Ford Transit Connect Complaints (2018)

22 consumer complaints on file.

#11745074June 18, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713637January 27, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11655051April 16, 2025
VISIBILITY
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639972January 31, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639976January 31, 2025
STEERING
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11631955December 21, 2024
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11606483August 5, 2024
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11582928April 14, 2024
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The transmission is having a shuddering issue, and looking online there on tons and tons of people having the same issue and stating it’s the torque converter and this is over many different years and variants of my vehicle… how is this not a recall yet?? People are having this issue right after purchase?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11534789July 27, 2023
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11529508June 29, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523293May 22, 2023
SEATS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11467730June 6, 2022
STEERING
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11467735June 6, 2022
STEERING
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11464032May 10, 2022
STEERING
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11464044May 10, 2022
STEERING
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11463851May 9, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11438866November 1, 2021
STRUCTURE:BODY, VISIBILITY
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11431800September 5, 2021
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11377779December 3, 2020
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT LOW BEAM BULB BURNS OUT CONTINUOUSLY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11308754February 12, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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