FordTransit-2502020Overview/ford/transit-250/2020/base/
250 platform

2020 Ford Transit-250

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 Transit.

Body VANTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2020 Ford Transit-250 is a van on the 250 chassis, paired with an automatic S6 transmission and rated at 20/27/22 mpg city/highway/combined. Owner feedback for this model year totaled 82 complaints, with seats emerging as the top concern, alongside nine recalls. Within the Transit’s complaint history from 2001 to 2026, the 2020 figure sits well below the 2015 peak of 188 complaints, marking it as a relatively moderate year for reported issues.

Model year202520242020

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque148 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/27/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 Battery is vented to the outside of the vehicle. · 610 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 48 Battery is vented to the outside of the vehicle. · 610 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size235/65R16; DRW: 195/75R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rimNS inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length189.4 in
Overall width72.4 in
Overall height70.5 in
Wheelbase120.5 in
Curb weight3580 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)55/45

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 27 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Transit of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.70 sec — 2020 350 Crew EcoBoost Van (148WB HR)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2020350 Crew EcoBoost Van (148WB HR) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V66.70 sec15.30 sec310 hpAWD
2017350 EcoBoost Van (148WB MR) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V66.80 sec15.30 sec310 hpRWD
2017350 XLT EcoBoost Wagon (12-pass 148WB MR) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V67.60 sec16.00 sec310 hpRWD
2015350 XLT EcoBoost Wagon (12-pass 148WB HR) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V67.50 sec15.90 sec310 hpRWD
2015150 XLT EcoBoost Wagon (10-pass 130WB MR) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V67.60 sec15.90 sec310 hpRWD
2015150 XL Diesel Van (148WB LR) 3.2L Turbo Diesel I-510.60 sec17.90 sec185 hpRWD
2015350 HD Diesel Van DRW (148WB HR) 3.2L Turbo Diesel I-512.50 sec18.70 sec185 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 148 ft-lbs.

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts59.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs89.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts148 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance610 cca

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 44.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 23.0 ft-lbs
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 203.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 85.0 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 6.0; Rear: 6.0
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: SRW: 1.181"; DRW: 1.102", Rear: .591
Maximum Rotor Runout.0039

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
171.0 inch lbs., Step 2: 45°71 in
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
117.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 32.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 90°17 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 200,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 200,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 10,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect)
Every 20,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miDrive Axle Assembly Mounting Bolts (torque) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
At 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Drive Belt (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 200,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2020 Ford Transit-250 lead in one area — the seats, 24 of 82 reports (29%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 9 recall campaigns target the seats, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 3 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seats pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

9
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
177
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
82
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Frontal★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 82 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seats24
Power Train9
Unknown Or Other5
Electrical System5
Steering4
Wheels3
Service Brakes3
Back Over Prevention3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 9 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V978000Power Train:Driveline:DriveshaftReported 16/12/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Transit vehicles equipped with All Wheel Drive (AWD). The bolts that attach the rear driveshaft to the transfer case may become loose or damaged, which can result in… Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the driveshaft bolts. If any loose bolts are found, the driveshaft, attachment hardware, transfer case flange kit, and seal will also be replaced…

20V415000Air Bags:Side/WindowReported 17/07/2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape and Transit vehicles. The affected vehicles may have an improperly crimped diffuser in the side curtain air bags which may result in the diffuser detaching from… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side curtain air bag modules, free of charge. An interim letter notifying owners of the safety risk was mailed August 3…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 177 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB 26-22262026-05-08Power TrainThis bulletin supersedes 26-2046. Reason For Update: update the parts list to change the…
SSM 547582026-04-20Vehicle Speed ControlSome 2020-2026 Transit vehicle customers may request vehicle speed to be limited. Speed…
SSM 547202026-04-02Electrical SystemVarious 2020-2026 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with blind spot information system…
25N122026-04-02Power TrainCustomer Satisfaction Program 25N12 Certain 2020-2025 Model Year Transit All-Wheel-Drive…
25N172026-03-25Unknown Or OtherAdvance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Transit. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2020 Transit have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Transit get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 27 highway / 22 combined mpg.