2013 Ford C-max energi problems

General information about Ford-C-max energi
Overview of popular issues
Recalls list
Negative car reviews
Positive car reviews

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.

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Common 2013 Ford C-max energi problems

The 2013 Ford C-Max Energi has been reported to have several common problems, primarily related to the electrical system, transmission, and battery.

Not keeping charge: Similar to the dead battery issue, some owners have reported problems with the car not keeping charge. This issue has been reported for the 2016 C-Max Energi, but it is possible that it could also affect the 2013 model. This problem can be caused by a faulty battery or issues with the car's electrical system.

Transmission failure: Transmission failure has been reported for the 2013 C-Max Energi, with 3 complaints specifically for this model year. This problem can be caused by a variety of factors, including wear and tear, lack of maintenance, or manufacturing defects.

Fault in charging message: Some owners have reported a fault in charging message for the 2014 C-Max Energi, which could indicate issues with the car's charging system. This problem can be caused by a faulty charging cable, issues with the car's electrical system, or problems with the battery.

MyFord Touch system: The MyFord Touch system, which was introduced in 2010, has been a source of frustration for many Ford owners. This system, which was designed to be an all-in-one communication and entertainment system, has been criticized for its poor user interface, frequent malfunctions, and lack of support from Ford dealers.

In-car electronics: Several owners have reported problems with the car's in-car electronics, including issues with the sound system, GPS, and Bluetooth connectivity. These problems can be caused by a variety of factors, including software bugs, hardware issues, or problems with the car's electrical system.

Transmission issues: Some owners have reported transmission issues, including problems with shifting and transmission failure. These problems can be caused by wear and tear, lack of maintenance, or manufacturing defects.

In summary, the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi has several common problems, primarily related to the electrical system, transmission, and battery. These issues can be caused by a variety of factors, including wear and tear, lack of maintenance, manufacturing defects, or software bugs. If you are considering purchasing a 2013 Ford C-Max Energi, it is important to be aware of these common problems and to have the car inspected by a qualified mechanic before making a purchase.

Is the Ford C-Max Energi reliable?

The current Consumer reports Used Car Guide recommends the C-Max as “a hidden used car gem.” Avoid the 2013 model year, though. Transmissions on the Hybrid (not Energi) model were failure-prone before 2015. I own a 2014 C-Max Hybrid and a 2017 C-Max Energi, both for about six years now.

How long does a 2013 Ford C-Max hybrid battery last?

Average Lifespan: Hybrid batteries typically have a lifespan of 100,000 to 200,000 miles. Warranty Coverage: Most hybrid car manufacturers offer warranties that cover the hybrid battery for up to 8 years or 100,000 miles.

Is there any problems with 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.

Is there any recalls on 2013 C-Max Ford?

Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety recall for approximately 850,000 (actual 850,050) 2013-2014 Ford C-MAX, Fusion, Escape and Lincoln MKZ vehicles in North America for a potential issue with the restraints control module.

How long does a 2013 Ford C-Max hybrid battery last?

Is there any problems with Ford C-Max?

Is there any recalls on 2013 C-Max Ford?

Is the Ford C-Max reliable?

Ford C-MAX reliability

The Ford C-MAX was rated a little above average for reliability in our 2017 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey of cars currently on sale in the UK. Of the owners who responded, 11.1% reported experiencing a problem with their car on at least one occasion.

2013 Ford C-max energi complaints

The NHTSA has received 0 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2013 Ford C-max energi.

You can leave your car complaint via the special form below.

2013 Ford C-max energi recalls

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 1 recalls for different components of the 2013 Ford C-max energi.

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.

Negative 2013 Ford C-max energi car reviews

Guiseppe Shields 2024-10-18

Hi there! I bought this car 2 months ago and have been driving it to and from work mostly. I really like the concept of a plugin hatchback. The car handles fairly well and the motors work great. However, I have to admit that the electronics still need some work. The charging software, navigation, and voice recognition are not up to par yet and have made the experience less enjoyable for me.
Hadley Simonis 2024-09-02

This is my second Ford, and while I appreciate the good gas mileage, I have unfortunately had some issues with it. In the past 3 months, I have had to take it in for service three times due to an oil leak, a rear passenger door that repeatedly falls off, and a front passenger window that requires multiple attempts to close. Additionally, a plastic cover in the back seat fell off while I was taking it in for service. As a result, I am feeling frustrated and disappointed with my purchase, especially since I paid a lot for this car. While I cannot recommend the C-Max based on my experience, I hope that others have better luck with it.
Johnson Lakin 2024-08-23

I've had my CMAX for almost a year and put 14K miles on it. Unfortunately, it's currently at the dealership waiting for a high voltage controller that is backordered with no estimated time of arrival. While I wait, I'm driving a base model Ford Focus instead of my loaded CMAX. I'm hoping it doesn't take longer than 30 days, as I may have to file a lemon law claim. Despite this setback, I still think the car is great. However, it's frustrating that Ford won't provide a decent loaner or return my calls. I was eventually able to reach someone higher up at Ford and had a Ford Escape for a little over a month. Since getting my car back, it has worked fine, except for the voice commands using Sync. Even simple commands like 'Call Home' result in 'unknown, please repeat.' Saying 'Call Jim' brings up a list of names, but none of them are Jim. The gas mileage is okay, but I do wish the battery was a little bigger.
Dashawn Blanda 2024-05-05

I've noticed that many people seem to be happy with their Cmax Energi, so perhaps we just got unlucky with our purchase. We chose this car because it would allow me to use the commuter lane, and at the time, there were no all-electric options (other than Tesla) that I felt comfortable relying on for my daily commute. Here's my take after driving it for about 4 years and putting 60k miles on it. Fuel economy - Unfortunately, the battery has never taken me as far as Ford claimed it would, whether I'm driving on the freeway or local streets. I'm lucky to get 13-14 miles on a charge, and I was expecting 20+ based on what the dealer and the Ford brochure suggested. Comfort - The ride is much harsher, and the seats are not as comfortable as what we were used to with our 2004 Prius. The tires are lower profile, and while it's touted as being sportier than our old Prius, it's really not a comfortable ride for long trips. Road noise - It's very noisy, especially on stretches of freeway that are concrete instead of asphalt. I tried to find replacement tires that might help the issue, but the difference is minimal at best. FYI - it's not recommended to use chains or cable chains in the snow due to the very low clearance of the front tires. Interior layout - Some of the controls are in odd places, in my opinion. Even after 4 years of driving the car, it still doesn't feel natural. Infotainment system - The voice recognition is terribly inconsistent, and asking the car to do anything from dialing a phone number to finding a destination has been very unreliable. If you turn the car off with the radio on, you wouldn't expect it to come back on with the same station when you get back in the car, would you? Unfortunately, ours doesn't. Three-quarters of the time, it says it's on, but no audio is coming out, and the only way to get it to actually turn on is to change the station. The local dealer brushed it off like it wasn't a big deal, but it's frustrating nonetheless.The GPS software needs updating as it does not recognize roads that have been in place for 10-20 years in this area. Although the system was able to recognize the iPhone, it has had ongoing problems since switching to a new carrier and no longer using iPhones. The battery takes up a lot of storage space, but this was clear from the first time we looked at the car. Unfortunately, we recently had to pay $1350 for repairs associated with an injector failing, which was disappointing. We are also concerned about other random issues such as the AC spontaneously failing to work on hot summer days, wind noise, a dysfunctional backup camera, and the foot sensor operated lift gate rarely works as advertised (and seems to only respond to my foot which really makes my wife mad). Overall, we have had a less than satisfactory experience and will not be considering Ford products in the future. We have found that our experience with Toyota service centers has been superior to what we have experienced through Ford.
Cicero Kovacek 2024-04-25

During acceleration and deceleration, there is a noticeable and concerning sound in the drivetrain. Despite two visits to Ford service and multiple repairs and replacements of drivetrain parts, the issue remains unresolved. According to Ford, this noise is present in all Energi models. The 'MyTouch' navigation and entertainment system can be frustrating to use due to its delayed or non-responsive nature. Overall, the car's quality and operation do not meet the expectations set by its price tag. It is unfortunate that Ford's customer service is lacking, as it can be a frustrating experience to seek assistance from them.

Positive 2013 Ford C-max energi car reviews

Dell Moen 2024-10-21

I recently purchased the new C/MAX Energi and I must say, I am impressed! I was initially concerned about the power it would provide, but it did not disappoint. The car is nicely appointed and drives like a dream. However, be careful as the lack of road noise can lead you to go a little faster than you think. The seats are extremely comfortable with great lumbar support and the ride is smooth with excellent acceleration. The only downside is that there is very little storage space for long trips. On the bright side, you can go about 100 miles for the same cost of a gallon of gas, depending on where you live. Unfortunately, they are hard to find! If you are lucky enough to find one at your dealer, grab it before it's gone!
Hoyt Weissnat 2024-09-17

Firstly, this car has excellent gas mileage, especially if you plug it in every night. It's comfortable, quiet, and easy to get into. However, the sync system by Microsoft has some issues. Unfortunately, the myFord touch system, which allows you to monitor your car's performance and program certain features using your cell phone, does not work as advertised. It operates on the outdated 2G cell system, which is currently being dismantled by At&t, rendering many of the features useless. Additionally, it fails to sync with my phone properly. If you're only interested in great gas mileage and don't care about the myford touch features, then it's still a good car. However, if you have high expectations for the info-entertainment system, you may be disappointed. This keeps me from loving the car, and I feel like Ford may have misled me about the functionality of these features. I plan to drive it for a few more years, but I won't be purchasing any more Ford or Microsoft products.
Terry Ratke 2024-07-24

The Ford C-Max Energi has been performing flawlessly for well over seven and a half years. The car has an average lifetime mpg-e of about 65 mpge, which includes several long trips using all gas. Besides the great mileage, the car is still fun to drive, and its comfort and efficiency make it a great way to travel. The car is well-made, has great visibility, a quiet cabin, and lots of appointments that make the driving experience easy and enjoyable. We have since sold the C-Max to our daughter in California, where it can be driven in the HOV lanes, and we have replaced it with a Tesla Model Y. We hope that the Model Y will continue the tradition of reliability of our Ford.
Edmund Cole 2024-06-24

This car is everything I hoped it would be. I'm really pleased with it. I'm a first time Ford buyer and if Ford keeps making cars like this one, I'll buy more.
Randy Lind 2024-06-15

Hi there! I'm glad to hear that you're generally happy with your car. I understand that you were hoping for some additional features like memory seats, daytime running lights, and blind spot alert, but unfortunately they aren't available yet. It's a shame that the electric range isn't meeting your expectations, even with conservative driving. On the bright side, the ride and handling are excellent and the road noise is non-existent. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me!

Additional sources

More sources of information about 2013 Ford C-max energi problems:

Stay away from C-Max Energi with transmission issues? : r/cmaxhybrid

https://www.reddit.com/r/cmaxhybrid/comments/r7kzfw/stay_away_from_cmax_energi_with_transmission/

Dec 2, 2021 ... I found a 2013 C-Max Energi for $1500 that drives but needs a transmission and has a check engine light on for a faulty catalytic converter.

Buying Used 2013 C-Max Hybrid, worried about transmission issues ...

https://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/7044-buying-used-2013-c-max-hybrid-worried-about-transmission-issues/

Feb 19, 2018 ... obob · 1. Rear tire cupping - kind of agree. · 2. Brakes at 10K - strongly disagree. · 3. The dead battery problems are largely in the past. · 4.

Potentially buying a 2013 Ford C-Max SEL this week! However.... : r ...

https://www.reddit.com/r/cmaxhybrid/comments/lc74cd/potentially_buying_a_2013_ford_cmax_sel_this_week/

Feb 4, 2021 ... I've read about transmission issues some of you have had. This car has 53,000km (32k miles) this will be the first hybrid I've ever owned/drove ...

My 2013 Ford C-Max Energi Trans Issues Solved - eCVT ...

https://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/8124-my-2013-ford-c-max-energi-trans-issues-solved/

Apr 11, 2020 ... My tech remove the subframe and raised the car from the engine/trans. He checked the exterior of trans, flushed fluid and installed it and did ...