Ford Fiesta Mk7 (2008-2017): known problems and buying guide

Built: 2008–2012
Median price: €3,334
Listings: 1,809
Running cost per month: €373–€433
Power: 60–96 PS (44–71 kW)
Reliability: 3/5
DIY: 3/5

The PowerShift gearbox is the main risk. Check it drives smoothly, then suspension, steering, oil use and the timing belt history.

Updated 24 October 2026

All versions

Variant	Running cost per month	Median price	Listings	Fuel	Engine codes	Gearbox	Production years
1.25, 82 PS, 5-speed manual Research	€415	€3,499	705	Petrol	SNJD	Manual (5)	2008–2012
1.25, 60 PS, 5-speed manual Research	€399	€3,200	338	Petrol	STJD	Manual (5)	2008–2012
1.4, 96 PS, 5-speed manual Research	€423	€3,350	182	Petrol	RTJD, SPJE	Manual (5)	2008–2012
1.4 TDCi, 70 PS, 5-speed manual Research	€385	€3,500	122	Diesel	KVJA	Manual (5)	2010–2012
1.6 TDCi, 95 PS, 5-speed manual Research	€389	€2,900	92	Diesel	TZJB	Manual (5)	2010–2012
1.6 TDCi, 90 PS, 5-speed manual Research	€392	€2,200	57	Diesel	HHJE	Manual (5)	2008–2010
1.4 LPG, 92 PS, 5-speed manual Research	€373	€3,900	56	LPG	RTJD	Manual (5)	2009–2012
1.4, 96 PS, 4-speed automatic	€433	€5,500	50	Petrol	SPJE	Automatic (4)	2008–2012

At a glance

Years: built from 2008 to 2017. The PowerShift automatic came in 2011.
Most common: the PowerShift automatic judders and shifts badly. The rest are wear parts: suspension, steering, ignition parts and small oil and water leaks.
Reliability: 3/5, because the manual cars mostly need wear parts, but the PowerShift gearbox fails often.
DIY: 3/5, because suspension, ignition and battery work is simple, but gearbox and timing belt work needs a garage.
Prefer: a manual car with a dated timing belt invoice. Avoid: a PowerShift car that shudders when it pulls away.

Engines and gearboxes

1.25 and 1.4 Duratec petrol: timing belt every 160,000 km or 8 years.
1.6 Ti-VCT petrol: timing belt every 120,000 to 160,000 km or 8 years.
1.4 and 1.6 TDCi diesel: timing belt every 140,000 km or 10 years on early cars, 180,000 km or 10 years from August 2011.
1.5 TDCi diesel (75 PS): timing belt every 180,000 km or 10 years.
1.0 EcoBoost petrol (100 and 125 PS, from 2012): see the 1.0 EcoBoost guide. On the Fiesta, coolant pipes and hoses leak and can overheat the engine on cars up to 2016, and turbos wear or fail.
Manual gearbox: the clutch can slip (see below).
Six-speed PowerShift dual-clutch automatic (2011-2017): see the first issue below.

Known issues

Issue	Affects	Typical km	Repair cost
PowerShift judder and jerky shifts	PowerShift automatic, 2011-2017	Not stated	No confirmed price
Suspension knocks	All	Not stated	No confirmed price
Manual clutch slipping	Manual gearbox	Not stated	No confirmed price
Starter, alternator and battery	All, reports for 2012-2014 and 2017 cars	Not stated	No confirmed price
Steering wear	All	Not stated	No confirmed price
Oil loss and leaks	All	Not stated	No confirmed price
Water in footwells	All, roof seams on hatchbacks	Not stated	No confirmed price
Ignition cables and spark plugs	Petrol engines, reports for 2008-2012 and 2015 cars	Not stated	No confirmed price

Before you buy

Drive the car from rest and at low speed in traffic. Shudder or jerky shifts are a sign of a costly gearbox fault.
Ask for the gearbox fault codes to be read, and check for warning lights.
Ask for the gearbox service and repair history. Only US cars had the extended gearbox warranty.
On a manual car, test the clutch uphill and under hard acceleration. The revs should not rise without the car speeding up.
Listen for knocks over bumps, and check the steering for play on full lock.
Look for oil on the engine and under the car, then check the dipstick after a test drive.
Check the carpets, footwells and roof lining for damp, especially on hatchbacks.
Test a cold start for a slow crank or a charge warning light.
Ask for the timing belt record, with date and mileage, and check it was changed on time.
If the car is a 1.0 EcoBoost, read the 1.0 EcoBoost guide before you buy.

Running costs

Operational	€172
Workshop	€132
Fixed costs (tax, insurance)	€108
Total per month	€412
New-car depreciation (not included)	€38

ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months

Market

Listings on mobile.de priced up to 50,000 EUR, 29 October 2026.

Find offers on mobile.de

Listings: 1,809
25th percentile: €2,500
Median price: €3,334
75th percentile: €4,200
Median mileage: 161,199 km
Median first registration: 2010
Dealer share: 45.9%
Price at 100,000 km: €4,354

To check a listing's price, open its variant in the table above. Each variant page has a price check.

In detail

PowerShift judder and jerky shifts

The PowerShift is a six-speed automatic built as two clutches that swap gears. It has dry clutches. Owners and garages report shudder at low speed, jerky or late shifts, hesitation, slipping and sudden loss of power, sometimes with warning lights. The causes named are worn clutches and a faulty gearbox control unit.

Built 2011 to 2017. Later cars, from about 2015, are better but not fixed. In the US Ford extended the gearbox warranty in 2014 to 7 years or 100,000 miles (161,000 km). That applies to US cars only.

Sources: endurancewarranty, whocanfixmycar, clickmechanic, Jalopnik, zr.ru, zr.ru review, Motor-Talk

Suspension knocks

Steering track rod ends and coil springs wear, and springs can break. Worn anti-roll bar links and rubber bushes cause knocks over bumps. Ball joints and shock absorbers wear faster on rough roads.

Sources: ADAC, carwiki, clickmechanic, kolesa.ru, zr.ru

Manual clutch slipping

On manual cars the clutch can slip. The engine speeds up, but the car does not gain speed as it should. Test this uphill and under hard acceleration. A slipping clutch is a repair the buyer should price in.

Sources: whocanfixmycar, clickmechanic

Starter, alternator and battery

Starter motors failed in 2014 cars, and starter batteries failed in 2012, 2013 and 2017 cars, according to ADAC and carwiki reports. Russian sources also report that the alternator regulator relay fails. Check the car starts quickly when cold, and that the charge warning light goes out after starting.

Sources: ADAC, carwiki, zr.ru, kolesa.ru

Steering wear

TÜV inspections record steering faults again and again. Russian sources report that a bush in the steering rack wears, and that the rack can need an overhaul. Check for play at the wheel and noise when turning on full lock.

Sources: ADAC, zr.ru, zr.ru

Oil loss and leaks

TÜV inspections record oil loss as a recurring fault. Russian sources report that the oil seals leak. Check the engine and the ground under it for oil, and check the dipstick after a test drive.

Sources: ADAC, zr.ru

Water in footwells

Water gets in through the door and window seals. Roof seams leak on hatchbacks. Check the carpets and footwells for damp, lift the mats, and check the roof lining.

Sources: whocanfixmycar, kolesa.ru

Ignition cables and spark plugs

ADAC and carwiki report breakdowns from ignition cables in 2008 to 2012 and 2015, and from spark plugs in 2012. Ask whether the cables and plugs were changed. Check for a misfire on a cold start.

Sources: ADAC, carwiki

Recalls

These German recalls are confirmed by ADAC and carwiki. No recall codes are given in the sources.

Campaign	Cars	Built	Work and cost	Country	Code
Brake lines rub on the ABS/ESP unit	1,600	1 Jan to 24 Feb 2011	About 1 hour, free	Germany	not given
Rear axle mount bolts	126	13 to 23 Sep 2011	About 30 min, free	Germany	not given
Brass plug in the exhaust	1,026	2011 (Cologne and Valencia)	About 30 min, free	Germany	not given
Glow plug control module	13,000	Feb 2010 to Dec 2011	About 30 min, free	Germany	not given
Rear seat belt buckles	7,700	Sep to Nov 2014	Inspect, replace if needed, about 1 hour, free	Germany	not given

Other countries may have different recalls. Ask the dealer to check the VIN for open recalls.

Sources: ADAC, AutoBild, carwiki

Maintenance

Timing belt: change at the km or years limit in the service book. Check the interval for your exact engine there.
Belt job cost in Germany: 360 EUR (2021, ADAC, diesel) to about 475 EUR (year not stated).