2017 Ford Transit recalls & complaints

1. Transmission / drivetrain

What's wrong, in plain English: The parts that send engine power to the wheels. Failure can mean a sudden loss of power or the car rolling away. The cardan (universal) joint on the front driveshaft may fail, possibly causing the front driveshaft to detach.

What could happen: 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.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V103000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-833-953-5338.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. 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.

What could happen: 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.

The 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 r…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V275000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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.

What could happen: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V333000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-443-4540.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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."

What could happen: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V205000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-408-8550.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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 wi…

What could happen: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V782000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-508-222-2272.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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.

What could happen: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V332000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-443-4540.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Transmission / drivetrain

What's wrong, in plain English: The parts that send engine power to the wheels. Failure can mean a sudden loss of power or the car rolling away. 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.

What could happen: 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 p…

The 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…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V767000 (manufacturer code 19S38).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

8. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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.

What could happen: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V329000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-716-484-7014.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

9. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. 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.

What could happen: Parking brake failure can result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of a crash.

The 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 a…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 21V631000 (manufacturer code 21S39).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

10. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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.

What could happen: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V247000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-544-5587.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

11. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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.

What could happen: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V313000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-734-453-6452.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

12. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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.

What could happen: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V229000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-443-4540.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

13. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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.

What could happen: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V238000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-443-4540.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

14. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. 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.

What could happen: 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.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 17V668000 (manufacturer code 17S34).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

15. Transmission / drivetrain

What's wrong, in plain English: The parts that send engine power to the wheels. Failure can mean a sudden loss of power or the car rolling away. In the affected vehicles, the flexible coupling connecting the transmission to the driveshaft may prematurely fail.

What could happen: 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 p…

The 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 wil…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 17V408000 (manufacturer code 17S15).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

16. Backup camera

What's wrong, in plain English: The rear camera may not show an image when reversing. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

What could happen: 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.

The 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 25S…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 25V572000 (manufacturer code 25S89).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

17. Equipment

What's wrong, in plain English: A part or accessory supplied with the vehicle. 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 (…

What could happen: 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.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V183000 (manufacturer code RI61396).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-716-484-7014.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

18. Equipment

What's wrong, in plain English: A part or accessory supplied with the vehicle. 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.

What could happen: 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.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2017 TRANSIT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V271000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-322-2884.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Transmission / drivetrain (40), Engine (18), Unknown Or Other (17), Electrical system (12), Vehicle Speed Control (6).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.