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2019 Ford Fiesta: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
34%
31 of 92 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

34% of relevant owner complaints on the 2019 Ford Fiesta are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 64% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 8 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 31%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
31
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
100
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
13 crashes · 9 injuries

Complaints by component

BACK OVER PREVENTION30 · 30%
POWER TRAIN21 · 21%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER15 · 15%
SERVICE BRAKES11 · 11%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM10 · 10%
ENGINE10 · 10%

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
34%
31 of 100
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.

Cleaner alternatives

Other subcompact cars with no elevated signal

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE12/16/20224 INJURED
Catastrophic Engine Failure due to the manufacturer's recommendation and use of conventional motor oils in the form of Synthetic Blend Motor Oil or Super Premium Motor Oil, a specification WSS-M2C945-B1 , from the 2019 Ford Fiesta Owner Manual. It leaves the driver and occupants stranded in the middle of the road with…
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM04/08/2026
The brakes stick and then when i hit the gas its sluggish and just takes off full force. Causing 50% gas loss. The breaks are getting stuck. Calipers sticking. This is a fire hazard
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE04/07/2026
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact continued to drive the veh…

Three of 31 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (3)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Fiesta vehicles. The brake calipers may have been manufactured with the incorrect assembly fluid, which can cause the…
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Flex, Fiesta, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. The rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2019 Ford Fiesta

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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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.