What 228 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Cmax Energi

POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE IN MOTION IN A PARKING LOT. CAR WAS LESS THAN 2,000 MILES OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. POOR DESIGN OF COLUMN THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED ON SIMILAR VEHICLES CAUSED SHORTS THROUGHOUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS RESULTED IN THREE PAGES WORTH OF SYSTEM ERRORS WHEN CHECKED. $2,000 TO REPAIR. NO SHORTS SINCE REPLACEMENT OF FAULTY PART.

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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR TO THE GROCERY STORE, A WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD THAT STATED POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE. THE STEERING INTERMITTENTLY LOCKED UP BUT WITH SIGNIFICANT EFFORT, I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE.

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DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSIST FAULT ALERT LIGHT SHOWED UP AND THE CAR START GETTING VERY HARD TO CONTROL. TOOK IT TO THE AUTO SHOP AND THEY FOUND CODE C102D. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL RACK. $2325.

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THE POWER STEERING WAS OCCASIONALLY FAILING BUT AFTER READING THE MANUAL I SAW THAT FORD SUGGEST DE POWERING THE CAR AND RESTARTING IT. AFTER WRENCHING MY BACK FROM DRIVING WITH THE POWER STEERING NOT WORKING I STARTED DOING THAT. THEN THE POWER STEERING SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. WHEN I WENT IN THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME OVER $2000 TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT FORD HAD RECALLED SIMILAR MODELS OF THAT YEAR RANGE FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE BUT HADN'T RECALLED THE CMAX. THE STEERING WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING AND MY CAR WASN'T EVEN AT 100,000 MILES. I ALSO HAD BEEN TAKING THE CAR IN REGULARLY TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR CHECKS AND REPAIRS AND NO ONE INDICATED THIS MIGHT BE A CONCERN.

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I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ONE NIGHT DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING. THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AND A MESSAGE DISPLAYED ABOUT THE POWER STEERING. LUCKILY I WASN'T ON A BUSY STREET SO I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. THE SERVICE LIGHT AND MESSAGE WERE NO LONGER THERE. I STILL HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING. THAT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN TRY AND GET TO A SHOP WHILE THE SERVICE LIGHT IS ON SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT CODE POPS UP. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS THE ONLY PERSON TRAVELING ON THAT ROAD AND MY RATE OF SPEED WASN'T THAT HIGH. IF THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY OR A BUSIER INTERSECTION IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL.

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POWER STEERING COMPUTER MODULE WENT OUT WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPOT. LUCKILY NO CARS WERE PARKED NEXT TO ME AND NOBODY WAS WALKING IN THE LOT AS I LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THIS CAR HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. THIS ALSO HAPPENED AFTER DRIVING LESS THAN 100 MILES AFTER HAVING THE TRANSMISSION AND FRONT AXLE REPLACED.

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POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND POWER STEERING QUIT WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF TURN. IT CAME BACK ON AFTER STOPPING THE CAR AND TURNING OFF THE IGNITION. IT ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.

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OUT OF NOWHERE, THE CAR POPS UP A MESSAGE TO SERVICE POWER STEERING. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN, THE MESSAGE DISAPPEARS. I DROVE 1 DAY WITH THE STEERING AS NORMAL, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY THE ELECTRIC ASSISTED POWER STEERING STOPS AND IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE CAR DECIDES EACH TIME YOU START IT IF THERE IS A STEERING PROBLEM AND THEN GIVES OR DOESNT GIVE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING AT YOUR START OF TRIP. ITS FRUSTRATING THAT OTHER MODELS OF FORD WITH THIS SAME STEERING SYSTEM HAVE RECALLS, BUT THIS LOWER SALES QUANTITY C-MAX GETS IGNORED.

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BEFORE 50,000 MILES STEERING WENT FROM INTERMITTENTLY HAVING NO POWER TO CONTINUOUSLY HAVING NO POWER. USUALLY POWER STEERING IS ABSENT AT START-UP. VEHICLE DISPLAYS "SERVICE POWER STEERING" MESSAGE. OBD2/CAN THROWS A PSCM - POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE U3000 CM CONTROL MODULE CODE. STEERING WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT WORK UNDER WARRANTY - ASKED AT FORD IF THERE WERE STEERING RECALLS AND TOLD THERE WERE NONE. I DID NOT ESCALATE BECAUSE TURNING OFF THE CAR ONE OR MORE TIMES WOULD RESET. NOW THAT THE CAR IS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY, NO ACTION I CAN TAKE, (SUCH AS RESTARTING THE CAR OR CLEARING THE ERROR CODE) WILL RESET THE STEERING. STEERING EFFORT IS MUCH HIGHER THAN ANY NON-POWER STEERING CAR OR OLD TRUCK I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. THE FAILED PSCM (POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE) DOES NOT APPEAR TO EXIST AS A STAND-ALONE PART. FORD TELLS ME ~$700-$800 IF STEERING COLUMN, OR $2300 IF RACK AND PINION NEED REPLACED. HOURS SPENT SEARCHING FOR THE PART TO DO MY OWN REPAIRS HAS NOT GIVEN ME A SINGLE PART NUMBER THAT RELATES TO THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM. THIS ALL SEEMS TO BE PART OF FORDS TROUBLE PRONE AND HUGELY EXPENSIVE EPAS (ELECTRONIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING) SYSTEM. EPAS HAS HAD RECALLS IN MORE POPULAR FORD MODELS, SUCH AS RECALL 15S18 BEGINNING JULY 20, 2015. I SUSPECT LOW PRODUCTION QUANTITY CARS SUCH AS THE HYBRID C-MAX LIKELY HAVE A SIMILAR FAILURE RATE, BUT IT ISN'T NOTICEABLE DUE TO THE MUCH LOWER QUANTITY PRODUCED. FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SAME FLAWED SYSTEM ON MULTIPLE MODELS DESERVES THE SAME FIX. WHILE I NEVER LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING, IT WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC FOR SMALL/WEAK DRIVERS OR THOSE WHA HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING. I'VE DRIVEN BOTH CARS WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND WITH FAILED POWER STEERING, BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD TO USE THE LEVEL OF EFFORT IT TAKES TO STEER THE EPAS SYSTEM WHENE IT SHUTS DOWN.

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I STARTED THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. I COULD BARELY MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE APPEARED AND STEERING WHEEL REMAINED IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I TRIED TO DRIVE IT IN MY DRIVEWAY, BUT THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT RESET ITSELF. I TURNED CAR OFF AND THEN IT RESET. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER A FEW MONTHS. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY INDICATED THE STEERING GEAR FAILED THEIR TEST. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING GUIDE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2200 FOR A CAR WITH 70,000 MILES. SEARCHED ONLINE COMPLAINTS AND OTHER CMAX OWNERS HAVE REPORTED A SIMILAR PROBLEM.CONTACTED THE FORD EXECUTIVE OFFICE AND THEY HELPED COVER SOME OF THE COST. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE RECALLED SINCE IT IMPACTS THE SAFETY OF DRIVER WHILE OPERATING THE CAR. I AM LUCKY IT DID NOT OPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.

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WHEN I STARTED MY CAR TO RETURN HOME FROM WORK, THE "STEERING WARNING" LIGHT CAME ON. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND WHEN I TRIED TO BACK OUT, I REALIZED THAT MY WHEEL WAS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT WITH THE SAME RESPONSE. I CALLED FOR A TOW TO A DEALERSHIP AND AFTER THEY HAD THE CAR OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE NEXT AFTERNOON, WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $1,400 TO REPLACE THE STEERING PUMP AND TO BALANCE AND REALIGN MY TIRES. THE REPAIR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AS IT IS 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS JUST OVER 52,000 MILES. THERE WAS NO INDICATION MY STEERING WAS ABOUT TO GO. MY CAR IS REGULARLY SERVICED AND MADE NO NOISES OR HAD ANY TROUBLES PRIOR TO THIS INSTANT FAILURE.

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UNABLE TO DRIVE CARE DUE TO SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING (HAPPENED WHEN PARKED FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES -- WENT IN BUILDING TO PICK UP SON FROM DAYCARE, CAME OUT AND NO POWER STEERING WHEN I RESTARTED CAR). THIS HAS APPARENTLY BEEN A PROBLEM ON OTHER FORD MODELS OF THE SAME YEAR AND THERE ARE RECALLS FOR THOSE, BUT NOT FOR THE C-MAX. UNSURE IF THIS COULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING, BUT IT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC IF IT DID. CAR HAS 52000 MILES AND HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED.

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43,500 MILES THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED; IT BEGAN A FEW THOUSAND MILES AGO, WHERE IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORK AFTER STARTING THE CAR, BUT THEN WITHIN A FEW MINUTES IT WOULD BEGIN WORKING. NOW IT HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY FOR LONGER. DEALER SERVICE HAS REVIEWED AND HAS DETERMINED THE (EST.) $2000 PARTS NEED REPLACING.

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FOR THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS THE STEERING SOUNDED LIKE IT NEEDED LUBRICATION, BUT I COULDN'T FIND ANY LUBRICATION POINTS EVERYTHING IS SEALED, THEN THE OTHER DAY WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE STEERING WENT OUT AND A WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED SERVICE POWER STEERING ASSIST NOW AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ( IT WOULD ONLY GO STRAIGHT NOT RIGHT OR LEFT) LUCKILY SHE WAS GOING INTO A TURN WITH A TURN OUT NEXT TO IT SO SHE COULD GET IT STOPPED. SHE RE STARTED THE CAR AND HAD MANUAL STEERING AND GOT THE CAR HOME. LATER I STARTED IT GOT THAT MESSAGE AND AN ADVANCE TRAC WARNING AND COULDN'T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AFTER MOVING FORWARD AND BACKWARD A FEW TIMES AND RESTARTING THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTED WE TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. SO WE LOADED IT ON A CAR DOLLY AND TOWED IT 60 MILES TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP AND RECOMMENDED A $2400. REPAIR REPLACING THE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY THE CAR HAS AROUND 75000 MILES ON IT AND IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT FORD HAS HAD RECALLS FOR THE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY FOR 2013 CAR BUT NOT THE C-MAX. PLEASE HELP BEFORE SOMEONE DIES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 FORD C-MAX. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DIVIDER. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT KNEE AND LOWER BACK, AND BURNS TO THE FOREARM. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE AND WRIST, AND BURNS TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BODY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

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2013 CMAX SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE 2014 CMAX STEERING BOX RECALL. SAME ISSUE IS HAPPENIG... LOSS OF POWER STEERING, HARD TO CONTROL AT TIMES, CAR WOBBLES WHEN SWITCHING LANES.

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STEERING HAS BEEN HARD TO CONTROL. PROBLEM STARTED WHEN SWITCHING LANES - WE NOTICED A WOBBLE WHEN GOING FROM ONE LANE TO ANOTHER. TURNING THE WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS YOU CAN CLEARLY HEAR GRINDING / SLIPPING IN THE STEERING COMPONENTS. FEEDBACK TO THE WHEELS HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY MORE JERKY. TODAY, POWER STEERING COMPLETELY WENT OUT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM MANY ARE HAVING WITH MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE AND OTHERS. FORD SHOULD COVER THIS ISSUE AS A RECALL BECAUSE LOSING STEERING CONTROL ON THE HIGHWAY WOULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO OWNERS OF THE 2014 C-MAX AS WELL AS OTHERS ON THE ROAD.

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DRIVING ON I-40, ABOUT 150 MILES FROM MY DESTINATION ON JULY 31, 2016, THE "SERVICE POWER STEERING SOON" LIGHT CAME ON IN THE CAR. I FINISHED THE DRIVE HOME WITH NO PROBLEM AND TURNED THE CAR OFF TO UNLOAD IT. WHEN I RE-STARTED IT, THE CAR REPORTED A COMPLETE STEERING FAILURE, AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST SIMPLY QUIT. I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE FORD STEERING SYSTEM IN THE C-MAX AND OTHER MODELS. I ARRANGED TO HAVE THE ISSUE EXAMINED & REPAIRED AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALER. I DROVE THE CAR THERE, WITH EXTENSIVE EFFORT REQUIRED TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING UNIT HAD FAILED, WITH APPROXIMATELY 35,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. MY COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $1880, AND I DO HAVE THE RECEIPT. FORD REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND I WAS FORCED TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT. I BELIEVE THIS KNOWN DEFECT CREATES AN UNSAFE SITUATION. 1. FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THIS DEFECT AS IT IS FAR MORE COMMON THAT ACCEPTABLE, AND 2. THEY SHOULD CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS TO A CAR WHEN THE PROBLEM IS DETECTED. HAD I NOT HAD A LOT OF STRENGTH, I COULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT TRYING TO GET IT IN FOR REPAIR. THE SYSTEM WORKED JUST FINE FOR 150 MILES, SO THERE WAS NO REAL ISSUE STOPPING THE STEERING ASSIST...UNTIL I TURNED IT OFF AND THEN THE CAR DISABLED ITS STEERING. FORD SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO LET THE CAR CONTINUE TO DRIVE AFTER THE CAR SELF-DISABLES ITS POWER STEERING. IT WAS ONLY SELF-DISABLED AFTER I SHUT IT OFF, SO IT WAS ACTUALLY STILL SAFELY DRIVEABLE, BUT THE CAR'S COMPUTER APPARENTLY DECIDED TO CREATE THE DANGEROUS SITUATION BY SHUTTING OFF THE EPAS SYSTEM COMPLETELY, YET LEAVE THE CAR DRIVABLE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS FAILURE AND COMPEL FORD TO ADDRESS THE STEERING UNIT FAILURE ISSUE AND REIMBURSE THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR.

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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.

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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 - STEERING. CAR SEEMS FINE AND WE WERE ADVISED OF AN UPCOMING POWER STEERING RECALL IN WHICH WE NEED TO PARTICIPATE. HATS OFF TO GENESEE VALLEY FORD IN AVON NY FOR TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND GIVING US SUCH PROMPT SERVICE PLUS A LOANER. *TR

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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

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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

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