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2014 Ford Fiesta problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
61%
296 of 483 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

61% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2014 Ford Fiesta are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 82% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 19 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 59%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2014 Ford Fiesta have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 296 of 483 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Fiesta concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (61%), and the largest group is filed under power train (208). For comparison, the 2013 scores 68% and the 2015 scores 76%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
296
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
502
this model year
Fires reported
8
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
7
23 crashes · 17 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN208 · 41%
ENGINE83 · 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER78 · 16%
STRUCTURE54 · 11%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM45 · 9%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES30 · 6%

The years either side

2010
no data
2011
62%
426 of 730
2012
55%
321 of 617
2013
68%
440 of 667
2014
61%
296 of 502
2015
76%
185 of 258
2016
75%
127 of 178
2017
68%
49 of 74
2018
50%
15 of 35
2019
32%
31 of 105
2020
no data
2021
no data
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2014 Ford Fiesta

What one owner reported

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM08/01/2019CRASH1 INJURED
I LEASED THE CAR THROUGH MY BANK ON MAY 5TH 2016 WITH JUST OVER 35,000 MILES. TWO MONTHS INTO THAT THE CAR DIDN'T START AND ALL ELECTRONIC LIGHTS WERE FLICKERING. IT DISPLAYED TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION. I TOWED THE CAR TO A BIG FORD REPAIR SHOP. THEY SAID IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION UPDATE AND A NEW CLUTCH. THEY TOOK C…

One of 296 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Ford Fiesta?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2014 Ford Fiesta involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

engine and engine cooling: engine17V209000 · Mar 2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Fusion and 2013-2015 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil.

Risk: If the cylinder head cracks and leaks oil, the oil may contact a hot engine or exhaust component, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 21, 2017. The…

fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump15V005000 · Jan 2015

Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on January 8, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 15, 2014, to May 8, 2014, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured April 21, 2014, to May 15, 2014. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 45,505 vehicles, including certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Transit Connect vehicles…

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is…

fuel system, gasoline: storage14V402000 · Jul 2014

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Fiesta vehicles manufactured October 25, 2013, to February 27, 2014. Due to a manufacturing error, the fuel tank may leak.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Ford has notified the affected owners. Dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall…

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch20V331000 · Jun 2020
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…
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch20V177000 · Mar 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fiesta, 2014-2016 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia,…
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch17V210000 · Mar 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Fiesta, 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to…
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch15V246000 · Apr 2015
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,…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2014 Ford Fiesta? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2014 Ford Fiesta

Does the 2014 Ford Fiesta have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 296 of 483 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Fiesta concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (61%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Ford Fiesta?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2014 Ford Fiesta involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total: 17V209000 (engine and engine cooling: engine), 15V005000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump), 14V402000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Ford Fiesta years are better?

Among the Ford Fiesta years we track, the 2019 (32%), the 2018 (50%) and the 2012 (55%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2014 (61%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2014 Ford Fiesta?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2014 Ford Fiesta has an elevated transmission complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing transmission work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.