FORD Transit Connect Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls β NHTSA data
Comparing used FORD Transit Connect options? We analyzed 10 model years (2014β2023) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the FORD Transit Connect has 449 owner complaints and 68 safety recalls across model years 2014β2023. The most reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. 2019 drew the most complaints; 2021 drew the fewest.
- Make
- FORD
- Model
- Transit Connect
- Model years analyzed
- 2014β2023 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 449
- Safety recall campaigns
- 68
- Crash-related complaints
- 14
- Fire-related complaints
- 6
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2019 (51 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2021 (8 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- POWER TRAIN
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
FORD Transit Connect: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used β lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record β lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe FORD TRANSIT CONNECT has 449 NHTSA complaints and 68 recalls on record. 14 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 449 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 68 federal recall campaigns
- 14 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
68 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
SEATS
VISIBILITY:FIXED PANARAMIC ROOF/SKY LIGHT ASSEMBLY
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
VISIBILITY:FIXED PANARAMIC ROOF/SKY LIGHT ASSEMBLY
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2014β2023. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 449 NHTSA complaints β these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
449 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
Component Affected: Service Brakes / ABS Module / Hydraulic Braking System Description of Safety Defect: There is an active, intermittent, catastrophic failure in the front braking system/ABS module causing the front brakes to completely lock up mid-transit while operating at high speeds (60+ MPH). First Incident (April 24, 2026): During operation on a busy interstate at over 60 MPH, the front braking system experienced a sudden, catastrophic thermal lock-up. This caused violent vehicle shuddering, extreme friction heat, and heavy, thick, acrid smoke. The vehicle was brought to a dealer shop for repair. Second Incident (April 29, 2026): Four days after delivery, the identical catastrophic brake lock-up recurred mid-transit, creating an immediate fire hazard due to friction heat and smoke. An independent repair facility diagnosed the failure and replaced the ABS module. Third Incident (June 4, 2026): The identical component failure recurred while traveling at over 60 MPH on Interstate 694 with a minor child in the vehicle. The front brakes fully locked up mid-transit, creating an immediate risk of a high-speed collision, severe thermal friction, and heavy burning odors, rendering the vehicle entirely un-roadworthy. Current Status: > The vehicle has sat grounded at a repair shop for 30 cumulative days out of 54 days of ownership due to the persistent re-locking of the front hydraulic braking system. The vehicle is unsafe to operate on public roads. No crash or fire occurred, but the failure poses an imminent thermal and collision hazard.
One tire locks up gradually and then completely preventing the vehicle from being driven and causing damage to the other tires. The inability to drive the vehicle on the open road is very dangerous. There are no warning lamps. The vehicle may seem sluggish to accelerate. After towing to a service station, the ABS module failed and this caused damage to the brake master cylinder which had to be replaced.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Transit Connect. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V294000 (Visibility); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that two dealers were made aware of the issue and informed the contact that there were no technicians at the dealer capable of performing the recall repair. The contact was promised a call back once a technician was able to service the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact back to the dealer. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
ABS brakes are locked up and only release after a few seconds. I have replaced the driver front caliper and now the passenger front is locking. After a quick search online, I have found several cases of the ABS module malfunctioning on this vehicle requiring a new module and programming. The first time the driver side locked, there were no warning lights and when I arrived home, the rotor was glowing red. Could have caused a fire.
Power steering failed without warning. Rack and pinion had to be replaced. You now have 5 complaints on this but still no investigation open. This is clearly a manufacturer defect. $2,700 to fix. Vehicle only had 65,000 miles on it when it failed.
Driving at higher speeds when going to brake, the vehicle drops gears and slows agressively. It started to do this occasionally a couple of month ago, now it happens every other day.
Read 14 more owner reports
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, with the traction and ABS warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure recurred. The contact also stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that transmission fluid was leaking from the transmission. The dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000. The VIN was not available.
The transmission is having a shuddering issue, and looking online there on tons and tons of people having the same issue and stating itβs the torque converter and this is over many different years and variants of my vehicleβ¦ how is this not a recall yet?? People are having this issue right after purchase?
The contact's company owns a 2018 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that while an employee was driving at 30 MPH, the rear driver side sliding door unintendedly opened. The employee could not shut the door due to a defective latch. The contact stated that a zip tie was used to secure the door. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer nor the dealer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
ABS light comes on as well as loss of traction control and hill assist. Steering is more difficult, and the speed ohmmeter will not work. This is the second time this has happen. First time mechanic replaced bad speed sensor on drivers' side front wheel and everything went back to normal it only had around 6K miles on it. Now it has around 7.5K on it and it has happen again. Have not taken it in for repair yet.
hello - this is not a safety issue with my car. for the moment. inputting the VIN it states that there is only 1 row of seats (D/P). this is not accurate. there are 3 seat rows in my van. (front x2, middle x3 and rear seats x2) total of 7 seats. thus this should be corrected for my VIN. if or when i have a complaint about the safety of the seats, belts, head rests etc... it will make sense. i do not have a cargo van. it's a seven passenger seat van.
Steering system failed while driving put driver at risk of crash. The problem still exists. It appears that the power steering rack has failed for the second time and will need to be replaced. There was no warning prior to failure
Power steering failed without warning while vehicle was being driven at highway speeds. Vehicle required replacement of power steering rack. This is the 4th time this has happened with my Ford Transit Connect vans
Unexpected power steering failure while driving. Driver and surrounding vehicles at risk Ford Dealer has reproduced the problem but can't identify the cause There weren't any warning lamps or messages before failure I own two other Ford Transit Connect vans from 2018, each has had the same problem
Power steering failure while driving Driver safety at risk as well as surrounding vehicles yes yes no warning lights, messages or other symptoms prior to failure
My vehicle is less than 5 years old, 10 months out of warranty. The LOCKS stopped working. They made the noise, but no action. So, I thought the locks were still working. The dealership had no idea what the issue was - they've had my vehicle for almost a month trying to figure it out. So far they've changed the Body Control Module and are getting another part. Ford will do nothing even though Locks should be something always covered or at least for 5 years. No warnings. This put me at risk as I camp in the vehicle and didn't know it wasn't locking (because it made the noise like it was).
I had been driving my car for a few minutes when I heard a loud pop and my rear window glass shattered. Covered in spider glass cracks and only held in place by the tint. No point of impact visible to show that it had been hit by an object. It was chilly, 43 F, and I had the heat/defrost on. Unfortunately, when arriving to work, I opened my sliding door look at the damage from the inside and doing so caused glass to fall out, so I have no picture of just the glass the way it was when it broke. A quick search shows this has happened to other vehicles including transit connects like mine, and caused by the heated glass.
Torque Converter failed. Confirmed by dealer service department. No warning indicators. Dealer repaired under warranty but it took 3 months from the first phone call. Looking online at user boards this should be a recall issue. I was told I could continue to drive it until parts came in and only found out later that the transmission could be damaged by doing so.
DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT LOW BEAM BULB BURNS OUT CONTINUOUSLY
LOUD NOISE W/VIBRATION AND FOUL ODOR COMING FROM HEATER BLOWER. DEALERSHIP DISCOVERED A RODENT'S NEST IN THE CLIMATE CONTROL BLOWER MOTOR. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THERE IS NO REMEDY TO PREVENT RECURRENCE. DEALERSHIP ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FORD ESCAPE HAS A HISTORY OF THE SAME PROBLEM. SEE FORD'S TSB 17-0034, PUBLISHED 3/21/17 RE FORD'S RECOMMENDED PREVENTION: "...INSTALL THE NEW INLET DUCT GASKET WITH SCREEN..." (EMPHASIS ADDED).
Showing 20 of 449 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact FORD Transit Connect
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations β hereβs what each number actually tells you about a used FORD Transit Connect, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is β but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The FORD Transit Connect has 449 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The FORD Transit Connect has 68 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 14 of the FORD Transit Connect's 449 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions β a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable β simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all FORD Transit Connect vehicles on the road β not any specific car. Two FORD Transit Connect vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage β NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The FORD Transit Connect has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a FORD Transit Connect by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used FORD Transit Connect.
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Keep researching before you buy
Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.
FORD Transit Connect reliability β frequently asked questions
Is the FORD Transit Connect reliable?
Poor. The FORD Transit Connect has 449 NHTSA owner complaints and 68 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which FORD Transit Connect years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2019 (51 complaints), 2020 (31 complaints), 2017 (28 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common FORD Transit Connect problems?
Top reported issues: POWER TRAIN (82 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (71 complaints); SERVICE BRAKES (59 complaints).
Does the FORD Transit Connect have recalls?
Yes β 68 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the FORD Transit Connect. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.