Showing the 2012 Transit Connect XLT. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 2.0 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
23 mpgcombined; city 21, highway 27; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,120U.S. average; Ohio $12,620 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2012 Transit Connect. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Transit Connect. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
6
0
0
0
Visibility
5
0
0
0
Electrical system
4
0
1
0
Visibility/wiper
4
1
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
2
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
0
0
1
Seats
2
0
0
1
Structure
2
0
0
0
Tires
2
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Traction control system
1
0
0
0
2 more parts
Vehicle speed control
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2012 Transit Connect over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer
NHTSA campaign 12V374000 · reported Aug 2, 2012 · 16,330 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side wiper arm and blade assemblies, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 15, 2012. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Transit Connect vehicles. The wiper arms may not be adequately riveted resulting in incomplete or inconsistent clearing of the windshield and possible detachment of the wiper arm.
Risk: If the wiper arm detaches, the windshield wiper will fail and the driver's visibility may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 22 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Transit Connect, the latest on Feb 24, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: engine and engine cooling (4), equipment (4), electrical system (3), exterior lighting (3), power train (2).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2012 Transit Connect.
EPA class: special purpose vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Transit Connect Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 4-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 27 / 23
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data