2012 Ford Fiesta power train problems
274 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2012 Ford Fiesta — 44% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“While driving, my son's car started to have issues when it was shifting gears (it's an automatic). Then a warning came up on the dash saying something like "Transmission malfunction, service immediately". We were on our way to a mechanic to pick up another vehicle so we left it with them. They…”
filed Mar 23, 2026
“I was driving to work this morning; the car made a horrible "clunk" when I accelerated to around 20 then lost power and nearly crashed. The car then displayed error lights (yellow CEL, yellow wrench icon, HEAD unit showed "transmission issue service immediately" This is a direct result of the DPs6…”
filed Oct 29, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2016 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Ã…
14M02 S7 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 4, 2023Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2016 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission; Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT…
14M02 06 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 7, 2022Ford is extending the warranty coverage on the DPS6 automatic transmission TCM to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, whichever occurs first. This extended warranty coverage…
14M02-S5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 30, 2021This customer satisfaction program updates the TCM software in affected vehicles to provide improved detection and over warning of electrical circuit failures in the TCM. As communicated in a previous Customer…
20B22-S4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 2, 2020
Power Train problems in other Fiesta years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Fiesta | 21 | 22% |
| 2018 Fiesta | 10 | 29% |
| 2017 Fiesta | 22 | 30% |
| 2016 Fiesta | 101 | 57% |
| 2015 Fiesta | 104 | 40% |
| 2014 Fiesta | 208 | 41% |
| 2013 Fiesta | 391 | 59% |
| 2011 Fiesta | 366 | 50% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2012 Ford Fiesta
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.