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Ford Recalls Transit Connect for Separating Panoramic Roof Panel

The Focus-based Ford Transit Connect has been recalled once again due to a quality issue. It all started two months ago with the customer of a 2014 model that experienced a panoramic roof separation event while driving.
2014 Ford Transit Connect 7 photos
Photo: Ford
2014 Ford Transit Connect2014 Ford Transit Connect2014 Ford Transit Connect2014 Ford Transit Connect2014 Ford Transit Connect2014 Ford Transit Connect
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contacted the Ford Motor Company for additional information, and guess what? The Blue Oval had previously recalled the compact van over panoramic roof separations in September 2016, but the customer’s car was not eligible for that callback.

Ford reportedly omitted the said vehicle and a few hundred other Transit Connect vans due to “an administrative error.” The Dearborn-based automaker isn’t aware of accidents or injuries related to this quality issue.

Produced by BOS Automotive Products Hungary, the panoramic roof panel suffers from poor adhesion on the outer perimeter edge where vacuum rings are used during manufacturing by the sub-supplier. In addition to many reports of wind noise and water leaks, a roof separation report was received by Ford of Europe in July 2017 for a vehicle produced in December 2013.

In the first instance, the automaker recalled 887 units of the Transit Connect produced for the 2014 model year. The current recall concerns 311 units that had their glass panels installed between October 2013 and July 2014.

Contaminated by silicone and glass cleaner residue, the panoramic roof with a built-in power shade will be duly removed, cleaned, and reinstalled by authorized retailers. Known customers will have to wait until January 21st, 2021 at the very latest to receive a recall notification via first-class mail.

Not exactly the best-selling commercial vehicle in the United States, the Transit Connect moved 34,596 units last year, down from a high point of 52,221 units in 2015. Facelifted for the 2019 model year, the small van costs more than a Ranger pickup truck at $27,920 for the XL Passenger Wagon.

Capable of seating up to seven people, the Transit Connect is also available in XLT and Titanium flavors. All three share an eight-speed box and a 2.0L GDI engine that produces 162 horsepower and 144 pound-feet (195 Nm).
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 Download: 2014 Ford Transit Connect panoramic roof panel recall (PDF)

About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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