Print this page

8.9

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$3,460
Average Mileage:
52,250 miles
Total Complaints:
13 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace transmision (7 reports)
  2. not sure (4 reports)
  3. after trying to repair, they put in a new trans (2 reports)
2012 Ford Transit Connect transmission problems

transmission problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2012 Ford Transit Connect:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2012 Ford Transit Connect Owner Comments

problem #13

Oct 302021

Transit Connect XL

  • Automatic transmission
  • 132,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I used this van for work and it left me stranded for quite a while

- Hunter O., Shakopee, US

problem #12

Mar 052019

Transit Connect XL 4 Cy

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

SEEM TO HAVE TRANS. PROBLEM WITH EVERY FORD I'VE OWNED. WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER!

- mei7723, Vidalia, US

problem #11

Aug 052016

Transit Connect

  • Automatic transmission
  • 73,242 miles

This is the 2nd Ford Transit we've owned where the transmission failed. Ford should step-up and recognize a problem exists and extend the warranty on these lemons. #NEVERFORD

- Julie U., St. Charles, IL, US

problem #10

Nov 302015

Transit Connect XL 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The transmission went out on this at 68000. Yes, i know it is not within warranty. However, this problem is so prevalent that there is a National Back order on these transmissions. The local dealer has been waiting on one they ordered in October 2015. These units were obviously defective. There are TSB's for them but Ford denies they apply to MY vehicle.

I normally don't get this upset about such things but this is major repair was on the heels of failed engine in the other 2012 Transit that I own and was within warranty but was denied also.

I honestly don't feel these vehicles are safe to be on the road. I say that because of all of the other repairs that I have done along the way.

I own other Ford products and plan on getting rid of ALL of them because of the way I have been treated.

IF YOU'RE THINKING OF BUYING ONE OF THESE.....DON'T!

- robwv, Buckhannon, WV, US

problem #9

Oct 312013

Transit Connect XL 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,470 miles

I own a Mid-Size Food Equipment Distributorship in Illinois. The Vehicles are used daily to service the Grocery Stores, Restaurants, Bakery, & Deli Business's in the Midwestern States.

I have a fleet of 31 vehicles of which 9 are Transit Connects. The rest of the fleet is a mixture of GMC's, Chevy Express's, Chevy Astros ,Ford E-150's ,and 1 Dodge c/v Cargo van.

Like most of the field service companies, we wanted to combat the high cost of fuel by testing the smaller cargo vans, such as the Transit Connects & Dodge C/V's. We purchased 9 Ford Transits since 2011. Since those purchases three (3) of the 9 Ford Transit Connects Transmissions have failed and needed to be replaced.

Currently we have purchased the Dodge C/V Cargo Van this year, needless to say, trying to compare the 4cyl Transit against the Dodge C/V 6cyl may not be fair, but the results in handling and fuel consumption have made us a believer, as of last week we have ordered another Dodge C/V. My technicians have complained that the acceleration on the 4cyl Transits are very sluggish and are dangerous when trying to merge into highway traffic.

It's a shame to admit it but future vehicle purchases from our company will not include another Ford Product.

To my surprise, I have recently heard that Dodge will discontinue manufacturing the Dodge C/V cargo van. Even with this disturbing decision by Dodge it will only force us to try the Nissan NV200. I WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER TRANSIT CONNECT AGAIN. !!!!

- m78k942, Alsip, IL, US

problem #8

Dec 022013

Transit Connect XLT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

Transmission had already been repaired once for transmission issues.

- pellaman, Grapevine, TX, US

problem #7

Feb 242014

Transit Connect XL 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,114 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I own two of these in my company fleet and understand that no one is perfect, that being said my employee was driving it over a bridge when he said it suddenly lost power and the engine revved high. I drove it and found it wouldn't go into third from second gear. We drove it slowly to a Ford dealer immediately. A day later I got the call that the transmission was bad but the really crappy part was that the parts were on national back-order! It's a commercial vehicle that has to be on the road in order to pay for itself! That being said my company is struggling to make appointments. How can you be out of parts for commercial vehicles? The service manager told me a back-order can be filled from anywhere from a few days to the longest he's seen is 2 months! This vehicle category is becoming very competitive and if Ford doesn't remedy this fast I won't be able to afford to keep their vehicles in my fleet.

- Joshua M., League City, TX, US

problem #6

Dec 202013

Transit Connect XL

  • Automatic transmission
  • 29,918 miles

I purchased a brand new 2012 Ford Transit Connect from Grindstaff (now Southeast Ford) in Elizabethton, TN on February 21, 2013. I own a local auto glass repair and replacement company and was hoping to use the new vehicle to help with fuel cost savings and to help with the glass business. Sometime in the beginning of November, the transmission started acting up. It starting occasionally shifting extremely hard going into certain gears. I took it to the Ford Service Department at Southeast Ford. They couldn’t find anything wrong with it and said that the van has technology on it that helps it shift differently according to different driving styles over time. I continued driving the vehicle but it continued to shift hard. On November 26, 2013, the van broke down on the side of the rode. I called the dealership and they had it towed to their service department. Come to find out, the throttle position sensor went bad at 29,473 miles. They said it should be fixed in a couple of days. It turned out to be about EIGHT days before it was fixed. In the meantime, I had to borrow a vehicle from a family member just to be able to keep the auto glass business going. This was a major inconvenience as I had to go back to the service department and get more tools out of the broken down Ford Transit Connect that I didn’t think I would need and also with the poor gas mileage I was getting compared to the Transit Connect. After having the van fixed, it began shifting hard into gear once again until it finally started going into neutral on the interstate. I took it back to Southeast Ford’s service department on December 7, 2013 at 29,918 miles. They said that it would probably take about four days to have it fixed. Once again, I had to borrow a vehicle from a family member to run my mobile auto glass business. The service department never called me to inform me of what was going on. After about four days, I called the service department to check on the status of the van. They said that a bulletin had come down from Ford and they had to take the transmission out and do some work on it and they were waiting on parts to arrive. I finally got my van back on December 20, 2013 after 14 days. The second day of driving the supposedly fixed van, I noticed that it was shifting hard again. By the third day, it was shifting harder than before and also going into neutral a lot more as well. As I was driving on the interstate, the van went into neutral going up a hill and never went back into gear. I was almost hit from behind from a vehicle going 70MPH while I was slowly coasting to the side of the road. I cut the van off, started it back up and it started going again. I immediately contacted Southeast Ford’s service department to inform them of the situation. I told them I would be bringing it in very soon. I brought the van back to the service department on January 4, 2014. When I dropped it off, they acted surprised that it wasn’t working right and didn’t even remember me calling and telling them about my near accident on the interstate. They took my van into service and have had it since. They never call me to inform me of the status. I have to call about every five days to see what’s going on. They say that they don’t know what’s wrong and are trying different things to fix problem. They have stated that they have requested a whole new transmission from the Ford Motor Co. but they won’t authorize one. I once again have had to borrow a vehicle from a family member. This family member finally needed their vehicle back for their own personal use, so I contacted Southeast Ford’s service department to get a rental van, as every dealership I have ever dealt with has provided a rental vehicle while my vehicle has been in service. They told me that they don’t authorize rental vehicles while your vehicle is in service and to contact my insurance. I finally decided to contact the Ford Motor Co. myself. I was finally able to get a hold of someone that gave me a Case # and I was authorized a six day rental. They stated that they would contact me within a week to check on the status of my situation and also stated that if my van wasn’t fixed after six days that they would authorize another six days of rental. When I went to Southeast Ford’s service department, they tried to rent me a Toyota Sienna mini van to use as a mobile auto glass replacement vehicle. I explained to them that I needed a vehicle similar to the Ford Transit Connect so I could haul windshields and many other tools in the van. They then proceeded to tell me that they only have a vehicle rental contract with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and that they don’t have a van any larger than a Toyota Sienna. They then told me that their hands were tied and that they couldn’t do anything else for me. If it wasn’t for my family allowing me to borrow their vehicle during this time, I don’t know what I would do as I use a work vehicle everyday to run my business. I am currently trying to contact the Ford Motor Co. to discuss further action and am in the process of filing a complaint with the Division of Consumer Affairs in the state of Tennessee. Due to the lack of communication and poor service of Ford, I am looking for a total buy back from Ford for the full purchase price of the van. I have owned the van less than one year, Ford has worked on my van three separate times and they have had it in their possession for over 30 cumulative days, meeting all requirements for the states lemon law.

Caleb Denton 1/23/14

- calebd07, Elizabethton, TN, US

problem #5

Jul 262013

Transit Connect XLT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 57,000 miles

tires are weak , have replaced 2 blowouts . now the trans. is shot .

- Ken P., Lancaster, TX, US

problem #4

Jul 092012

Transit Connect XLT 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,000 miles

On vacation out of state, driving on interstate, my 3 month old Transit Connect XLT would not shift from 3rd to 4th gear while merging into traffic. Went to Ford dealer in next town. They could not duplicate the problem. They consulted with Ford and were told to reset the computer. I discovered that I could make my vehicle drop from 3rd to 4th by letting up on the gas.

- toddie53, Mobile, AL, US

problem #3

May 212012

Transit Connect XLT 2L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,459 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

unfortunitly, there is more to come. thought it was taken care of the first time, then the second time, now it is at the dealer ship again.

- Richard D., Arlington, TX, US

problem #2

Aug 182012

Transit Connect XLT 2L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 21,000 miles

this will be the third time for a trans. issue. this is really getting old, I can only hope this they will take care of the problem.

- Richard D., Arlington, TX, US

problem #1

May 242012

Transit Connect XLT 2L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,475 miles

this was the second time with same problem with trans.

- Richard D., Arlington, TX, US

Not what you are looking for?