What 228 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Cmax Energi

I DRIVE WITH MY CMAX ENERGI APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES WITH IN WINTER WITH HEAT SET TO 68F. PARKED AT DESTINATION AND RESTARTED APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS AFTER. WHILE IN TRANSIT TO DESTINATION AN ORANGE WRENCH DISPLAYED ON VEHICLE. NO ISSUE OCCURRED. UPON RESTARTING A RED TRIANGLE ALONG WITH WRENCH DISPLAYED UPON ATTEMPTING TO START. THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP.

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12 VOLT BATTERY KEEPS GOING DEAD RENDERING CAR INOPERABLE AND STRANDING DRIVER. CAR HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED.

NHTSA ODI 10935509

WE PURCHASED THIS CAR USED IN SEPTEMBER, 2016 AND IT HAD 33,000 MILES ON IT. ONE WEEK AFTER WE BOUGHT IT WE RETURNED TO THE CAR FROM DINNER AND FOUND IT WOULDN'T START. HAD IT JUMPED AND CONTINUED ON OUR WAY. ONE WEEK AGO WE WENT TO START THE CAR AFTER IT SAT IN THE DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT AND THE SAME THING: BATTERY WAS DEAD. WE HAD IT JUMPED. THIS MORNING, AFTER SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT, IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN, BATTERY DEAD. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN JUST OVER A MONTH OUR BATTERY HAS GONE DEAD. THIS SITE IS FULL OF REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING, AND FORD DEALERS ARE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T THIS CAR BEEN RECALLED? FORD NEEDS TO OFFER REPLACEMENT VEHICLES TO ANYONE UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE PURCHASED ONE OF THESE LEMONS.

NHTSA ODI 10916481

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX ENERGI. WHEN CHARGING THE VEHICLE, THE OUTLET LOCATED IN THE WALL MELTED AND THE SIDE OF THE CORD USED TO CHARGE THE VEHICLE, WHICH PLUGGED INTO THE WALL, ALSO MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE CHARGED. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

NHTSA ODI 10915546

THE 120 VOLT, 12 AMP CHARGE CORD THAT CAME WITH MY CAR (FORD PART NO. FM58-10B706AC) IS OVERHEATING CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. THE END OF THE CORD THAT PLUGS INTO THE WALL HAS MELTED AND THE PLUG HAS LEFT BURN MARKS ON THREE DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL OUTLETS ON MY HOUSE WHERE I PLUG THE CAR IN TO CHARGE. PHOTOS OF THE MELTED CORD AND OUTLET BURN MARKS ARE ATTACHED. THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT THE CONTROL UNIT BUILT INTO THE CORD IS TOO HEAVY AND PULLS THE PRONGS FROM THE OUTLET AND IF A PRONG IS ONLY PARTIALLY PLUGGED INTO THE OUTLET IT DRAWS MORE CURRENT THAN THE CORD CAN HANDLE. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ADVISED (FORD EV HELP LINE 1-800-392-3673) THAT THE CORD SHOULD NOT BE LEFT HANGING IN MID-AIR AND NEEDS TO BE PROPPED UP WHEN PLUGGED IN. THOSE INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL OR ON THE CORD, NOR WERE THEY COMMUNICATED TO CMAX ENERGI OWNERS. FORD ASSERTS THAT THE CORD IS NOT COVERED BY ITS EXTENDED 8-YEAR, 80,000 MILE WARRANTY FOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FOR THE CMAX ENERGI, SO THIS PART IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE (I WAS QUOTED $975 BY FORD TO REPLACE THE CORD). THUS IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT OWNERS WILL DEFER REPLACING THE CORD AND KEEP USING IT, BECAUSE IT STILL WORKS EVEN THOUGH THE PLUG IS PARTIALLY MELTED. THIS CORD IS HIGHLY LIKELY TO RESULT IN FIRES AND MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TWO CMAX ENERGI GARAGE FIRES IN FLORIDA I READ ABOUT IN THE PRESS LAST MONTH. I AM HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT ME.

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WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT NIGHT AT 70MPH THE CAR TURNED OFF ITS PROPULSION SYSTEM WITHOUT WARNING. A RED WARNING INDICATOR CAME ON STAYING STOP SAFELY NOW. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. SHE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND IT RESTARTED. THE NEXT DAY SHE DROVE IT TO THE SUPERMARKET. ON THE 2 MILE DRIVE HOME IT STOPPED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION JUST LIKE IT HAD ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEMS THAT LED TO A RECALL ON THE FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC, WHICH WAS MADE IN THE SAME PLANT AT THE SAME TIME IN 2013: HTTP://INSIDEEVS.COM/FORD-FOCUS-ELECTRIC-SHUTDOWN-PROBLEMS-WHILE-DRIVING-GET-OFFICIAL-AS-NHSTA-INVESTIGATES/.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE WEEKS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC; HOWEVER; THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, SOMEWHAT NORMALLY ON LONG CAR RIDES(NORMALLY ON THE HIGHWAY) THE CAR HAS A ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE CAR TO USE UP ALL THE EV MILES IT HAS STORED. MEAN WHILE THE CAR STARTS TO SMELL LIKE BURNING ELECTRICAL, NO SMOKE IS SEEN BUT SMELL IS THERE. WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED AFTER THE ACCIDENTS , THE CAR GOES BACK TO NORMAL. THESE ACCIDENTS HAS HAPPEN OVER 10 TIMES, OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS. WE HAVE TOKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 4 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND NOTHING GETS FIXED. I THINK ALL THAT IS DONE IT RESETTING THE ELECTRICAL, YET THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AND BEEN HAVING MORE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. PROBLEMS WITH MY FORD MOBILE, RADIO NOT TURNING OFF AND SCREENS BLINKING.

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MY CAR FAILED TO START FOR 2 CONSECUTIVE DAYS AFTER NON-OPERATION OVERNIGHT AND WHEN I TOOK THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THEY NEED TO PERFORM A TSB 15-0089, SINCE MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY LESS THAN 2 MONTHS, FORD SAID I NEED TO PAY $1500 TO FIX THIS ISSUE. BASED ON RESEARCH THIS ISSUES SEEMS TO AFFECT MULTIPLE VEHICLES IN THIS CATEGORY AND FORD IS NOT OWNING UP TO FIXING THIS ISSUE THAT IS AFFECTING THESE CARS.

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MY "REGULAR" BATTERY DIED AND NEEDED TO BE JUMP STARTED ON 16 JUL 14. I NOTED THAT MY CLOCK/DATE ON THE DASHBOARD HAD STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE COMPUTER BUT DIDN'T FIND THE CAUSE. THE SAME THING OCCURRED ON 16 NOV 14. THIS TIME THE COMPUTER SHOWED THAT THE BATTERY WAS BAD, AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED IT UNDER THE WARRANTY. I AM A VERY LOW MILEAGE DRIVER. I WAS VERY CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CAR WAS LOCKED AND ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES WERE SHUT OFF AFTER THE JULY INCIDENT.

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CAR WOULD NOT START. ALL ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS NOT WORKING. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME IN 9 MONTH THIS HAS OCCURRED. BOTH TIMES THE CAR HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEN ENOUGH IN GASOLINE MODE SO THE BATTERY BECOMES DRAINED AND NEEDS TO BE RECHARGED. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NO OTHER REASON FOR THIS HAPPENING. I HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM ON THIS WEBSITE. ISN'T THE PURPOSE OF BUYING A HYBRID VEHICLE TO SAVE FUEL AND DRIVE IN HYBRID MODE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE? THIS SITUATION MAKES THE CAR EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE. PLEASE HELP FIND THE REASON.

NHTSA ODI 10715427

WE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN BEFORE TAKING A LEFT TURN ON TO TEXAS 77, WHEN I STARTED THE GAS MOTOR FAILED TO START BUT THE ELECTRIC CARRIED US FORWARD TO THE CENTER LINE. A WARRING CAME UP A TRIANGLE WITH ! TELL US TO STOP BUT OF COURSE WE WERE ON THE CENTER LINE. AN 18 WHEELER WAS COMING FAST BEHIND US AND WAS ABLE TO PASS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD AS NO CARS WERE COMING. COULD HAVE BEEN A MAYOR ACCIDENT. I HAVE BUT TOLD BY FORD DEALER THAT THE GAS MOTOR WHICH CYCLES OFF DID NOT START. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.. AS OF TODAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I AN AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR EVEN THOUGH I LIKE IT VERY MUCH. *TR

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BATTERY FAILS TO CHARGE ON EARLY MODEL 2013 C-MAX SES. FORD RECOGNIZES PROBLEM AND HAS APPLIED 3 FIRMWARE UPDATES WHICH DO NOT WORK. BLAMES PROBLEM ON LOW-MILEAGE DRIVERS. YET PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AFTER 2 PREVIOUS DAYS OF LONG DISTANCE DRIVING AND IN BOTH HOT AND COLD WEATHER. NO LONGER OWN THE CAR BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE LEFT MY WIFE OR ME STRANDED. *TR

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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.

NHTSA ODI 10668308

UPON RETURNING TO CAR AND ATTEMPTING TO 'START' THE ENGINE, COMPLETE CATASTROPHIC ELECTRICAL FAILURE. EVERY DASHBOARD COMPONENT DEAD. CALLED FORD ROADSIDE SERVICE (A DIFFERENT NIGHTMARE), CAR EVENTUALLY TOWED TO DEALER AND BCM REPLACED, BCM AND PCM BOTH RESET. THEN ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN 9/2/2014 AT 22000 MILES. TOWED TO DEALER, STILL AWAITING WORD ON WHAT WENT WRONG THIS TIME. IT IS BECOMING VERY UNSETTLING TO DRIVE THIS CAR FEARING IT WILL FAIL WHILE DRIVING. ADDITIONALLY, THERE HAVE BE AT LEAST 5 FAILURES OF THE MYSYNC - ALL DURING TRIPS, LOOSING NAVIGATION. TWICE WITH A FATAL SOFTWARE ERROR MESSAGE AND COMPLETE LOSS OF NAVIGATION, RADIO, CLIMATE CONTROL FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THEN MYSTERIOUSLY STARTS WORKING AGAIN. DEALER HAS NO ANSWERS BECAUSE PROBLEM CAN'T BE REPLICATED. NOW ALWAYS HAVE A GPS IN CAR IN CASE OF FAILURES IN MYSYNC. *TR

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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.

NHTSA ODI 10610924

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

NHTSA ODI 10595419

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 CARE AND GIVEN A CASE NUMBER. WHEN BATTERY IS DEAD, GEAR SHIFTER CANNOT BE MOVED TO EVEN PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE CARPORT TO BE TOWED. *TR

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