Reliable Auto DB

2012 Ford Transit Connect reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2012 Ford Transit Connect has 26 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 4 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Transit Connect years here — over the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Windshield wiper.

2010 Ford Transit Connect XLT
Photo by Atarivideomusic, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

26

Per year

4

Recalls

1

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (6 of 26), then Visibility (5) and Electrical system (4). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 35,003 miles, and the middle half falls between 5,525 and 96,500 miles. Those filings include 1 that reports a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Transit Connect has 32 complaints, 3 per year. The 2012 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Ford Transit Connect. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall visibility, windshield wiper 2012-08-02 · NHTSA campaign 12V374000
Summary Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Transit Connect vehicles. The wiper arms may not be adequately riveted resulting in incomplete or inconsistent clearing of the windshield and possible detachment of the wiper arm.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side wiper arm and blade assemblies, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 15, 2012. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Vehicles affected 16,330

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (26 total)

Engine
6
Visibility
5
Electrical system
4
Visibility and wipers
4
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
Fuel system, gasoline
2
Seat belts
2
Seats
2
Structure
2
Tires
2
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Speed control
1
Traction control
1
Wheels
1
Show 6 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Of the 20 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 35,003 miles. The middle half fall between 5,525 and 96,500 miles.

Complaints filed per year

22012420135201452015120163201812019320221202412026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2012 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the front driver’s and front passenger’s seat belts were damp following a rainstorm. Upon…"
    Structure · filed 2026-01-08
  • "1. The heat shielding around the exhaust system failed to protect the fuel tank from exhaust heat. Heat from the exhaust system melted holes in the fuel tank, causing fuel to leak from the tank. The parts are at the…"
    Electrical system, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2024-04-20
  • "The seat belt buckle/latch in the backseat is a dangerous defective design that can cause injury. It is available for inspection, see photos provided. Merely taking a seat can result in a bruised or broken coccyx. The…"
    Seat belts, Seats · filed 2022-10-13
  • "The contact's boyfriend owns a 2012 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that while her boyfriend was driving 25 MPH, the windshield wiper arms failed to operate. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA…"
    Visibility · filed 2022-07-07
  • "I noticed the 2 rear P205/65R15 (with approximately 4,500 mi) had a small dip in the sidewall. Typically evident of belt breaks or some other defect. About four weeks later, the front 2 p205/65R15 (with approximately…"
    Tires · filed 2022-04-17

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 Ford Transit Connect VAN FWD 2 stars 3 stars 2 stars 3 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Transit Connect Van 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 4-speed Front-wheel drive 21 27 23 MPG $2800
Transit Connect Wagon front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 4-speed Front-wheel drive 22 26 23 MPG $2800

Specs and fitment

1st-generation (US market), 2010–2013
Body styles Cargo van, Passenger wagon
Oil 2.0L, 5W-20 synthetic blend , 4.5 qt capacity
Tire size 205/65R15

Known issues for this generation

Safety recall 12S36 (NHTSA 12V-374) covers certain 2011-2012 Transit Connect vans whose windshield wiper arms may not have been adequately riveted, which can let a wiper arm clear the glass incompletely or inconsistently, or detach entirely, reducing driver visibility; Ford's dealers replace the driver and passenger side wiper arm and blade assemblies free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2012.

Compare

Next year 2013 Ford Transit Connect See every Ford Transit Connect model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Ford Transit Connect reliable?

The 2012 Ford Transit Connect has 26 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 4 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Transit Connect years here — over the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Windshield wiper.

What are common problems with a 2012 Ford Transit Connect?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (6 of 26), then Visibility (5) and Electrical system (4). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 35,003 miles, and the middle half falls between 5,525 and 96,500 miles. Those filings include 1 that reports a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2012 Ford Transit Connect more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Transit Connect has 32 complaints, 3 per year. The 2012 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2013.

Has the 2012 Ford Transit Connect been recalled?

The 2012 Ford Transit Connect has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Ford Transit Connect?

Owners have filed 26 complaints about the 2012 Ford Transit Connect with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Ford Transit Connect get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Ford Transit Connect is 23 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

When did the Ford Transit Connect stop being sold in the US?

Ford ended US and Canadian Transit Connect sales after the 2023 model year; production stopped in December 2023, though the model continues in Europe.

Could the first Ford Transit Connect tow a trailer?

No. Ford's own owner's manual for the 2010-2013 model years states the vehicle is not equipped to tow and no towing package was available.