The Lemon Index
Transmission complaints owners filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) for each model year, per 100,000 cars sold. A complaint counts when it's filed under the transmission, or under the power train and the owner describes the transmission (shifting, slipping, gears, CVT). It's an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and older years have had longer to collect complaints.
What owners describe
Share of this model's transmission complaints that mention each symptom. One complaint can mention several.
In owners' words
PowerShift dual-clutch transmission, slipping, bucking, and shuddering during acceleration. Subject of a class-action lawsuit.
2013 Ford Fiesta owner · NHTSA complaint
My transmission is slipping had the recall fix about 2 years ago and it is slipping again and it is doing this when I am driving it
2013 Ford Fiesta owner · NHTSA complaint
Quick answers
Which Ford Fiesta years have transmission problems?
By transmission complaints filed with NHTSA per car sold, the worst Ford Fiesta years are 2013, 2012, 2011.
What are common Ford Fiesta transmission problems?
Owners most often describe lost power while driving, hard or jerky shifting, shudder.
Which Ford Fiesta years have the fewest transmission complaints?
Since 2010, the Ford Fiesta years with the fewest transmission complaints per car sold are 2018, 2019, 2017.
See every problem, not just the transmission: Ford Fiesta reliability by year. How we count