Summary
The 2014 Ford Transit Connect has 13 recalls, the most serious being fuel line and panoramic roof defects: abrading fuel lines can leak and cause a fire, while an improperly bonded roof panel can detach from the vehicle at speed.
The fuel line issue and the panoramic roof separation appear across multiple filings, but each represents a single underlying problem. On the panoramic roof, the bond between the glass panel and the vehicle body can fail over time, allowing water leaks and wind noise before the panel eventually comes free entirely, creating a hazard for other drivers. The fuel lines, on vehicles with 2.5L engines, can also be incorrectly routed so they rub against each other and wear through, producing a fuel leak near ignition sources.
Also on 2.5L-equipped vehicles, the shifter cable bushing can degrade or break away, which may cause the transmission to slip into an unintended gear and move the vehicle in the wrong direction. Front door latches can develop a cracked pawl that prevents the door from closing securely, and sliding cargo van door panels can lose their bond and separate while driving. Upper seatbelt anchor bolts may have been under-torqued at the factory and can loosen over time, reducing restraint effectiveness in a crash. A missing label on the brake fluid reservoir cap may lead someone to add the wrong fluid, damaging brake seals and extending stopping distances. There is also a compliance recall on certain Canadian-market vehicles where the instrument cluster may not illuminate warning lamps or sound chimes at startup.
