CSR

Ford · NHTSA safety record

2020 Ford Transit Connect

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

31

Complaints

2

Crashes

2

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2020 Ford Transit Connect have filed 31 safety complaints with NHTSA between October 2019 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 10 of them (32%). The typical failure was reported at 15,000 miles, the median across the 13 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 8 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (8)

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

25V442000 · June 27, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
The risk
A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

Ford Motor Company · up to 200,237 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

25V196000 · March 28, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Transit Connect vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20V-636. The powertrain control module (PCM) software has fail-safe temperature threshold values higher than intended for the engine. This may delay engine cooling and result in engine overheating.
The risk
An engine that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 21, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S32.

Ford Motor Company · up to 152 vehicles across all model years covered

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

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

22V192000 · March 25, 2022

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 and 2020 Transit Connect vehicles. The front windshield may have been manufactured with inadequate adhesion to the vehicle body structure.
The risk
During a crash, the windshield may detach from the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the windshield and, if necessary, remove and reinstall the windshield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S20.

Ford Motor Company · up to 39,720 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

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

20V791000 · December 17, 2020

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 EcoSport and 2019-2020 Transit Connect vehicles. Depending on the model, either the driver side or passenger side frontal air bag modules are missing the first-stage booster propellant and sleeve. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk
Air bag modules missing the first-stage booster propellant will not deploy as intended in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bag module on either the driver or passenger side, free of charge. This recall began February 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C26.

Ford Motor Company · up to 12 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

20V636000 · October 15, 2020

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 2.5L engines. The powertrain control module (PCM) software has fail-safe temperature threshold values higher than intended for the engine. This may delay the fail-safe cooling strategy in the event of coolant loss and result in engine overheating.
The risk
If the engine overheats, it can result in engine damage and increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S60.

Ford Motor Company · up to 2,903 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

20V550000 · September 10, 2020

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Edge, Transit Connect and Lincoln MKX and 2020 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts.
The risk
Missing or loose bolts on the start stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission fluid leak and may progress to a loss of transmission function. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the start/stop accumulator, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S49.

Ford Motor Company · up to 97 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 31.

POWER TRAIN 10 32%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 5 16%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 13%
VISIBILITY 4 13%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 3 10%
ENGINE 2 6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 6%
AIR BAGS 1 3%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 3%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 3%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 7.

2019 2025 2026
2019 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

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

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire · crash · 3,454 miles

VEHICLE OPERATOR WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST WHEN MERGING, 65 MPH, THEN LOST CONTROL AND STRUCK A SAFETY BARRIER. A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH, A FIRE STARTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SEE ATTACHMENT. *TR*DT

NHTSA complaint 11328097. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire · 103 miles

AFTER THE DRIVER I STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AFTER GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY, HE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THERE WAS BARELY ANY POWER. THE VEHICLE HAD TROUBLE ACCELERATING AND WAS PUTTING. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, WHICH WAS FINE, AND THERE WERE NO BLINKING LIGHTS INDICATING ANY MALFUNCTION. THE DRIVER THEN PROCEEDED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL PUTTING. AFTER PASSING THE NEXT INTERSECTION, THE DRIVER SMELLED AN ODD FUME. THEY PULLED OVER AND SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AS THEY PARKED THE VEHICLE, THE SMOKE TURNED BLACK. THE DRIVER THEN HURRIEDLY GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOW ON FIRE AND THE DRIVER BELIEVES THEY SAW SOMETHING WAS LEAKING

NHTSA complaint 11270948, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

crash · towed

Transmission failure in my 2.0L Ford Transit Connect at approximately 94,000 miles. When I shift into reverse, the van sometimes drives forward instead of backing up — as if the transmission is confused or stuck in the wrong gear. Over time, reverse completely stopped working altogether. Additionally, after coming to a full stop (such as at a red light), the van occasionally stalls or becomes unresponsive when pressing the gas pedal. This creates dangerous situations in traffic. All recommended maintenance has been done on time, including a full transmission flush performed by a Ford dealer at around 80,000 miles. There were no warning lights or error messages before the issue began. After

NHTSA complaint 11674837, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

towed · 102,000 miles

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the transmission was shifting very rough. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in a recall regarding the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 102,000.

NHTSA complaint 11509576. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Intermittent Electronic issues are: 1) Rear view backup camera malfunction. Works sporadically. Camera some times clear as bell, and stays on when in drive moving forward. Other days camera fails to blue screen, then turns gray with message that camera is unavailable, contact dealership. Defect is not currently not listed for this vehicle as a recall. Definite safety hazard with camera staying on when vehicle is in drive and moving forward. 2) Auto start, stop feature was functioning when vehicle was purchased November of 2025, but as of April 2026, system began to turn itself on and off, no longer can be activated or deactivated via command button on console.

NHTSA complaint 11751874. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
ABS Hydraulic control unit pump malfunction. vehicles brakes locked up on the highway and could of caused an accident. this is a known and common issue with these vans. this type of thing shouldnt happen my vehicle has only has 67,000 miles on it. I have seen other report this issue with less miles than that. vehicle is now having the unit replaced.

NHTSA complaint 11734688. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY

189,000 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that while driving in a rainstorm, rainwater poured into the vehicle from the front passenger’s side windshield. The vehicle was taken to the local Satellite Auto Glass repair shop, and it was discovered that the front windshield adhesive had failed, causing the passenger’s side front windshield to become unsecured. The contact was advised that the windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that several electrical features were damaged due to the water, including the audible warnings and 911 assist from the inoperable Bluetooth. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the

NHTSA complaint 11731905, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
Water leaking through front windshield. Internet shows there is a recall for improper adhesive of windshield on 2020 Transit Connect but when my 2020 Transit Connect VIN Nm0ls6e25l1446922. Was taken to Ford dealership they are advising there is no recall on my vehicle.

NHTSA complaint 11706609. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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

NHTSA complaint 11693697, quoted in part. 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
2019 51 8
2018 22 6
2017 28 6
2016 104 10
2015 66 10
2014 127 15
2013 32 4
2012 26 1
2011 24 1
2010 42 2

Other 2020 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