75 of the
742 complaints filed about the Ford Transit Connect
are about the other systems —
10% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2014.
On XXX at 1820 hrs CST I was traveling westbound on HWY XXX between [XXX] and Central [XXX] [XXX]. The weather was sunny, temp 88 degrees. As I was driving between 60 and 65 MPH with cars in front as well as behind me I heard a very loud “explosion” type noise. It was loud and quite scary and unexpected. The car then became very loud and windy. I was able to keep the car on the road, when I looked up I realized the panoramic window on the roof was mostly gone and damaged as well as the shade that covers the window. Looking in the rear view mirror I didn't see any other cars stopping or slowing and it appeared as if I was the only one affected. Backtracking to before my trip, I took my vehicle to Ford in [XXX] on XXX for three recall issues. Door latches, backup camera and panorama window issues. Later that day they called me to pick it up and said they had ordered parts for the recall items and would contact me when the parts were in. I advised the service tech I was going on a trip with the vehicle on XXX and needed to get things done before that time. He said the roof would need to be fixed by a glass company and they would coordinate when the other parts were installed. The vehicle went back to Sill- Terhar Ford on XXX and was returned on XXX. I asked about the window repair and was then told I would have to contact the body shop to get that work done. This work could not be done before my trip. I feel this recall is NOT been taken seriously by Ford or the dealerships and this could have killed someone behind me or I could have lost control of the vehicle INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11751489 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11745074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Back up camera cuts off at random times when backing or is not available at all. There is a recall our 2015 Tranist Connect for this issues but no recall issued on the 2014 model year. We basically cannot safely back up in this van.
NHTSA complaint #11743695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The windsheild is not properly sealed. It has caused water to leak into the vehicle. The water leaking in has caused electrical problems with the radio and backup camera. Also causing mold inside the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11737645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Description of Defect: When the vehicle is shifted into reverse, the rearview camera display freezes for several seconds before going black. This malfunction creates a direct and serious safety hazard — during the period the display is frozen, the image shown does not reflect actual real-time conditions behind the vehicle. Any pedestrian, child, or object that moves into the path of the vehicle after the display freezes will not be visible to the driver. This significantly increases the risk of a backover collision. Dealership Inspection Outcome: I brought the vehicle to an authorized Ford dealership for diagnosis. Upon inspection, the technician was unable to detect the diagnostic trouble code associated with Recall 25S89, and as a result, the vehicle was deemed to have passed inspection. However, the malfunction continues to occur. The failure to trigger the recall code does not resolve the underlying issue — the camera display still freezes and blacks out during reverse operation, leaving the driver without a functioning rearview safety system. Safety Concern: A rearview camera is a federally mandated safety feature. A display that intermittently freezes and then goes dark is functionally equivalent to having no camera at all during those critical moments. This is not a minor inconvenience — it is a safety system failure that puts pedestrians and other individuals behind the vehicle at risk every time the vehicle is put in reverse. Requested Action: I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether Recall 25S89 adequately captures all failure modes associated with this defect, and whether vehicles that present with this symptom but do not trigger the associated diagnostic code are being improperly cleared at dealerships. A remedy should be identified and applied to all affected vehicles regardless of whether the recall code is detected during inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11737254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Rear View Camera keeps doing weird things. One time you back up, it could be fine. The next time the picture will be upside down. The next time - no picture at all. The next time it could say that the camera is not working..... Ford issued a Recall on a LOT of models regarding this issue - they need to include my vehicle model and others.
NHTSA complaint #11730414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The backup camera flips the image upside down and has static throughout the image. Occasionally it blinks out completely. This began happening on an occasional basis over the past few years, but in the past year it has been consistently upside down all the time.
NHTSA complaint #11725687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Safety Recall issued April 2024 for Panoramic Glass. Ford dealerships are unable to repair due to glass companies refusing to assist. This issue has been taken to all dealerships on the island, with the same results. Calling Ford recall (4 times) has finally prompted an open case and claim number #XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11719716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am submitting this complaint to report an unresolved safety recall and the inability to obtain a timely inspection or repair, which I believe places me and my family at increased risk of a crash. My vehicle is a 2015 Ford Transit Connect. The vehicle is subject to Ford Safety Recall 25S89 and NHTSA Recall 25V572, concerning a failure of the rearview camera system. The rearview camera on my vehicle frequently displays a message stating “Rear View Camera Unavailable, Contact Ford Dealership” and then goes to a black screen. This results in a complete loss of rear visibility while backing up, increasing the risk of a collision, especially involving pedestrians or other vehicles. I received the safety recall notice in September 2025. Since then, I have made numerous attempts to have the vehicle inspected and repaired. Despite repeated contact with my local dealership, has informed me that they cannot perform the inspection or recall repair because they do not have an SSCC repair procedure available and therefore cannot proceed. I have also contacted Ford Motor Company customer service by phone multiple times, but these calls have not resulted in a resolution or a clear path to getting the vehicle repaired. As a result, I am left operating a vehicle with a known safety defect and no access to the recall remedy. I am deeply concerned for my safety and the safety of my family. Operating this vehicle without a reliable rearview camera significantly increases the chance of a crash, and I believe the continued delay in providing a remedy defeats the purpose of a safety recall. I respectfully request that NHTSA document this complaint and take any appropriate action to ensure that Ford Motor Company provides a timely inspection and repair for this safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11716171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I started experiencing a sluggishness and jerking sensation upon acceleration. I took my van to Starling Ford who diagnosed it to be a transmission issue. An estimate was given for either replacing or repairing the transmission. Shock. I took the van to Premier Auto Care, for a second opinion. They then referred me to Quality Transmission after driving the van. I asked Ford for some assistance since the quote was so much and it was out of warranty at 60,784 miles due to "wear and tear". After about a week, Ford responded with $5,984.37. I decided to have Quality Transmission replace the transmission after hearing from 2 mechanics that they had seen other Ford Transit Connect vans, with more mileage than mine, having the same transmission problems. I find it hard to believe that a transmission had to be replaced before 100,000 miles, which seems to be the magic number for miles. My van is used for personal use only.
NHTSA complaint #11693697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
During a rainy day, I had water coming in from around the top driver's side windshield and from the inside light above the dash. According to my VIN there are no recalls, but apparently there have been recalls on the seal around the windshield on some. I have not had the vehicle inspected by the dealer. The problem began last month (January 2025) and each time it rains I have issues with leaking.
NHTSA complaint #11641605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1. The 2019 Transit Connect Wagon transmission would buck or jerk when removing my foot from the accelerator when going 60 mph or more. The brake was NOT press at the time of the jerk. 2. When entering the Ford Service Center for the transmission check appointment, the left front brake seized. There was an odor of burning brake pads. 3. After the brake module was replaced and the service center took it for a test drive of the transmission, the technician told me the lighting module needed to be replaced and the vehicle continued to stay at the service center. 4. While still at the service center, they connected the vehicle for a computer reboot/refresh that would take over night. The next morning they informed me that the reboot did not take in the vehicle computer system. 5. The service center called in a regional Ford Technician three times to try to solve the issues without success. 6. We never had possession of the vehicle during this time. It continues to be in possession of the service center and to our knowledge is not repaired. 7. The "service engine" red light NEVER came up on the instrument panel when the incident happened.
NHTSA complaint #11630506 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear passenger side sliding door fell off the track and fell off the vehicle, while the door was being closed. I originally reported difficulty to the dealership shortly after purchasing the vehicle around 2016. I asked the dealership on multiple occasions to fix the door sliding issue. I was told there was nothing they could do to fix it. The door was always difficult to open and close. 6/25/24, the door fell off the vehicle while it was being closed.
NHTSA complaint #11597058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving on the highway, the Panoramic Roof Window started lifting up along the leading edge of the glass panel. I was to slow down and get off the highway before the panel came completely out of the recessed window frame. Ford has told me that my VIN shows the recall repair on the roof was performed already by Ford for a previous owner. A local Ford dealership looked into redoing the repair under a replacement warrenty, but was told it is not covered because the recall work was down more than 2 years ago. This seems a problem to me. The panoramic window is a fixed glass pane. Recall repair for this should last for the life of the car, not two years. I beleive the repair of the window does not actually solve the documented recall problem effectively.
NHTSA complaint #11585789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.