2014 Ford C-MAX

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2014 Ford C-MAX has 104 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: 1st incident the vehicle completely died while i was doing 50mph down a 5 lane road. all electrical went out while i was driving. lost my power steering and braking was extremely difficult. had to have the vehicle towed as it would not re-start. 2nd time about two weeks after getting the car "fixed". ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 6 crash reports 5 injuries

104

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

19 complaints

18%

• 1ST INCIDENT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED WHILE I WAS DOING 50MPH DOWN A 5 LANE ROAD. ALL ELECTRICAL WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AS IT WOULD NOT RE-START. 2ND TIME ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER GETTING THE CAR "FIXED"
• THE COMPASS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD NEXT TO THE SPEEDOMETER INDICATES INACCURATE PERPENDICULAR DIRECTIONS WHILE INDICATING THE CORRECT DIRECTION OF PROGRESS. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE CAR IS PROGRESSING NORTH THE TOP OF THE DIAL INDICATES "N" FOR NORTH CORRECTLY. BUT THE MARKING ON THE RIGHT
• WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON MEANING CONTACT DEALER ASAP ABOUT POWERTRAIN ISSUE. I HAD NOTICED A FEW DAYS EARLIER IT SEEMED TO NOT BE SWITCHING BETWEEN ELECTRIC AND ENGINE AS WELL OR SMOOTHLY WHEN DRIVING. WHEN STATIONARY, THE DISPLAY SCREEN FOR RADIO WOULD NOT COME ON WHEN GETTING INTO THE CAR. INSTEAD IT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“1ST INCIDENT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED WHILE I WAS DOING 50MPH DOWN A 5 LANE ROAD. ALL ELECTRICAL WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AS IT WOULD NOT RE-START. 2ND TIME ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER GETTING THE CAR "FIXED"”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

19 complaints

18%

• I RECEIVED A LETTER INFORMING ME OF THE RECALL ON THE DOOR LATCH, HOWEVER PARTS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL POSSIBLY THE 2ND QUARTER 2017. CONSIDERING MY LATCH ON THE BACK OPENS SOMETIMES, I AM CERTAINLY CONCERNED FOR MY DOORS OPENING WITH MY KIDS. HAVING TO WAIT IS UNACCEPTABLE. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN
• I AM APPALLED AT HOW FORD HAS TAKEN CARE OF THE RECALL ISSUE 16S30, ACCORDING TO THE LETTER I RECEIVED THE PART FOR THIS RECALL WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 2017 SECOND QUARTER? FIRST OF ALL THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, CONSIDERING THIS IS NO FAULT OF MINE. WHAT REALLY UPSETS ME IS WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN TH
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 FORD C-MAX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT OBSERVED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE AND FLAMES ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. THE POINT OF ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FIRE REPORT WAS INCONCLUSIVE. THE CONTAC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“I RECEIVED A LETTER INFORMING ME OF THE RECALL ON THE DOOR LATCH, HOWEVER PARTS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL POSSIBLY THE 2ND QUARTER 2017. CONSIDERING MY LATCH ON THE BACK OPENS SOMETIMES, I AM CERTAINLY CONCERNED FOR MY DOORS OPENING WITH MY KIDS. HAVING TO WAIT IS UNACCEPTABLE. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

18 complaints

17%

• EXCESSIVE TORQUE IS TOO EASILY APPLIED TO THE WHEELS WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP CAUSING UNEXPECTED TRACTION LOSS AND TIRE SPIN EVEN UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING. WHEN DRIVING AT SPEED WHILE PASSING OR OTHERWISE USING CLOSE TO OR FULL POWER (IN A STRAIGHT LINE), THE CAR WILL
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD C-MAX HYBRID. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNING IT OFF, THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE AND IN
• 2014 FORD CMAX ENERGI - 70,300 MILES PURCHASED NEW NOV. 2014. WAS DRIVING SWITCH BACKS DOWN HILL WITH MY CAR IN LOW. I HEARD A NOISE AND SUDDENLY THE CAR SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR IN NEUTRAL. I BRAKED TO A STOP. PUT IT IN PARK AND BACK TO DRIVE AND IT SEEMED FINE. A WEEK AND A LATER, IT DID IT AGAIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“EXCESSIVE TORQUE IS TOO EASILY APPLIED TO THE WHEELS WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP CAUSING UNEXPECTED TRACTION LOSS AND TIRE SPIN EVEN UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING. WHEN DRIVING AT SPEED WHILE PASSING OR OTHERWISE USING CLOSE TO OR FULL POWER (IN A STRAIGHT LINE), THE CAR WILL ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

14 complaints

13%

• 1ST INCIDENT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED WHILE I WAS DOING 50MPH DOWN A 5 LANE ROAD. ALL ELECTRICAL WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AS IT WOULD NOT RE-START. 2ND TIME ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER GETTING THE CAR "FIXED"
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD C-MAX. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND FAILED TO TURN. AFTER WAITING APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, THE STEERING WHEEL OPERATED AS NORMAL. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCC
• EXCESSIVE TORQUE IS TOO EASILY APPLIED TO THE WHEELS WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP CAUSING UNEXPECTED TRACTION LOSS AND TIRE SPIN EVEN UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING. WHEN DRIVING AT SPEED WHILE PASSING OR OTHERWISE USING CLOSE TO OR FULL POWER (IN A STRAIGHT LINE), THE CAR WILL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

DOORS/LATCHES

9 complaints

• I RECEIVED A LETTER INFORMING ME OF THE RECALL ON THE DOOR LATCH, HOWEVER PARTS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL POSSIBLY THE 2ND QUARTER 2017. CONSIDERING MY LATCH ON THE BACK OPENS SOMETIMES, I AM CERTAINLY CONCERNED FOR MY DOORS OPENING WITH MY KIDS. HAVING TO WAIT IS UNACCEPTABLE. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V643000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFAC
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V643000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFAC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

DOORS/LATCHES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 104 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: 1ST INCIDENT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED WHILE I WAS DOING 50MPH DOWN A 5 LANE ROAD. ALL ELECTRICAL WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AS IT WOULD NOT RE-START. 2ND TIME ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER GETTING THE CAR "FIXED"
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I RECEIVED A LETTER INFORMING ME OF THE RECALL ON THE DOOR LATCH, HOWEVER PARTS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL POSSIBLY THE 2ND QUARTER 2017. CONSIDERING MY LATCH ON THE BACK OPENS SOMETIMES, I AM CERTAINLY CONCERNED FOR MY DOORS OPENING WITH MY KIDS. HAVING TO WAIT IS UNACCEPTABLE. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: EXCESSIVE TORQUE IS TOO EASILY APPLIED TO THE WHEELS WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP CAUSING UNEXPECTED TRACTION LOSS AND TIRE SPIN EVEN UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING. WHEN DRIVING AT SPEED WHILE PASSING OR OTHERWISE USING CLOSE TO OR FULL POWER (IN A STRAIGHT LINE), THE CAR WILL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: 1ST INCIDENT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED WHILE I WAS DOING 50MPH DOWN A 5 LANE ROAD. ALL ELECTRICAL WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AS IT WOULD NOT RE-START. 2ND TIME ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER GETTING THE CAR "FIXED"
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)