CSR

Ford · NHTSA safety record

2013 Ford Transit Connect

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

32

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2013 Ford Transit Connect have filed 32 safety complaints with NHTSA between January 2014 and March 2024. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 7 of them (22%). The typical failure was reported at 35,700 miles, the median across the 23 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

22V413000 · June 10, 2022

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
The risk
A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Ford Motor Company · up to 2,925,968 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

21V376000 · May 24, 2021

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2021 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 2.5L engines. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
The risk
A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, causing the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the underhood shifter cable bushing, and add a protective cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 29, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S24.

Ford Motor Company · up to 192,080 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

17V209000 · March 27, 2017

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Fusion and 2013-2015 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil.
The risk
If the cylinder head cracks and leaks oil, the oil may contact a hot engine or exhaust component, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 21, 2017. The recall began on January 5, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S09.

Ford Motor Company · up to 208,584 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

14V706000 · November 5, 2014

The defect
Cummings Mobility Conversion & Supply (Cummings) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-150, E-250, E-350, Chevrolet Express, 2006-2008 Dodge Sprinter, and 2009-2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and 2013 Ford Transit Connect vehicles manufactured January 1, 2006, to October 8, 2014, equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation after January 1, 2006. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack.
The risk
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.
The remedy
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.

Cummings Mobility Conversion & Supply · up to 34 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 32.

POWER TRAIN 7 22%
ENGINE 5 16%
STRUCTURE 4 13%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 9%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 3 9%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 9%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 6%
AIR BAGS 1 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 3%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 1 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 7.

2014 2024
2014 to 2024

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

POWER TRAIN

crash · towed

The Transit was parked on a slope and was in "Park", but it rolled back down the slope and hit a parked car.

NHTSA complaint 11473581. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

crash · 1,523,000 miles

IN 45 MPH HIGHWAY THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR AT THE STOP SIGN AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CROSS THE ROAD AND INTO A TREE SECTION TOTLING THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10561361. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

crash · 169,000 miles

MY SPOUSE REAR ENDED THE ABOVE VEHICLE. SHE SAYS THAT THE STOP LIGHTS WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN IN FULL SUN. INCIDENT OCCURRED IN SLOW AND GO TRAFFIC ON A FREEWAY. WHEN EXCHANGING INFORMATION WITH THE DRIVER, HE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN REAR ENDED JUST RECENTLY DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint 10780902. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
The Front Suspension Subframe Crossmember had rusted though and the front tires become out of alignment SUDDENLY causing the vehicle to veer of course. The vehicle is then disabled and must be towed and the Front Suspension Subframe Crossmember has to be replaced.

NHTSA complaint 11579235. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Power transmission failure due to electrical issues. 63k miles only.

NHTSA complaint 11526579. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Transmission. I was driving down the road in my Ford transit going 65 miles an hour I I started to have major transmission problems from traffic slow down so I slow down with it down to 30 miles an hour after doing so traffic sped back up and I could not get out of third gear when I realized how fast I was going in third gear and it would not shift, I tried to slow down and then re-accelerate to see if it would shift when it shifted in the fourth gear it never left fourth gear and revs back to 8000 RPMs at that point the check engine light came on with the gear light in with the transmission light and I lost all power and I could only drive in second gear so I drove in second gear to the

NHTSA complaint 11473987, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the front driver’s side door was unlatched independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated the front driver’s side door also failed to latch. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact attempted to speak to the manufacturer but was unable to reach a representative. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint 11470635. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The muffler split open most likely from a clog. Because of that, the exhaust was directed toward the floor of the truck instead of going out of the muffler. As a result, it burnt through the heat shield, the back of the truck, melted the wiring harness, and burned a hole straight through the fuel tank. A mechanic took out the fuel tank and when it was being dropped out fuel spilled everywhere and there was a hole in the side of the tank. Since the wiring harness was melted, there was no power and no fuel pump power. The safety of the driver was put at risk because the car could have easily started on fire, or the fuel tank could have blown up and injured the driver or worse.

NHTSA complaint 11461601. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford Transit Connect

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2021 8 4
2020 31 8
2019 51 8
2018 22 6
2017 28 6
2016 104 10
2015 66 10
2014 127 15
2012 26 1
2011 24 1
2010 42 2

Other 2013 Ford models

Every Ford on this site — 348 vehicles, 1210 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst