Ford Transit transmission and drivetrain problems, 2016–2027
155 of the 588 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Ford Transit 2016–2027 name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). The loudest years: 2016 (60), 2017 (40), 2020 (18). Filed under the same heading across these years: 10 manufacturer bulletins, 6 recall campaigns, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Ford Transit transmission and drivetrain problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2026 | 0 | — | — | 2 TSBs | the year → |
| 2025 | 0 | — | — | 15 TSBs | the year → |
| 2024 | 3 | 11% | — | 26 TSBs · 2 recalls | the year → |
| 2023 | 13 | 22% | — | 37 TSBs · 2 recalls | the year → |
| 2022 | 0 | — | — | 47 TSBs | the year → |
| 2021 | 6 | 26% | — | 46 TSBs | the year → |
| 2020 | 18 | 21% | — | 49 TSBs · 1 recall | the year → |
| 2019 | 3 | 8% | — | 24 TSBs · 1 recall | the year → |
| 2018 | 12 | 21% | — | 35 TSBs · 1 recall | the year → |
| 2017 | 40 | 41% | 106k | 33 TSBs · 3 recalls · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2016 in depth | 60 | 38% | 105k | 32 TSBs · 3 recalls · 1 investigation | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the transmission and drivetrain. Nothing here is a rate.
When the transmission and drivetrain complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 14 · 2020: 11 · 2021: 13 · 2022: 12 · 2023: 16 · 2024: 31 · 2025: 31 · 2026: 17
Across the model years, half of the 78 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the transmission and drivetrain problem between 47,000 and 130,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Dealer performed recall 17s15 driveshaft assy that replaced the rear driveshaft coupling. At the time, the front driveshaft coupling was observed to be loose. The front coupling was inspected and reassembled.
Drive train rubber coupling failure 104000 miles. Prior installation of coupling at 70,000 miles. This occurrence damaged drive shaft and coupling at rear of transmission
My vehicle is suffering from driveline vibrations, which should be recalled under Ford Safety Recall 19S38. My vehicle build manufacture date and build location fall within the recall window, but for some reason my VIN is not found in the database for this repair to be covered or authorized.
Vehicle shudders under light acceleration as if one was to drive over rumple strips. Shudder is intermittent. Taken to Ford dealership where they say torque converter is bad. $3500 dollar repair
Transmission intermittently struggling to reach 3rd, 4th, 5th gears. Performed IDS diag at shop, found hitorical code P0734 for "Incorrect gear 4 ratio" TSB 26-2046 to overhaul transmission
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year
- 24V805000 CriticalOct 25, 2024 · 1,075 vehicles
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Ford Transit vehicles previously repaired under recall number 24V-102. Incorrect bolts may have been used to attach the rear axle shaft, which can lead to the rear wheel locking up or separating from the axle.
- 24V102000 CriticalFeb 9, 2024 · 113,320 vehicles
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Ford Transit vehicles. An inadequate amount of rear axle lubricant may cause rear axle tail bearing damage and seizure, which can result in wheel lock-up or driveshaft separation.
- 21V978000 HighDec 16, 2021 · 4,548 vehicles
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Transit vehicles equipped with All Wheel Drive (AWD). The bolts that attach the rear driveshaft to the transfer case may become loose or damaged, which can result in separation of the driveshaft from the transfer case.
- 19V767000 HighOct 25, 2019 · 293,558 vehicles
- 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.
- 19V103000 HighFeb 21, 2019 · 174 vehicles
- 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.
- 17V408000 HighJun 26, 2017 · 372,991 vehicles
- 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.
NHTSA investigation
- AQ18001 Zipcar Rental Concernsopened Apr 2, 2018 · closed Sep 25, 2024
- NHTSA opened this audit query to determine whether Zipcar, Inc. (Zipcar) complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act). The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a rental car company not rent, lease, or sell a recalled vehicle until the safety defect or noncompliance is remedied. 49 U.S.C. § 30120(i). Based on NHTSA’s inquiry, including in…
10 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading, any model year
- Sep 22, 2026
- This bulletin supersedes 26-2309. Reason For Update: update the Model section to remove Aviator 10R80, update the Parts list to add 3.3L to W520514-S440, and add L1MZ-7Z490-G valve body separator plate for Aviator. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit at least one of the following conditions: * Harsh 3-4, 4-5 upshifts * Harsh 5-3, 4-3 downshifts * Harsh reverse enga
- Aug 18, 2026
- Some 2013-2016 Super Duty vehicles equipped with a 6.7L diesel engine and 2015-2019 Transit vehicles equipped with a 3.2L diesel engine may not pass a state smog test due to the exhaust gas system (EGS) monitor that will not run after completing the exhaust gas sensor drive cycle located within Section 2 of the Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnostics (PC/ED) Manual > Drive Cycles. This may be due
- Jul 2, 2026
- This bulletin supersedes 26-2241. Reason For Update: update the parts list to correct the claim quantity of the part number JB3Z-4B496-B from 3 to 6. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit at least one of the following conditions: * Harsh 3-4, 4-5 upshifts * Harsh 5-3, 4-3 downshifts * Harsh reverse engagements These symptoms may be worse when cold. This may be due to
- May 30, 2026
- This bulletin supersedes 26-2112. Reason For Update: add 2026 model year vehicles, update LV fluid XT-10-QLVC and CXT-10-LV6 description to add "Transfer Case Fluid 4WD Only", and update Step 4 to inspect/replace 7H351 and 7B177 outside of this article. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit at least one of the following conditions: - No upshift past second gear - Una
- May 18, 2026
- This bulletin supersedes 25-2587. Reason For Update: update the Parts list to add the F-clutch friction plates HL3Z-7B164-D and the F-clutch steel plates PR3Z-7B164-A for the proper vehicle lines, replace the transfer case mounting bolt part number from W714288-S438 to W714288-S437, update the part number W720688-S439 quantity from 2 to 1, update the part number ML3Z-7869-C claim quantity from 2 t
- May 8, 2026
- This bulletin supersedes 26-2046. Reason For Update: update the parts list to change the claim quantity of the C clutch friction plates (HL3Z-7B164-A), C clutch steel plates (HL3Z-7B442-F), D clutch steel plates (HL3Z-7B442-D), add the rear driveshaft flange CV joint-to-pinion flange cup bolts and retaining straps (LK4Z-4B496-B) for Transit, and update the parts description for the transfer case f
- Apr 2, 2026
- Customer Satisfaction Program 25N12 Certain 2020-2025 Model Year Transit All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) Vehicles Transfer Case Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
- Apr 2, 2026
- For 20212026 vehicles equipped with the 10R80 transmission, a new Transmission Clutch Circuit Leak Test has been introduced in the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS). This test utilizes the pressure and vacuum transducer (PVT) when available. When referred to a specific clutch (A-F) test by a pinpoint test in Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 307-01 > Diagnosis and Testing, the Clutch Assembl
The 8 newest are listed; each model year’s page lists every one filed on that year. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Ford Transit years have the most transmission and drivetrain complaints?
2016, 60; 2017, 40; 2020, 18. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2017 (41%).
Is there a recall for the transmission and drivetrain on the Ford Transit?
Yes — 6 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 24V805000 (2024), 24V102000 (2024), 21V978000 (2020), 19V767000 (2017). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the Ford Transit?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 98,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 47,000 and 130,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.