Home · 2020 Ford Transit · Complaints

What 82 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Ford Transit

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (82)Crash / fire / injury (5)Seats (27)Transmission & drivetrain (17)Electrical system (13)Steering (6)Brakes (5)Engine (5)Wheels (5)Backup camera & sensors (4)Tires (4)Body & structure (2)

27 of 82 complaints match · Seats · clear filters · page 1 of 2

Jul 13, 2023Seats

The seats have sank into the springs making it undriveable. This has happened on all our Ford Transit Vans. Ford dealerships won't repair because they are now out of warranty but this was reported prior to warranty expiration but we were told parts were not available.

NHTSA ODI 11532154

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522852

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522854

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522857

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522858

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522859

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522863

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522865

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522868

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522870

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522871

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522873

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522876

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522880

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522881

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522883

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522885

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522886

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522888

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522889

May 19, 2023Seats

seat collapse. Available to be inspected. Unable to see over wheel or reach the acceleration and break pedals. Airbag light comes on due to the collapsed seat either cutting the airbag electrical cable, or puncturing the airbag itself. Vehicle has only been inspected by our fleet manager, our in house mechanic, and the dealership. No prior warning(s) before the failures.

NHTSA ODI 11522892

May 5, 2023Seats

Front drivers seat cushion sagging no good for almost 1 and a half years. I bought replacement cushions for over $200 each. This is due to a broken seat suspension mat and the only way to fix it is to buy the seat track for $600 plus dollars. I found this Manufacture communications number TSB 21-2353. I have a total of 6 2020 Transits and they all the same problem. 1FTBW3U8XLKA17017 1FTBW3U83LKA17022 1FTBW3U80LKB05414 1FTBW3U8XLKB05419 1FTBW3U80LKA65495

NHTSA ODI 11520579

Apr 5, 2023Seats

Seat collapse. Available to be inspection. Unable to see over wheel or reach acceleration or brake petals. Air bag light comes on due to seat cutting it or disconnecting it when collapses. Dealership. No.

NHTSA ODI 11515633

Jan 24, 2022Transmission & drivetrainSeats2 injuries

1. 10 SPEED ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION - When traveling at a lower speed when approaching a turn (10, 15, 20, 25mph); when you release the accelerator to make the turn, and then begin to apply pressure to the accelerator to move forward, the transmission has not selected a gear and no acceleration occurs. This leaves the transmission between gears (neutral momentarily) and the vehicle has no power to move forward. It has happened on several occasions and I believe it places the driver in a dangerous position to not maintain power to the drive train. 2. FRONT SEAT ADJUSTMENT RAILS - The two rails on each seat are irregular shaped heavy metal rails which the seat assembly slides back and forth on. When getting into the truck (stepping up and moving your legs around the outside corner of the seat), the sharp metal end (painted) scrapes, scratches, or lacerates your calf, as you get in. This has happened on several occasions to me as the driver, and more than several occasions to my wife; who has the seat adjusted further back, thus exposing more of the metal rail to contact with her leg. In my owner's manual, diagrams show an plastic end cap on the front portion of the rails. They are not installed on the 2020 (actually 2021) model. I spoke to the Ford parts department. They are available for earlier model vans (2017, 2018 as an example) but, they are not available for the 2020 model. The price for me to purchase the "plastic" injection molded end caps to prevent future injury are $96.00 FOR EACH END CAP! Plus tax, over $414. If they were installed on previous models, why not the 2020 model? Injuries are minor but, they are injuries because of a part deletion/omission by Ford Motor Company.

NHTSA ODI 11448677

Dec 17, 2021Seats

I bought this vehicle in Sept 2020 and have had this issue since day one. The drivers seat creates a bulge about half-way up the seat back when the seat warms up either with the heated seat feature or sunlight and pushes me forward out of the safety of the side seat bolsters. The passenger seat does not have this issue and has a slight concave shape to it for proper support. The Ford dealer has replaced the lumbar support system and "wrapped" the lever inside the seat back to reduce any protrusions. I now can feel that padding which adds to the bulge that pushes me forward. The Ford rep says they have not been able to duplicate the concern. I have asked for someone to drive the vehicle for a period of time so they too can notice how the bulge gets bigger as the seat heats up. The rep says there is nothing more they can do since the problem can't be duplicated. So, I am asking for your help since I feel very unsafe when I have to drive this due to the bulge. This is from the Ford Rep- "[XXX], Good morning. I do apologize for not getting back with you as I said I would. Ford Pro has been experiencing unexpected high call volume for several weeks now. We are actively working to address that issue. I did speak with S/A [XXX] at Monaco & Sons Motor Sales just a few minutes ago. He advised the wheel repair shop has not yet returned the wheel as they said may be done as early as last Friday or Monday at the latest. I asked [XXX] about the driver seat, and he states they have not been able to reproduce the concern you reported, they have also compared it to other Transits at their dealership and find your seat to be similar. Until or unless they are able to verify a concern that is due to a factory defect in the seat or components, they will not be able to address this further. I will schedule my next follow up for Monday, 12/13/21. Barring any unforeseen issues, the wheel should be repaired and your vehicle should be back with you before then." INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11444096

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Working with the data? Download all 82 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2020 Ford Transit verdict →