2013 Ford C-Max Engine Problems

I took it to the Ford dealership and they diagnosed it as having a parasitic draw from the 12 V battery when the car is shut down so when you go to get into the car if the battery is dead, they will fix it for $425 however, this problem was a recall in 2013 and my car did have a recall done to it. However, the issue is still going on therefore I feel as though the customer should not be charged. My car broke down going up the canyon and it told me to pull over safely, which I did going up the hill, but it was on an exit and it was a dangerous situation as I could not even turn on my flashers. This has been a known issue with the Ford C max since 2013 and since their software program then did not correct the problem and now they want to update the software why should the cost come from the Consumer?

NHTSA ID

11721095

Incident

Feb 25, 2026

Engine light came on. Mechanic said 2 codes showed up. One for low coolant, another for engine misfiring. The misfiring code had come on several times in past and spark plugs were replaced. Upon inspection was told the engine block is cracked due to faulty design. I will need a new engine!

NHTSA ID

11690446

Incident

Sep 29, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH in the rain, the windshield wipers became inoperable, and the headlights inadvertently turned off. The contact stated that the horn would beep independently but failed to operate while depressed. Additionally, the heater and A/C unit became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle also failed to start. The contact had to jump start the vehicle on several occasions. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA ID

11497421

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

Mileage

110,000 mi

Vehicle engine light remain on forcing the vehicle to only operate in engine mode. Vehicle is a plug in hybrid vehicle and because of the engine light will not switch back to plug in or hybrid mode. Vehicle is available to inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11485402

Incident

Sep 19, 2022

CAR WILL STALL AND BRAKES AND STEERING LOCK UP. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. IT ALWAYS OCCURS WHEN ON A HILL. VERY DANGEROUS BUT FORD DENIES ANY PROBLEMS. IT HAS OCCURRED SINCE 2014. LAST TIME WAS AS BELOW

NHTSA ID

11387933

Incident

Jan 5, 2021

Mileage

125,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STALLED. WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THAT SAYS, STOP SAFELY NOW. THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS LUCKY BECAUSE THAT PUT ME IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. FINALLY GOT IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND MODULE-ENGINE CONTROL. PCM GET TOO HOT AND THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE 10.14.20 AND HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AND THERE STILL IS NOT ETA. PART IS ON BACKORDER. THIS CAR HAS BEEN TAG A LEMON AND IT SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SOLD. I DIDN'T KNOW THIS PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11374650

Incident

Oct 14, 2020

Mileage

71,114 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HER HUSBAND DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR AN HOUR, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT WAS THEN INFORMED THAT AN UNKNOWN MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CROWN FORD (247 SUNRISE HWY, LYNBROOK, NY 11563, (516) 825-8300) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT AN UNKNOWN MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED RECALL WAS EXPIRED.*JB

NHTSA ID

11330589

Incident

Dec 1, 2019

Mileage

104,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR STALLED AND DISPLAYED A MESSAGE THAT SAID TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER SAFELY. THE DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE. THERE WERE NO OTHER WARNING SIGNS PRIOR. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328027

Incident

Jun 9, 2020

Mileage

80,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY CAR LOST POWER AND A "STOP SAFETLY NOW" WARNING POPPED UP ON MY SPEEDOMETER. I MANAGED TO GET TO SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AND STOPPED THE CAR. I LOOKING ONLINE FOR A SOLUTION AND I READ THAT I CAN TURN ON AND OFF THE CAR A COUPLE TIMES AND THAT WILL FIX IT. I READ THERE WAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THERE WAS A RECALL TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE PART. THE FORD C-MAX HAS THE SAME ISSUE BUT WAS NEVER ISSUED A RECALL. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE SINCE IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE ON THE FREEWAY AND I HAVE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND ACCELERATION. FORD SHOULD ISSUE THE RECALL TO THE C-MAX AS FOR THE "STOP SAFETLY NOW" ISSUE ON THEIR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

11155711

Incident

Dec 3, 2018

Mileage

180,000 mi

THE BATTERY 12V IS UNEXPECTEDLY DISCHARGED VIA THE TCU MODULE (MODEM) GM5Z-14G229-BD. THE DRIVER CAN NOT START THE CAR. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO THE MENTIONED PROBLEM REMAINED. THE DEALER DID NOT COMPLY WITH TSB 16-0157 AND DID NOT REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART. FORD DOES NOT SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF REPAIRING THE PROBLEM. MODULE NUMBER GM5Z-14G229-BD.I ALREADY HAD PROBLEMS TWICE. ONCE IN THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND ONCE AT WORK.

NHTSA ID

11128325

Incident

Jun 6, 2018

WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING. AN WARNING LIGHT COMES ON SAYING"STOP SAFELY NOW". BRAKES AND STEERING ARE NOT AFFECTED SO I CAN PULL OVER TO THE SIDE. ONCE THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IT WILL RUN NORMALLY.

NHTSA ID

11004091

Incident

Jul 7, 2017

Mileage

115,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE WEEKS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC; HOWEVER; THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

NHTSA ID

10884517

Incident

Jul 30, 2014

Mileage

300 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON INSTRUCTING ME TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP. WHEN I DID PULLED OVER, I SET THE GEARSHIFT IN "PARK" MODE, AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE PROBLEMS THAT DAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, I NOTICED THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE ENGINE ( BOTH ELECTRIC AND GASOLINE) SHUT OFF SUDDENLY AND I LOST ALL POWER MOMENTARILY, THEN TURNED ON AS IF NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY LATELY AND I DISCOVERED THAT WHEN I POSITION THE GEARSHIFT JUST PAST THE DRIVE MODE, THE PROBLEM STOPS. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT IS SET JUST PAST PARK, THE CAR NEVER LOSES POWER. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR IN JANUARY 2015, I WAS TOLD THAT THE GEARSHIFT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AND FURTHERMORE THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF MARCH (IT'S ON BACKORDER). *TR

NHTSA ID

10704268

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

60,000 mi

WE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN BEFORE TAKING A LEFT TURN ON TO TEXAS 77, WHEN I STARTED THE GAS MOTOR FAILED TO START BUT THE ELECTRIC CARRIED US FORWARD TO THE CENTER LINE. A WARRING CAME UP A TRIANGLE WITH ! TELL US TO STOP BUT OF COURSE WE WERE ON THE CENTER LINE. AN 18 WHEELER WAS COMING FAST BEHIND US AND WAS ABLE TO PASS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD AS NO CARS WERE COMING. COULD HAVE BEEN A MAYOR ACCIDENT. I HAVE BUT TOLD BY FORD DEALER THAT THE GAS MOTOR WHICH CYCLES OFF DID NOT START. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.. AS OF TODAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I AN AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR EVEN THOUGH I LIKE IT VERY MUCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10694302

Incident

Mar 9, 2015

Mileage

6,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FAILED AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,400.

NHTSA ID

10668308

Incident

Dec 13, 2014

Mileage

3,400 mi

THE LOSS OF POWER INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 27, 2014, WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH IN THE FAST LANE OF THE 405 FREEWAY AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE 405 AND 5 FREEWAYS IN LOS ANGELES, CA. THE FORD C MAX 2013 SUDDENLY DROPPED FROM 70 MPH TO LESS THAN 5 MPH. THE CAR WARNING MESSAGE ON THE DASH READ: "STOP SAFELY". DUE TO THE COURTESY OF THE MANY DRIVERS ON THE FREEWAY AT 7 IN THE MORNING, THE CAR CROSSED 4 TO 5 LANES OF FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, IN A LIMITED OPERATING MODE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AN HOUR, ENDING AT THE ON-RAMP FOR CARS ENTERING THE FREEWAY. THE CAR WAS STOPPED BUT NOT TURNED OFF. AT THAT POINT THE FUEL HISTORY DISPLAY WAS BLANK FOR THE LAST FIVE MINUTES. AFTER WAITING APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 5 MINUTES, THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND APPEARED TO RUN NORMALLY. IMMEDIATELY, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST FORD SERVICE CENTER, GALPIN FORD IN SHERMAN OAKS, CALIFORNIA FOR ASSISTANCE AND DIAGNOSIS. THE GALPIN SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT LOCATE A COMPUTER CODE THAT RELATED TO THE PROBLEM. AFTER LEAVING GALPIN FORD, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN 350 MILES TO WALNUT CREEK, CA WITH NO POWER ISSUES. THE NEXT DAY, THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS CONTACTED AT WALNUT CREEK FORD (WHERE THE CAR WAS LEASED ON MARCH 27, 2014). THE SERVICE MANAGER THERE INDICATED IF THERE WAS NO COMPUTER CODE FOR THE PROBLEM, NO DIAGNOSIS COULD BE MADE UNTIL THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED AGAIN. AS OF JUNE 11, 2014, THE LOSS OF POWER ISSUE HAS NOT RECURRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10597744

Incident

May 27, 2014

Mileage

2,645 mi

UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS, MY HUSBAND BUMPED THE IGNITION KEY WITH HIS KNEE AND THE CAR TURNED OFF. HE QUICKLY FIGURED OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED IT AND WE CONTINUED ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10596907

Incident

May 30, 2014

Mileage

16,800 mi