These are issues documented for the Ford Fiesta ST in general - things to check for, not a diagnosis of any particular car. Whether a specific car has one depends on its age, mileage, service history and how it was used.
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Coolant/Cracked Cylinder Head Fire-Risk Recall (ST, Sept 2012-Dec 2014 Builds)
Engine/Cooling (primary, ST recall) and Transmission/Engine (secondary) · severity: Very High for the primary recall finding (a genuine, real fire risk, which is why Ford issued a proactive safety recall) if the affected vehicle has not had the free fix applied. Moderate for the PowerShift judder and early 1.0 EcoBoost issues. · confidence: 75/100 · 4 cited sources
Applies to: 1.6L EcoBoost/GTDi turbopetrol (ST derivative only), 134kW/240Nm / 1.0L EcoBoost (Fox family) turbopetrol, 92kW/170Nm (Trend/Titanium) - see a related documented issue for… and 2 more - not every engine this model has been sold with
ⓘ Not yet individually classified
Symptoms to watch for
MOST IMPORTANT (ST, Sept 2012-Dec 2014 builds): per Ford SA's own recall guidance, watch for a coolant leak, overheating, or coolant that needs frequent topping up - and continue to monitor coolant levels regardless. Ford's own advice was that owners could continue driving but should visit a dealer if any of these signs appeared
PowerShift automatic (facelifted Mk6, 2013-2018): juddering or jerky acceleration, particularly at low speed
Early 1.0 EcoBoost specifically: coolant leaks, fuel-pressure-related drivability issues, or head-gasket-related symptoms (distinct from the separate wet-belt risk in a related documented issue)
What To Check
The recall's underlying defect is not reliably detectable through normal driving before it manifests as a coolant leak or overheating - only a VIN-based recall check reliably confirms status. PowerShift judder IS genuinely test-drive-detectable.
Full documented findings available
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What Does a Service Typically Cost?
Major service
R 2,950
Annual upkeep (estimated)
R 3,500
Brake job (pads/discs)
R 3,400
Filter kit
R 750
The major-service figure comes from South African service-cost sources for this model; the annual upkeep, brake job and filter kit figures are estimates scaled from it. Source: enginefinder.co.za's real, dedicated Ford Fiesta page (R2,411-R3,525), midpoint used - not broken out by derivative, same figure applies. Actual cost varies by workshop, region and the exact vehicle's condition; get a direct quote before budgeting around this.
This guide summarises documented, sourced findings for the Ford Fiesta ST generally. It is not an assessment of any specific vehicle - mileage, service history and condition vary by example. A full AutoLytiQs™ report checks a specific listing for sale against this data plus a live South African market valuation, to tell you whether that exact vehicle is a good buy.
