Ford Fiesta Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 102 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Ford Fiesta across 9 model years. The 2011 model year has the most (23). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (30% of reports).
- 102air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 64mention a crash
- 45mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 29%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 31 of 102 complaints (30%)
- Bags deploy: mentioned in 12 of 102 complaints (12%)
- Medical attention: mentioned in 9 of 102 complaints (9%)
- Front driver side: mentioned in 9 of 102 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 77 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 102 complaints, 64 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 45 an injury.
Ford Fiesta air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Fiesta | 8 | 8% | 35,400 |
| 2018 Fiesta | 5 | 14% | 39,982 |
| 2017 Fiesta | 2 | 3% | 71,312 |
| 2016 Fiesta | 4 | 2% | 86,500 |
| 2015 Fiesta | 14 | 5% | 72,500 |
| 2014 Fiesta | 18 | 4% | 45,692 |
| 2013 Fiesta | 13 | 2% | 40,000 |
| 2012 Fiesta | 15 | 2% | 61,932 |
| 2011 Fiesta | 23 | 3% | 46,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Air bags
Model years: 2011, 2012, 2013
Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Fiesta vehicles, manufactured from November 3, 2009 through September 21, 2012. The vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." The passenger side curtain air bag will not deploy in the event of a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty. Although the side curtain air bag system was designed to suppress the side curtain air bag under this scenario, that information is not explained in the owner's guide for these vehicles as required by FMVSS No. 208.
Risk: An occupant in the right rear seating position will not have coverage from the side curtain air bag in a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty, increasing the risk of injury to the right rear occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners and dealers will reprogram the vehicle's software free of charge so that it no longer suppresses the passenger side curtain air bag when the front passenger seat is empty, and consistent with the description in the owner's guide. The safety recall began on October 26, 2012. Owner's may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle collided with a deer at 75mph on the driver front, the airbags did not deply. Total loss damage.
All 4 door airbags spontaneously deployed while driving. The air bag deployment knocked me unconscious and I woke up on the shoulder of the road. The vehicle dialed 911 after the incident occurred.
I was involved in a hit and run accident where I ended up hitting a large wooden pole and wall . My seat belt failed also my steering wheel airbag did not deploy even though I hit the pole and wall head on . All my other airbags deployed but it didn't stop my chest from impacting.the steering wheel…
Air bag light on intermittently, then recently it's been continuously on
Car accelerates shifting weirdly, airbag light came on after a few days of signing the lease. I believe this is something that needs to be checked out. The RPM jumps up and down while idling. I feel like this car is very new and shouldnât have engine problems. Has been routinely maintained.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Fiestas have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 102 owner complaints about air bags for the Ford Fiesta. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Fiesta air bags?
Yes: 1 safety recall list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the Ford Fiesta?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 31 of 102 complaints, followed by “bags deploy” (12).
Other Ford Fiesta problems
- Power Train problems (1,498)
- Engine problems (507)
- Structure problems (409)
- Electrical System problems (338)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (197)
- Latches/locks/linkages problems (185)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (135)
See all Ford Fiesta problems.