Severity
Moderate
FORD 2011-2013: AIR BAGS
Reported: October 5, 2012 Initiated: October 5, 2012 #12V488000
FORD issued this NHTSA recall on October 5, 2012. Classified as Moderate severity. The recall was issued because: Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Fiesta vehicles, manufactured from November 3, 2009 through September 21…. This recall notice is sourced from official NHTSA enforcement records. Below you will find the complete product description, hazard information, remedy instructions, and related recalls from the same manufacturer or product category.
Recall Insight
This NHTSA action (record #12V488000) was formally reported on October 5, 2012. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. FORD is listed as the recalling firm. The number of affected units is not disclosed in the agency filing, which is common for drug and food recalls where lot-level tracking supersedes unit counts.
The documented reason for this recall is: 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, "Occ… The specific hazard cited in the filing is: 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…. Distribution data in the federal record shows the product reached: United States. Distribution scope directly affects the consumer exposure window and determines whether a recall remains regional or escalates into a nationwide advisory. The remedy documented by the agency is: 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… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.
To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 1 were also issued by NHTSA. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 14 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.
Recall Distribution by Severity Class
Units Affected
Unknown
Related Recalls
6
1 from same agency
Product Description
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.
Reason for Recall
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.
Hazard
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.
Remedy
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.
Details
- Recalling Firm
- FORD
- Distribution
- United States
- Official Source
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=12V488000
Recall Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |
| Severity class | Moderate |
| Status | Active |
| Recall number | 12V488000 |
| Date reported | October 5, 2012 |
| Date initiated | October 5, 2012 |
| Recalling firm | FORD |
| Units affected | Not disclosed |
| Distribution | United States |
Profile values are sourced directly from the official NHTSA enforcement record. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What product was recalled? ▼
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.. Recalled by FORD.
Why was this product recalled? ▼
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.
What should consumers do? ▼
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.
Which agency issued this recall? ▼
This recall was issued by the NHTSA on October 5, 2012. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 12V488000.
Where was the recalled product distributed? ▼
Distribution: United States.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall? ▼
Check the product description and recall number (12V488000) against your product. Visit the official NHTSA website for the most current information. You can also use our Recall Checker tool to search by product name or brand.
How do I report an injury from a recalled product? ▼
Report injuries to the issuing agency: CPSC at SaferProducts.gov, NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or FDA via MedWatch. Document the product (photos, model/serial numbers, purchase receipts) and seek medical attention. Injury reports help agencies track hazard patterns and may strengthen enforcement actions.
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Recall Context
Product recalls are issued when a manufacturer, distributor, or federal agency determines that a product poses a safety risk to consumers. This recall is classified as moderate severity, indicating the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences. Across PlainRecalls, we track 83,000+ recalls from FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA to help consumers stay informed and act quickly when safety issues arise.
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Data Sources
Data as of 2025. Source: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS federal recall databases.
- Source: FDA — Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Enforcement API (food, drug, and medical device recalls)
- Source: CPSC — Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls API (consumer product recalls and hazards)
- Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls API (vehicle safety recalls)
- Source: USDA FSIS — Food Safety and Inspection Service (meat, poultry, and egg product recalls)
Recall information is sourced from official federal agency databases. Always verify recall details with the issuing agency for the most current status. This information is for research and awareness purposes only.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic + housing + income data. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage + employment by occupation. bls.gov/oes
- BEA Regional Economic Accounts — GDP + personal income by state/metro. bea.gov/data/regional
- U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns — establishment + employment by industry. census.gov/cbp
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-return aggregate data. irs.gov/statistics
- data.gov — U.S. federal open-data portal — discovery layer for additional federal sources. data.gov
Source: Federal recall agencies (FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS) Aggregated multi-agency recall feeds · 2024 Recall data normalized across federal agency feeds; severity classifications follow each agency's own taxonomy (FDA Class I/II/III; CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS).