Ford · Fiesta · 2016
2016 Ford Fiesta
0
Recalls
178
Complaints
4/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 Ford Fiesta has no recalls and 178 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: power train (69 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 29, 2026
Research Context
The 2016 Ford Fiesta page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is power train with 69 reported complaints.
Best Research Moves
- Use the complaint log to understand what owners were actually reporting instead of relying only on the raw complaint total.
- Review the recall section even if the total is smaller, because a limited number of recalls can still point to meaningful safety actions.
- Check the linked investigations for extra ODI context if you want to see whether owner complaints escalated into formal defect review.
Key Takeaways
- The 2016 Ford Fiesta currently shows no active NHTSA recalls listed on this page and 178 owner-reported complaints.
- This page currently shows 1 NHTSA investigation linked to this page.
- This page reflects complaint volume, recall history, and NHTSA test data, but it does not diagnose causes or rank reliability by itself.
- Safety data currently shows 4/5 overall NHTSA safety rating.
- The most frequently reported complaint categories on this page are power train (69), engine (11), unknown or other (10).
- Vehicle
- 2016 Ford Fiesta
- Recalls
- 0
- Complaints
- 178
- Safety Rating
- 4/5
How to Interpret This Page
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
NHTSA Crash Test Performance
Frontal Crash Test
Side Crash Test
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
14.3% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
ESC: StandardForward Collision Warning: NoLane Departure Warning: No
Investigations
1 totalThe Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 44 complaints alleging loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2015-2017 Ford Fiesta and MY 2015-2018 Ford Focus vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company. These vehicles are equipped with a 1.0L engine and manual transmission. Some consumers report a low engine oil pressure warning lamp immediately preceding a complete loss or reduction of motive power while the vehicle is in motion. Based on a preliminary review of data currently available to ODI, this may be due to fragments of timing belt material that wear off and accumulate inside the oil pump. This debris can gradually clog the oil pump pick-up screen and result in sudden oil starvation of the engine and ultimately engine seizure. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related problems. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYSOpened: Dec 18, 2025
Owner Complaints
178 totalPOWER TRAIN
Nov 10, 2025
The transmission started slipping in 1st and 2nd gear.
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Oct 23, 2025
I have come to find that this vehicle suffers from premature slave cylinder failure, there are roughly 62,000 miles on the vehicle. Typical failure is reported to Ford between 70,000 and 80,000 miles. First symptoms appeared at roughly 58,000 miles. As I am a single father and a ...
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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Sep 22, 2025
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 110,000. It was later discovered that the actual milea...
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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
Jun 26, 2025
Customer satisfaction program 16B11 covers a faulty high speed cooling fan relay. This bulletin was issued on April 5, 2016. I purchased the vehicle on [XXX]. An incorrect relay was installed at the factory, and the program should have replaced the relay with the correct part. Th...
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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted. ...
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POWER TRAIN
Jun 10, 2025
Symptoms: No-start condition (wouldn't crank w/o jump); delayed or harsh shifting; lost power (stalled going up tiny hill). Warning lights: transmission malfunction - service now; check engine light. Our symptoms and warning lights are consistent with Ford's Fiesta Transmission C...
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POWER TRAIN
Mar 5, 2025
The TCM was defective. It has been known that the TCM, transmission control modules are defective for Ford Fiestas and Focus. My daughter was driving the car and it stalled. If she was in heavy traffic are making a turn when this happened she could have been seriously injured. Fo...
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POWER TRAIN
Feb 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was mad...
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POWER TRAIN
Jan 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 MPH. The contact stated that the transmission warning light was illuminated. In addition, the con...
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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE
Jan 14, 2025
Trunk latch releases randomly. Like so many other people with this generation of Ford Fiesta. They have taken them in for the same issue and told they don't by the shop that they don't know what the problem is. The problem is random so getting to to happen while at the shop is n...
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Showing 10 recent complaints from 178 total
View Full Complaint LogCompare Related Vehicles
Why Compare These Pages
The strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2016 Ford models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
More Ford Fiesta Years
2017 Ford FiestaCompare this year against 2016 for complaint and recall shifts.1i72c2015 Ford FiestaCompare this year against 2016 for complaint and recall shifts.4r2i255c2018 Ford FiestaCompare this year against 2016 for complaint and recall shifts.35c2014 Ford FiestaCompare this year against 2016 for complaint and recall shifts.7r2i500c2019 Ford FiestaCompare this year against 2016 for complaint and recall shifts.3r84c2013 Ford FiestaCompare this year against 2016 for complaint and recall shifts.3r3i666c
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many recalls does the 2016 Ford Fiesta have?
The 2016 Ford Fiesta has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
How many complaints have been filed for the 2016 Ford Fiesta?
NHTSA has received 178 owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Ford Fiesta.
What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2016 Ford Fiesta?
The 2016 Ford Fiesta received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Ford Fiesta?
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2016 Ford Fiesta are power train (69 reports), engine (11 reports), unknown or other (10 reports).
Does the 2016 Ford Fiesta have any recalls?
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2016 Ford Fiesta. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Check Another Vehicle
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.