2016 Ford Transit: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 151 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 21 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
151
Complaints
21
Recalls
6
Crash reports
4
Fire reports
7
Injuries
95.4
Severity index
Severity index 95.4 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Ford Transit ranks 37 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 74% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 59 | 39.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 22 | 14.6% |
| ENGINE | 20 | 13.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 12 | 7.9% |
| STRUCTURE | 12 | 7.9% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 11 | 7.3% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 11 | 7.3% |
| SEAT BELTS | 11 | 7.3% |
The single most-reported system is POWER TRAIN, cited in 59 of 151 complaints (39.1%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 13 |
| 2019 | 21 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 16 |
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 14 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 1.4x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V103000 | 21/02/2019 | POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | XL Hybrids, Inc (XL) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit vehicles modified to be equipped with XL's electric hybrid system. The cardan (universal) joint on the front driveshaft may fail, possibly causing the front driveshaft to detach. |
| 18V275000 | 30/04/2018 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford Transit vehicles, equipped with a trailer tow module. Water can enter the tow modules and corrode the wiring causing issues such as rapidly flashing turn signals, loss of instrument panel display, an electrical short |
| 19V333000 | 29/04/2019 | SEATS | New England Wheels (New England) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Ford Transit and 2014-2019 Ram Promaster 2500 and 3500 vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman Go-ES Foldaway seats. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the |
| 19V183000 | 06/03/2019 | EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY | Fenton Mobility Products, Inc. (Fenton) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford Transit passenger vans modified to be equipped with Ricon S & K Titanium Wheelchair Lifts. The wheelchair lift positioning input cam may fail while the lift is in use, allowing the platform to travel hig |
| 19V205000 | 18/03/2019 | SEATS | Quality Van Sales, Inc. (Quality Van) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit and E-350 vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seat back cushions. The seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. |
| 18V782000 | 06/11/2018 | SEATS | National Van Builders, Inc. (National Van) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit vehicles equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats, part numbers 43705, 45467, 48923, and 75719. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the s |
| 19V332000 | 01/03/2019 | SEATS | Prime-Time Specialty Vehicles (Prime-Time) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ram ProMaster and Ford Transit vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats. When the seat back cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion |
| 19V271000 | 03/04/2019 | EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY | Mobility Specialists, Inc. (Mobility Specialists) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Ford E-150 and Transit vans modified to be equipped with Ricon S-Series and K-Series wheel chair lifts. The wheelchair lift positioning input cam may fail while the lift is in use, allowing the plat |
| 19V767000 | 25/10/2019 | POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Transit vehicles. This recall includes all full-size Transit vehicles previously recalled under 17V-408 except ones that received mechanical universal joint (u-joint) as a remedy and any 156" or 178" wheelbase Chassis Cab |
| 19V329000 | 26/04/2019 | SEATS | Fenton Mobility Products, Inc. (Fenton Mobility) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats, part numbers 43705, 45467, 48923, and 75719. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the up |
| 21V631000 | 11/08/2021 | PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Transit vehicles. An incorrect driveshaft torsional damper service kit may have been installed, which can allow the damper shield to contact the parking brake cable, possibly resulting in parking brake failure. |
| 19V247000 | 28/03/2019 | SEATS | Cabot Coach Builders, Inc. DBA Royale Limousine (Royale) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit-based mini-coaches equipped with Freedman GO-ES foldaway seats recalled under 18E-076. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the |
| 19V313000 | 18/04/2019 | SEATS | Mobility Transportation Services (MobilityTrans) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Ford Transit and Ram Promaster vehicles and 2014-2015 Ford Econoline vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats, part numbers 43705, 45467, 48923, and 75719. When the back se |
| 19V229000 | 22/03/2019 | SEATS | TransitWorks is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit, 2018 Ford Transit Connect, and 2016 Dodge Ram ProMaster vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman Seating GO-ES seats. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat c |
| 19V238000 | 26/03/2019 | SEATS | Vantage Mobility International, LLC (Vantage) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit Van, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and 2007 Ford F-250-based shuttle vehicles equipped with Freedman GO-3S foldaway seats. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the up |
| 17V668000 | 23/10/2017 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford Transit vehicles, equipped with a trailer tow module. Water can enter the tow modules and corrode the wiring causing issues such as rapidly flashing turn signals, loss of instrument panel display, an electrical short |
| 17V408000 | 26/06/2017 | POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling all 2015-2017 Transit vehicles except 156" and 178" wheelbase Chassis Cab and Cut-Away bodies. In the affected vehicles, the flexible coupling connecting the transmission to the driveshaft may prematurely fail. |
| 16V618000 | 24/08/2016 | FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Transit vehicles manufactured July 15, 2015, to April 14, 2016 and equipped with a 3.2L diesel engine. A fuel injector or the fuel volume control valve may clog due to metallic debris within the fuel system. |
| 16V188000 | 04/04/2016 | AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Transit vehicles manufactured March 12, 2014, to March 18, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the side curtain air bag may not deploy with the proper trajectory due to being folded and packaged incorrectly. |
| 16V111000 | 25/02/2016 | SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Transit vehicles manufactured February 13, 2014, to January 13, 2016 and equipped with rear passenger seats. The rear seat belt buckles may be damaged if a heavy object is placed on, or impacts, the top of the b |
| 25V572000 | 04/09/2025 | BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera m |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.