Ford Transit Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Q: What year Transit should I avoid?

Based on NHTSA recall and complaint data, the 2015 Ford Transit has the most documented problems with a problem score of 328 — driven primarily by 26 recalls, 183 complaints, and issues with POWER TRAIN.

Q: What is the best year Transit to buy?

The 2026 Ford Transit is the best-scoring year in our analysis with a problem score of only 0, meaning 0 recalls and 0 complaints on record.

Q: Which Transit has the fewest problems?

The 2026, 2021, 2025 model years have the fewest reported problems in the NHTSA database. Always verify a specific vehicle's history with a VIN report before purchasing.

Every Ford Transit model year (2015–2026) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, injuries, and deaths. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

Ford Transit Years to Avoid

#1 WORST

2015

26 recalls · 183 complaints

11 reported injuries

9 reported deaths

Top issue: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 328

#2 WORST

2016

21 recalls · 141 complaints

7 reported injuries

1 reported death

Top issue: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 223

#3 WORST

2017

18 recalls · 92 complaints

6 reported injuries

Top issue: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 158

Best Ford Transit Years to Buy

#1 BEST

2026

0 recalls · 0 complaints

Main area: No significant complaints

Problem score: 0

#2 BEST

2021

4 recalls · 0 complaints

Main area: No significant complaints

Problem score: 12

#3 BEST

2025

4 recalls · 0 complaints

Main area: No significant complaints

Problem score: 12

Found the right year? Verify that specific Transit with a free VIN report.

Ford Transit — Year-by-Year Problem Report

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Problem Score	Verdict
2026	0	0	0	Excellent
2025	4	0	12	Excellent
2024	10	0	30	Excellent
2023	19	0	57	Good
2022	16	0	48	Good
2021	4	0	12	Excellent
2020	9	78	109	Good
2019	9	0	27	Excellent
2018	14	53	119	Caution
2017	18	92	158	Caution
2016	21	141	223	Avoid
2015	26	183	328	Avoid

Higher scores indicate more reported safety issues across recalls, complaints, and injury data.

Ford Transit Shopping Guide by Era

2018–Present

Best: 2026

Recent Transit models benefit from updated safety systems and revised engineering. Lower problem scores typically appear in this era. The 2026 stands out with just 0 problem points. Always request a pre-purchase inspection and VIN history report.

2013–2017

Best: 2017

Mid-decade Transit units are entering high-mileage territory. Inspect carefully for powertrain wear and verify recall completion status. The 2017 shows the lowest problem count for this era.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year Transit should I avoid?+

Avoid the 2015 Ford Transit if possible. It has 26 recalls, 183 owner complaints, and the most common complaint category is POWER TRAIN. The overall problem score is 328 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year Transit to buy?+

The 2026 Ford Transit is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 0. It has only 0 recalls and 0 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which Transit has the fewest problems?+

The 2026, 2021, 2025 model years have the fewest documented problems across recall and complaint databases. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Ford Transit Research

Reliability Score

Overall reliability rating and score breakdown for the Ford Transit.

Common Problems

Full breakdown of every reported defect for the Ford Transit.

Check a Specific Ford Transit VIN

Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.

Run a Free VIN Report →