2016 Ford Transit reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Ford Transit holds 155 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 12 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Transit years here — over the median of the other years, which is 7. NHTSA has 21 recalls on file, including Camera, Parking brake linkage and cable, and Driveshaft.

2015 Ford Transit 250 medium-roof cargo van — Photo by Mr.choppers, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

Complaints

155

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (60 of 155), then Engine (20) and Electrical system (12). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 70,500 miles, and the middle half falls between 24,750 and 110,330 miles. Those filings include 7 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, 6 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Transit has 192 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2017 has 98 complaints, 11 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017.

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 2016 Ford Transit. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (21)

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2025-09-04 · NHTSA campaign 25V572000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

Remedy 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 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.

Vehicles affected 1,456,417

Recall Parking brake linkage and cable 2021-08-11 · NHTSA campaign 21V631000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Transit vehicles. 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.

Remedy 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 at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S39.

Vehicles affected 30

Recall Driveshaft 2019-10-25 · NHTSA campaign 19V767000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Transit vehicles. 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.

Remedy 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 made free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 1, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S38. Note: This recall supersedes recall number 17V-408.

Vehicles affected 293,558

Recall Seats 2019-04-29 · NHTSA campaign 19V333000

Summary New England Wheels (New England) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Ford Transit and 2014-2019 Ram Promaster 2500 and 3500 vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman Go-ES Foldaway seats. 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.

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 544

Recall Seats 2019-04-26 · NHTSA campaign 19V329000

Summary 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.

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 360

Recall Seats 2019-04-18 · NHTSA campaign 19V313000

Summary Mobility Transportation Services (MobilityTrans) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Ford Transit and Ram Promaster vehicles and 2014-2015 Ford Econoline 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.

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 2,080

Recall Adaptive and mobility equipment 2019-04-03 · NHTSA campaign 19V271000

Summary 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.

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 4

Recall Seats 2019-03-28 · NHTSA campaign 19V247000

Summary 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.

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 4

Recall Seats 2019-03-26 · NHTSA campaign 19V238000

Summary Vantage Mobility International, LLC (Vantage) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit Van, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and 2007 Ford F-250-based shuttle vehicles equipped with Freedman GO-3S foldaway seats. 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.

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 12

Recall Seats 2019-03-22 · NHTSA campaign 19V229000

Summary TransitWorks is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit, 2018 Ford Transit Connect, and 2016 Dodge Ram ProMaster vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman Seating GO-ES seats. 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.

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 776

Recall Seats 2019-03-18 · NHTSA campaign 19V205000

Summary 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."

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 471

Recall Adaptive and mobility equipment 2019-03-06 · NHTSA campaign 19V183000

Summary 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 (FMVSS) number 403, "Platform Lift Systems."

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 137

Recall Seats 2019-03-01 · NHTSA campaign 19V332000

Summary Prime-Time Specialty Vehicles (Prime-Time) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ram ProMaster and Ford Transit vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats. 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.

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 90

Recall Driveshaft 2019-02-21 · NHTSA campaign 19V103000

Summary XL Hybrids, Inc (XL) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit vehicles modified to be equipped with XL's electric hybrid system. The cardan (universal) joint on the front driveshaft may fail, possibly causing the front driveshaft to detach.

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 174

Recall Seats 2018-11-06 · NHTSA campaign 18V782000

Summary 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 with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 475

Recall electrical system, wiring 2018-04-30 · NHTSA campaign 18V275000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford Transit vehicles, equipped with a trailer tow module. 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.

Remedy 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 recall expansion is 17S34-S1.

Vehicles affected 25,658

Recall electrical system, wiring 2017-10-23 · NHTSA campaign 17V668000

Remedy 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.

Vehicles affected 65,206

Recall Driveshaft 2017-06-26 · NHTSA campaign 17V408000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling all 2015-2017 Transit vehicles except 156" and 178" wheelbase Chassis Cab and Cut-Away bodies. In the affected vehicles, the flexible coupling connecting the transmission to the driveshaft may prematurely fail.

Remedy 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 will be made free of charge. Interim notifications informing owners of the safety risk were mailed July 21, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S15.

Vehicles affected 372,991

Recall diesel fuel system 2016-08-24 · NHTSA campaign 16V618000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Transit vehicles manufactured July 15, 2015, to April 14, 2016 and equipped with a 3.2L diesel engine. A fuel injector or the fuel volume control valve may clog due to metallic debris within the fuel system.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel injection pump and associated parts and, if necessary, will replace the fuel filter and flush the fuel system, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S32.

Vehicles affected 2,013

Recall air bags, side and window 2016-04-04 · NHTSA campaign 16V188000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Transit vehicles manufactured March 12, 2014, to March 18, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the side curtain air bag may not deploy with the proper trajectory due to being folded and packaged incorrectly.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and re-orient the side curtain air bag assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S13.

Vehicles affected 37,066

Recall seat belts, rear or other, buckle 2016-02-25 · NHTSA campaign 16V111000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Transit vehicles manufactured February 13, 2014, to January 13, 2016 and equipped with rear passenger seats. The rear seat belt buckles may be damaged if a heavy object is placed on, or impacts, the top of the buckle. The damage may prevent the buckle from latching or from remaining latched.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify or replace the seat belt buckles, depending on their location in the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began May 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S06.

Vehicles affected 48,990

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

Complaints by component (155 total)

Powertrain

Engine

Electrical system

Structure

Fuel and propulsion system

Seat belts

Service brakes

Steering

Speed control

Suspension

Back-over prevention

Wheels

Air bags

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Engine and engine cooling

Hydraulic brakes

Diesel fuel system

Exterior lighting

Tires

Equipment

Fuel system, gasoline

Latches, locks, and linkages

Parking brake

Seats

Visibility

Show 17 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Of the 96 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 70,500 miles. The middle half fall between 24,750 and 110,330 miles.

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The rearview camera on my 2016 Ford Transit 150 intermittently fails while the vehicle is in reverse. At times, the rearview mirror display shows a blue/blank screen instead of the rear camera image. At other times, the…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-08
"The contact owns a 2016 Ford Transit. The contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention camera malfunctioned and displayed an upside down or distorted image, with the distance being inaccurate. The…"
Back-over prevention · filed 2026-08-21
"The contact owns a 2016 Ford Transit. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the rubber-flexible coupling between the transmission became shredded into pieces and the vehicle swerved off the road. There were no…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-08-04
"The backup camera and parking collision warning periodically do not work and this resulted in a collision with a parked car."
Back-over prevention · filed 2026-08-03
"I bought the car in 2017 with 7800 miles within the first few months. The rear camera began to freeze sometimes I once went to the dealer but they said they can’t find it because at that point in time it wasn’t freezing…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-08

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2016 Ford Transit High Roof WAGON RWD	Not rated	4 stars	5 stars	Not rated
2016 Ford Transit Low Roof 15 Pass WAGON RWD	Not rated	4 stars	5 stars	Not rated
2016 Ford Transit Low Roof(8,10,12) Pass WAGON RWD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	3 stars
2016 Ford Transit Medium Roof 15 Pass WAGON RWD	3 stars	4 stars	5 stars	2 stars
2016 Ford Transit Medium Roof(8,10,12) Pass WAGON RWD	Not rated	4 stars	5 stars	Not rated
2016 Ford Transit VAN RWD	Not rated	4 stars	Not rated	Not rated

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 T150 Wagon	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	15	19	16 MPG	$4050
Transit T150 Wagon flex-fuel	3.7L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	14	18	16 MPG	$4050

Specs and fitment

1st-generation (US market), 2015–2019

Body styles Cargo van, Passenger van

Oil 3.7L V6, 5W-20 , 6 qt capacity

Tire size 235/65R16C (varies with vehicle options)

Known issues for this generation

Safety recall 19S38 (NHTSA 19V-767) covers certain 2015-2017 Transit vans whose flexible coupling between the transmission and driveshaft may prematurely fail. If the coupling fails the van cannot move under its own power, the disconnected driveshaft can strike and damage the brake and fuel lines, and the van can roll away if it is left in Park without the parking brake applied. As an interim repair Ford's dealers replace the flexible coupling every 40,000 miles; the final remedy fits a driveshaft front section with a mechanical universal joint in place of the coupling, free of charge. This recall supersedes 17S15 (NHTSA 17V-408) and carries over the vans covered there, except those that had already received a mechanical u-joint and any 156-inch or 178-inch wheelbase chassis cab and cutaway bodies.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Ford Transit Next year 2017 Ford Transit See every Ford Transit model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Ford Transit reliable?

What are common problems with a 2016 Ford Transit?

Is the 2016 Ford Transit more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2016 Ford Transit been recalled?

The 2016 Ford Transit has 21 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Ford Transit?

Owners have filed 155 complaints about the 2016 Ford Transit with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Ford Transit get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Ford Transit is 16 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What did the Ford Transit replace in the US lineup?

The Transit replaced the Ford E-Series (Econoline) full-size van starting with the 2015 model year.

Was the 2020 Ford Transit a full redesign?

No, it was a mid-cycle facelift with a new front fascia, dashboard, base engine, and available all-wheel drive, not a new platform.