Ford Fiesta 2011 Problems

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.

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

There's no argument that the car market has changed. The once dominant big cars are on the nose, replaced largely by other big cars in the form of SUVs, but at the same time small cars that were once shunned by all but the poverty-stricken are enjoying unprecedented popularity.This newfound popularity has meant that carmakers have put more effort into making them attractive to this new generation of buyers instead of stripping them of everything but the basics in the hope of making a buck as they once did.The result is cars like the Thailand-produced Ford Fiesta, an attractive, fun-filled little car that drives well, is economical, and has loads of neat features. Ford offered two body styles, a four-door sedan that gave you the security of a boot and a little more body stiffness to aid handling, and a five-door hatch that was more practical and versatile.There were also two engine options to choose from, a 1.6-litre petrol four and a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel. Both were quite economical, the turbo-diesel more so by quite a margin, and both performed quite nicely.The only criticism of the petrol engine was that it lacked a little performance at low revs, but it was still perfectly adequate for the job. At the same time the turbo-diesel was lauded for its sparkling performance, the downside was that it only came with a five-speed manual gearbox.For those wanting an auto there was no choice but to go for the petrol engine, and you could then opt for the new six-speed auto, which was in fact a dual-clutch DSG gearbox.All models boasted standard stability control, but the base CL only had two airbags unless it was equipped with the $600 option that upgraded it to the seven that all other models had.A downside that needed to be understood is that the Fiesta didn't come with a spare wheel, for that you had to pay extra. Instead it had an aerosol kit for use when you get a flat.Ford made choosing a Fiesta a challenge. The turbo-diesel was a winner, in both performance and economy, but it only came with a manual gearbox.If you wanted an auto transmission you had to forgo the economy of the diesel and buy a petrol engine, which wasn't as economical and lacked the diesel's performance.But given the auto is a DSG, which can prove troublesome, perhaps the best option is to avoid the complication of technology and opt for a simple manual gearbox.If you really want the auto test-drive it thoroughly to try and find any faults it might have. Don't just drive it around the block; take it for an extended run, driving it under varying conditions, high speed, low speed, walking speed, accelerating from a stop, overtaking etc.Check in the boot to see if your chosen car has the optional spare or not, and think about what you might do if it doesn't. If there is no spare check to see that the aerosol kit is there.Some owners say that their petrol models ping, which forces them to run them on 95-octane fuel instead of the cheaper 91. That, of course, increases the running costs significantly.Build quality is a complaint often heard from WT Fiesta owners, so take the time to inspect your chosen car closely.Inspect the body for bumps and scrapes, they always bring the value of a car down, and also check the service record to reassure yourself that the required servicing has been carried out.Questionable build quality detracts from an attractive package, but the diesel engine is worth the punt.

Graham Smith reviews the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic as a used buy.