Mar 6, 2023SteeringElectrical system
Steering locks to the point that it can't turn. Happened while driving. Unknown cause. Warning light came on for driver to park. Issue unresolved and can no longer drive car.
NHTSA ODI 11510405
Home · 2018 Ford Cmax Hev · Complaints
What 10 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Cmax Hev
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 (10)Crash / fire / injury (2)Airbags (2)Electrical system (2)Steering (2)Fuel system (1)Seat belts (1)Suspension (1)Transmission & drivetrain (1)Visibility & wipers (1)
2 of 10 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters
Feb 15, 2020Electrical system
ELECTRICAL GREMLINS SINCE THE FIRST DAY. TOUCHSCREEN WENT ON AND OFF, PHONE DIDN'T CHARGE, DOOR HANDLES DON'T WORK, GARAGE DOOR OPENER FORGOT SETTINGS, PRESETS ON DASH WOULD BLINK OUT OF MEMORY. ULTIMATELY THE CAR DIDN'T EVEN START. BUT FOR ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS, SOMETIMES THEY WOULD WORK, SOMETIMES THEY WOULDN'T. ULTIMATELY GOT THE YELLOW WRENCH OF DEATH. BROUGHT IT IN REPEATEDLY AND THEY COULD NEVER REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, UNTIL THE DAY IT WOULDN'T START AT ALL AND THE WRENCH WAS ON THE DASH. FINALLY DIAGNOSED OPEN SEAMS ON THE BACK HINGES TO THE HATCH. SEAMSEAL WAS MISSING ON BOTH HINGES. WATER WAS COMING INTO THE JUNCTION BOX WHICH WAS SOAKED. THE BATTERY WAS SITTING IN A POOL OF WATER. THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENED WHETHER IT WAS PARKED OR RUNNING.
NHTSA ODI 11309434
Working with the data? Download all 10 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 22, 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 2018 Ford Cmax Hev verdict →