Home · 2014 Ford Cmax Energi · Complaints

What 106 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Cmax Energi

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (106)Crash / fire / injury (12)Electrical system (34)Transmission & drivetrain (22)Steering (16)Latches & locks (11)Body & structure (7)Engine (7)Fuel system (6)Airbags (4)Wheels (4)Backup camera & sensors (2)

12 of 106 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Oct 3, 2024Electrical system1 injury

The contact owns a 2014 Ford C-MAX. The contact stated while driving at approximately 20 MPH with all four windows closed, there was a strong abnormal odor coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact then opened all the windows allowing the odor to release, and the abnormal odor was not as potent. The contact later inspected the vehicle and discovered that the original Volvo battery could be emitting a toxic substance that was entering the vehicle; the battery was original equipment. The contact sustained dizziness and difficulty breathing. Medical attention was not sought. This occurred on several different occasions. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was drivable and was taken to the place of residence. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 131,500.

NHTSA ODI 11617872

Dec 30, 2023AirbagsCrash1 injury

The airbags did not deploy upon collision

NHTSA ODI 11562694

Aug 6, 2023AirbagsCrash1 injury

While driving my 2014 Ford CMAX Hybrid, I struck a deer at approximately 55 mph. There is moderate damage to my front end, but during the crash, my airbags did not deploy.

NHTSA ODI 11536821

Jun 16, 2022Transmission & drivetrainBrakesCrash

While backing out of the driveway, the brakes failed. In an attempt to stop the car from continuing into on coming traffic, attempted to put the car in park. After moving the gearshift into park, the car continued to roll into on coming traffic. The C-Max struck another another car and continued to roll until it was stopped by a small retaining wall on the opposite side of the street.

NHTSA ODI 11469602

Mar 9, 2022Electrical systemFire

The contact owns a 2014 Ford C-MAX. The contact stated that while her vehicle was charging in her garage, the outlet and wires were burnt. The vehicle was driven to the dealer and was given a new charge cord .The contact stated that new cord had the same issue but a unknown warning light illuminated and melted the outlet again. The manufacture was notified. The failure mileage was 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11455896

Feb 25, 2019Electrical systemFire

FORD RECALLED THE CMAX CHARGING CORD (ELECTRIC) ON AUGUST 2ND, 2018. THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED BECAUSE OF FIRE DANGER. MY CORD SPECIFICALLY MELTED UNDER EXTREME HEAT AND COULD HAVE EASILY CREATED A FIRE IF THE LINE HAD NOT BEEN ON GFI. IT IS NOW 5 MONTHS LATER AND FORD STILL HAS NOT ISSUED REPLACEMENT CORDS FOR THIS RECALL. THE TIMELINE TO REPLACE THESE CORDS MUST BE ACCELERATED, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE TO ALLOW CHARGING CORDS TO BE USED FOR CHARGING THEIR CMAX VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER18S24 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER18V592

NHTSA ODI 11182405

Nov 8, 2018AirbagsCrash1 injury

I WAS IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT (WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, HIT IN THE REAR AND PUSHED OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A GUARD RAIL) MY CAR WAS TOTALED AND MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. IT LOOKS LIKE MY VEHICLE'S MAKE MODEL AND YEAR WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF A RECALL INVOLVING THE AIRBAG BUT WE WERE NEVER CONTACTED AND THE DEALER NEVER ACTED ON A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11150047

Dec 19, 2017Electrical systemFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLUG TO CHARGE THE VEHICLE WAS MELTING AND CAUSED THE POWER OUTLET IN THE HOUSE TO MELT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO CHARGE AND WAS UNABLE TO OPERATE AT TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED SARAHSOTA FORD AT 888-349-4989 AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT IT WAS DUE TO USER ERROR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ODI 11055439

Mar 17, 2017Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 FORD C-MAX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT OBSERVED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE AND FLAMES ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. THE POINT OF ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FIRE REPORT WAS INCONCLUSIVE. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHETHER A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,500.

NHTSA ODI 10966479

Oct 14, 2016Transmission & drivetrainCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD C-MAX HYBRID. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNING IT OFF, THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTING IT, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON ONE SEPARATE OCCASION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,900.

NHTSA ODI 10916154

Aug 10, 2016Electrical systemFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD C-MAX ENERGI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PLUGGED IN AND RECHARGING IN THE GARAGE. TWO HOURS LATER, AN EXTENSIVE FIRE ERUPTED FROM THE CHARGE CORD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE DEALER TESTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE CHARGE CORD OVERHEATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SENT A TECHNICIAN, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER. THE COSMETIC DAMAGES WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10894712

Dec 23, 2014Speed controlCrash2 injuries

2014 FORD C-MAX. CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR, TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. *TA THE CONSUMER TRIED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT COULD NOT AND CONSEQUENTLY HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. *JB UPDATED 12/14/14*JB

NHTSA ODI 10660656

Working with the data? Download all 106 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 24, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2014 Ford Cmax Energi verdict →