12 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
When you put the vehicle in reverse, the backup camera may show a picture that is upside down, distorted, or completely blank. That leaves you with less of a view behind you, so it is easier to miss a person or an object while backing up. Dealers will inspect the camera and replace it if needed at no cost. Ford is mailing owner letters in phases, starting January 2026 with more going out in June 2026.
A software error affects the backup camera. The screen may show a blank image when you shift into reverse, so you cannot see what is behind the vehicle. Or the camera picture may stay on the screen after you have shifted out of reverse, which can distract you while driving forward. Either situation raises the risk of a crash. A dealer will update the rearview camera software free of charge.
These Transit Connect vans were fixed once before under an earlier recall, but that repair was done incorrectly. The van's main engine computer has the wrong temperature settings, so it waits too long before it starts cooling the engine down. That means the engine can get much hotter than it should, and an engine that overheats can catch fire. Your dealer will reload the correct software into the computer. It takes one visit and costs you nothing.
The large fixed panoramic roof panel may not have been bonded to the body properly when the van was built. A weak bond means the panel can work loose and come off while you are driving. A roof panel that separates at speed lands in the road, which is a hazard for you and for anyone driving behind you, and can lead to a crash. The dealer will remove the panel, clean the surfaces, and reinstall it correctly, free of charge.
A small bushing connects the gear shifter to the transmission, and it can wear out or come off. When that happens, the vehicle may not go into the gear you selected, so it can move in a direction you did not expect. It can also roll away after you shift into Park. Dealers replace the bushing and add a protective cap over the cable at no cost to you.
The front windshield on these vans may not have been glued to the body properly when it was built. Windshields are bonded to the frame with adhesive, so a weak bond is not something you can see or feel while driving. Ford says that in a crash the windshield could come off the vehicle, which raises the chance of injury. A dealer will inspect the windshield and, if needed, take it out and put it back in correctly, free.
On certain 2021-2022 Transit and 2021 Transit Connect vans, the front passenger seat belt has a locking feature that clamps the belt tight so a child seat stays put. That lock can switch off too early, so a child seat strapped into that seat may not be held firmly. A dealer will inspect the seat belt and replace it if needed, free of charge. Ford mailed owner letters on December 30, 2021.
A small plastic part connects the gear shifter to the transmission. On these vans it can wear out, crack, or fall off. When that happens the van may not actually go into the gear you picked, so it could move in a direction you did not expect. Worse, it can roll away after you shift into Park, even though the shifter says Park. A dealer replaces the part and adds a protective cap, free.
Some frontal airbags were built without part of the material that inflates them — the first-stage booster propellant and its sleeve are missing. Depending on the vehicle, it is the driver's airbag or the front passenger's airbag that is affected. An airbag missing that material will not inflate the way it is supposed to in a crash, so it will not protect the person sitting in that seat. These vehicles do not meet the federal crash protection standard.
On certain 2019-2020 Ford Transit Connect vans with 2.5L engines, the computer that runs the engine is set to react to high temperatures later than it should. If the engine loses coolant, the computer waits too long before switching to its protective mode. That delay lets the engine get too hot. An overheated engine can be damaged, and in some cases the heat can lead to a fire.
Bolts on a part of the transmission tied to the automatic start/stop feature may be loose or missing entirely. That lets transmission fluid leak out. As the fluid drains away the transmission can stop working, and if leaking fluid reaches a hot enough source it can start a fire. Ford is replacing that part on affected vehicles. A dealer will fit a new start/stop accumulator free of charge, and this repair is not one to put off.
These vans were fitted by an outside company with Freedman GO-ES fold-away seats. When you flip the rear seat cushion down from its stored position and someone sits on it, the cushion may not lock securely in place. In a crash or a sudden stop, the person's weight can make the seat move instead of holding firm. The seat maker supplies a free repair kit, and owners were told to contact Freedman Seating to get it.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Ford Transit Connect. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 51 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: