2013 FORD C-MAX Complaints and Recall Information
The 2013 FORD C-MAX has 5 complaints and 14 recalls filed with NHTSA. Owners most frequently report issues with the instrument panel and power steering. There are also complaints regarding rearview camera malfunctions.
Common Issues
- Instrument panel failure. The dashboard beeps and flashes warnings like "Put in Park" and "Stop Safely Now," the speedometer stops working, warning lights flash, the heater operates erratically, and the panel can go black leading to vehicle shutdown. This occurs randomly at speed, stranding drivers and requiring towing. Repair attempts by Ford were unsuccessful and the issue persists.
- Power steering loss. Power steering suddenly fails while driving, making steering extremely heavy and manual. A message "power steering fault - service power steering immediately" appears, and it is very difficult to safely stop and move the vehicle off the road. The fault clears after restarting but recurs without explanation.
- Steering malfunctions. Steering stops working intermittently but returns after restarting the vehicle. Error codes related to power steering appear.
- Rearview camera defects. The rearview camera image is often upside down or shows a blank screen. Sometimes a message indicates the camera needs replacement. This issue resembles known recall problems on similar models.
There are 14 recalls affecting several systems in the 2013 FORD C-MAX including seat belts, airbags, powertrain, door latches, and electrical equipment. These recalls cover defects that increase risks of injury in crashes, shifting issues, door latching failures, and fire hazards due to charging cords.
Recalls
- Restraint Control Module defects. (NHTSA recall 14V597000) Affecting 746,842 vehicles, including the 2013 C-MAX. Cracks in the coating of the RCM may cause short circuits when exposed to humidity. This can disable frontal airbags, side curtain airbags, and seat belt pretensioners, increasing injury risk. Ford will replace the RCM free but parts were not immediately available as of recall start in 2015.
- Seatback recliner welds. (NHTSA recall 14V164000) Affecting 43,135 vehicles including 2013 C-MAX models made from July 23, 2012 to May 28, 2013. Substandard weld joints on driver and passenger seatbacks may allow seats to lean or loosen, raising injury risk in crashes. Ford will replace the seatbacks free.
- RCM software errors. (NHTSA recall 14V237000) Affecting 594,785 vehicles including 2013 C-MAX. Errors in RCM programming may delay side-curtain rollover airbag deployment, increasing injury risk in rollovers. Dealers will reprogram the RCM free of charge.
- Shift cable bushing degradation. (NHTSA recall 22V413000) Affecting nearly 3 million vehicles including the 2013 C-MAX. The shifter cable bushing may degrade or detach, potentially causing the vehicle to shift incorrectly or roll when in park. Dealers will replace the bushing and add a protective cap free.
- Door latch failures. (NHTSA recalls 20V331000 and 16V643000) Affecting millions of vehicles including the 2013 C-MAX. Components inside door latches may break or were improperly repaired, causing doors to not latch securely and potentially open while driving. Ford will inspect and replace door latches free.
- Charging cord overheating. (NHTSA recall 18V592000) Affecting 49,197 vehicles including 2013 C-MAX Energi models. 120V convenience charge cords lacking thermistors can overheat and melt at household outlets, increasing fire risk. Ford will replace affected cords free.
Owners of 2013 FORD C-MAX vehicles facing repeated repairs, safety system malfunctions, or unresolved recall issues may want to explore their state lemon law rights. Persistent safety defects warrant careful attention to legal options.
2013 FORD C-MAX Summary
2013
Model Year
5
Total Complaints
7
Total Recalls
8553547
Vehicles Affected
Recalls
2013 FORD C-MAX
2925968 vehicles affected
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
2013 FORD C-MAX
2147323 vehicles affected
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
2013 FORD C-MAX
49197 vehicles affected
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 120V Convenience charge cords that were supplied with and sold for use with 2013-2015 Ford C-Max Energi and Fusion Energi vehicles and 2012-2015 Ford Focus Electric vehicles. Cords with part numbers FM58-10B706-AA, FM58-10B706-AB, FM58-10B706-AC, FM58-10B706-AD, FM58-10B706-AE and FM58-10B706-AF were manufactured without thermistors, and during vehicle charging, increased resistance in the house's outlet or wiring can cause the cord to overheat and melt.
Risk: An overheated cord can increase the risk of a fire.
2013 FORD C-MAX
2046297 vehicles affected
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
2013 FORD C-MAX
594785 vehicles affected
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 C-MAX, and Escape vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the restraint control module (RCM) may have errors in the programming software which may result in a delayed deployment of the side-curtain rollover air bag.
Risk: If the side-curtain rollover air bag is delayed in deploying in certain rollover circumstances, the risk of injury to the passengers is increased.
2013 FORD C-MAX
43135 vehicles affected
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured August 15, 2012, through September 10, 2013, 2013-2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured June 5, 2012, through August 12, 2013, and 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured from July 23, 2012, through May 28, 2013. The driver and passenger seatback assemblies may have been produced with sub-standard weld joints used to attach the seat back recliner mechanism to the seat frame. The affected seat backs may have insufficient strength to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Risk: The back of the subject seats may become loose or lean while driving and potentially increase the risk of injury in certain crashes.
2013 FORD C-MAX
746842 vehicles affected
AIR BAGS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to August 24, 2013; Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to November 1, 2013; and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to September 30, 2013. The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short.
Risk: The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
Complaints
2013 FORD C-MAX
ID: 2128337UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rearview camera is usually upside down. Occasionally, a blank, black screen is displayed. Infrequently, it appears normal. A few times, a message is displayed saying it needs to be replaced. In view of the fact many models have a recall notice for this very problem, I elected to report it.
2013 FORD C-MAX
ID: 2127514STEERING
Steering stopped working but after restarted it began to work again. It was fine for a few days and then DTC came up indicating "Service Power Steering" and the power steering has quit working.
2013 FORD C-MAX
ID: 2094162STEERING
While driving car, power steering will fail and deactivate leaving the steering extremely heavy and manual. Can happen at any speed, and has happened on the interstate at highway speeds. Information cluster states, "power steering fault - service power steering immediately" When this happens it is highly unsafe and happens instantly without warning. Makes getting the car off the road and stopped safely very difficult and dangerous. Stopping the car, turning it off fully and restarting seems to clear the fault and makes the car power steering operate as normal again. But this has happened many times since owning the car and I can find no reason when or why it gets triggered. Online searches find many other owners of this car describing the exact same issue and they share the same concerns about it being unsafe.
2013 FORD C-MAX
ID: 2073885ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING the dashboard instrument panel beeps and flashes the word "Put in Park" and "Stop Safely Now", and the speedometer stops working, all kinds of warning lights start flashing on and off on the instrument panel, the heater goes on and off on it's own, then the instrument panel goes black, speedometer shows zero and car goes into shutdown mode. I was put in risk while driving without a speedometer and other vehicles near me were put into risk; when I pull over and stop the vehicle it strands me and I need a tow. This has happened randomly many times; I took it to FORD for repair, they didn't know how to fix the problem, my car was at FORD for 6 weeks! and I was without a car all that time, now 3 months later it's doing the same thing! I have videos of it happening along with the pictures I'm posting here, it is very scary when it's happening while driving and it's scary being stranded in unsafe places having to wait for a tow. This issue is Unresolved and DANGEROUS, I need FORD to get more involved.
2013 FORD C-MAX
ID: 2073884VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING the dashboard instrument panel beeps and flashes the word "Put in Park" and "Stop Safely Now", and the speedometer stops working, all kinds of warning lights start flashing on and off on the instrument panel, the heater goes on and off on it's own, then the instrument panel goes black, speedometer shows zero and car goes into shutdown mode. I was put in risk while driving without a speedometer and other vehicles near me were put into risk; when I pull over and stop the vehicle it strands me and I need a tow. This has happened randomly many times; I took it to FORD for repair, they didn't know how to fix the problem, my car was at FORD for 6 weeks! and I was without a car all that time, now 3 months later it's doing the same thing! I have videos of it happening along with the pictures I'm posting here, it is very scary when it's happening while driving and it's scary being stranded in unsafe places having to wait for a tow. This issue is Unresolved and DANGEROUS, I need FORD to get more involved.