Ford Transit Connect

Where it stands out against its peers

• Structure: more complaints than 97% of 2014 cars — 22% of its 127 complaints, where an ordinary 2014 car has 6%.
• Latches/locks/linkages: more complaints than 99% of 2014 cars — 11% of its 127 complaints, where an ordinary 2014 car has 1%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• STRUCTURE — 21 owners reported this
• LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES — 13 owners reported this
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 9 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN — 8 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 7 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 5 owners reported this
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 4 owners reported this
• STEERING — 4 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 4 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY — 3 owners reported this
• BACK OVER PREVENTION — 2 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 2 owners reported this
• ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE — 2 owners reported this
• SEATS — 2 owners reported this
• STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER — 2 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

77% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 12V374000

  If the wiper arm detaches, the windshield wiper will fail and the driver's visibility may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side wiper arm and blade assemblies, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 15, 2012. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

• 14V406000

  Without the correct brake reservoir label on the cap someone may add the wrong brake fluid, causing damage to the brake system seals, resulting in brake fluid leaks, lengthened stopping distances and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Ford has notified owners. Dealers will replace the brake reservoir cap with a correct one, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14C06.

• 14V703000

  Contact between the two lines may result in abrasion and a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

  Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel line routing. If the fuel line has been routed incorrectly, it will be replaced and routed correctly. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began on November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S24.

• 14V706000

  If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.

  Cummings will notify owners to take buses to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2015. Owners may contact Cumming's customer service at 1-800-639-5438 or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Cumming's number for this recall is 14E-041.

• 14V777000

  If the plastic sliding door panel separates while driving, it can increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reinstall the panel with proper materials, free of charge. The recall began January 28, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S26.

• 15V005000

  If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S30.

• 15V050000

  If the seat belt anchorage fasteners loosen over time, there is an increased risk of personal injury in the event of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the original seatbelt fasteners with properly torqued fasteners, free of charge. The recall began March 26, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S03.

• 15V406000

  If the instrument cluster is inoperative, the driver of may not be warned of safety related issues such as low tire pressures or disabled air bags, increasing the risk of personal injury or a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument panel software, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C03.

21 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Door Latch Failures

  Recall query, opened December 2019, closed February 2022.

• Door Latch Failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened January 2016, closed October 2016.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Ford filed 18 bulletins about the 2023 Transit Connect.

• Electrical system: 6
• Equipment: 3
• Back over prevention: 1
• Engine and engine cooling: 1
• Power train: 1
• Structure: 1
• Other: 5

• Certain 2021-2023 Model Year Transit Connect Equipped with 2.0L Engine Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming The affected vehicles have an emissions control system that might not control… · April 2026
• Certain 2021-2023 Model Year Transit Connect Equipped with 2.0L Engine Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming · January 2026
• Special Field Action 25L02 Certain 2017-2024 Model Year California Emissions-Certified Vehicles Transmission Control Assembly Reimbursement · January 2026
• Some 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, 2020-2024 Escape/Corsair/Edge/Nautilus/Transit Connect and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles may exhibit erratic shifting and/or a transmission fluid venting condition. If… · March 2025
• While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission… · October 2024
• Certain 2023 - 2024 Model Year Transit Connect Vehicles with Remote Start - Enable Remote Start · June 2024
• Various vehicles have had pinpoint tests, guided routines and the Warranty and Policy Manual recentlyupdated for diagnostics and repairs on SYNC generation 3 and later applications. When… · April 2024
• For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and… · March 2024

10 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.