Home · 2016 · Ford
2016 Ford Cmax Energi
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
46 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 24, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Electrical system problems dominate (33% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#146 of 566Among the 2016 models with a matured record, the 2016 Ford Cmax Energi ranks #146, scoring higher than 68% of them. See the 2016 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
4/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2016 Ford CMAX Energi 5 HB FWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 15%
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 Ford Cmax Energi, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (15) · Backup camera & sensors (6) · Transmission & drivetrain (6)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint. Treat them as a rough guide.
Electrical system
33%15 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the contact attempted to honk at another vehicle, but the horn failed to respond wh…”
Backup camera & sensors
13%6 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rearview camera image appeared upside down. The vehicle was taken to an ind…”
Transmission & drivetrain
13%6 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment, p…”
Engine
9%4 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“DRIVING ALONG A HIGHWAY HOLDING STEADY SPEED OF 65MPH, THE CAR DISPLAYED A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE AND DISABLED THE ACCELERATOR. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP ON T…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 46 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 9 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Ford before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report backup camera & sensors problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any backup camera & sensors symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Ford CMAX ENERGI beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every Cmax Energi model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Ford Cmax Energi against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.