2015 Ford C-MAX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other C-MAX years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Ford C-MAX. That ranks 3rd out of 6 C-MAX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is back over prevention (9 complaints, 16%), typically at around 105,917 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 9 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 55owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 Ford C-MAX 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back Over Prevention | 9 | 16% | 105,917 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 16% | 38,173 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 16% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 13% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 11% | 79,612 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 11% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 7% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 5% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 4% | 43,922 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 4% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 4% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% | 36,725 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 Ford C-MAX recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driverâs view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
Power train:shift linkage/cable/rod; power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: 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.
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: 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.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
Equipment:electrical
Problem: 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.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current cord with a new 120V convenience cord with a thermistor, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S24.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: 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.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.
Electrical system:ignition
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 1, 2014, to June 12, 2015, Ford Focus vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, to June 12, 2015, and Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured April 22, 2014, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: If the engine does not turn off as expected, someone could move the transmission shifter out of park and the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C06.
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
- 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 2015 Ford C-Max. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera image was blank or black, and the image…
The contact owned a 2015 Ford C-Max. The contact stated that upon accelerating from a complete stop at a traffic light, the vehicle ahead suddenly slammed on the brakes and was rear-ended by the contact's vehicle. The contact's forehead struck the steering wheel before the front driver's side air…
The contact owns a 2015 Ford C-Max. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the rear-view camera displayed an upside-down…
See attached document for complaint
See attached document for complaint
Other Ford C-MAX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 C-MAX | 10 | 1 |
| 2017 C-MAX | 15 | 1 |
| 2016 C-MAX | 23 | 3 |
| 2015 | 55 | 6 |
| 2014 C-MAX | 80 | 8 |
| 2013 C-MAX | 187 | 8 |
See all Ford C-MAX problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Ford C-MAX?
Owners most often report back over prevention, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, back over prevention, accounts for 9 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 Ford C-MAX?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 Ford C-MAX a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other C-MAX model years, the 2015 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.