Ford C-max energi problems
The Ford C-Max (stylized as Ford C-MAX and previously called the Ford Focus C-Max) is a car produced by the Ford Motor Company from 2003 to 2019. It has a five-door compact multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) design. The Ford Grand C-Max has a longer wheelbase.
Ford introduced the C-Max in the United States as its first hybrid-only line of vehicles, which includes the C-Max Hybrid, released in September 2012, and the C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid, launched in October 2012. Although the C-Max was initially available only in Europe, the first generation was partially available in New Zealand.
First generation (2003)
The Ford Focus C-Max is preceded by the eponymous show car, which was designed by Daniel Paulin and unveiled at the 2002 Paris Motor Show.
C-Max Mk I was the first product to use the Ford C1 platform, also used by the Ford Focus Mk II and the compact MPV Premacy/Mazda5. Its internal code name is C214.
It seats five passengers and has a large amount of cargo space, which can be increased by folding the rear seats flat. Some models feature diagonally sliding outer rear seats. It also shares the control blade independent rear suspension from the Focus.
Social links
Ford C-max energi model years
Common Ford C-max energi problems
Based on complaints from owners of the Ford C-Max Energi, several common problems have been reported:
- Transmission Failure: Some owners have reported transmission failures in the 2013 C-Max Energi, which can result in drivability issues and potentially costly repairs.
- Charging Problems: Complaints have been made about the 2014 C-Max Energi not keeping a charge, indicating potential issues with the charging system or battery.
- Electrical Issues: The Ford C-Max Hybrid, which shares similarities with the Energi model, has been noted for electrical problems, suggesting a broader concern with the electrical systems in these vehicles.
- MyFord Touch System: Consumers have raised complaints about the MyFord Touch infotainment system being confusing and difficult to operate, impacting the overall user experience of the vehicle.
- Stalling: Some drivers have experienced stalling issues with the Ford C-Max Energi, which can pose safety risks and lead to inconvenience on the road.
These reported problems highlight a range of issues that Ford C-Max Energi owners have faced, from electrical and battery-related concerns to transmission and operational issues. Addressing these issues promptly and through authorized dealerships is crucial to ensure the safety and reliability of these vehicles.
How long does a Ford C-Max Energi battery last?
The make and model of your hybrid vehicle can affect its battery's life, but as a general rule the hybrid battery in Ford vehicles is warrantied to last roughly 8 years or to 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, under normal driving conditions.
Is there any problem with the Ford C-Max?
The C-Max Mk2 also has problems that include a loose door frame weather strip, leaky manual transmissions, coolant pump leaks, and a failure of the keyless entry system. However, don't worry, because here we explain what the issues involve and how the DIY mechanic can save large sums of money by repairing them at home.
How reliable is the Ford C-Max Hybrid?
The severity and frequency of repairs are both much lower than other vehicles, so the C-Max is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road.
What is the recall on the Ford C-Max transmission?
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.
Recalls Ford C-max energi
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 1 recalls for different components of the Ford C-max energi.You can explore the year of the Volkswagen Jetta you are interested in by selecting it from the list.
- Model: Ford C-max energi 2013
- Report Received Date: 2013-10-17
- Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
- Summary: 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."
- Consequence: 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.
Latest negative Ford C-max energi car reviews
Latest positive Ford C-max energi car reviews
-
Vehicle year: 2016
Using it almost exclusively on electric mode. I make a lot of short trips and can go about 24 miles in all electric mode. Great rebates from Ford, Federal government and State of California. My utility company will pay for charging the first year and after that on all-electric mode it is about 1.5 cents per mile. I am very happy with the car.
-
Vehicle year: 2016
I have a 2015 Ford C-Max Energi with 20,000 miles on it. The C-Max is a great car that only requires an oil change every 10,000 miles, which costs around $40. It has peppy acceleration and handles well, making for a comfortable ride. The power adjustable leather driver’s seat is also super comfortable. The dealer convinced me to buy the premium extended warranty because it’s a $32,000 car, but with the $10,000 credit available in CA, I was able to get it for only $22,000. For driving comfort, handling, and reliability, I give it 5 stars. The only downside is the NAV and clunky radio interface, but the 2017 models have a better system. I looked at the Nissan Leaf, but it has a low range and lower crash test. The Chev Volt is more of a sports car, low to the ground, and only seats 4, while the 2017 C-Max seats 5 if your passengers are small. The C-Max is higher like a Honda CRV and has lots of headroom for tall people. Short people will like that the driver’s seat adjusts way up. The backup camera works well, and it’s nice to be able to swing your foot to open the power lift gate. The key fob is big, but it never needs to leave your pocket or purse. The trunk space is small, but you'd be amazed at what you can fit in the C-Max. I can fit 2 adults, 3 kids, a large cooler with drinks and snacks, 5 folding beach chairs, 1 beach tent and umbrella, 5 beach towels, and 3 foam boogie boards. The C-Max Energi is only cost-effective if you get good rebates and have cheap electricity under .15 per Kilowatt. Otherwise, you're better off just buying a C-Max Hybrid or Fusion Hybrid. I use one tank of gas per month at $33. I plug in whenever the car is in the driveway so I can do all my local driving using the electricity from the solar system. I was getting ripped off and paying .40 kwh, but now I have solar, so it’s about .09 kwh. I also installed the 220V charger, so it only takes 2.5 hours for a full charge. I can go 18-22 miles on only electric. The yearly cost for 15,000 miles, based on $2.60 for gas and...For the C-Max Energy, using 15 kwh with 60% highway and 40% local driving, you can expect to pay around $800 for gas and electricity. The C-Max Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid will cost you approximately $1000 per year. If you use solar power, like I do, you can save a lot on fuel costs. My annual fuel cost is only $396 for gas and $240 for electricity, which comes to a total of $640 per year.
-
Vehicle year: 2016
Sept. 2019: Hi there! Just wanted to give you an update on my earlier reviews. I purchased the car brand new in Aug 2015 and have only put 55,000 miles on it. I'm happy to report that the car continues to perform well and has been very reliable. I haven't had any mechanical issues at all and the maintenance cost has been very low. I'm a bit puzzled as to why Ford decided to discontinue this model, as I've found the hybrid electric plug-in to be especially great for saving on gas. Thanks for reading!
-
Vehicle year: 2013
I purchased my C-Max Energi last May, one of the last 2013 models on the dealer's lot. I got it for well below invoice and 0% for 72 months. Originally, I was going to buy a Focus Electric, but I needed more room and was worried about range anxiety. The C-Max Energi was the smarter choice for me. Even with a battery pack in the trunk, I can fit a stroller out back, and it swallows groceries with ease. With the rear seats down, a wheelchair will fit too. I drive mostly in the city, about 80%, and 20% on the freeway. I'm achieving 120 mpge (EV mode) and 53 mpg (hybrid mode). On a 120v charge, I can go 26 miles without needing to visit the gas station. I made the right choice with this car and I love it!****UPDATED REVIEW - 09/02/16**** I've owned this car for close to 2.5 years now and I continue to love it. It's very fun to drive, handles great, and is fairly efficient too. For daily family usage, there's plenty of space to haul everything we need. My AER (Actual Electrical Range) from a single charge ranges from 23-25 miles without hyper milling. I've taken trips from OC to Santa Cruz to SF (which includes a steep grade and many hills) without any issues. I average 75 mph and get 37 MPG with EV range leftover and a little more than a quarter tank of gas left. This is with my wife, 1-year-old, luggage, and other stuff packed into the car. On the way back to LA, I observed 38 MPG. I saw 40 MPG going down and 41 MPG on the way back from a trip from OC to San Diego over the summer. For local trips from OC to Santa Monica/Hollywood/Pasadena/Costa Mesa, I observed 53 - 57 MPG. My current lifetime MPG is 150.2. I haven't looked at the Lifetime MPGe number, so I will update this later. I drive my car in pure EV mode 85% of the time since I purchased it. I only need to visit the gas station every 3-4 months.****UPDATED REVIEW - 10/16/19**** This is still a wonderful car. My current mileage is 50,972.Hey there! Just wanted to give you a quick update on my commute. Since the last time we spoke, there have been some slight changes. I also wanted to let you know that I've installed Level 2 charging at home, which has been a game-changer. Now, my AER ranges from 16-18, and I'm getting about 4.1-4.3 kWh from empty to full charge before the gas engine kicks in. I estimate that my HVB capacity is at 76%, which means it has degraded about 24%. Let me know if you have any questions!
-
Vehicle year: 2016
The car is a 'Plug-in Hybrid'. The 'Plug-In' part refers to the pure electric car that needs to be plugged into an electric power source to charge its battery. This battery powers an electric motor to drive the car. Electric-only vehicles are typically called 'EVs' and I will use EV to refer to the car in electric-only mode. Separate from the EV, the C-Max Energi is a 'Hybrid' car. The Hybrid is a car with a normal gasoline engine, but also uses the engine to charge a battery, which powers an electric motor to either drive the car on its own or supplements the gasoline engine to drive the car. This improves gas mileage, especially in stop-and-go city driving. The battery for the EV part of the C-Max Energi is good for about 20 miles on a full charge and has a 550-mile range on a full tank/charge. Prior to getting this car, I had rented several Toyota Prius models and drove them for months. They have many plusses: first, they have been on the market for over 10 years so all the kinks have been worked out; next, they have 50+ MPG gas mileage and even higher in stop-and-go city driving. Also, there are probably 15 variations of Prius to choose from. And Toyotas have legendary reliability. So, why did I go for the C-Max, a Ford, an American car? The two minuses compared to the Prius are it has lower gas mileage - 45 MPG in my first two tanks of gas - and the reliability is unknown – the model has been available for about five years. Consumer reports has the C-Max 5-10% below the Prius in reliability. But, I felt the pluses were many. Listing them quickly: it's much quieter - insulation from road noise and a longer wheelbase and larger wheels means it rides smoother/quieter. Better acceleration - while the engine is 2.0L vs. the Prius 1.8L, the C-Max is heavier cancelling out the larger engine advantage. But the C-Max combines electric and gas power when you want to accelerate, so getting on the highway quickly is no problem.The C-Max Energi has many advantages, including its roomy interior and lower cost. As an EV, it qualifies for a US$7,500 federal government tax credit, and the C-Max Energi qualifies for an additional $4,007. It also qualifies for a $1,500 rebate from California. These incentives make the car much less expensive and pushed me to get the plug-in hybrid instead of a normal hybrid. Combined with incentives from Ford, the price was very attractive and pushed me to get a C-Max Energi vs. the Prius. Before I go into the numbers in the lease, let me describe the incentives (or discounts) from Ford that totaled $12,000. These include a $4,000 tax credit for an EV, which Ford takes if you lease the car, and a $4,000 factory incentive. Additionally, there is a $2,500 year-end incentive and a $1,500 lease incentive. The 2016 C-Max Energy had a sticker price of $34,000. Add to it about $2,000 of taxes and fees and subtract the $12,000 in incentives, right off the bat, the car is costing me $24,000. $24,000 is the amount I am financing with lease.Ford took the $12,000 less the $2,000 tax and expense and used the remaining $10,000 as a down payment for the lease. So, I didn't have to put any money down. After looking at the monthly payments and the residual value for leases of 24, 36, and 48 months, it was clear that the 36-month lease was the most cost-effective option. Here are the numbers: Price of the car: $24,000, Deduct the end of three years’ residual value provided by Ford: $12,500, My 36 payments, including interest: $12,000, Tax on the payments: $1,000. So, I am paying $13,000 divided by 36 monthly payments (about $360 a month) and can give the car back to Ford at the end. If I want to keep the car, I pay Ford $12,500 plus tax of about $1,000 or $13,500. I have done the math and the interest rate I am paying is 4.36% per year.
Are you having problems with your Ford C-max energi?
Brice Halvorson 2025-08-04
Vehicle year: 2014
If you are considering purchasing a used or new cmax energi, it is important to be aware of potential costly problems. In my experience, I needed a $1700 rear main seal replacement to stop an oil leak and a $100 software update to prevent the car engine from turning on when the battery is full in L gear. Additionally, I recently spent $500 on tires and alignment due to bad wear. Therefore, I highly recommend having the car inspected by a mechanic before making a purchase. They should pull back the plastic cover under the engine and inspect for leaks, as well as test the car in Low gear immediately after recharging the EV battery to full and let it regen going down hill. Checking the wear on the tires is also important. On a positive note, the car has many upgrades and features that my wife and I both enjoy. As someone who has owned electric, plug-in hybrid, and gas cars, I can attest to the lower maintenance costs and longer lifespan of electrified powertrains. However, I would caution against buying a first-year car model, as I believe the cmax energi was rushed to market without sufficient testing or R&D. It is worth noting that my odometer says 116k miles, but the car display says 82k gas engine and 34k miles electric, indicating a design flaw. A quick Google search for 'cmax rear main seal leak' will reveal many posts on cmax forums about rear main seal leaks at 28k, 48k miles, and even after repair leaking again 5k miles later. I am grateful to the reviewer who posted at 160k miles that their transmission went out and repair cost $7000, as it made me realize that my leak could become a major problem if not fixed. Overall, I hope this information helps you make an informed decision about purchasing a cmax energi.Since my car is out of warranty, I am concerned about paying $1700 for the repair, especially if it leaks again after 2 years. Even though Ford offered me a $300 discount on the repair, $1400 is still a lot of money. However, I appreciate their effort to help me out. I reminded them of my loyalty to Ford and mentioned that this would be the last Ford I buy if they can't recognize this as a design flaw or help me with the cost of repair. My car is only worth about $8000 on kbb.com with 116,000 miles, so I need to consider my options carefully. On to the tires, I recommend getting an alignment and rotating them regularly to avoid uneven wear. This will save you money in the long run. I've seen this issue in two of my C-Max cars, so it's something to pay attention to. As for the engine turning on when the battery is fully charged, I've found that leaving the car in Drive instead of Low gear helps. Apparently, it's a software issue that costs around $100 to fix, but Ford has no recall for it. Overall, I hope this information has been helpful to you.I really hope that Ford can stand behind their products and find a permanent solution to this issue. It's frustrating to have to keep going to the dealer for repairs, especially when this doesn't seem to be a common problem in other hybrids. Despite this issue, I do have respect for Ford for not taking a bailout in 2008. However, if expensive repairs continue to be a problem, it may be difficult for me to consider purchasing another Ford product in the future. It's surprising that a company with over 100 years of experience and 400 million cars built cannot design a car with a better crucial seal. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Paris Stamm 2025-07-26
Vehicle year: 2014
Hi there! I hope you're doing well. I wanted to share my experience with the C-Max Energi. I initially thought I could drive it just a few miles per day, plug it in at night, and avoid gas stations altogether. However, I ran into a bit of an issue. It turns out that while the lithium ion battery charges, the 12 volt battery that initially cranks the engine doesn't charge at the same time. As a result, if you don't drive extended miles every few days or so, the 12 volt battery will gradually be drained. I learned this the hard way when my battery died twice. According to my local dealer, this is because the Energi doesn't have an alternator. Just something to keep in mind! Let me know if you have any questions.
Brendon Flatley 2025-04-23
Vehicle year: 2013
I hope you're doing well! I wanted to share my experience with the CMax energi. While I've had some issues with the transmission making a 'whiring' sound during deceleration at around 160,000 miles, I've been fortunate to have only needed to replace the 12V 'starting battery' for $140. I've driven well over 150K miles and have only had to rotate tires and change fluids. I typically drive 200 miles per day on Southern California freeways commuting to various construction sites, and I often drive into Los Angeles, the deserts and mountains for work. Despite the high mileage, the car has been very comfortable at freeway speeds, where I drive with the flow of traffic, often 80 mph. I'm very happy with my 42+ mpg, especially considering the distances between charges. While there may be other options out there, I've found this car to be a great value overall. Thanks for listening!
Destin Baumbach 2025-04-13
Vehicle year: 2017
We signed the papers to lease this car on Saturday, August 13, 2016. The odometer read 62 miles. After familiarizing ourselves with the car, we were excited to hit the road! However, the car wouldn't start. No one knew what to do, but eventually, they got it going. The salesman explained that they reset the code. We drove home with a Ford employee following us, just in case. Thankfully, we made it home without any issues. On Wednesday, August 17th, the car wouldn't start again. This time, the odometer read 122 miles. I had the car towed to the nearest dealership and left it there. The service manager called and informed me that the 'electronic control module for hybrid' needed replacing, but unfortunately, the part was on back order. Does this mean that there is a run on this part? I was disappointed because I bought this car to replace my 14-year-old car, hoping for a reliable vehicle. I'd like to keep in touch with Ray Brisbine of CA, who seems to have had the same experience. I wonder if his problems were resolved. After two weeks, we finally got the car back from the dealer service. The service manager told us that Ford engineers called him and said the car did not need a new control module, but rather the computer needed re-programming. So, Ford engineers talked the dealer tech people through a complete re-programming of my c-max energi. We've had it back for four days now, and it is running well. We hope that this is 'the fix'. The service manager said that they have gotten a recall for all c-max energi cars, probably for this reprogramming. We still have a minor problem: holding the lock sensor area for a second does not work to lock the doors. However, unlocking does work. Despite these issues, we found the Ford dealership to be very helpful during this period, even giving us a lender car to keep for the duration of the repair.
Geovanni Hansen 2025-04-05
Vehicle year: 2014
I hope you're doing well! I wanted to share my experience with the CMax energi. While I've had some issues with the transmission making a 'whiring' sound during deceleration at around 160,000 miles, I've been fortunate to have only needed to replace the 12V 'starting battery' for $140. I've driven well over 150K miles and have only had to rotate tires and change fluids. I typically drive 200 miles per day on Southern California freeways commuting to various construction sites, and I often drive into Los Angeles, the deserts and mountains for work. Despite the high mileage, the car has been very comfortable at freeway speeds, where I drive with the flow of traffic, often 80 mph. I'm very happy with my 42+ mpg, especially considering the distances between charges. While there may be other options out there, I've found this car to be a great value overall. Thanks for listening!