2018 Ford Transit Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Transit years
- More complaints than other years 6th of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 14 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Transit. That ranks 6th out of 15 Transit model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (14 complaints, 24%), typically at around 78,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire, 12 injuries. There are 14 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 58owner complaints
- 14safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Ford Transit problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 14 | 24% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 21% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 12 | 21% | 22,750 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 16% | 240,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 14% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 7% | 61,320 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 7% | 16,010 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 3% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 3% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 3% | 20,750 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | 200,593 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 2% | 4,300 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2% | 9,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 2% | 32,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Ford Transit recalls (14)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: 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.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driverâs view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Parking brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage and cable
Problem: 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.
Risk: Parking brake failure can result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Structure:emergency:escape/egress/exit
Problem: LA West Inc. (LA West) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Ford Transit vehicles modified to be equipped with glass roof hatches. Temperature and vibration stresses may cause the tempered glass roof hatch to shatter.
Risk: If the tempered glass roof hatch shatters, glass fragments may fall onto passengers, increasing the risk of an injury.
Fix: LA West will notify owners, and dealers will replace the hatch lids, free of charge. The recall began July 11, 2019. Owners may contact LA West customer service at 1-704-498-4940.
Seats
Problem: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Seats
Problem: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Seats
Problem: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Seats
Problem: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Seats
Problem: Waldoch Crafts, Inc. (Waldoch) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Transit shuttle vans modified to be equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats, part number 43705. 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Waldoch will notify owners and dealers will inspect and repair the foldaway seat, free of charge. The recall began September 25, 2020. Owners may contact Waldoch customer service at 1-651-464-3215.
Seats
Problem: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Seats
Problem: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Seats
Problem: 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."
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Seats
Problem: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Power train:driveline:driveshaft; power train:driveline:universal joint
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the front driveshaft detaches from the vehicle, drive power will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash. The detached driveshaft may also create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash for following traffic.
Fix: 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.
Seats
Problem: 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."
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The rearview camera is not working. On a vehicle of this size, a functioning rearview camera is especially important for helping to prevent backing incidents. The issue occurs every time the vehicle is driven, and the display shows, âRear View Camera not available.â Dealers have advised that…
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Transit. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was making an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle's differential of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic and was diagnosed with differential failure. The vehicle…
I took my vehicle on for am oil change and the mechanic brought to my attention that the front subframe of the vehicle had serious rot and rust. This lower subframe ties the front control arms together and other structural components, which is concerning with how fast this component has degraded…
Back up camera works only intermittently.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Ford Transit. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of the purchase the mileage was 64,000 and at the time when the fraud was discovered the mileage was 364,00.
Other Ford Transit years
← 2017 Transit · 2019 Transit →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Transit | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 Transit | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 Transit | 4 | 4 |
| 2024 Transit | 28 | 10 |
| 2023 Transit | 59 | 18 |
| 2022 Transit | 39 | 16 |
| 2021 Transit | 24 | 4 |
| 2020 Transit | 84 | 9 |
| 2019 Transit | 37 | 9 |
| 2018 | 58 | 14 |
| 2017 Transit | 98 | 18 |
| 2016 Transit | 156 | 21 |
| 2015 Transit | 193 | 26 |
| 2014 Transit | 3 | 3 |
| 2001 Transit | 1 | 0 |
See all Ford Transit problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Ford Transit?
Owners most often report engine, power train, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 14 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Ford Transit?
Yes, 14 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Ford Transit a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Transit model years, the 2018 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.