Home · 2016 Ford C-max · Complaints

What 7 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Ford C-max

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 (7)Backup camera & sensors (2)Brakes (1)Fuel system (1)Speed control (1)Transmission & drivetrain (1)

Newest first · 7 complaints

Mar 4, 2026Backup camera & sensors

The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the rear-view camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, preventing the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The message "Rear-view Camera not Available" was displayed on the screen. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11721963

Feb 18, 2026Backup camera & sensors

See attached document for complaint. RE: NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 25V695 To whom it may concern, In August 2025 we took our 2016 CMAX into the Ford Dealer we purchased it from to have the check out the back-up camera that was not working and have a service done. They charges us $225.00 to check it out and then wanted to service it for several hundred dollars more. There was no mention at that time about a recall, and after re-reading the bulletin you sent out, that did not come until October. The online status was that any repairs were not to begin until June 2026. Both of us are seniors and being concerned of the safety issues with the camera, we looked for the best price to repair/replace the camera and found a company, G&O Body in Placerville that did the repair for $618.25 In November.. So, at this point, we are out of pocket $843.25 to fix an issue that was put under free repair thru the recall. I would like to know how to apply for reimbursement for this camera replacement cost.

NHTSA ODI 11718757

Mar 21, 2019

TOUCHSCREEPROBLEMS BEGAN WITH GPS GLITCHES IN DEC 2018, AND HAVE GOTTEN STEADILY WORSE...AS OF TODAY - TOUCHSCREEN DASHBOARD IS NOT WORKING - INCLUDING REAR VIEW CAMERA, HANDLESS FEATURES, GPS, CD PLAYER, ENTERTAINMENT/AUDIO SYSTEM. N SOMETIMES REMAINS ON EVEN AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. REQUIRES REPEATED TURNING ON AND OFF OF CAR, AND LOCKING/UNLOCKING THE DOORS TO HAVE TOUCHSCREEN FINALLY TURN OFF. HAVE CONTACTED FORD MULTIPLE TIMES, AND FOLLOWED THEIR DIRECTIONS TO TRY AND UPDATE SYSTEM, AND HAS NOT WORKED. NOW FORD WANTS ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE CAR (WHILE LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD), IS OVER 36,000 MILES, SO WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. ON INTERNET, SEEMS LIKE MANY OTHER FOLKS ARE ALSO HAVING THIS PROBLEM. FRIENDS HAVE 2017 FORD FUSION, WHICH IS HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES, BUT SINCE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, FORD IS REPLACING THEIR TOUCHSCREEN UNIT FOR FREE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT, AND FORD SHOULD DO A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11190619

Jul 13, 2018Fuel system

INTERMITTENT INABILITY TO CONTROL SPEED. FINALLY GOT AN ERROR CODE OF P2112 (THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL SYSTEM) WHILE IN MOTION AND VIBRATION BECAUSE THE BATTERY DOES NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY

NHTSA ODI 11111214

Jun 25, 2018Brakes

MY 2016 FORD C-MAX WITH 10000 MILES HAS BRAKE ISSUES... ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE BRAKES ARE RUSTED AND NEED REPLACED FOR $1000.00. SERIOUSLY, A VEHICLE WITH 10000 MILES HAS BAD BRAKES AND NOT COVERED BY THE FORD WARRANTY..... I HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS WHILE MY WIFE IS DRIVING THE CAR AS SHE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE.....

NHTSA ODI 11103849

Jan 3, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD C-MAX HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND THE "STOP NOW PULL OVER" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO PERRY FORD OF POWAY (12740 POWAY RD, POWAY, CA 92064), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. *BF ** *TR

NHTSA ODI 11058297

Oct 15, 2017Speed control

RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD ALTHOUGH FORD IS NOT CALLING THIS A RECALL I BELIEVE IT IS PRETTY SERIOUS. THIS IF FOR THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM;17B28 FORD IS SAYING THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY MAY DEVELOP CONTAMINATION AND MAY RESULT IN THE VEHCILE ENTERING A PROTECTIVE LOW-SPEED MODE WHICH CAN BE DANGEROUS IF THIS HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT THE THE NEXT APPOINTMENT FOR THIS FIX IS NOT UNTIL AUGUST 2018! I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT FORD SHOULD FIX RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES HOWEVER I HAVE READ FROM SOME PEOPLE THAT THIS HAS HAPPEN ON THEIR VEHICLE IN WHICH THEIR CAR DROPPED TO 5MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11033441

Working with the data? Download all 7 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 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 2016 Ford C-max verdict →