2018 Ford C-MAX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other C-MAX years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 6th of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford C-MAX. That ranks 6th out of 6 C-MAX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (2 complaints, 20%). Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 10owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 20% | 46,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 20% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 10% | 14,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 10% | 9,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 10% | 46,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Ford C-MAX recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I recently rear ended a car and the front of the vechical was damaged. The air bag censor was destroyed, however the airbags did not come out. This was on a 2018 Ford c-max. Many people pointed out this malfunction and how my life was put at risk.
I totalled my car. The steering wheel airbag failed to inflate
The contact owns a 2018 Ford C-MAX Hybrid. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop at a red light, the vehicle inadvertently stalled and lost motive power. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle seemed to return to normal functionality; however, the failure had since become a…
Steering locks to the point that it can't turn. Happened while driving. Unknown cause. Warning light came on for driver to park. Issue unresolved and can no longer drive car.
Recently, there has been a whiff of gasoline around my garage but there is more than one vehicle in there so I didn't figure out what the culprit was for a while. After completely filling up my car 9/3/2022, I parked it in the attached garage and in minutes my whole house smelled like gasoline. So…
Other Ford C-MAX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 10 | 1 |
| 2017 C-MAX | 15 | 1 |
| 2016 C-MAX | 23 | 3 |
| 2015 C-MAX | 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 2018 Ford C-MAX?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, steering problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Ford C-MAX?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 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 2018 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.