C-Max (1st)
Engine Reliability Ratings
2.0L ATK IVCT HEV
2.0L 4-cyl / 188 hpView details
Complaint Breakdown
Known Issues
1 additional engine variant with fewer than 10 complaints not shown.
Battery & Propulsion Reliability
Hybrid (HEV)
Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2013-2018 Ford C-Max
That's about 2.4x the typical rate for hybrids in this dataset (median 7.0 per year). Above peer average — but high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints, so check the issue mix below before drawing conclusions.
What kind of battery complaint?
Among the 91 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about — not how reliable the vehicle is overall.
Low-voltage battery deaths, common on EVs and hybrids that use a 12V for accessories.
Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.
Propulsion battery defects, capacity loss, BMS faults, replacement claims.
Hybrid system warnings, eCVT, motor-generator, hybrid transaxle.
Battery fires, smoke, thermal runaway. Includes any complaint with fire reported.
Charge port, cable, mobile connector, or session failures.
Sample complaint excerpts
12V Auxiliary Battery
- [2015] FORD C-MAX HYBRID 2015 12V BATTERY KEEPS GOING DEAD. HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES IN ONE YEAR. FORD DEALERSHIP HAS CHECKED VEHICLE AND FOUND NO ISSUES. WHEN BATTERY GOES DEAD, THE CAR CAN NOT BE STARTED AND HAS TO BE EITHER TOWED OR JUMP STARTED. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING WHEN THE CAR IS JUST USED FOR LOCAL TRAVEL LESS THAN 3 MILES. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK OF THAT TYPE OF DRIVING THE BATTERY CAN NOT REC
- [2013] My Stereo/Navigation console went out, just went black and stopped working. I bought it to my local garage and they said it was a costly repair and that there is a recall/service bulletin on it and that i should take it to a Ford Dealer. I did and they acknowledged the issue but said my VIN wasn't covered, but it was a known issue with C-Max of this year. So I didnt have the car services. A few m
- [2013] Several times over the past 3 years, the 12 volt battery has been deeply drained while the car has been off/unused for ~3 days. (The problem has been described on your website: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/SB-10093862-2532.pdf.) This is a safety issue because there is a reasonable expectation of serviceability of a car, for emergencies or for returning to a safe place. Just as one depe
Electric Propulsion
- [2013] The message to service the power steering suddenly appeared and the steering wheel could not be rotated, when we were at our drive way. I felt to be very lucky for not being on the road when the loss of power steering occurred. After I turned off the engine and restarted the car one minute later, the power steering problem disappeared and I was able to drive the car again. About one week later, I
- [2013] I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY CAR LOST POWER AND A "STOP SAFETLY NOW" WARNING POPPED UP ON MY SPEEDOMETER. I MANAGED TO GET TO SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AND STOPPED THE CAR. I LOOKING ONLINE FOR A SOLUTION AND I READ THAT I CAN TURN ON AND OFF THE CAR A COUPLE TIMES AND THAT WILL FIX IT. I READ THERE WAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THERE WAS A RECALL
- [2013] UNABLE TO DRIVE CARE DUE TO SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING (HAPPENED WHEN PARKED FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES -- WENT IN BUILDING TO PICK UP SON FROM DAYCARE, CAME OUT AND NO POWER STEERING WHEN I RESTARTED CAR). THIS HAS APPARENTLY BEEN A PROBLEM ON OTHER FORD MODELS OF THE SAME YEAR AND THERE ARE RECALLS FOR THOSE, BUT NOT FOR THE C-MAX. UNSURE IF THIS COULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING, BUT IT COULD BE CATAST
High-Voltage Battery
- [2013] ELECTRIC STEERING RACK FAILED CAUSING NO POWER STEERING. SYMPTOMS STARTED WITH INTERMITTENT LOCKING. LUCKILY THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE FAULTY HIGH ENERGY BATTERY PACK STILL UNDER WARRANTY. REPROGRAMMING DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. IT APPEARS FORD HAD A RECALL FOR HIGHER PRODUCTION MODELS USING THE SAME RACK BUT NOT FOR C-MAX WHICH HAD LOW PRODUCTION. MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD TO LOSE
- [2013] RADIO INTERMITTENTLY WOULD NOT TURN ON. THEN CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD AT HOME AND COULD NOT UNLOCK DOORS ETC. HAD TO CALL AAA TO HAVE TOWED TO DEALER. RECEIPT STATES 'IDS FAULT CODE B1D19:49 ACM CD INTERNAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE STAYS ON RANDOMLY CAUSING VOLTAGE DRAIN. REPLACE ACM AND PROGRAM, PERFORM COORDINATED HYBRID BATTERY MODULE PROGRAMMING OF PCM, ABS, SOBDM-C, AND DC/DC MODULE, SOFTWARE
- [2013] THE BATTERY UNLOADS. UNLESS BATTERY REPLACEMENT. I FEAR ABOUT SHORTAGE WHICH MAY LEAD TO FIRE.
Hybrid Drivetrain
- [2013] I have owned this car for the last 9 years and have kept It well-maintained. For over a year, the car stalls in the midst of driving, even on a highway, leaving me the only option to find a shoulder or safe area to park. After I turn off the engine, wait for a few minutes, and turn it back on, the engine turns on just fine and I am able to drive. Lately (for about a month or so) this has been happ
- [2013] RADIO INTERMITTENTLY WOULD NOT TURN ON. THEN CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD AT HOME AND COULD NOT UNLOCK DOORS ETC. HAD TO CALL AAA TO HAVE TOWED TO DEALER. RECEIPT STATES 'IDS FAULT CODE B1D19:49 ACM CD INTERNAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE STAYS ON RANDOMLY CAUSING VOLTAGE DRAIN. REPLACE ACM AND PROGRAM, PERFORM COORDINATED HYBRID BATTERY MODULE PROGRAMMING OF PCM, ABS, SOBDM-C, AND DC/DC MODULE, SOFTWARE
- [2016] The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated that while charging the hybrid battery, the battery stopped charging after 15-16 minutes. The contact stated that the battery could only be charged for 15-16 minutes at a time. The contact stated that there was a red triangle warning light illuminated on the charger but there was no warning light illuminated on the vehicle. Additionally
Thermal Events
- [2013] The car was parked and turned off, I came out to the car and found the electrical charging cord had caught on fire at the base of the handle that inserts into the car. The area melted/disintegrated. It was covered in soot. The charger had been plugged into the car for about 1 hour. Fortunately my car or home did not catch on fire. This charger was a replacement from the recall in 2018.
- [2013] OEM ELECTRIC CHARGER (A SEPARATE MECHANISM NOT A PART OF THE VEHICLE) CAUGHT FIRE UPON PLUGGING IT INTO A SOCKET (SAME CHARGER, SAME SOCKET HAS BEEN USED FOR OVER 3 YEARS)
- [2016] I was driving slowly leaving a supermarket parking lot. There was no one else around. There was a sudden loud bang, the car lurched upward and to the right, coming to rest over a curb hanging down a ditch. The front end started to smoke and then caught fire. The car was a total loss. There had been no impact. I was able to escape down the ditch with the help of police and the fire department put
Charging System
- [2013] 2013 FORD C-MAX ENERGI. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FAILED CHARGING CABLE. CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR CABLE PURCHASED PRIOR TO RECALL. *LD *JS
- [2013] HELLO MY 12V BATTERY IS DISCHARGING SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT REASON. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE FAULT RETURNS. ACCORDING TO TSB 15-0089, WHEN REPLACING THE BATTERY IN THE 2013 CAR, THE ELECTRONIC MODULE SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE DEALER NEVER PERFORMED THIS STEP, THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEALER. I'M AFRAID THAT EVENTUALLY MY CAR WILL BURN. THIS FAULTY ELEC
- [2013] WE HAVE USED THE SUPPLIED UTILITY 120V CHARGING CABLE SINCE WE ACQUIRED THE CAR TO CHARGE IT AT HOME. RECENTLY, I NOTICED THAT THE UTILITY CABLE PLUG WAS MELTED AND THE WEATHERPROOF SOCKET FIXTURE PLASTIC HOUSING WAS BURNT I CHANGED THE UNIT TO A DIFFERENT OUTDOOR OUTLET. IT BURNED THAT OUTLET SO BADLY THAT IT'S GFCI WAS TRIPPED AND COULD NOT BE RESET. FEARING A POSSIBLE HOUSE FIRE, I STOPPED USI
Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN — high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.
Vehicle-Level Issues
These issues affect the Ford C-Max regardless of engine variant.
Alternatives in Compact Hatchback
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common 2013-2018 Ford C-Max problems?
The 2013-2018 Ford C-Max has accumulated 996 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Electrical System, Steering, Wheels/Tires. As with any used vehicle, a pre-purchase inspection and vehicle history report are recommended.
Which Ford C-Max engine is most reliable?
The 2013-2018 Ford C-Max was offered with 2 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2.0L 4-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.
Is the 2013-2018 Ford C-Max a good used car?
The 2013-2018 Ford C-Max can be a solid used car purchase depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 996 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013-2018 Ford C-Max have?
The 2013-2018 Ford C-Max has 996 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.
What recalls affect the 2013-2018 Ford C-Max?
There are 0 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2013-2018 Ford C-Max vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN — check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.
What should I check before buying a used Ford C-Max?
Before buying a used Ford C-Max, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Electrical System, Steering, Wheels/Tires, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.
Does the C-Max have NHTSA crash test ratings?
NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2013-2018 Ford C-Max. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 996 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-04-07.