2013 Ford C-MAX HYBRID
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2013 Ford C-MAX HYBRID has 179 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (28% of all complaints), specifically: went to start car first thing in the morning for work and it was completely dead. had to jump start. took to dealer. they kept overnight and ran tests but could not find anything wrong. second occurrence on 1/25 - same thing - completely dead - this time it was mid afternoon after sitting all day.
179
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
2.2x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ELECTRICAL
50 complaints- • WENT TO START CAR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING FOR WORK AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. HAD TO JUMP START. TOOK TO DEALER. THEY KEPT OVERNIGHT AND RAN TESTS BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SECOND OCCURRENCE ON 1/25 - SAME THING - COMPLETELY DEAD - THIS TIME IT WAS MID AFTERNOON AFTER SITTING ALL DAY
- • CPM TAKES OVER VEHICLE OPERATION AND ELIMINATES USE OF ACCELERATOR. VEHICLE SELF ACCELERATES TO MAXIMUM OF 35 MPH. ELECTRIC BRAKES BECOME VERY SENSITIVE, BECOMING JERKY AND STOP ITS MOVEMENT VERY FAST. THE VEHICLE HAS REPEATEDLY WENT INTO THIS MODE AT 800 MILES, 1800 MILES, 2200 MILES, 2300 MILES AN
- • I HAVE A NEW CMAX ENERGI WITH NAVIGATION. THE BACK UP CAMERA GOES ON WHEN I GO INTO REVERSE, BUT IT SOMETIMES DOES NOT SHUT OFF, SO I HAVE THIS DISTRACTING SCREEN SHOWING ME WHAT IS BEHIND ME WHILE I AM DRIVING FORWARD. *TR SOMETIMES IT CHANGES TO THE CORRECT SCREEN IMMEDIATELY, BUT OTHER TIMES
“WENT TO START CAR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING FOR WORK AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. HAD TO JUMP START. TOOK TO DEALER. THEY KEPT OVERNIGHT AND RAN TESTS BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SECOND OCCURRENCE ON 1/25 - SAME THING - COMPLETELY DEAD - THIS TIME IT WAS MID AFTERNOON AFTER SITTING ALL DAY”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
18 complaints- • VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES. UPON RETURN TO THE KEY WAS INSERTED AND THEN TURNED TO START. THE GASOLINE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STARTED AND WENT TO MAX ENGINE RPM THEN APPEARED TO SHUT DOWN VIA THE ENGINE OVERSPEED SENSOR. AS SOON AS THE ENGINE SPEED DROPPED TO ZERO, IT AGAIN REPE
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER BEING SERVICED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE JUMPED IN ORDER FOR IT TO START. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE PROBLEMS IF THE INCORRECT OIL FILTER IS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT
- • WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON HIGHWAY 90 IN BILOXI, MS, I RECEIVED A "STOP SAFELY NOW" RED TRIANGLE WARNING ON MY 3 WEEK OLD 2013 FORD CMAX HYBRID. THE CAR DIED AND I WAS STOPPED IN THE TURNING LANE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC. I CALLED THE BILOXI POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ASSISTANCE IN GETTING OFF THE ROAD SAFELY DU
“VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES. UPON RETURN TO THE KEY WAS INSERTED AND THEN TURNED TO START. THE GASOLINE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STARTED AND WENT TO MAX ENGINE RPM THEN APPEARED TO SHUT DOWN VIA THE ENGINE OVERSPEED SENSOR. AS SOON AS THE ENGINE SPEED DROPPED TO ZERO, IT AGAIN REPE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
15 complaints- • I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND WHEN I STOPPED, I COULDN'T GO BACKWARDS. I PULLED FORWARD AND PARKED. PULLED BACK AGAIN AND THE CAR DIDN'T DO IT AGAIN. THE ENGINE LIGHT DID COME ON AND I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAD IT FOR TWO WEEKS. FORD SAID IT IS A "REVER
- • I THOUGHT I HAD PLACED MY C MAX IN PARK. I TURNED CAR OFF WITH POWER BUTTON AND WENT INTO A STORE TO SHOP. THE CAR ROLLED OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. I FORGOT TO PLACE MY C MAX IN PARK BUT THE CAR GAVE ME ZERO WARNING THAT THE CAR WAS NOT IN PARK AND TURNED OFF LIKE NORMAL.
- • 6 OF 21 AVAILABLE PLUG-IN MILES REMAINING, DRIVING IN NORMAL FREEWAY TRAFFIC. VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND WENT INTO "STOP SAFELY NOW" MODE WITH WRENCH ICON AND RED WARNING TRIANGLE. VEHICLE RETAINED MINIMAL POWER AVAILABILITY AND WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO LIMP VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC AND ONTO SIDE R
“I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND WHEN I STOPPED, I COULDN'T GO BACKWARDS. I PULLED FORWARD AND PARKED. PULLED BACK AGAIN AND THE CAR DIDN'T DO IT AGAIN. THE ENGINE LIGHT DID COME ON AND I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAD IT FOR TWO WEEKS. FORD SAID IT IS A "REVER”
— NHTSA complaint filing
STEERING
15 complaints- • AFTER STARTING (PUSH BUTTON START) AND DRIVING OUT OF MY GARAGE, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND A "SERVICE POWER STEERING SOON" WARNING WAS DISPLAYED. AFTER I STOPPED AND STARTED AGAIN, THE POWER STEERING WAS AGAIN ENABLED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED AS THEY COULD NO
- • STOPPED TO GET GAS. AFTER FILL-UP CAR STARTED BUT STEERING WAS GONE, LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD "CHECK POWER STEERING NOW". WAS 75 MILES FROM HOME. HAD TO BE TOWED, CAR IN SHOP FOR WEEKEND UNTIL TUESDAY WAITING FOR ELECTRONIC STEERING MODULE. TOWING, CAR RENTAL AND PART REPLACED AT FORD'S EXPENSE. THER
- • ONE MONTH AFTER THE ELECTRONIC STEERING MODULE FAILED (AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED HERE) & HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE RCM MODULE FAILED. ADVANCED TRACTION CONTROL, AND AIRBAG LIGHTS WERE/ARE LIT ON DASHBOARD. I DROVE WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING AIRBAG FOR 10 DAYS WHILE BEST FORD NASHUA TRIED TO REPLACE THE MODU
“AFTER STARTING (PUSH BUTTON START) AND DRIVING OUT OF MY GARAGE, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND A "SERVICE POWER STEERING SOON" WARNING WAS DISPLAYED. AFTER I STOPPED AND STARTED AGAIN, THE POWER STEERING WAS AGAIN ENABLED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED AS THEY COULD NO”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BODY/STRUCTURE
13 complaints- • DON DAVIS AUTO GROUP DIDN'T COMPLETE NHTSA RECALL 13V-303. DON DAVIS AUTO GROUP 633 N HIGHWAY 360 ARLINGTON TX 76011. *TR
- • THE LIFT GATE REPEATEDLY CONTINUES TO CRASH DOWN ON MY SHOULDER AND BACK AFTER HAVING TO PHYSICALLY LIFT OPEN THE LIFT GATE BECAUSE THE BUTTONS OR CONTROLS TO OPERA LIFT GATE WOULD NOT WORK WOULD NOT OPEN WITHOUT ME LIFTING IT WHEN I COMPLETELY OPENED IT AND WENT TO LEAN IN MY LEASED FORD CMAX THE
- • HEARD LOUD SCRAPING SOUND FROM FRONT UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE. PULLED OVER RIGHT AWAY AND SAW THAT ENTIRE FRONT EDGE OF FASCIA AT UNDERSIDE OF FRONT OF VEHICLE HAD COME LOOSE AND WAS DRAGGING ON ROAD. *TR
“DON DAVIS AUTO GROUP DIDN'T COMPLETE NHTSA RECALL 13V-303. DON DAVIS AUTO GROUP 633 N HIGHWAY 360 ARLINGTON TX 76011. *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 179 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ELECTRICAL: WENT TO START CAR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING FOR WORK AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. HAD TO JUMP START. TOOK TO DEALER. THEY KEPT OVERNIGHT AND RAN TESTS BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SECOND OCCURRENCE ON 1/25 - SAME THING - COMPLETELY DEAD - THIS TIME IT WAS MID AFTERNOON AFTER SITTING ALL DAY
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES. UPON RETURN TO THE KEY WAS INSERTED AND THEN TURNED TO START. THE GASOLINE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STARTED AND WENT TO MAX ENGINE RPM THEN APPEARED TO SHUT DOWN VIA THE ENGINE OVERSPEED SENSOR. AS SOON AS THE ENGINE SPEED DROPPED TO ZERO, IT AGAIN REPE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND WHEN I STOPPED, I COULDN'T GO BACKWARDS. I PULLED FORWARD AND PARKED. PULLED BACK AGAIN AND THE CAR DIDN'T DO IT AGAIN. THE ENGINE LIGHT DID COME ON AND I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAD IT FOR TWO WEEKS. FORD SAID IT IS A "REVER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐STEERING: AFTER STARTING (PUSH BUTTON START) AND DRIVING OUT OF MY GARAGE, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND A "SERVICE POWER STEERING SOON" WARNING WAS DISPLAYED. AFTER I STOPPED AND STARTED AGAIN, THE POWER STEERING WAS AGAIN ENABLED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED AS THEY COULD NO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford C-MAX HYBRID — Year Comparison
How does 2013 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 179
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 3
- Injury reports
- 4
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2013 Ford C-MAX HYBRID