Problems · NHTSA complaints

2011 Ford Transit Connect problems

Owners filed 24 complaints about the 2011 Ford Transit Connect with NHTSA between Feb 2012 and Mar 2026. The most-cited component is visibility/wiper (6).

Complaints
24
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility/wiper6
  2. Power train4
  3. Engine4
  4. Electrical system4
  5. Service brakes2
  6. Vehicle speed control2
  7. Traction control system2
  8. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  9. Structure1
  10. Exterior lighting1
  11. Steering1
  12. Suspension1
  13. Other / unknown1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20123
20135
20144
20155
20160
20170
20182
20193
20201
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility/wiper

6 reports
“Passenger side wiper arm came off during a recent rain storm. I have contacted my local Ford dealer and Ford Customer Service in regards to 12s36 (NHTSA #12v-374). Ford explained it effects certain model years, produced during a certain time, at a certain manufacture facility. My vehicle meets all of the parameters, yet they will not honor the recall because the vin number is not listed. Please help. It is a minor repair, yet it is obviously a manufacturer issue.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2026Visibility/wiperODI 11723576

Power train

4 reports
“WHEN HALF OR 3/4 LOADED GOING UP A HILL ON HWY VAN DOWN SHIFTS A JERKS IN TO GEAR . FEELS LIKE YOU GOT KICKED OFF A HORSE . MOST NOTICABLE BETWEEN 40MPH AND 50 MPH.. THIS HAS DAMAGED 3 SETS OF MOTOR MOUNTS IN 117,000 MILES STARTED ST 15000 MILES AND GETTING WORSE AT DEALER AGAIN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 25, 2020Power train, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 11319275

Engine

4 reports
“PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND DID A BASIC TUNEUP, OIL CHANGE AND SPARK PLUGS. I ORDERED A AFTER MARKET FILTER FROM K&N AND HAD TO WAIT A WEEK BEFORE IT ARRIVED. AIR FILTER WAS NOT REPLACED YET BUT HOPING IT WOULD HELP WITH ACCELERATING. THE A/C WORKED WELL AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING BUT STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR DURING IDLE. A FEW DAYS LATER MY TRANSIT GOT REAL HOT AT A STOP LIGHT SO I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED FOR ANY LEAKS OR COOLANT LOSE IN THE RESERVOIR... ALL WAS WELL AND I SAW THE ELECTRIC FANS SPINNING. CAR GOT HOT AGAIN AND CHECKED ONLINE FOR A SOLUTION AND SAW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE HIGH SPEED FUSE BEING BLOWN. CHECKED AND THAT WAS THE ISSUE, REPLACED THE FUSE AND HIGH SPEED WORKED AGAIN. CHECKED FOR RECALLS BECAUSE THIS WAS A COMMON COMPLAINT AND SAW THAT THERE WAS RECALLS ON SOME BUT NOT ALL VINS QUALIFY???? ALSO SAW COMPLAINTS ABOUT IDLELING AND POOR ACCELERATION... INSTALLED K&N AIR FILTER, CLEANED THROTTLE BODY AND THE PROBLEMS STILL PERSIST. EVERYTHING ELSE WORKS GREAT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 8, 2018Electrical system, EngineODI 11110070

Electrical system

4 reports
“MULTIPLE TIMES, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SEEMS TO JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. WITH NO WARNING ALL THE LIGHTS AND DASH INDICATORS WILL FLASH AND ALL GO OUT. ENGINE WILL BRIEFLY RUN, THEN QUIT. SEVERAL TIMES BEEN VERY LUCKY TO GET OFF ROAD OR FREEWAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. FORD DEALER WORKED ON IT FOR 1+ YRS, REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. I'VE TROUBLE TESTED AND FIND NO ISSUES. NO APPARENT GROUNDING ISSUES. NO FUSES OR RELAYS APPEAR TO BE FAULTY. FOUND MANY LIKE-COMPLAINTS ONLINE. ACTS LIKE A BATTERY/ALTERNATOR ISSUE. BUT LATER, AFTER JUMPED BATTERY, ALL SYSTEMS WORKS WITHOUT INCIDENT FOR SEVERAL DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS...YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN ITS GOING TO HIT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 4, 2019Electrical systemODI 11193946

Service brakes

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WAS SLOW TO DECELERATE. ALSO, BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. PRATER FORD (704 S WALL ST, CALHOUN, GA 30701, (706) 629-2883) INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR BRAKES NEEDED ADJUSTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 4, 2019Service brakesODI 11183981

Vehicle speed control

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE WRENCH SYMBOL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONE WEEK LATER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 10, 2015Vehicle speed controlODI 10747600
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.