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Ford C-MAXYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 375 NHTSA owner complaints across 6 model years, no Ford C-MAX year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 2014 and 2015. The C-MAX has 12 safety recalls on record.

Ford C-MAX
Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 2013Best years'14 '15Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints375Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls122013–2018 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Ford C-MAX years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the C-MAX median. Tap a year for its full report.

'13'14'15'16'17'18
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2018Not rated–/10010 complaints · 1 recall2017Not rated–/10015 complaints · 1 recall2016Not rated–/10024 complaints · 3 recalls2015Solid54/10059 complaints · 6 recalls2014Solid50/10080 complaints · 8 recalls2013Caution35/100187 complaints · 8 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Ford C-MAX problems

All model years combined: 375 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system867
Power train705
Steering641
Engine251
Back over prevention211
Structure180
Air bags1710
Vehicle speed control164
Fuel/propulsion system141
14 other systems726
12 recalls

Ford C-MAX recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

1%Sensing system: camera25V-695 · 2015–2016 · Oct 13, 2025 · 1,448,655 vehicles65%Automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)22V-413 · 2013–2018 · Jun 10, 2022 · 2,925,968 vehicles44%Doors: latch20V-331 · 2013–2015 · Jun 8, 2020 · 2,147,323 vehicles47%Equipment: electrical18V-592 · 2013–2015 · Sep 10, 2018 · 49,197 vehicles65%Structure: body17V-052 · 2016 · Jan 24, 2017 · 17 vehicles62%Doors: latch16V-643 · 2013–2015 · Sep 6, 2016 · 2,046,297 vehicles86%Electrical system: ignition15V-436 · 2015 · Jul 8, 2015 · 374,781 vehicles54%Air bags14V-597 · 2013–2014 · Sep 26, 2014 · 746,842 vehicles98%Steering14V-514 · 2014 · Aug 22, 2014 · 508 vehiclesDo not drive90%Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive14V-237 · 2013–2014 · May 7, 2014 · 594,785 vehicles77%Front assembly: recliner14V-164 · 2013–2014 · Apr 2, 2014 · 43,135 vehicles93%Anti-theft: control module13V-475 · 2013 · Oct 17, 2013 · 23,000 vehicles
3 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the C-MAX

  1. Pedestrian alert soundsDP22005 · 2018 · closed Aug 7, 2023
    Led to recall 22V-063
  2. Door Latch FailuresRQ19005 · 2013–2015 · closed Feb 7, 2022
    Led to recall 20V-177
  3. Door Latch FailurePE16001 · 2013–2015 · closed Oct 29, 2016
    Led to recall 16V-643