Table 1 shows one common equipment related problems of the 2018 Ford Transit Connect.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Equipment problems |
Component affected: service brakes / abs module / hydraulic braking system description of safety defect: there is an active, intermittent, catastrophic failure in the front braking system/abs module causing the front brakes to completely lock up mid-transit while operating at high speeds (60+ mph). First incident (April 24, 2026): during operation on a busy interstate at over 60 mph, the front braking system experienced a sudden, catastrophic thermal lock-up. This caused violent vehicle shuddering, extreme friction heat, and heavy, thick, acrid smoke. The vehicle was brought to a dealer shop for repair. Second incident (April 29, 2026): four days after delivery, the identical catastrophic brake lock-up recurred mid-transit, creating an immediate fire hazard due to friction heat and smoke. An independent repair facility diagnosed the failure and replaced the abs module. Third incident (June 4, 2026): the identical component failure recurred while traveling at over 60 mph on interstate 694 with a minor child in the vehicle. The front brakes fully locked up mid-transit, creating an immediate risk of a high-speed collision, severe thermal friction, and heavy burning odors, rendering the vehicle entirely un-roadworthy. Current status: > the vehicle has sat grounded at a repair shop for 30 cumulative days out of 54 days of ownership due to the persistent re-locking of the front hydraulic braking system. The vehicle is unsafe to operate on public roads. No crash or fire occurred, but the failure poses an imminent thermal and collision hazard.
The transmission is having a shuddering issue, and looking online there on tons and tons of people having the same issue and stating it’s the torque converter and this is over many different years and variants of my vehicle… how is this not a recall yet?? people are having this issue right after purchase?.
Hello - this is not a safety issue with my car. For the moment. Inputting the VIN it states that there is only 1 row of seats (d/p). This is not accurate. There are 3 seat rows in my van. (front x2, middle x3 and rear seats x2) total of 7 seats. Thus this should be corrected for my VIN. If or when I have a complaint about the safety of the seats, belts, head rests etc. . . It will make sense. I do not have a cargo van. It's a seven passenger seat van.
My vehicle is less than 5 years old, 10 months out of warranty. The locks stopped working. They made the noise, but no action. So, I thought the locks were still working. The dealership had no idea what the issue was - they've had my vehicle for almost a month trying to figure it out. So far they've changed the body control module and are getting another part. Ford will do nothing even though locks should be something always covered or at least for 5 years. No warnings. This put me at risk as I camp in the vehicle and didn't know it wasn't locking (because it made the noise like it was).