2013 Ford C-MAX Energi Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other C-MAX Energi years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 5 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi. That is the most of any C-MAX Energi model year in the database (5 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (19 complaints, 38%), typically at around 47,900 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 3 fires, 2 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 50owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 19 | 38% | 47,900 | — | — |
| Steering | 9 | 18% | 56,250 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 16% | 88,582 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 10% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 8% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 6% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 6% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 6% | 36,790 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 4% | 54,895 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% | 31,650 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 2% | 25,100 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 2% | 144,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 1 | 2% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | 9,200 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Ford C-MAX Energi recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:electrical:anti-theft devices; electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
- Door Latch Failures (RQ19005) — opened Dec 19, 2019, closed Feb 7, 2022, led to recall 20V177000.
- Door Latch Failure (PE16001) — opened Jan 16, 2016, closed Oct 29, 2016, led to recall 16V643000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact received notification of NHTSA 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 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…
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…
Other Ford C-MAX Energi years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 C-MAX Energi | 10 | 0 |
| 2016 C-MAX Energi | 32 | 0 |
| 2015 C-MAX Energi | 15 | 0 |
| 2014 C-MAX Energi | 30 | 0 |
| 2013 | 50 | 1 |
See all Ford C-MAX Energi problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi?
Owners most often report electrical system, steering, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 19 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other C-MAX Energi model years, the 2013 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.