Total Complaints
10 filings
FORD TRANSIT CONNECT · model year
10 NHTSA complaints, and 4 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2021FORDTRANSIT CONNECT carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2021 TRANSIT CONNECT is power train with 3 filings, followed by service brakes (2) and engine (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 2021 TRANSIT CONNECT, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
Total Complaints
10 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Transit and 2021 Transit Connect vehicles. The front passenger seat belt automatic locking retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
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, 2021-2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
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.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
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.
Two tires lock up gradually and then completely preventing the vehicle from being driven and causing damage to the other tires. The inability to drive the vehicle on the open road is very dangerous. There are no warning lamps. The vehicle may seem sluggish to accelerate. After towing to a service station, the ABS module failed and this caused damage to the brakes which had to be replaced.
We have just passed 87,000 miles on our 2021 Ford Transit Connect and the transmission has had to be completely replaced. We were told at the transmission repair facility that ours was one of 4 2021 Ford Transit Connects in their shop alone with a whole transmission replacement within a 2 week time period. While our vehicle is outside of the mileage for the power train warranty from Ford, it is not outside of the time period. We feel that the significant amount of transmissions needing to be replaced on 2021 Ford Transit Connects is unreasonable expectation when you purchase your vehicle brand new from the manufacturer. Our vehicle has always been properly maintained to all dealer specs for the entire time we have owned it (and it was purchased with 6 miles on the odometer).
My windshield is leaking and has been leaking since manufacturing. The windshield is flexing and is missing the adhesive along the top. Caused electrical damage to the car.
My windshield is leaking and has been leaking since manufacturing. The windshield is flexing and is missing the adhesive along the top. Caused electrical damage to the car.
My windshield is leaking and has been leaking since manufacturing. The windshield is flexing and is missing the adhesive along the top. Caused electrical damage to the car.
This vehicle keeps flashing service engine soon light and malfunction indicator lamp. Dealer is keep saying that there are nothing to fix the issue. However, they have noted that it might be related to fueling hole and also fuel misfire. Dealer is not addressing the issue and on the manual page 99, it advises not to operate the vehicle when both lights flash together. However, dealer is not addressing the issue. Please help.
This vehicle keeps flashing service engine soon light and malfunction indicator lamp. Dealer is keep saying that there are nothing to fix the issue. However, they have noted that it might be related to fueling hole and also fuel misfire. Dealer is not addressing the issue and on the manual page 99, it advises not to operate the vehicle when both lights flash together. However, dealer is not addressing the issue. Please help.
This vehicle keeps flashing service engine soon light and malfunction indicator lamp. Dealer is keep saying that there are nothing to fix the issue. However, they have noted that it might be related to fueling hole and also fuel misfire. Dealer is not addressing the issue and on the manual page 99, it advises not to operate the vehicle when both lights flash together. However, dealer is not addressing the issue. Please help.
july2, 2022 Saturday, 4pm 2021 Ford transit connect titanium -Sudden unintended acceleration I was making a very slow (2-3mph) U-turn in an empty, very small strip mall parking lot with the brake being lightly pushed as I went around tight left turn. 3/4 thru the turn the van suddenly accelerated while I believe the brake pedal was still being pushed, I pushed the brake pedal down hard but the van continued to accelerate..it wouldn't slow down. The van jumped the curb and ran into a 4' square cement planter on the sidewalk, sliding the planter about 3 ft. forward. The whole sudden acceleration happened within about 3-5 seconds and was stopped by the cement planter, cutting off the engine. All front airbags were deployed. A few cuts and bruises from the airbags required no medical attention. No citations were issued by the police. The vehicle damage has been estimated at 27,000 and the insurance company is deciding whether to total it or repair it.
july2, 2022 Saturday, 4pm 2021 Ford transit connect titanium -Sudden unintended acceleration I was making a very slow (2-3mph) U-turn in an empty, very small strip mall parking lot with the brake being lightly pushed as I went around tight left turn. 3/4 thru the turn the van suddenly accelerated while I believe the brake pedal was still being pushed, I pushed the brake pedal down hard but the van continued to accelerate..it wouldn't slow down. The van jumped the curb and ran into a 4' square cement planter on the sidewalk, sliding the planter about 3 ft. forward. The whole sudden acceleration happened within about 3-5 seconds and was stopped by the cement planter, cutting off the engine. All front airbags were deployed. A few cuts and bruises from the airbags required no medical attention. No citations were issued by the police. The vehicle damage has been estimated at 27,000 and the insurance company is deciding whether to total it or repair it.
Timing Belt Failure
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Timing Belt Failure
Underbody shields detachment
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2021 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.