2018 Ford C-MAX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
10 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
11,750 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 10 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 3 | 30.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 20.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 10.0% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 10.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Steering | 2 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 1 |
| Suspension | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Air Bags: 2; Electrical System: 2; Steering: 2; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Power Train: 1; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 1; Suspension: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 6 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 4 |
2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2023: 4
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11140092 · 2018-10-13 (October 13, 2018)
STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IS UNSAFE AS VEHICLE WANDERS WITHIN LANE PURPORTEDLY DUE TO ELECTRIC-ASSIST POWER STEERING. SPEEDS ABOVE 40MPH, VEHICLE REQUIRES EXCESSIVE STEERING INPUT TO STAY WITHIN LANE.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11140092 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11510405 · 2023-03-06 (March 6, 2023)
Steering locks to the point that it can't turn. Happened while driving. Unknown cause. Warning light came on for driver to park. Issue unresolved and can no longer drive car.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11510405 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11309434 · 2020-02-15 (February 15, 2020)
ELECTRICAL GREMLINS SINCE THE FIRST DAY. TOUCHSCREEN WENT ON AND OFF, PHONE DIDN'T CHARGE, DOOR HANDLES DON'T WORK, GARAGE DOOR OPENER FORGOT SETTINGS, PRESETS ON DASH WOULD BLINK OUT OF MEMORY. ULTIMATELY THE CAR DIDN'T EVEN START. BUT FOR ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS, SOMETIMES THEY WOULD WORK, SOMETIMES THEY WOULDN'T. ULTIMATELY GOT THE YELLOW WRENCH OF DEATH. BROUGHT IT IN REPEATEDLY AND THEY COULD NEVER REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, UNTIL THE DAY IT WOULDN'T START AT ALL AND THE WRENCH WAS ON THE DASH. FINALLY DIAGNOSED OPEN SEAMS ON THE BACK HINGES T…
Owner-reported narrative. 46,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11309434 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11484528 · 2022-09-14 (September 14, 2022)
Recently, there has been a whiff of gasoline around my garage but there is more than one vehicle in there so I didn't figure out what the culprit was for a while. After completely filling up my car 9/3/2022, I parked it in the attached garage and in minutes my whole house smelled like gasoline. So I immediately parked it outside and ventilated the house. I took the car to a local shop and they said yes there's a gas odor but they didn't want to touch the repair because it's a hybrid. So all this time later on 9/14/2022, the Ford dealership …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11484528 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11539404 · 2023-08-18 (August 18, 2023)
The contact owns a 2018 Ford C-MAX Hybrid. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop at a red light, the vehicle inadvertently stalled and lost motive power. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle seemed to return to normal functionality; however, the failure had since become a regular failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11539404 at NHTSA ↗