Body & structure
Filed Mar 31, 2026
The rear impact bar is completely disintegrated and is falling off of the subframe due to extreme rust. There is either no or very little amount of rust on the entirety of the rest of the vehicle. The impact bar is either manufactured with incorrect materials or is otherwise defective. The impact absorber is attached to the impact bar and due to the integrity of the impact bar being destroyed, the crumple zone in the rear of the vehicle will not work as intended and the safety systems would not perform as intended. The impact absorber is not sitting correctly as attached to the impact bar and major portions of the impact bar are missing due to extreme rust. This is currently available for inspection but is going to be repaired soon. A review of forums, like Reddit, online reveal that other owners of this generation of Cmax have had rusted out impact bars in the rear and have failed state safety inspection. This vehicle was never in an accident.
- NHTSA ID
- 11728197
- Incident
- Mar 30, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Feb 2, 2022
2013 Ford C-Max Energi Rear Door Interior Trim Panel detaches due to a faulty retainer clip and interferes with rear door closure. My door appeared closed, but during a right hand turn, the rear passenger door opened unexpectedly and ejected passenger contents onto the carriageway. Ford TSB-14-0030 "Rear Door Trim Panels Loose" describes a retainer clip that causes the rear door trim panel to detach (and interfere with safe operation of the passenger doors).
- NHTSA ID
- 11450062
- Incident
- Jul 3, 2021
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Jan 7, 2022
Lift gate opens randomly when vehicle is off.
- NHTSA ID
- 11446674
- Incident
- Jan 1, 2022
Body & structure
Filed Aug 9, 2020
MY DOOR LATCHES BROKE FOR SECOND TIME, IN TWO YEAR. FORD SAY IT IS MY PROBLEM, BECAUSE REPAIRS WERE DONE.
- NHTSA ID
- 11344223
- Incident
- Jul 30, 2020
- Mileage
- 130,000 mi
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Jun 13, 2020
THE DRIVER'S REAR DOOR LOCK DOES NOT CLOSE THE DOOR. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE SERVICE ON A PREVIOUS CALL RELATED TO LOCKS. THE WORK WAS REPORTEDLY DONE. AFTER OBSERVING THE WEAR OF THE LOCK ELEMENTS, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE ORIGINAL LOCKS. MAYBE THE DEALER CHARGED THE CAR MANUFACTURER FOR THE REPAIR AND NEVER REPLACED THE LOCKS WITH THE CORRECT ONES. I AM AFRAID TO USE THE CAR WHEN THE BACK DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 11328663
- Incident
- Jun 10, 2020
- Mileage
- 118,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 4, 2019
THE INNER DOOR PANEL ON BOTH REAR DOORS WARPS AND STICKS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR FRAME MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE REAR DOORS. THE ONLY OPTION FROM FORD WAS TO REPLACE BOTH DOOR PANELS WHICH COST $400 EACH + LABOR. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE SPECIFICALLY ON THE 2013 MODEL BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL.
- NHTSA ID
- 11286846
- Incident
- Nov 1, 2019
- Mileage
- 53,086 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 8, 2019
MY REAR PASSENGER'S DOOR LATCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. IT IS KEEPING THE DOOR CLOSED BUT NOT EVEN TO LOCK THE DOOR. WHEN I LOCK THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB IT BEEPS TWICE WHICH WOULD INDICATE A DOOR IS NOT CLOSED PROPERLY AND IS NOT SECURELY LOCKED. ALTHOUGH ON THE DASH IT IS NOT INDICATING A DOOR IS NOT CLOSED.
- NHTSA ID
- 11278898
- Incident
- Nov 1, 2019
Body & structure
Filed Sep 4, 2019
CAR, PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, FAILED TO START BECAUSE OF A DEAD BATTERY. HOOD LATCH IN VEHICLE FAILED TO WORK (AFTER BEING REPLACED ONCE <1 YEAR BEFORE). COULD NOT OPEN HOOD TO ACCESS DEAD BATTERY. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD. WAS ADVISED BY DEALER THAT HOOD CANNOT BE OPENED WITHOUT BREAKING FRONT GRILL AND PAYING FOR EXTENSIVE REPAIR. IF HOOD HANDLE MALFUNCTIONS, THERE IS NO SECONDARY ACCESS TO OPEN THE HOOD. REPAIRS COST IN EXCESS OF $1300 TO REPLACE HOOD LATCH CABLE ASSEMBLY ($200) AND THE HOOD LATCH HANDLE ($60), AS WELL A THE REPAIR OF BODY DAMAGE INCURRED BY BODY SHOP BREAKING THE GRILL TO ACCESS THE HOOD LATCH. VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR USE FOR 22 DAYS. PRODUCT DEFECT: HOOD LATCH IS PRONE TO FAILURE AND NOT ACCESSIBLE DURING EMERGENCY. IF PULL HANDLE BREAKS IN CAR, HOOD CANNOT BE OPENED WITHOUT MAJOR BODY DAMAGE. NO ACCESS FROM UNDER OR FRONT OF CAR IS AVAILABLE. EXPENSIVE DAMAGE MUST BE DONE TO THE VEHICLE, THEN REPAIRED DUE TO THIS DESIGN FLAW.
- NHTSA ID
- 11253152
- Incident
- Aug 12, 2019
- Mileage
- 53,462 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 1, 2018
WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME FROM A SHORT DRIVE, THE DRIVER SIDE, REAR PASSENGER DOOR WOULD ONLY OPEN 4 OR 5 INCHES. AFTER PASSENGER EXITED (ANOTHER DOOR) WE TRIED AGAIN. SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN IT, THIS TIME IT OPENED ONLY AN INCH. IT APPEARS THE INSIDE PANEL IS LOOSE AND IS PREVENTING HINGE FROM OPERATING.
- NHTSA ID
- 11115127
- Incident
- Jul 31, 2018
- Mileage
- 65,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 13, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR INTERIOR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR PANEL WAS LOOSE AND CAUSED THE DOOR NOT TO OPEN CORRECTLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOOR PANEL NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10954262
- Incident
- Jul 2, 2016
- Mileage
- 40,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 7, 2016
THE REAR HATCH BECOMES UNLATCHED WHEN A BUMP IN THE ROAD, EVEN A SMALL RAISED ONE, IS DRIVEN OVER. I HAVE INFORMED THE LOCAL DEALER OF THIS. THE HATCH DOOR DOES NOT FULLY UNHINGE TO OPEN.
- NHTSA ID
- 10924631
- Incident
- Apr 30, 2016
- Mileage
- 30,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 22, 2014
TOOK MY CAR FOR SERVICE, DEFECTIVE TRUNK LID RELEASE MECHANISM AND RECALL 14S04. SERVICE DONE. TRUNK DONE BUT AGAIN NOT WORKING - THIS THE 3RD ATTEMPT THAT HAS FAILED. I WAS TOLD BY SERVICE DEPT THAT RECALL DID NOT REQUIRE ATTENTION. I AM DISSATISFIED WITH RIVERTOWNFORD IN COLUMBUS, GA, AND WISH TO REGISTER THEIR INEPTITUDE IN HANDLING POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY MATTERS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10660183
- Incident
- Nov 18, 2014
- Mileage
- 5,030 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Jul 19, 2014
THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS MISALIGNED, BENT UPWARD AND OUT, NOT MEETING THE DOOR PANEL/TOP OF DASH PROPERLY AS DOES THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS MISALIGNMENT CREATES A GAP BETWEEN THE DASH AND DOOR PANEL, NORMALLY LESS THAN A PENCIL WIDTH, OF NEARLY A HANDS WIDTH. ALSO, THE GAP BETWEEN TOP OF THE DASH, NORMALLY FLUSH WITH THE OTHER DASH MOLDINGS, IS POPPED UP 1/2 INCH OR MORE. THIS INCONSISTENT ALIGNMENT IS VERIFIED BY VIEWING OTHER C-MAX VEHICLES. MY CONCERN BESIDES THE QUALITY OF FITMENT IS THE AIRBAG ALIGNMENT DURING A CRASH. IS THIS MISALIGNMENT AN ISSUE FOR AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT TO THE CORRECT ANGLE AND IF SO WOULD THIS CAUSE INJURY BEYOND THE INCIDENTAL INJURY CAUSED BY NORMAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10614693
- Incident
- Feb 1, 2013
- Mileage
- 1,500 mi
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.