Problems · by component
2011 Ford Fiesta vehicle speed control problems
57 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Fiesta cite vehicle speed control, 8% of all 730 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
57
8% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the vehicle speed control
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Upon acceleration from a stop the transmission seriously shutters and stalls the vehicles engine seriously putting the occupants life and safety at risk as well as others. I also noticed that the vehicle shutters badly at speeds 3mph through 25mph bucking and stalling the engine all the way through making driving the vehicle a real danger and threat to the safety of others on the road. This is a serious and dangerous situation I’ve been placed in and by this vehicle being my only source of transportation endangers my life and safety and the safety of others on the road due to the stalling and hesitation upon entering traffic it’s deadly. Weather conditions also contribute to the life threatening dangers while traveling. Vehicle has not been inspected by a certified technician due to to my extended hours of required employment with no other source of transportation yet I am more than willing to get a free inspection by a Ford Facility. Yes there is a yellow check engine light on the dashboard that was never present up until the shuttering and stalling started 3 to 4 months ago. Please update me with any solutions you may have ASAP to address this urgent and…”
“My 2011 Ford Fiesta shudders, has sudden or Delayed Acceleration,delays in downshift, difficulty stopping/braking,it hesitates when changing gears.also has harsh engagement.I purchased from a private owner in 2021. I have contacted Ford Motor Company Headquarters. I have taken it to my local Ford Dealership,told them what it does, they would not drive it so they could see what it does and how dangerous it can be at times. All they said was "oh it's the TCM and we got them back ordered for 6 mths" But if I want to pay for and order the part and just leave my car setting at the Ford Dealership until the part comes in I can do that. Then pay God only knows how much for them to put the part on. This is the only vehicle I have right now. I told them that. They said "oh we can't give ya no loaner car for that long. And the longer you drive it like that the more it's gonna tear up other parts of your car. And The Ford Motor Company said Oh you missed the deadline for the buy back program or any compensation for your carI Ford has failed to meet the standards required by The Federal Motor Safety Commission and yhey refuse to acknowledge me or help me in any way. All…”
“THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON AND THEN GOES OFF. THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN IN TRAFFIC ON THE STREET OR HIGHWAY AND JERKS WHEN TAKING OFF. IT DRAGS UPON TAKE OFF AND YOU CAN HEAR A RATTLING SOUND UNDER CARRIAGE”
“I HAVE HAD THE TCM ON THIS VEHICLE REPLACED TWICE AFTER TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION LIGHT SUDDENLY CAME ON. IT CAME ON A THIRD TIME AND THE ISSUE STILL CAUSES TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION INDICATOR TO ILLUMINATE, HOWEVER THIS TIME IT IS MY DUAL CLUTCH. SAME SYMPTOMS IN THE VEHICLE EVERY TIME. WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER, FAIL TO CHANGE GEARS, SHUTTER FORWARD AFTER STOPPING, COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. TWO DAYS AGO DRIVING UPHILL, MY VEHICLE, WITH NO WARNING AT ALL, STARTED GOING IN REVERSE, DOWN THE HILL. I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT WITH FORD THAT IS TAKING FOREVER TO SETTLE. I HAVE TRIED TO GET FORD TO REPLACE MY CLUTCH, BUT THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT PART OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY LIKE THE TCM IS NOW, EVEN THOUGH IT CAUSES THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. I CAN PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED MYSELF, BUT IT CAN GO OUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME AGAIN, WITH NO WARNING. FORD DOES NOT BELIEVE THESE ISSUES ARE SAFETY ISSUES. THEY ARE. THESE CARS DO THESE THINGS SUDDENLY. AS I AM REACHING OUT TO FORD ABOUT THIS, THEY DO HOWEVER INFORM ME THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON MY DOOR LATCHES. THEY CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT NOT THE TRANSMISSION? UNBELIEVABLE.”
“I WAS HEADING OUT IN REVERSE THE CAR FELT SLOW WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS IT TOOK A WHILE TO ACCELERATE. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP THE WHEEL FELT STIFF AND SHAKY. I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO TURN, BUT IT WOULDN'T GO. IT FELT LIKE THE GAS WAS SUFFOCATING IT WASN'T MOVING AND THE WHEEL FELT STIFF AND HARD TO TURN IT TOOK A AWHILE TO MOVE. I GOT SCARED AND DROVE BACK HOME. I TOOK IT TO FORD LEFT IT THERE TO GET CHECKED. I ASKED ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE LIGHT HAD TURNED ON. I WAS TOLD THEY RESET THE MODULE AND THAT THEY SENT ME AN ESTIMATE TO MY EMAIL IF I WANTED TO DO THE REPAIRS THAT THEY RECOMMENDED. I ASKED IF IT WAS OK TO DRIVE THE CAR THEY SAID YES, THAT I WOULD FEEL IT SHUDDER, BUT THAT IT WAS OK TO GO. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT TO WORK, BUT IT STILL TAKES A WHILE WHEN I PRESS THE GAS.”
“WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE NEW I HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO JOE COTTON FORD IN CAROL STREAM, IL THERE WAS NO REMEDY BESIDES REMOVING THE CABLES FROM THE BATTERY TO RESET THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER. ON SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR CO. TO ADVISE THAT THEY NEED TO DO A SOFTWARE UPDATE DUE TO A TCM CIRCUIT FAILURE. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO FRIENDLY FORD 333 E IRVING PARK, ROSELLE, IL, ON MONDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2019, SO THEY CAN RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. PRIOR TO TAKING MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP I REMOVED THE BATTERY CABLES. APPARENTLY THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO INSTALL THE NEW SOFTWARE. THE SERVICE ADVISOR ADVISED ME THAT THE CARD CODE READER WAS NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ERROR MESSAGE AND THEY HAD TO CHARGE ME. MY VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND THEY LOANED ME A CAR WHILE IT WAS IN SERVICE. I WAS CHARGED $199.00 FOR THEM TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AND SINCE THEY COULD NOT UPDATE THE SOFTWARE I HAD TO PAY THE BILL. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. FOR ASSISTANCE AND THE AGENT TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS LITTLE THEY CAN DO SINCE THE DEALERSHIP IS A FRANCHISE. THIS IS UNJUST THAT I WAS CHARGED FOR…”
Showing 6 of 57 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.