Ford Fiesta 2009 Problems

Doing 100km of general running about for less than five bucks in fuel makes motoring pretty affordable. As manufacturers bring out more models with increasingly-amazing frugality, motorists are laughing all the way from the pumps. A generation ago, the 30 miles per gallon mark (9.4 litres/100km in metric speak) was a

Styling of the latest couple of generations of Ford Fiestas is bold and their stunning, almost futuristic, looks appeal to many, particularly those moving down from larger cars.The Ford Fiesta is sold as a three-door or five-door hatchback. The three-door has a sporty appearance, but the five-door certainly isn’t on the staid side. Getting into the back seat of the three-door Fiesta isn’t too difficult for the kids, but large adults will find it a hassle.Once in the back seat, occupants will find it reasonably spacious. The front seats are larger than average for a car in this class and are reasonably comfortable, though some may find them on the firm side in the German manner.Ford Australia is keen to please drivers looking for more than mere transport so imports its small cars from Europe. This makes them slightly more expensive than products from Holden, which are often made in South Korean factories, but Ford Oz has managed to keep prices down.The Fiesta comes in plenty of different variants. Most use a 1.4- or 1.6-litre petrol engine and offer a couple of drivetrain options. The WZ series Fiesta, introduced in August 2013, has an interesting pair of turbocharged power units, in particular a willing little three-cylinder 1.0-litre with plenty of spark in its response. Even better is the 1.6 turbo-petrol in the Fiesta ST, it has strong torque over a wide spread of revs and can be regarded as a low cost alternative to full-on hot hatches.The Ford Fiesta XR4, introduced in June 2007, is a genuine hot hatch, not just a dressed up standard model.  Inside, there are sporting seats with leather bolsters. Fiesta XR4 has lowered suspension and rides on Pirelli P-Zero tyres. Ride comfort is surprisingly good for the hot-hatch class.The XR4's big Duratec 2.0-litre engine gives plenty of performance in a light car such as this. Some will be disappointed that only a five-speed gearbox is used. However, it has nicely chosen ratios and the change action is slick and positive.A fascinating new model was launched in November 2009. The Ford Fiesta Econetic is a super-economy model that's powered by a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine tuned specifically for low consumption. It has good torque, uses higher than normal gearing and runs on special low-rolling resistance tyres. The result is fuel consumption below four litres per hundred kilometres during easy motorway running and only five to seven litres per hundred kilometres in day-to-day suburban driving.A good home mechanic can do a fair bit of their own work on a Fiesta, but the underbonnet area is cramped. Leave the safety items to the experts. There are plenty of Ford dealers Australia wide. While uncommon parts for Fiestas may not be held in all country dealerships it usually only takes a couple of business days to have parts freighted out there. We seldom hear any real complaints about prices of parts or servicing. Plenty of mechanics running their own independent businesses will have had formal training while employed by Ford dealers in the past.Insurance premiums for the standard Ford Fiesta models are about average for its class. Some companies may charge more for the XR4 hot-hatch and the hot-ish Fiesta ST, though not outrageously so.WHAT TO LOOK FOREuropean cars aren't built to the high standards of Japanese ones, so be sure to arrange for a full professional inspection. Carefully check the interior for signs of damage due to poor assembly, also for damage done by rough or bored kids.Listen for squeaks or rattles when driving on rough roads, not necessarily outback tracks, just suburban surfaces that have seen better days. The Fiesta engine should start easily and idle smoothly virtually from the moment it kicks over. Listen and feel for a manual gearbox that hesitates or crunches during fast changes.Try the steering on full lock at low speeds both all the way to the right and the left. Listen for the clicking sounds that indicate worn universal joints. A Fiesta XR4 that has been driven hard can often be identified by uneven tyre wear. Also look for lowered suspension, big-diameter wheels and additional instruments.Rust isn't going to be a problem unless a car has been poorly repaired after a crash. Look for paint finish that doesn’t match from panel to panel and for overspray on non-painted areas.CAR BUYING TIPA simple way to check for rust repairs is to hold a magnet against a suspect area. It will stick to metal under the paint, but not to plastic fillers.

There's no doubt that today's buyers, particularly younger ones, don't feel the same need for size as their forebears who were sold on the concept that bigger was better. Today's buyers are more size-savvy and are happy to buy the car that fits their needs.In that context small cars, like Ford's Fiesta, have become important players in today's market. While they've resolved their size issues they still want their car to be sexy, and the Fiesta can claim to be that. With its slinky lines, pumped up guard flares and slimline headlamps it was as cute as a button.Inside, there was plenty of room for front seat passengers, but those in the rear found themselves a little snug thanks to the sweeping roofline that compromised their headroom. The interior was flashy and the design sometimes overrode function, although it was certainly appealing at first glance.MODEL WATCHFord's Fiesta range was made up of three and five-door hatch body styles, with entry level CL, mid-range LX and range-topping sportster Zetec, and 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre engines.The CL and Zetec were available in both body styles, but the mid-range XL was only available as a 5-door.The 1.4-litre Duratec unit developed 71kW at 5750rpm and 128Nm at 4200rpm, while the 1.6-litre engine boasted 88kW at 6000rpm and 152Nm at 4050rpm.Buyers also had the choice of transmissions with Ford offering a five-speed manual and a four-speed auto. Underneath the Fiesta had MacPherson Strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension.IN THE SHOPWhile we have had few complaints from Fiesta owners, those we have had have been rather damning.Engine pinging is a common complaint and is something to be mindful of when test driving a potential purchase. Running the car on the more expensive higher-octane fuel doesn't necessarily fix the problem, and it rather defeats one of the purposes of buying small in the first place.We have also had reports of cars that simply cutout for no apparent reason, and the fault hasn't been diagnosed.Build quality can also be variable, so cast a critical eye over any cars under consideration for purchase and don't accept anything that's not quite right.Check for a service record to make sure the required maintenance has been done.IN A CRASHThe CL and LX only came with dual airbags; to get more you had to buy a Zetec, which came with head and side airbags as well. Dynamically all models had ABS brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution, but again you had to buy a Zetec to get important features like emergency brake assistance, BAS, or dynamic stability control.To get those same features on the CL or LX you had to fork out an extra $1000 for the optional 'Safety Pack'. For anyone in the market for a used Fiesta should take note of that when out car shopping.UNDER THE PUMPFord claimed the Fiesta would average 6.1L/100km to 6.9L/100km, and would run on 91-octane unleaded.OWNERS SAYJeff Pegg has owned his WS 1.6-litre manual 3-door Fiesta CL a mere three months and already regrets it. Already $10,000 worth of parts has had to be replaced because of rust, which he believes should have been found if it was properly inspected prior to delivery.The engine also pinged terribly, even though the car was only run on 98 RON fuel, and while after three reflashes it is improved it still pings. The air-conditioning, in his view, is pitiful, and there is an annoying rattle in the dash that can't be traced. In both instances he has been told to "get used to" it.On the plus side Jeff says his Fiesta handles well, looks great, and is good to drive in the cooler months.Jeff reserves his harshest criticism for Ford's after-sales care, which he claims is "non-existent."AT A GLANCEPrice new: $16,450 to $22,990Engines: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol, 71 kW/125 Nm; 1.6-litre 4-  cylinder petrol, 88 kW/152 NmTransmissions: 5-speed manual, 4-speed auto, front-wheel driveEconomy: 6.9 L/100 km (1.4-litre auto), 6.1 L/100 km (1.6-litre man)Body: 3-door hatch, 5-door hatchVariants: CL, LX and ZetecSafety: 4-star ANCAP.VERDICTGood looking, great driving little car that makes you want to drive small.RATING3 stars

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the first and second generation Ford Fiesta between 2004 and 2015 as a used buy.

...and what to watch for when you are buying it.NEW - The Fiesta was Ford's attempt to win over small car buyers who shunned recent offerings from the Blue oval brand.The company made a big song and dance about appealing to young women with the Fiesta, but added that the sporting model in the range would appeal to young men. If it was having a bob each way there was no doubt the Fiesta was conceived to bring young women to the brand. The Fiesta looked funky, had a funky interior and was packed with all the funky features a young woman on the move could wish for.There were two body styles on offer, a three-door hatch and a five-door hatch, and three models, the price leading CL, the LX and the sporty Zetec. The mid range LX was only available as a five-door; the others could be had with three or five doors. Three engines were offered, two of them petrol and one a diesel.The petrol engines were a 1.4-litre and a 1.6-litre, but the diesel was the big noise with a claimed consumption of 3.7 L/100 km. There was also the choice of manual and automatic transmissions with the final drive being through the front wheels. On the road the Fiesta was poised when cornering, had a compliant ride, and its engines were smooth and flexible. Inside, it was quiet and refined, the seats were comfortable and there were plenty of nifty features like voice-controlled Bluetooth and a USB slot for an MP3 player.NOWFew complaints have been received at Carsguide, suggesting that Fiesta owners are generally happy with their purchase. The most common complaint relates to engine pinging, and despite dealer recommendations to switch to higher octane fuel it doesn't seem to go away. Fuel economy is also a concern for some owners, particularly with the 1.6-litre engine, which doesn't come close to the official Ford figure. Anyone buying for fuel economy should strongly consider the diesel, which does deliver very good economy.We have also had the odd report of the engine cutting out for no apparent reason, and dealers have not been able to find the cause of the problem. Random failures of this sort are quite common on today's cars with all their electronics. It only takes a poor connection somewhere, or a sensor that misbehaves occasionally and you have a car that does things that are difficult to explain.The performance of the air-conditioning has been called into question by a number of owners who say it blows cool rather than cold on hot summer days. Rattles are also the subject of complaint, which would appear to be the result of variable build quality. Like all modern cars servicing the Fiesta is vitally important to ensuring a long and reliable life, so check that the car you want to buy has been serviced regularly and according to the book.SMITHY SAYSA smart looking, great driving and fun-filled little hatch that's packed with character.Ford Fiesta 2009-2010Price new: $16,450 to $24,990Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder, 71 kW/125 Nm; 1.6-litre 4-cylinder, 88 kW/151 Nm; 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 66 kW/200 Nm.Transmission: 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, FWDThirst: 5.7 L/100 km (1.4), 5.8 L/100 km (1.6), 3.7 L/100 km (TD)Body: 3-door hatch, 5-door hatch Variants: CL, LX, Econetic, ZetecSafety: 5-star ANCAP

There was no more crowded or competitive market in 2008 than the small car segment, which Ford contested with a new Fiesta. Despite modest engine capacity, it was rated as a driver's car and there were ample options and variants, from base CL three-door to sporty Zetec to Econetic turbo diesel.As the car market moved away from the big cars that were Ford's bread-and-butter, the company had to change as well. The reality was that smaller cars, and small cars, represented the future.Being the company's global small car the Fiesta was one chosen to help shove Ford into a new Falcon-less future. But was it the car to take on the big players in small cars? Given the raft of terrific littlies from Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Kia, it had to be very good.Ford had for some time tried to be funky to appeal to hip young buyers, and the WS Fiesta certainly had the looks to appeal.Older buyers who might have preferred a sedan were overlooked - Ford limited body styles to three and five-door hatches.The WS range at launch consisted of three models, the entry-level CL in both body styles, the five-door only LX and the sporty Zetec, also five-door.Two engines were available, but curiously the larger 1.6-litre was available only with the five-speed manual gearbox. If you wanted an automatic, it was coupled with a 1.4-litre.Not only did you have to accept a smaller engine, you had to contend with a four-speed auto when a five-speed would have been infinitely better for both performance and fuel economy.If performance was your priority the 1.6-litre manual was the way to go, zippy and frugal at the same time. The 1.4-litre plus auto drivetrain was sluggish and less economical.There was some relief late in the WS series when Ford released the Econetic, a five-door hatch with a 1.6-litre turbo diesel four that delivered exceptional economy.Lesser models in the range earned only four stars from ANCAP, but still had ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution. To get five stars you had to buy a Zetec, gaining extra airbags, stability control, traction control and emergency bake assist.You could have all of that in the lesser models by shelling out extra for the option pack.The good news for anyone considering a WS Fiesta is that it came from Germany. The WT that followed it was built in Thailand and build quality arguably slipped.The other good news is that the WS missed out on the sometimes troublesome double-clutch (DSG) auto that was fitted to the WT.The auto in the WS was a conventional torque converter automatic, which is largely trouble-free.The downside is the four ratios which, in tandem with the 1.4 that struggles for torque, means performance and fuel economy aren't great.Peter Smith and his wife are very pleased with the 2009 Fiesta Zetec they bought new. It's only done about 22,000km, it has always been serviced at a Ford dealership and it has never needed a warranty claim or any other attention. Peter's the main driver and says it's the best car that he's ever had.The things they dislike are the aircon's performance, which isn't up to the Queensland climate, reverse gear is hard to select and there's apparent cost cutting in some areas. On the plus side, they love the handling and the fuel economy.Tony and Aly Hicks love their 2010 Fiesta CL, which they bought new. The car has exceeded expectations - they really rate the automatic - and the road olding is excellent.It's a real driver's car despite the 1.4, and has been trouble free over the 54,000km it has done.The WS is standing up well in service. There's nothing that should be of serious concern to anyone looking to buy one.Before handing over your cash make the usual checks, ensuring there's a credible service record.Also make a thorough check of the body and paint, looking for dings and dents that might affect the value, and look closely for signs of crash repairs.Operate all ancillaries to make sure everything is in good order and functions as it should.A test drive is always recommended. Don't let the seller take the wheel; drive the car yourself. That's the only means by which you can tell if the car is right for you. It also gets around the situation of the seller driving in such a way as to conceal any issues.