RoadVitals

2023 Ford Transit Connect

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
1
+1 complaint in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2023 Ford Transit Connect, most frequently naming the powertrain (other) category. 18 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Powertrain (other)1100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 16, 2026
Crash reported1 injury reported

I am writing to report a serious safety concern involving our 2023 Ford Transit Connect (VIN [XXX]) van that resulted in an unintended vehicle movement and collision. While the incident resulted in only minor property damage and a minor injury, we believe the circumstances warrant review due to the potential for a much more severe outcome. The vehicle had been exhibiting operational issues prior to the incident. Employees reported that it was running and shifting noticeably rough and, after being parked, would not move when placed in either Drive or Reverse. The engine RPM would increase to approximately 2,000 RPM with throttle input but the vehicle remained stationary. The following witness statements document the sequence of events: Witness #1: [XXX] started the van to verify whether the issue from the previous day remained. The van still would not move. He placed the transmission in Neutral, turned the engine off, and we were able to push the van by hand. Based on this, he concluded the brakes were not preventing the vehicle from moving. He then reached into the van and restarted the engine. Immediately upon startup, the van accelerated forward unexpectedly at a high rate of speed, jumped the curb, and struck the hangar wall. [XXX] attempted to stop the vehicle, and I also attempted to intervene, but the event occurred so quickly that neither of us was able to prevent the collision. Witness #2: I went to the van to diagnose the reported issue. I had been informed the van had been running and shifting roughly before it was parked and would no longer move afterward. I started the vehicle while it was in Park and attempted to engage both Reverse and Drive, confirming that it would not move. The engine RPM increased to approximately 2,000 RPM with throttle input and remained elevated. I then shut the engine off and placed the transmission in Neutral with the ignition in the Run position to determine whether the vehicle would roll. It rolled f INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

NHTSA ID
11750893
Incident
Jul 1, 2026

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

25E06

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Certain 2021-2023 Model Year Transit Connect Equipped with 2.0L Engine Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming The affected vehicles have an emissions control system that might not control tailpipe emissions effectively

25E06

POWER TRAIN

Certain 2021-2023 Model Year Transit Connect Equipped with 2.0L Engine Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming

25L02

Special Field Action 25L02 Certain 2017-2024 Model Year California Emissions-Certified Vehicles Transmission Control Assembly Reimbursement

SSM 53465

Some 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, 2020-2024 Escape/Corsair/Edge/Nautilus/Transit Connect and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles may exhibit erratic shifting and/or a transmission fluid venting condition. If during the preliminary inspection the transmission fluid is found to be a foamy pink color, this may indicate possible cross contamination of engine coolant and transmission fluid due to an internally leaking transmission fluid cooler assembly.

SSM 53040

While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

23B85

Certain 2023 - 2024 Model Year Transit Connect Vehicles with Remote Start - Enable Remote Start

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Transit Connect by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2024000—
2023Viewing100—
2022510—
2021840—
2020318059.8
2019518058.9
2018226047.9
2017286053.1
201610410259.8
20156610261.7
201412715262.1
2013324049.0
2012261045.1
2011241036.0
2010422048.3

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.