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Ford Transit Best and Worst Years

Recalls and crash-test ratings for every model year from 2014 to 2027, from official NHTSA data.

Model yearsData retrieved By Sources & methodology

Short answer

Among Ford Transit model years through 2024, 2014 has the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (3) and 2015 has the most (26). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.

Quick read

Ford Transit: Key Facts

Model years with data
14 (2014–2027)
Distinct recall campaigns
65
Fewest recalls
2014 (3)
Most recalls
2015 (26)
Most recalled system
Seats (39)

Ford Transit Recalls and Ratings by Model Year

Ford Transit — NHTSA recall campaigns and overall crash rating, model years 2014–2027
Model yearRecall campaignsOverall crash ratingMost recalled systems
2027 Recent: still collecting recalls 1 Not rated Seat belts
2026 Recent: still collecting recalls 1 Not rated Seat belts
2025 Recent: still collecting recalls 4 2–4 stars Back over prevention, Engine and engine cooling, Equipment adaptive/mobility
2024 10 2–4 stars Steering, Power train, Back over prevention
2023 18 2–4 stars Back over prevention, Steering, Electrical system
2022 16 2–4 stars Back over prevention, Electrical system, Equipment
2021 4 2–4 stars Back over prevention, Equipment adaptive/mobility, Fuel system, gasoline
2020 9 2–4 stars Back over prevention, Seat belts, Air bags
2019 9 Not rated Seat belts, Back over prevention, Equipment adaptive/mobility
2018 14 3–4 stars Seats, Back over prevention, Parking brake
2017 18 3–4 stars Seats, Power train, Electrical system
2016 21 3–4 stars Seats, Power train, Electrical system
2015 26 3–4 stars Seats, Equipment adaptive/mobility, Power train
2014 3 Not rated Seats, Equipment adaptive/mobility

The scale of the difference

Recall Campaigns by Model Year

Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.

  1. 20271 recall
  2. 20261 recall
  3. 20254 recalls
  4. 202410 recalls
  5. 202318 recalls
  6. 202216 recalls
  7. 20214 recalls
  8. 20209 recalls
  9. 20199 recalls
  10. 201814 recalls
  11. 201718 recalls
  12. 201621 recalls
  13. 201526 recalls
  14. 20143 recalls

Ford Transit: Analysis

How to read recall counts

A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.

What the recalls were about

Across all model years, the systems named most often in Ford Transit recalls are seats (39), back over prevention (21), power train (17), equipment adaptive/mobility (16) and electrical system (11). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.

Crash-test ratings

NHTSA has an overall star rating for 10 of these 14 model years. Ratings before 2011 come from an earlier version of the program and are not directly comparable with later years. A range such as 4–5 means versions of the same model year were rated differently.

FAQ: Ford Transit Best and Worst Years

What are the best years for the Ford Transit?

By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2014 are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 3 each.

Which Ford Transit model years have the most recalls?

2015 has the most, with 26 recall campaigns each.

Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?

No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.

Sources & methodology

Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "Transit", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.

NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by . Editorial policy