2015 Ford Transit Connect Body & structure Problems

Sliding side door on passenger side of van breaks free from the detente designed to hold it in the open position causing it to violently and suddenly close if the van is parked on a grade. The safety of others is put at risk if passengers, particularly young children, are attempting to enter or exit the vehicle. The problem was reproduced and confirmed by the dealer's service department. The service representative said the dealer was not equipped to handle the problem. The vehicle or defective component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police or insurance representative. There are no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem. The issue surfaced a number of months ago.

NHTSA ID

11574191

Incident

Sep 1, 2023

The detent designed to hold the passenger side sliding door open has malfunctioned due to what the dealership describes as a manufacturing defect commonly found in the 2015 Ford Transit Connect XLT/LWB. Dealer states dealer is unable to correct. When parked on an incline, the sliding door can violently slide forward with a significant potential for injury to a passenger, especially a young child, entering or exiting the vehicle. Dealer suggests taking the vehicle to a body shop to correct this defect at owner's expense.

NHTSA ID

11534491

Incident

Jul 26, 2023

Rear glass on liftgate spontaneously exploded. No apparent cause. Glass shards were showered inside the cabin and the rear of the vehicle. This seems to be an issue with the Transit Connect and other Ford models. NHTSA is aware of the problem.

NHTSA ID

11420481

Incident

Jun 10, 2021

REAR SLIDING DOOR LATCH DEFECTIVE. LATCH WAS REPLACED IN 2016-2017 PER FORD RECALL AND STILL MALFUNCTIONING. DOOR WILL NOT LATCH CLOSED AT ALL AND COMES OPEN, I HAVE CHILDREN. FORD WILL NOT HELP WITH THE COST TO REPLACE THIS.

NHTSA ID

11310762

Incident

Dec 1, 2016

Mileage

20,000 mi

AFTER ENTERING MY VEHICLE WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT, THE DRIVER'S DOOR WOULDN'T LATCH. I SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR FAILURES, BUT THE VIN DECODER SHOW NO UN-COMPLETED RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11252326

Incident

Aug 29, 2019

Mileage

99,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLASTIC BEHIND THE ARMREST FRACTURED, WHICH COULD CAUSE A LACERATION WHILE ENTERING OR EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SEAT BACKS FOR THE REAR SEATS WERE MISSING AND COULD CAUSE INJURIES IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. JOHN C. STEWART & SON INC (LOCATED AT 5227 VT-103, CUTTINGSVILLE, VT 05738, (802) 492-3312) WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURES WERE EVIDENT IN SEVERAL 2016 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT VANS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *DT *AS*JB

NHTSA ID

11210562

Incident

Feb 5, 2019

Mileage

40,000 mi

AUTOMAX FORD KILLEEN INSTALLED RECALL 16S30 ON 6-16-17. ON 7-22-18, DOOR LATCH FAILED IN MANNER DESCRIBED BY RECALL. TOOK VAN INTO AUTOMAX ON 7-25, ON 7-31 WAS TOLD RECALL PART HAD FAILED, ON 8-1 TOLD I WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR REPAIR. I THOUGHT PAYING FOR DUPLICATE FAILURE OF RECALL ISSUE WAS WRONG AND CONTACTED FORD NATIONAL OFFICE FOR HELP. FORD CORP. RESPONSE WAS FAVORABLE BUT NOT DEFINITELY COVERING COST UNTIL DEALER RESPONSE. ON 8-6 RECEIVED FINAL APPROVAL THAT FORD CORP. WOULD PAY DEALER. ON 8-8 REPAIR PICKED UP CAR AFTER REPAIR COMPLETED, ALSO PERSONALLY PAID FOR 2ND PART FOR PASSENGER SIDE (SINCE IT WAS LIKELY TO FAIL TOO IF DRIVER SIDE RECALL PART FAILED & BOTH WERE REPLACED DURING 2017 REPAIR). DURING PICKUP, NOTICED THAT FAILED PART THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED HAD A 07.10.2014 MFG DATE STICKER. SINCE RECALL WASN'T ISSUED UNTIL 2016, THIS PART COULD NOT BE A FAILED RECALL PART BUT WAS ACTUALLY AN ORIGINAL PART FROM MY VANS MFG IN LATE 2014. DEALER SUGGESTED THIS WAS NOT THE CASE BUT WOULD INVESTIGATE AND ALLOWED ME TO RETURN HOME WITH ONLY DRIVERS SIDE REPAIRED AND PASSENGER SIDE UNTOUCHED. RETURNED HOME AND PULLED DOOR TRIM ON PASSENGER SIDE, FOUND SEAL INSIDE DOOR UNTOUCHED AND DATED 2014 ALSO. COULD NOT HAVE PERFORMED RECALL IN 2017 WITHOUT BREAKING SEAL. RETURNED 8-9 WITH PROOF AND FINALLY GOT PASSENGER SIDE REPAIRED USING PART I PAID FOR. PROMISED REFUND BUT NOT RECEIVED UNTIL 8-21 AND AMOUNT SLIGHTLY LESS THAN PAID DUE TO TAX NOT INCLUDED. EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT OTHER CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO HAVE VANS WITH RECALL DOCUMENTED BUT NOT ACTUALLY REPAIRED. ASSURED DEALER WOULD TAKE ACTION, BUT NEEDED TIME TO DETERMINE HOW TO FIX FOR OTHERS AND LET ME KNOW. ON 10-4 FOLLOWED UP AND DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO PLAN AND SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS FIXED, DANGER TO OTHERS WAS NOT MY WORRY. SUMMARY: DEALER DID NOT PUT IN RECALL PARTS, CHARGED FOR FIX, AND MAY HAVE DONE IT TO OTHERS.

NHTSA ID

11133411

Incident

Oct 4, 2018

Mileage

29,120 mi

BACK DOOR LIFT CATCH BROKE

NHTSA ID

11103566

Incident

Jun 22, 2017

Mileage

10,800 mi

WE'VE ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 6 MONTHS AND HAVE HAD TIRE REPLACEMENTS, TRANSMISSION ISSUES, PEDAL RECALL, AND THE DOORS UNOPENING TWICE (RECALL)

NHTSA ID

11073890

Incident

Feb 15, 2018

Mileage

19,000 mi

FORD RECALL #16S30 WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN JANUARY OF 2017. ELEVEN MONTHS LATER MY LOCAL DEALER STILL DOES NOT HAVE PARTS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE TRIED CONTACTING THEM AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT POINTS, AND I GET NOWHERE. WHY IS FORD NOT MAKING THESE PARTS AVAILABLE TO DEALERS? MY DOOR LATCH IS NOW INOPERABLE ON ONE SIDE.

NHTSA ID

11051055

Incident

Nov 15, 2017

Mileage

18,000 mi

A DOOR LATCH WITH A FRACTURED PAWL SPRING TAB TYPICALLY RESULTS IN A "DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE" CONDITION. A DOOR THAT OPENS WHILE DRIVING INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10929014

Incident

Nov 14, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR SWUNG OPEN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V643000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). IN ADDITION, NONE OF THE DOORS WOULD OPEN OR CLOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

NHTSA ID

10916524

Incident

Oct 14, 2016

Mileage

8,000 mi