What 228 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Cmax Energi

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.

NHTSA ODI 10970452

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.

NHTSA ODI 10970477

WHEN VEHICLE IS LOCKED, WINDOWS WILL ROLL DOWN BY THEMSELVES.

NHTSA ODI 10960199

A GRINDING, WHINING NOISE DEVELOPED AT ABOUT 66,000 MILES. BECAUSE IT WAS A ROAD NOISE AND I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT I WOULD SOON NEED NEW TIRES, I REPLACED THE TIRES. THE NOISE CONTINUED AND I WENT BACK TO THE TIRE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE CAR AND INFORMED ME THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL BEARING NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARING AND NO MORE NOISE. I WAS TOLD IF I CONTINUED DRIVING WITH THAT PART I WOULD HAVE SHORTLY LOST MY WHEEL AND THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF CONTROL.

NHTSA ODI 10955399

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR INTERIOR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR PANEL WAS LOOSE AND CAUSED THE DOOR NOT TO OPEN CORRECTLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOOR PANEL NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 10954262

VECHILE AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS DO NOT SHUT OFF WHEN IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND KEY REMOVED. RADIO VOLUME CAN NOT BE TURNED DOWN CREATING A DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING. CAR BATTERY DEAD AFTER SEVERAL HOURS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #: 15V436000 IS FOR SAME PROBLEM ON LIKE CARS, BUT NOT FOR THIS PARTICULAR MANUFACTURING DATE. (NOT A VECHILE CONDITION, BUT AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, I WAS STRANDED IN BELOW FREEZING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS)

NHTSA ODI 10953701

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX ENERGI. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE STOP VEHICLE NOW INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND SLOWED TO A STOP WITHIN 200 YARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,163. UPDATED 05/16/17*LJ UPDATED 05/26/2017 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10949880

LEFT REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NOT BUCKLE. WILL NOT LOCK. GRANDSON USE TO SIT IN THAT POSITION.

NHTSA ODI 10940297

FORD HAS YET TO PROVIDE DEALERS WITH PARTS TO REPAIR RECALLED DEFECTIVE DOOR LATCHES IN THIS VEHICLE. THE RECALL NOTICE SAYS FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE AT LEAST FEBRUARY 2015 - NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO - AND ISSUED THE FORMAL RECALL NOTICE IN SEPTEMBER 2016. ARE THEY MAKING ANY EFFORT TO RESOLVE THIS? IT WOULD SEEM A MECHANICAL FIX LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT TAKE MONTHS OR YEARS TO RESOLVE - ESPECIALLY ON A CAR WHICH HAS HAD RELATIVELY LIMITED SALES. I HOPE YOU WILL CHECK ON THIS AND URGE FORD TO PROMPTLY MAKE THE PROMISED FIX.

NHTSA ODI 10939125

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.

NHTSA ODI 10937174

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX ENERGI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR LATCH FAILED AND THE DOOR WAS DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V643000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CALLED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10926131

THE REAR HATCH BECOMES UNLATCHED WHEN A BUMP IN THE ROAD, EVEN A SMALL RAISED ONE, IS DRIVEN OVER. I HAVE INFORMED THE LOCAL DEALER OF THIS. THE HATCH DOOR DOES NOT FULLY UNHINGE TO OPEN.

NHTSA ODI 10924631

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

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.

NHTSA ODI 10908346

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.

NHTSA ODI 10904811

THE FORD EV CHARGE CORD (FORD PART NO. FM58-10B706AC) THAT CAME WITH MY 2013 CMAX ENERGI DRAWS TOO MUCH CURRENT AND IS A FIRE HAZARD. I JUST FILED A VEHICLE COMPLAINT (NO. 10904811) WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE MELTED CORD AND BURN MARKS ON MY OUTLETS, DESCRIBING THE HAZARD IN DETAIL. IT IS LIKELY THAT THIS CORD OR A SIMILARLY DESIGNED CORD IS USED WITH THE FORD FOCUS ENERGI AND FORD FUSION ENERGI SO THIS HAZARD SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS AN EQUIPMENT DEFECT AND NOT JUST A VEHICLE DEFECT.

NHTSA ODI 10904820

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/.

NHTSA ODI 10899097

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.

NHTSA ODI 10899144

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.

NHTSA ODI 10884517

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING- COPY OF A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE ADMINISTRATOR REGARDING TAKATA AIRBAGS. *SMD

NHTSA ODI 10870968

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.

NHTSA ODI 10863585

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.

NHTSA ODI 10862914

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45MPH AND LOST POWER ON A BUSY ROAD WITH SEMI COMING UP BEHIND ME. DISPLAY STATED "STOP SAFELY NOW".

NHTSA ODI 10850301