U.S. public vehicle records

2013 Ford C-MAX ENERGI: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

50 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

47,900 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 39 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 19 of 50 complaints (38.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	10	20.0%
Steering behavior	9	18.0%
Transmission and shifting	4	8.0%
Braking behavior	2	4.0%

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.

Electrical System

Steering

Power Train

Unknown Or Other

Structure:Body

Engine

Fuel/Propulsion System

Wheels

Electrical System: 19; Steering: 9; Power Train: 7; Unknown Or Other: 5; Structure:Body: 4; Engine: 3; Fuel/Propulsion System: 3; Wheels: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 3

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 11 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.

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2014: 6; 2015: 2; 2016: 8; 2017: 7; 2018: 8; 2019: 10; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 4; 2023: 3

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10568796 · 2014-03-12 (March 12, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX ENERGI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,512. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,512 miles reported. Look up ODI 10568796 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10608322 · 2014-07-05 (July 5, 2014)

BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND POWER STEERING FAILED. WARNING LIGHT WENT ON. I STOPPED DRIVING IMMEDIATELY AND CALLED LOCAL FORD DEALER SERVICE. THEY SUGGESTED RESTARTING THE CAR TO SEE IF STEERING RESUMED AND IT DID. THEY OFFERED A FREE TOW WHICH I DECLINED WHEN I SAW I HAD NON POWER STEERING IF NEEDED. DEALER CLOSE BY AND I DROVE AT VERY LOW SPEED. THREE DAYS LATER THE CAR REPAIR WAS COMPLETED (JULY 4TH WEEKEND). THE WORK ON THE INVOICE WAS "TRACE AND REPLACE POWER STEERING GEAR SET ALIGNMENT WITH PART# 1 CV6Z*3504*JE GEAR ASY - STEERI…

Owner-reported narrative. 22,854 miles reported. Look up ODI 10608322 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10610924 · 2014-07-16 (July 16, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX PREMIUM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REPAIRS FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V237000 (AIR BAGS) WERE PERFORMED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS DAMAGED CAUSING THE PHONE SYSTEM TO ONLY ALLOW INCOMING CALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,500.

Owner-reported narrative. 25,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10610924 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10616242 · 2014-07-25 (July 25, 2014)

PURCHASED CAR BROUGHT HOME OPEN REAR HATCH VIA ELC OPENER WHILE OPEN TO FULL HEIGHT AND I WAS IN OPENING IT CAME BACK DOWN OVER 12INCHES CAUSING ME TO HIT MY HEAD ON IT. AS I HAD THE EXACT SAME CAR AND THIS WAS A REPLACEMENT THIS WAS NOT EXPECTED AS MY LAST DID NOT DO THIS (SAME YEAR CMAX COLOR OPT EVERYTHING) TOOK BACK TO DEALER WHERE THEY ORDERED NEW STRUTS TOOK A FEW WEEKS THEN WERE REPLACE DOSE THE SAME THING ON MY SLIGHT INCLINED DRIVEWAY (LIVE IN S FL WE DON'T REALLY HAVE BIG HILLS) TOOK BACK AGAIN THIS TIME THEY CHANGED STRUTS FROM …

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10616242 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10618707 · 2014-08-04 (August 4, 2014)

THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR DID NOT WORK AND FAILED TO GIVE INDICATION THAT TIRE WAS BAD AND IT RESULTED IN RIPPED TIRE ON NJ TURNPIKE. FORD'S DEALER TESTED THE SYSTEM AND FOUND THAT CODES WERE NOT RESET BUT THEY DEALER OR THE FORD REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 9,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10618707 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10662696 · 2014-12-08 (December 8, 2014)

HI ON THE 11/19/2014 AROUND 2:30 MY WIFE AND HER MANAGER AT WORK WE WAS GOING TO MEET UP WITH CLIENT . THE OFFENDED VEHICLE BREAK THE STOP SIGN AND HIT MY VEHICLE FROM THE RIGHT SIDE AND MY CAR SPIN AND FACE THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FOR THE TRAFFIC .COMPLETELY DISABLED MY VEHICLE I CALLED THE POLICE .I WAIT TILL THE POLICE COME AND WE MAKE THE REPORT . I START FEEL PAIN ON MY NECK AND MY HEAD AND MY BACK SO THEY DO AN EX RAY FOR ME AND ALL THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE THE AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN THE SECOND DAY I RECEIVE LATTER RECALL ABOUT THE AIRBAG …

Owner-reported narrative. 36,790 miles reported. Look up ODI 10662696 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10693422 · 2015-03-10 (March 10, 2015)

PARKED. STARTED CAR, PUT IN REVERSE. CAR SURGED BACKWARD AT A VERY FAST SPEED. LUCKILY I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. 2ND INCIDENT 2-27-15. PULLING INTO PARKING PLACE. APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH. REMOVED FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR TO APPLY BRAKE. CAR SURGED FORWARD AT A VERY FAST SPEED AND HIT A CEMENT/METAL POLE AT THE FRONT OF THE PARKING SPACE. LUCKY IT WASN'T A PERSON OR ANOTHER CAR. DEALER SAYS THEY CHECKED CAR AND NO PROBLEMS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 49,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10693422 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10777382 · 2015-09-25 (September 25, 2015)

I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM FORD NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 14V597 FORD RECALL NUMBER 14S21 ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 IT HAS BEEN A YEAR NOW AND FORD HAS NOT PROVIDED THE PARTS. IS NOT A YEAR SUFFICIENT TIME TO SUPPLY THE PARTS AND REPAIR MY CAR?

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10777382 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

13V475000 · Equipment:Electrical:Anti-Theft Devices | Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module

Reported: 2013-10-17 (October 17, 2013)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus Electric vehicles and 2013 C-Max vehicles equipped with the Intelligent Access Push Button Start System. In the affected vehicles, there is no audible chime when the vehicle is operational and the driver's door is opened. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: Without an audible door chime, a vehicle owner may open the door and exit the vehicle without being reminded that the vehicle is still operational, leaving the vehicle susceptible to theft.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the door chime, free of charge. The recall began on October 30, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C07.

NHTSA campaign record ↗