Is the 2015 Ford Transit a bad year?
192 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 78, 7.8× a quiet Transit year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
The transmission draws 7.8× the complaints of a quiet Transit year, spread over 69k–154k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2015 Transit owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 106,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 78 (41%) | 69k–154k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 39 (20%) | 57k–110k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Fuel system | 32 (17%) | 29k–112k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Electrical system | 20 (10%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 19 (10%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 10 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Steering | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 106,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 192 complaints: 4 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 2 report an injury · 19 say the car was towed.
16 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
The drive shaft was involved in a recall which Ford said they repaired, now the same problem is back.
I have a 2015 Ford transit 15 passenger vehicle that was purchased in nov 2016 with 20,000 miles. April 2019 the driveshaft flexible coupling was replaced under warranty.
Vehicle was being driven down the highway, driver heard a loud pop and saw pieces of metal it the roadway. Pulled over and observed parts of metal hanging down.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 106,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2015 Ford Transit: 26
An incorrect driveshaft torsional damper service kit may have been installed, which can allow the damper shield to contact the parking brake cable, possibly resulting in parking brake failure. Parking brake failure can result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. If the coupling fails, the vehicle will not be able to move under its own power and the disconnected driveshaft may impact and damage the brake and fuel lines.
When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
The wheelchair lift positioning input cam may fail while the lift is in use, allowing the platform to travel higher than the vehicle's floor height. If the wheelchair lift platform stops above the vehicle floor, the wheelchair user can tip inwards toward the vehicle when exiting the lift, increasing their risk of injury.
When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
The seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
The wheelchair lift positioning input cam may fail while the lift is in use, allowing the platform to travel higher than the vehicle's floor height. If the wheelchair lift platform stops above the vehicle floor, the wheelchair user can tip inwards toward the vehicle when exiting the lift, increasing their risk of injury.
The cardan (universal) joint on the front driveshaft may fail, possibly causing the front driveshaft to detach. If the front driveshaft detaches from the vehicle, drive power will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash. The detached driveshaft may also create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash for following traffic.
When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Water can enter the tow modules and corrode the wiring causing issues such as rapidly flashing turn signals, loss of instrument panel display, an electrical short and possibly the deployment of seatbelt pretensioner. An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire. Turn signal, instrument cluster or seatbelt pretensioner problems can increase the risk of a crash.
Water can enter the tow modules and corrode the wiring causing issues such as rapidly flashing turn signals, loss of instrument panel display, an electrical short and possibly the deployment of seatbelt pretensioner. An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire. Turn signal, instrument cluster or seatbelt pretensioner problems can increase the risk of a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the flexible coupling connecting the transmission to the driveshaft may prematurely fail. If the coupling fails, the vehicle will not be able to move under its own power and the disconnected driveshaft may impact and damage the brake and fuel lines.
A fuel injector or the fuel volume control valve may clog due to metallic debris within the fuel system. If debris clogs the fuel system, the engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack. Additionally, the lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position. If the platform side plates crack or the platform mounting fails from out-of-position bearings, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door.
The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack. Additionally, the lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position. If the platform side plates crack or the platform mounting fails from out-of-position bearings, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door.
In the affected vehicles, the side curtain air bag may not deploy with the proper trajectory due to being folded and packaged incorrectly. A side curtain air bag that does not deploy as intended may increase the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
The rear seat belt buckles may be damaged if a heavy object is placed on, or impacts, the top of the buckle. The damage may prevent the buckle from latching or from remaining latched. An unlatched seat belt increases the risk of injury to the occupant in the event of a crash.
The affected vehicles have a left or right rear axle drive shafts that may fracture, resulting in loss of drive power. Additionally, the vehicle may unexpectedly roll if it is parked without the parking brake applied. A loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway after being parked can increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
The affected vehicles may have been built with seat belt assemblies that have seat belt labels that are missing the required belt model and model year and instead state "prototype sample." In the event of a safety issue with the affected seat belts, the vehicle owner may not be able to identify the seat belt if the seat belt label does not include a date of manufacturer.
In the affected vehicles the fuel filter bracket mounting may detach from the frame cross member over time. A separation of the fuel filter from the cross member will disrupt distribution of fuel to the engine, thereby inducing an engine stall. An unexpected engine stall while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The affected vehicles may have been manufactured without the epoxy reinforcement on the windowless sliding doors. A sliding door without the epoxy reinforcement has an increased potential of unlatching in certain side impact crashes. A door that unlatches may open, allowing for a vehicle occupant to be ejected in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Brake fluid may leak from the brake hose/caliper junctions at the rear of the vehicle. A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle. If both of the rear brake junctions leak, there may a complete loss of braking. Either of these scenarios increase the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Ford: 187
Repair instructions Ford sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2015 Ford Transit. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
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…
Some vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022…
For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM)…
During service and repair requiring removal and replacement of a crankshaft bolt and/or crankshaft damper…
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Zipcar Rental Concerns
Neighbouring years
2016 Transit: 156 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Ford Transit year
2001 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Transit years side by side
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Questions
Is the 2015 Ford Transit a bad year?
192 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 78, 7.8× a quiet Transit year. At 106,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. The transmission draws 7.8× the complaints of a quiet Transit year, spread over 69k–154k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Ford Transit?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (78), engine (39), fuel system (32), electrical system (20), brakes (19). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 69k–154k miles.
How many recalls does the 2015 Ford Transit have?
26 recall campaigns list this model year: Parking brake (NHTSA 21V-631), Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 19V-767), Seats (NHTSA 19V-333), Seats (NHTSA 19V-329) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.