Ford C-MAX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
365 owner complaints analyzed
12 distinct recall campaigns
53,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 to 2018 model years. Data snapshot: . 209 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 80 of 365 complaints (21.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 72 | 19.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 70 | 19.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 49 | 13.4% |
| Braking behavior | 30 | 8.2% |
| Engine operation | 21 | 5.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 1.1% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 80 |
| Power Train | 67 |
| Steering | 64 |
| Unknown Or Other | 62 |
| Engine | 25 |
| Air Bags | 16 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 16 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 14 |
Electrical System: 80; Power Train: 67; Steering: 64; Unknown Or Other: 62; Engine: 25; Air Bags: 16; Vehicle Speed Control: 16; Fuel/Propulsion System: 14
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 50 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 45 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 38 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 36 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 33 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 50; 25,000 to 49,999: 45; 50,000 to 74,999: 38; 75,000 to 99,999: 36; 100,000 to 149,999: 33; 150,000 and above: 7
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (50). 156 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 |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 14 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 16 |
| 2017 | 36 |
| 2018 | 31 |
| 2019 | 41 |
| 2020 | 50 |
| 2021 | 40 |
| 2022 | 50 |
| 2023 | 21 |
| 2024 | 22 |
| 2025 | 16 |
| 2026 | 15 |
2014: 14; 2015: 13; 2016: 16; 2017: 36; 2018: 31; 2019: 41; 2020: 50; 2021: 40; 2022: 50; 2023: 21; 2024: 22; 2025: 16; 2026: 15
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 72 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 70 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 49 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 10587639 · 2014-05-11 (May 11, 2014)
DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE FREEWAY AT NIGHT. A LIGHT WARNING OF POWER STEERING PROBLEM CAME ON. EXITED AND WENT TO A TRUCK STOP. RESTARTED CAR BUT THE POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK. VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED. THERE WAS NO APPARENT CAUSE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10587639 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10899144 · 2016-08-29 (August 29, 2016)
POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON A 70MPH HIGHWAY. NO WARNING OR INDICATION. THE STEERING JUST CUT OUT. I WAS TRAVELLING WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD SON IN THE BACK WHEN I BASICALLY LOST ALL CONTROL OVER THE CAR. IT WAS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO NAVIGATE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY. A GENTLEMAN HAD TO STOP AND HELP ME GET THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR IS THREE YEARS OLD AND WE WERE TOLD THE POWER STEERING IS SHOT. WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND IT WILL COST $1,700.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10899144 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10594601 · 2014-05-28 (May 28, 2014)
CAR WILL NOT START, NOTHING LEFT ON, CAR JUMPED WITH JUMPER, TOOK PLACE AGAIN YESTERDAY 5/27/2014. UNABLE TO JUMP START THIS TIME, FORD ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE APPLIED A JUMPER ABLE TO GET ELECTRICAL SYSTEM UP, BUT CAR WILL NOT RUN. FORD DEALER RECEIVED CAR, STATED THAT THEIR ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO JUMP CAR. ALSO STATED BATTERY WAS DEAD, BUT TESTED FINE. ASKED WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN, COULD NOT TELL ME. THEY STATED THAT ALL POWER SYSTEMS LIKE LIGHTS OR PHONES ARE AUTOMATICALLY TURNED OFF AFTER 45 MINUTES. HAVE CALLED FORD CUSTOMER …
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10594601 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10595419 · 2014-06-01 (June 1, 2014)
VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE OVER NIGHT. DEAD BATTERY. TOWED TO DEALER. COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. JUNE 1 VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE OVER NIGHT, DEAD BATTERY IN THE MORNING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 2,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10595419 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10971029 · 2017-04-06 (April 6, 2017)
CAR STOPPED WORKING WHILE IN MOTION ON BUSY STREET DUE TO SPONTANEOUS TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THIS FAILURE IS THE SUBJECT OF AT LEAST THREE FORD TSB'S. I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATIONS FROM FORD REGARDING THESE PROBLEMS.
Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10971029 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11039187 · 2017-10-24 (October 24, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE IN THE GEARS OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INFORMED SONORA FORD (13254 MONO WAY, SONORA, CA 95370; [phone removed]), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE BRIDGE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO VERACOM FO…
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11039187 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10836949 · 2016-02-18 (February 18, 2016)
I'VE HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENCES OF A "BUCKING FORWARD" OF MY CAR WHEN BRAKING ON ROUGH ROAD OR BRAKING AND TURNING RIGHT WHEN THERE MAY BE UNEVEN ROAD OR POTHOLE NEAR REAR TIRES. I'VE BROUGHT IT FOR SERVICING , THEY ARE STUMPED BUT HAVE SUGGESTED MAY INVOLVE ABS. RECENTLY, MY ABS LIGHT WENT ON, INDICATING MY SYSTEM TURNED ITSELF OFF. I WAITED 2 HOURS TO BE TOLD THAT SOMETHING WRONG WITH SENSOR BACK TIRE WHICH IS READING THAT ITS GOING 250MPH. THEY HAVE TO ORDER PART, I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 2HRS FOR THE REPAIR AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ME $200 A…
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10836949 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10983787 · 2017-05-05 (May 5, 2017)
TODAY, I WAS PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. I CHECKED MY PHONE, ANSWERED A TEXT, AND THEN STARTED THE CAR. AS SOON AS I STARTED THE CAR, THE CAR ROLLED BACKWARD - EVEN WHEN I HAD MY FOOT COMPLETELY PRESSED VERY HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL (I PANICKED BECAUSE HAVING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE DID NOT PREVENT ME FROM ROLLING BACKWARD). THE CAR DID NOT STOP ROLLING BACKWARD UNTIL I HIT THE CEMENT BARRIER ON THE CURB, BECAUSE IT PREVENTED ME FROM CONTINUING TO ROLL BACKWARD. I WAS THEN ABLE TO PUT THE CAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10983787 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10597744 · 2014-06-11 (June 11, 2014)
THE LOSS OF POWER INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 27, 2014, WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH IN THE FAST LANE OF THE 405 FREEWAY AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE 405 AND 5 FREEWAYS IN LOS ANGELES, CA. THE FORD C MAX 2013 SUDDENLY DROPPED FROM 70 MPH TO LESS THAN 5 MPH. THE CAR WARNING MESSAGE ON THE DASH READ: "STOP SAFELY". DUE TO THE COURTESY OF THE MANY DRIVERS ON THE FREEWAY AT 7 IN THE MORNING, THE CAR CROSSED 4 TO 5 LANES OF FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, IN A LIMITED OPERATING MODE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AN HOUR, ENDING AT THE ON-RAMP FOR CARS ENTERING THE FREEWAY. TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,645 miles reported. Look up ODI 10597744 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10668308 · 2014-12-26 (December 26, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FAILED AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,400.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10668308 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11413334 · 2021-04-22 (April 22, 2021)
GAS LINE LEAK UNDER CAR LEADING FROM TANK TO ENGINE. REQUIRES REMOVAL OF EXHAUST SYSTEM AND TANK TO REPLACE NEW LINE. COULD HAVE CAUSED FIRE W/ FUEL LEAKING ON TO EXHAUST SYSTEM (HAVE HAD TWO PREVIOUS FIRES IN DIFFERENT VEHICLES CAUSED BY FUEL LEAKING ONTO HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM). NO APPARENT PHYSICAL CAUSE FOR LEAK - DOES NOT SEEM TO BE COMPONENT ONE WOULD EXPECT TO LEAK OR NEED REPAIR REGARDLESS OF AGE OR MILEAGE. POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS PERSONAL AND PHYSICAL DAMAGE IF I HAD NOT SMELLED AND NOTICED LEAK. SEEMS TO ME THAT MANUFACTURER …
Owner-reported narrative. 83,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11413334 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11436708 · 2021-10-13 (October 13, 2021)
Car will not turn off. There’s a recall for this for 2015 models but it needs to be expanded. This also affects the gas gauge, which has been frozen at the same level near full even though the gas tank is almost empty. I now have to guess if I need gas or not.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11436708 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 8 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2013: 8; 2014: 8; 2015: 6; 2016: 3; 2017: 1; 2018: 1