2016 Ford Transit problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (48) · Engine (11) · Structure:body (10)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Ford Transit model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
96 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (21)
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera 2025-09-03 · campaign 25V572000 · 1,456,417 vehicles
Defect: 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 may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 202
Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage And Cable 2021-08-11 · campaign 21V631000 · 30 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: Parking brake failure can result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the passenger side parking brake cable with a cable that provides sufficient clearance to the damper shield, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on September 24, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 14, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S39.
Power Train:driveline:driveshaft 2019-10-25 · campaign 19V767000 · 293,558 vehicles
Defect: 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 and Cut-Away bodies models. The flexible coupling connecting the transmission to the driveshaft may prematurely fail.
Risk: If the coupling fails, the vehicle will not be able to move under its own power and the disconnected driveshaft may impact and damage the brake and fuel lines. Additionally, the separated driveshaft may allow the vehicle to roll if the vehicle is exited when the transmission is in 'Park' but the parking brake is not applied. These scenarios may increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and as an interim repair, dealers will replace the flexible coupling every 40,000 miles until the final remedy is available. The final remedy will consist of installation of a driveshaft front section equipped with a mechanical u-joint in place of the flexible coupling. These repairs will be made free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 1, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S38.
Seats 2019-04-29 · campaign 19V333000 · 544 vehicles
Defect: 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 seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: New England has notified owners, directing them to contact Freedman for repairs to the foldaway seats, free of charge. The recall began May 27, 2019. Owners may contact Freedman customer service at 1-800-443-4540 or New England at 1-800-886-9247.
Seats 2019-04-26 · campaign 19V329000 · 360 vehicles
Defect: 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 upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Fenton Mobility will notify owners, and a Fenton Mobility technician will repair the foldaway seats, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in June 2019. Owners may contact Fenton Mobility customer service at 1-716-484-7014.
Seats 2019-04-18 · campaign 19V313000 · 2,080 vehicles
Defect: 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 seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: MobilityTrans will notify owners and Freedman Seating dealers will inspect and repair the foldaway seat, free of charge. The recall began May 19, 2019. Owners may contact Mobility Transportation Services customer service at 1-734-453-6452.
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 2019-04-03 · campaign 19V271000 · 4 vehicles
Defect: 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 platform to travel higher than the vehicle's floor height.
Risk: If the wheelchair lift platform stops above the vehicle floor, the wheelchair user can tip inwards toward the vehicle when exiting the lift, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Mobility Specialists, working with Ricon, has notified the owners. Ricon will provide instructions and materials for replacing defective parts. Owners may contact Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884.
Seats 2019-03-28 · campaign 19V247000 · 4 vehicles
Defect: 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 seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Royale will notify owners and dealers will inspect and repair the seat. The recall began June 6, 2019. Owners may contact Royale customer service at 1-800-544-5587.
Seats 2019-03-26 · campaign 19V238000 · 12 vehicles
Defect: 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 upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Vantage has notified owners, instructing them to contact Freedman for a repair kit, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019. Owners may contact Freedman customer service at 1-800-443-4540.
Seats 2019-03-22 · campaign 19V229000 · 776 vehicles
Defect: 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 cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: TransitWorks has notified owners and instructed them to contact Freedman seats for a repair kit. The recall began December 19, 2019. Owners may contact Freedman Seating customer service at 1-800-443-4540 or TransitWorks customer service at 1-855-337-9543.
Seats 2019-03-18 · campaign 19V205000 · 471 vehicles
Defect: 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Quality Van will notify owners and dealers will inspect and repair the foldaway seat, free of charge. The recall began March 21, 2019. Owners may contact Quality Van customer service at 1-800-408-8550.
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 2019-03-06 · campaign 19V183000 · 137 vehicles
Defect: 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 higher than the vehicle's floor height. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 403, "Platform Lift Systems."
Risk: If the wheelchair lift platform stops above the vehicle floor, the wheelchair user can tip inwards toward the vehicle when exiting the lift, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Fenton will notify owners, and a service technician will install Ricon Recall Parts Kit RI61396, free of charge. The recall began April 24, 2019. Owners may contact Fenton Mobility customer service at 1-716-484-7014. Fenton's number for this recall is RI61396.
Seats 2019-03-01 · campaign 19V332000 · 90 vehicles
Defect: 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 may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Prime-Time Specialty Vehicles has notified owners, and Freedman dealers have inspected and repaired the foldaway seats, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2018. Owners may contact Freedman customer service at 1-800-443-4540 or Prime-Time Specialty Vehicles at 1-574-293-9191.
Power Train:driveline:driveshaft 2019-02-21 · campaign 19V103000 · 174 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: If the front driveshaft detaches from the vehicle, drive power will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash. The detached driveshaft may also create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash for following traffic.
Fix: XL will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driveshaft with an updated one, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact XL Hybrid's customer service at 1-833-953-5338.
Seats 2018-11-06 · campaign 18V782000 · 475 vehicles
Defect: 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 seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: National Van will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the foldaway seat, free of charge. The recall began November 26, 2018. Owners may contact National Van customer service at 1-508-222-2272.
Electrical System:wiring 2018-04-30 · campaign 18V275000 · 25,658 vehicles
Defect: 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 and possibly the deployment of seatbelt pretensioner.
Risk: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire. Turn signal, instrument cluster or seatbelt pretensioner problems can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will add a drainage hole in the driver's door stepwell and incorporate a fuse into the vehicle's wiring harness, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Note: This is an expansion of recall 17V-668 (Ford recall 17S34). Ford's number for this recall expansion is 17S34-S1.
Electrical System:wiring 2017-10-23 · campaign 17V668000 · 65,206 vehicles
Defect: 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 and possibly the deployment of seatbelt pretensioner.
Risk: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire. Turn signal, instrument cluster or seatbelt pretensioner problems can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will add a drainage hole in the driver's door stepwell and incorporate a fuse into the vehicle's wiring harness, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S34.
Power Train:driveline:driveshaft 2017-06-26 · campaign 17V408000 · 372,991 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: If the coupling fails, the vehicle will not be able to move under its own power and the disconnected driveshaft may impact and damage the brake and fuel lines. Additionally, the separated driveshaft may allow the vehicle to roll if the vehicle is exited when the transmission is in 'Park' but the parking brake is not applied. These scenarios may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and as an interim repair, dealers will replace the flexible coupling on any vehicle with more than 30,000 miles. A final remedy repair of a redesigned flexible coupling or a revised driveshaft equipped with a universal joint is being developed and is expected in early 2018. These repairs will be made free of charge. Interim notifications informing owners of the safety risk were mailed July 21, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become availab
Fuel System, Diesel 2016-08-24 · campaign 16V618000 · 2,013 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: If debris clogs the fuel system, the engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel injection pump and associated parts and, if necessary, will replace the fuel filter and flush the fuel system, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S32.
Air Bags:side/Window 2016-04-04 · campaign 16V188000 · 37,066 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: A side curtain air bag that does not deploy as intended may increase the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and re-orient the side curtain air bag assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S13.
Seat Belts: Rear/Other:buckle Assembly 2016-02-25 · campaign 16V111000 · 48,990 vehicles
Defect: 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 buckle. The damage may prevent the buckle from latching or from remaining latched.
Risk: An unlatched seat belt increases the risk of injury to the occupant in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify or replace the seat belt buckles, depending on their location in the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began May 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S06.
Service bulletins (233)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-08-18 · SSM 55098 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2013-2016 super duty vehicles equipped with a 6.7l diesel engine and 2015-2019 transit vehicles equipped with a 3.2l diesel engine may not pass a state smog test due to the exhaust gas system (egs) monitor that will not run after completing the exhaust gas sensor drive cycle located within sect
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-20 · 25N15 S1 · Other
customer satisfaction program 25n15 - supplement #1 certain 2015-2019 model year multiple vehicle lines rear view camera inspection for one-time replacement
Engine 2026-03-26 · SSM 54690 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2013-2016 super duty vehicles equipped with a 6.7l diesel engine and 2015-2019 transit vehicles equipped with a 3.2l diesel engine may not pass a state smog test due to the exhaust gas system (egs) monitor that will not run after completing the exhaust gas sensor drive cycle located within sect
Unknown Or Other 2026-03-25 · 25N17 · Other
advance notice – customer satisfaction program 25n17 certain 2015-2025 model year multiple vehicle lines rear view camera replacement if required after dealer evaluation
Unknown Or Other 2026-02-24 · SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
ford and lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the
Visibility/Wiper 2026-01-05 · 25N15 · Other
certain 2015-2019 model year multiple vehicle lines rear view camera inspection for one-time replacemen
Showing the 6 most recent of 233 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-04 · Suspension“upon auto inspection, i was informed that the subframe of the van was rotted and needed to be addressed. as the vehicle was not put into service until 2017, the van had less than 7 years on it at the time yet this bolt in member which supports the front lower control arms as well as the steering rack was severly compromised. due to financial constr…”
2026-09-08 · Unknown Or Other“the rearview camera on my 2016 ford transit 150 intermittently fails while the vehicle is in reverse. at times, the rearview mirror display shows a blue/blank screen instead of the rear camera image. at other times, the camera image appears reversed/inverted. ford safety recall 25s89 includes certain 2016 ford transit vehicles for a rearview camer…”
2026-08-21 · Back Over Prevention · 25,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford transit. the contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention camera malfunctioned and displayed an upside down or distorted image, with the distance being inaccurate. the contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle reversed into a fence. the vehicle was not yet repaired. the manufacturer and local …”
2026-08-04 · Power Train · 197,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford transit. the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the rubber-flexible coupling between the transmission became shredded into pieces and the vehicle swerved off the road. there were no warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic, who confirmed that the rubber transmission coupler ha…”
2026-08-03 · Back Over Prevention: Warnings · 💥 crash“the backup camera and parking collision warning periodically do not work and this resulted in a collision with a parked car.…”
2026-07-08 · Unknown Or Other“i bought the car in 2017 with 7800 miles within the first few months. the rear camera began to freeze sometimes i once went to the dealer but they said they can’t find it because at that point in time it wasn’t freezing so they couldn’t do anything about it now at least 95% of the time the rear camera does not work either is upside down or it doesn…”
2026-06-29 · Back Over Prevention · 170,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford transit. the contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the back over prevention camera was inoperable. the screen displayed a black screen or a blue screen. occasionally, the back over prevention camera operated intermittently or displayed a message that the camera was currently unavailable. the contact reference…”
2026-06-25 · Fuel/Propulsion System“my 2016 ford transit experienced a sudden loss of engine power while i was driving on the highway. the vehicle entered limp mode, stalled, and emitted excessive black smoke from the exhaust, creating a hazardous situation for me and surrounding motorists. i was forced to pull off the roadway because the vehicle could no longer operate safely. when…”
2026-06-18 · Unknown Or Other“the back up camera is upside down …”
2026-06-09 · Power Train“i purchased this vehicle, used, back in 2024 from stg auto group of montclair. at the time i purchased the vehicle, they informed me there were no open recalls and ensured me the vehicle was safe to operate. about a year later, the driveshaft coupling (nhtsa 17v408000) completely sheared and i lost control for a bit on the freeway while trying to s…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.