The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated while reversing, the back over prevention camera displayed the image upside down. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.
The worst 2013 Ford C-Max Energi problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical19
- Steering9
- Transmission8
- Body4
- Fuel system4
- Engine3
- Wheels3
- Acceleration2
- Suspension2
- Airbags1
- Driver assistance1
- Locks1
- Seat belts1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi
Recalls 1
Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus Electric vehicles and 2013 C-Max vehicles equipped with the Intelligent Access Push Button Start System. In the affected vehicles, there is no audible chime when the vehicle is operational and the driver's door is opened. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
- Risk
- Without an audible door chime, a vehicle owner may open the door and exit the vehicle without being reminded that the vehicle is still operational, leaving the vehicle susceptible to theft.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the door chime, free of charge. The recall began on October 30, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's recall number is 13C07.
Recall number 13V475000 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi
Defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
the federal safety agency received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, the federal safety agency opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified the federal safety agency he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by the federal safety agency regarding the subject matter of the petition.
DP22005
Door Latch Failures
In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (MY) 2012-2014 Ford Fiesta, and 2013-2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ. Some VOQs reported the failure occurred after the latch had been remedied under a prior recall which involved fracture of the latch pawl spring tab due to thermally induced cyclic fatigue. Other VOQs alleged a similar failure in vehicles not previously recalled. A latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in a ?door will not close? condition, however in certain somewhat rare circumstances, may result in the door coming open while driving. In response to ODI?s investigation, Ford has announced three field actions, as discussed below.On March 23, 2020, Ford submitted Safety Recall 20V‑177 (Ford 20S15), a regional recall campaign to address door latch failures in vehicles not previously recalled under Safety Recalls 15V‑246, 16V‑643 and 17V‑210. The recall affects vehicles currently or ever registered in certain high ambient temperature states (see 20V‑177 for affected states). As a remedy, Ford will replace all four door latches free of charge.On August 24, 2020, Ford issued a non-safety regional field action (Ford 20R01) to address door latch failures on the same model/MY vehicles not covered under 20V‑177 (i.e., not currently/ever registered in affected states). According to Ford, spring tab failure rates for vehicles covered by this action are about half that of the 20V‑177 vehicles. Under this action, dealers will replace all door latches, free of charge, if either; a) the vehicle exhibits a related latch concern, or b) if the vehicle owner expresses a concern about the latches in their vehicles. Details can be found under the federal safety agency TSB No. 10190990, a copy of which is available in this investigative file available at June 8, 2020, Ford submitted Safety Recall 20V‑331 (Ford 20S30) addressing vehicles previously remedied under the federal safety agency Recalls 15V‑246, 16V‑643 and 17V‑210, where the repair may not have been properly completed, specifically not all of the door latches were replaced, or replaced correctly. This recall involves an inspection of the latches, with the option for a consumer self-inspection; owners could view the date codes on their latches (and confirm child safety locks are present on the rear doors) and then submit the information to Ford?s mobile app or website. A dealership inspection option was also available. Any vehicle found to have unreplaced defective latches requires the replacement of all door latches as directed by Ford.Regarding the 4,494 reports cited above, 1,485 involve scope-related failures (with 13% alleging door opening), and the remaining 3,009 reports involving remedy concerns (with 18% alleging door opening - note ODI was unable to verify the allegations of door opening). The three ODI injuries were all relatively minor. Ford?s reported injury incidences include one (unconfirmed) report of an ejection, three minor injuries with the others involving undisclosed injuries. Ford?s crashes involved two (unconfirmed) crashes alleging the incident door contacted another vehicle and three involving doors striking other property.The recalled vehicles include MY 2011-2015 Ford Fiesta, 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015 Ford Mustang and Lincoln MKC, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2012-2015 Ford Focus and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect.Ford's actions address ODI's concerns at this time. ODI will take further action if warranted by new information. The reference (OD
RQ19005
Door Latch Failure
In January, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2012-2013 Ford Focus vehicles (subject vehicles).ODI has received 464 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with over 200 claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion.One consumer alleged an injury that occurred while driving when a door inadvertently opened and then closed on a child's arm.Another alleged that a door that inadvertently opened struck a parked vehicle.In response to ODI's information request, Ford Motor Company (Ford) provided 500 unique reports related to the alleged problem on the subject vehicles.Ford reported no injury or accident claims.Ford also submitted 1,513 warranty claims related to door latch failures.Many customers indicated that the affected door could not be latched at all and some of them decided to restrain the door by other means in order to operate the vehicle.Some customers also reported door latch failures occurring on multiple doors and at different times.Additionally, Ford stated that MY 2014-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape, 2013-2015 Ford C-Max, 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect, 2015 Ford Mustang, and 2015 Lincoln MKC, all use the same door latch as the 2012-2013 Ford Focus.On September 6, 2016, Ford notified ODI that it would conduct a safety recall (16V‑643) to remedy the door latches in the MY 2012-2015 Ford Focus and other Ford models mentioned above (total of approximately 2 million vehicles).According to Ford, a component within the door latch may break preventing the door from latching.Ford dealers will replace all four door latches in the recalled vehicles with a new more robust latch design that is currently in production.The recall action initiated by the manufacturer appears to address the safety risks.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference under the identification (ODI) numbers found in the attached list.
PE16001
Technical service bulletins for the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi 44
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Some 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2020 Escape/Fusion/MKZ, 2015-2018 Focus,2015-2019 MKC, 2015-2020...
- Illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with any of the following diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs):...
- Distorted glass with a subtle orange peel pattern or streaking etched into the surface
- High voltage (HV) battery failing to charge while connected to the second Generation 120-volt electric...
- High voltage (HV) battery failing to charge while connected to the second Generation 120-volt electric...
- Some 2013-2017 C-Max PHEV may exhibit diagnostic code P2183 and may have the coolant hoses that attach to...
- Some 2013-2017 Fusion Hybrid Energi built on or before 24-Mar-2017, 2012-2016 Focus Electric and 2013-2016...
- Some 2012-2017 focus electric/2013-2017 cmax energi/fusion energi/2015-2017 mkc/mkz/2016-2017 mkx and 2017...
- Online automotive service information system for March 2016
- Ford: a 12 volt battery will discharge on certain vehicles
What 2013 Ford C-Max Energi owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was a grinding sound coming from underneath the vehicle; followed by the vehicle shaking abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated that the front axle and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls for the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 73,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. The consumer stated after contacting the federal safety agency, the dealer was able to locate the parts and repair the recall.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the transmission inadvertently downshifted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the rear bearings needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the rear bearings; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to Sheehy Ford Lincoln of Gaithersburg (901 N Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20879) where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 14B07. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance since the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 350,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel locked up. The contact stated that it was difficult to turn the steering wheel. The contact received help from her passenger to pull off the road. The contact stopped and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the power steering functionality returned. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The contact stated that she had stopped driving the vehicle. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message appeared on the screen indicating an unknown fault. The contact stated that while driving, the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic declined to diagnose the vehicle and advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. VIN tool confirms part not available. The failure mileage was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a message to Stop Safely was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle would slow independently and lose motive power. The contact stated that the failure occurred approximately every 6-months. The contact stated that during the failure, the contact would pull over and restart the vehicle after a few minutes before resuming normal driving. The contact took her vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency for assistance. The failure mileage was 121,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford c-max energi. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-50 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact stated that there was no warning light before or after the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic stated that the transmission bearing failed, which caused the transmission fluid to leak from the vehicle. The contact performed his own inspection and noticed the bearing had created a hole in the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 152,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford c-max energi. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH and making a turn, water came in contact with the battery. The vehicle stopped after the battery was saturated. The vehicle was taken to roswell ford (821 n main st, roswell, nm 88201: (888 881-7087)) where it was confirmed that eh battery needed replacement but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 57,000. The VIN was not available.
Consistent rolling noise heard while driving. Wheel bearings on both rear wheels needed replaced at 57,500 miles.
Compare the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi
Other model years
Questions about the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi
Is the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi reliable?
Owners have filed 50 complaints about the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi, 1.7 times a typical C-Max Energi model year.
What is the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi year score?
The 2013 Ford C-Max Energi scores 57 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Ford C-Max Energi: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi?
Electrical system, with 19 complaints, typically around 47,900 miles. Next is steering (9).
How many recalls does the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi have?
1 recall, covering equipment.
What year does the Ford C-Max Energi have the most electrical problems?
The Ford C-Max Energi model years with the most electrical complaints are 2013 (19 complaints), 2014 (16 complaints) and 2016 (13 complaints).
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