RoadVitals

2012 Ford Transit Connect Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jul 7, 2022
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
35%
of 26 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Ford Transit Connect submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Jul 7, 2022

The contact's boyfriend owns a 2012 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that while her boyfriend was driving 25 MPH, the windshield wiper arms failed to operate. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V374000 (Visibility) which she linked to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed her that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

NHTSA ID
11472708
Incident
Jul 3, 2022
Mileage
200,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 11, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE DRIVER'S VIEW WAS OBSTRUCTED WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. LUTHER FAMILY FORD (3302 36TH STREET SOUTH, FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA 58104, (701) 282-2350) DIAGNOSED THAT THE RIVETS ON THE WIPERS WERE TOO SHORT AND THE PIVOT PIN WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIVETS ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V374000 (VISIBILITY) AS A POTENTIAL CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

NHTSA ID
11139647
Incident
Apr 15, 2018
Mileage
110,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 2, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS ACTIVATED, THE REAR WINDOW FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY SAFELITE AUTO GLASS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. 2ND TIME IT BROKE *TT

NHTSA ID
11075953
Incident
Feb 20, 2018
Mileage
67,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 26, 2015

AS YOU ARE SITTING IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THE PART OF THE VAN'S BODY THAT CONNECTS THE FRONT WINDOW TO THE DOOR JAM IS SO WIDE THAT IT BLOCKS YOUR (THE DRIVER'S) VIEW. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT AND/OR IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE SIGNAGE THAT'S ON A MEDIAN AND/OR ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR PEDESTRIANS. MIRRORS DO NOT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY TELL YOU WHAT IS IN BACK OF YOU AND THE VIEW THAT IS BLOCKED IS IN FRONT OF YOU. I HAVE GOTTEN A TICKET FOR MAKING A U-TURN IN A NO-U-TURN ZONE AND HAVE NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT (ON-COMING BIKER) DUE TO THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10721392
Incident
Dec 18, 2014
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Jan 7, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD DETERIORATED, WARPED AND THE FRAMEWORK WAS VISIBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS OVER THREE TIMES BUT THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE CONTACT LATER NOTICED THE PRESENCE OF A LEAK. THE CONTACT FURTHER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE SEAMS NEAR THE WINDSHIELD HAD BECOME LOOSE, CAUSING WATER TO LEAK INTO THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE DASHBOARD AND WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER USED AN EPOXY SEAL TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE REPAIR CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD WHICH BECAME CRACKED. ADDITIONALLY, AN UNKNOWN GRAY SUBSTANCE WAS LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE NEAR THE WINDSHIELD AND DASHBOARD AREA. THE DEALER THEN REFERRED THE CONTACT TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148.

NHTSA ID
10670608
Incident
Dec 1, 2014
Mileage
148 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system+1 more
Filed May 20, 2014

2012 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MISLEADING GAS MILEAGE, RADIO PROBLEMS, VEHICLE LOCKING ITSELF WITH KEY IN THE IGNITION WHILE ENGINE RUNNING AND SEVERAL OTHER ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE WIPERS WERE NOT CLEARLY THE SNOW AND RAIN FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THE WIPERS WERE COMING OFF THE WINDSHIELDS SURFACE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WAS FREEZING AND THE AMOUNT OF HEAT COMING FROM THE DEFROSTER WASN'T ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE FREEZING WINDSHIELD, WHICH CAUSED THE OBSTRUCTION AND LOSS OF VISION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10589001
Incident
May 1, 2014
Visibility
Filed Feb 9, 2014

PUT ON REAR DEFROST BACK DOOR PASSENGER WINDOW EXPLODED FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE WE WERE TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AT ABOUT 55 MPH HEARD A LOUD NOISE NO GLASS INSIDE VEHICLE SO IT EXPLODED FROM THE INSIDE OF TRUCK. VERY DANGEROUS WITH GLASS SHATTERED BIG HOLE IN GLASS AFTER INITIAL NOISE POP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10563561
Incident
Feb 8, 2014
Mileage
60,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 5, 2013

I TURN ON REAR DEFOGGER AND THE BACK WINDOW STARTED MAKING A HISSING NOISE AND THEN THE WHOLE WINDOW CRACKED AND THEN THE WINDOW POPPED OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10496542
Incident
Feb 5, 2013
Mileage
6,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 20, 2012
Crash reported

ON A LONGER TRIP IN MY NEW FORD TRANSIT CONNECT, I NOTICED REFLECTIONS OF THE OUTWARD-FACING DASHBOARD AND GRILL ON THE LOWER HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD. SOMETIMES IT WAS THERE,SOMETIMES NOT. I CHECKED THE OWNERS MANUAL WHICH MENTIONED "TEMPORY SHIMMERING" WHILE THE WINDSHIELD WARMED UP. I DID NOT REALIZE UNTIL AFTER A CRASH HOW MUCH THESE REFLECTIONS INTERFERED WITH THE DRIVER'S ROAD VISIBILITY. THE REFLECTIONS COME ABOUT WHEN LIGHT SHINES ON THE WINDSHIELD FROM THE FRONT OR SIDES, BUT NOT FROM THE BACK. NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, I SEE HOW DANGEROUS SUCH WINDSHIELDS ARE, AND THE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND NON-REFLECTIVE WINDSHIELDS INSTALLED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10489415
Incident
Dec 2, 2012
Mileage
4,100 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .