST's 1.6 EcoBoost shares the coolant-loss and cracked-cylinder-head problem that triggered Ford's 2017 fire-risk recall (2014-2015 Fiesta ST included). Low coolant lets the head overheat and crack around the exhaust side, leaking oil and coolant; the recall added a coolant-level sensor but did not redesign the head. Many STs have also been thrashed and modified, which makes coolant-system health checks doubly important on these.

  What you would notice

  • Coolant level dropping with no external leak
  • White exhaust smoke
  • Coolant smell after hard driving
  • Overheating warning

  Typically $3,500–$7,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Test drive specifically in slow-moving traffic and attempt multiple slow pull-aways from rest.

  See why

  PowerShift DPS6 dual-clutch judder and shudder at low speed

  The Ford PowerShift 6-speed dual-clutch transmission (DPS6) fitted to automatic WZ Fiestas is a dry-clutch DCT known for severe shudder and judder during low-speed engagement below 20 km/h. The clutch packs are sensitive to wear and contamination, causing a characteristic bucking and lurching sensation when pulling away from rest in traffic. Ford issued software updates and clutch replacements which provided only temporary relief. The ACCC took Ford Motor Company to the Federal Court in Australia (ACCC v Ford Motor Company of Australia Ltd [2022]) resulting in a AUD 10 million penalty. Many affected vehicles in the AU market were subject to a customer buyback program. Residual units in the NZ/AU used market carry significant risk of recurrence.

  What you would notice

  • Shuddering and juddering at low speeds when pulling away from rest
  • Lurching or bucking in slow stop-start traffic
  • Hesitation when selecting drive from park at low speed
  • Transmission hunting between gears below 20 km/h

  Typically $1,500–$4,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Park on flat ground and stand in front of the car to see if one front corner sits lower than the other.

  See why

  Front coil spring fracture (WP/WQ)

  The front coil springs on the WP/WQ Fiesta are known to crack and break, usually at the bottom coil where it sits in the strut seat, and it happens even on low-kilometre cars. A broken spring can lower that corner, clunk over bumps and, in the worst case, the broken end can rub or puncture the tyre. It is a WoF failure and springs should be replaced in pairs. There is no recall.

  What you would notice

  • Loud bang or clunk from one front corner when turning the wheel on full lock or going over bumps
  • One front corner sits noticeably lower than the other
  • Car pulls or feels unsettled over bumps
  • Scuffing or cut marks on the inner edge of a front tyre

  Typically $350–$750 to put right.

Ford Fiesta service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Ford Fiesta. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Ford Fiesta’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Cambelt Replacement Cost
• DSG and Dual-Clutch Gearbox Repair Cost

Other Ford models