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2012 Ford Transit Connect Wagon

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

26 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 15, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.

Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.

Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)100
Severity (30%)90
Recall load (20%)97
Trend (10%)95

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20122026 YTD

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

2/5 overall

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2012 Ford Transit Connect VAN FWD

Front crash
Side crash
Rollover

Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 26%

Stability control: StandardForward collision warning: NoLane departure warning: No

No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.

NHTSA crash-test photo, 2012 Ford Transit Connect VAN FWD

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2012 Ford Transit Connect Wagon, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k mi

Also reported (mileage varies): Visibility & wipers (9) · Engine (6)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Visibility & wipers

35%

9 complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS ACTIVATED, THE REAR WINDOW FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, B…

Engine

23%

6 complaints

DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. STOPPED AT LITE. CHECK ENGINE LITE CAME ON. NO POWER. HAD TO IDLE HOME. OBDII CODES P0122, P0222, P2111. P2135. TPS READING STUCK AT 82…

Electrical system

15%

4 complaints

2012 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MISLEADING GAS MILEAGE, RADIO PROBLEMS, VEHICLE LOCKING ITSELF WITH KEY IN THE IGNITION WHILE ENGINE RUNNING A…

Fuel system

12%

3 complaints

2012 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MISLEADING GAS MILEAGE, RADIO PROBLEMS, VEHICLE LOCKING ITSELF WITH KEY IN THE IGNITION WHILE ENGINE RUNNING A…

Recalls (1)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Visibility · 12V374000

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.

Fix: 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.

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2012 Ford TRANSIT CONNECT WAGON beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2012? See how every Transit Connect Wagon model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2012 Ford Transit Connect Wagon against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2012 Ford Transit Connect Wagon as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.