2013 Ford C-Max Problems

Summary of Safety Issue The vehicle repeatedly experiences sudden loss of propulsion while driving, accompanied by a “Stop Safely Now” warning message and various other dashboard warnings . During these events the accelerator pedal becomes completely unresponsive while the vehicle remains powered, indicating a failure of the hybrid propulsion system or high-voltage battery control system. The vehicle and video footage of the failure are available for inspection upon request. Timeline of Events January 13, 2026 – The vehicle displayed a “Stop Safely Now” warning message and lost the ability to accelerate. The vehicle had to be towed to Lehighton Ford. January 21, 2026 – Paid $866.85 for repairs including battery service, Rear Control Module replacement, and PCM harness repair. Lehighton Ford stated the vehicle was repaired and safe to drive. Within minutes of leaving the dealership, the vehicle stalled again in active traffic and had to be returned. The issue was escalated to the Ford Engineering hotline and a Field Service Engineer. February 17, 2026 – The dealership attempted to return the vehicle after performing a BECM reprogramming. Upon pickup, new issues were immediately observed including near-stall conditions and hybrid system malfunction, so the vehicle was left with the dealership again. February 18, 2026 - The owner brought forth concerns about Ford’s Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 17-0015 which identifies potential damage to the traction battery interlock harness as a root cause for intermittent stalling and "Stop Safely Now" warnings. Although the dealership recorded Diagnostic Trouble Code B11D8—a fault directly related to the stall condition—the dealership later stated that no diagnostic codes relevant to the TSB were present and this component was not inspected. February 20, 2026 - Dealership claims that the vehicle has been test-driven for over 100 miles and is “functioning perfectly” and that a ‘battery rebalance’ was causing the issues experie

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?

Steering stopped working but after restarted it began to work again. It was fine for a few days and then DTC came up indicating "Service Power Steering" and the power steering has quit working.

While driving car, power steering will fail and deactivate leaving the steering extremely heavy and manual. Can happen at any speed, and has happened on the interstate at highway speeds. Information cluster states, "power steering fault - service power steering immediately" When this happens it is highly unsafe and happens instantly without warning. Makes getting the car off the road and stopped safely very difficult and dangerous. Stopping the car, turning it off fully and restarting seems to clear the fault and makes the car power steering operate as normal again. But this has happened many times since owning the car and I can find no reason when or why it gets triggered. Online searches find many other owners of this car describing the exact same issue and they share the same concerns about it being unsafe.

Summary of Safety Issue The vehicle repeatedly experiences sudden loss of propulsion while driving, accompanied by a “Stop Safely Now” warning message and various other dashboard warnings . During these events the accelerator pedal becomes completely unresponsive while the vehicle remains powered, indicating a failure of the hybrid propulsion system or high-voltage battery control system. The vehicle and video footage of the failure are available for inspection upon request. Timeline of Events January 13, 2026 – The vehicle displayed a “Stop Safely Now” warning message and lost the ability to accelerate. The vehicle had to be towed to Lehighton Ford. January 21, 2026 – Paid $866.85 for repairs including battery service, Rear Control Module replacement, and PCM harness repair. Lehighton Ford stated the vehicle was repaired and safe to drive. Within minutes of leaving the dealership, the vehicle stalled again in active traffic and had to be returned. The issue was escalated to the Ford Engineering hotline and a Field Service Engineer. February 17, 2026 – The dealership attempted to return the vehicle after performing a BECM reprogramming. Upon pickup, new issues were immediately observed including near-stall conditions and hybrid system malfunction, so the vehicle was left with the dealership again. February 18, 2026 - The owner brought forth concerns about Ford’s Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 17-0015 which identifies potential damage to the traction battery interlock harness as a root cause for intermittent stalling and "Stop Safely Now" warnings. Although the dealership recorded Diagnostic Trouble Code B11D8—a fault directly related to the stall condition—the dealership later stated that no diagnostic codes relevant to the TSB were present and this component was not inspected. February 20, 2026 - Dealership claims that the vehicle has been test-driven for over 100 miles and is “functioning perfectly” and that a ‘battery rebalance’ was causing the issues experie

I have owned this car for the last 9 years and have kept It well-maintained. For over a year, the car stalls in the midst of driving, even on a highway, leaving me the only option to find a shoulder or safe area to park. After I turn off the engine, wait for a few minutes, and turn it back on, the engine turns on just fine and I am able to drive. Lately (for about a month or so) this has been happening more frequently(every other day, sometimes twice in a short while compared to once every 3-4 weeks). A few months ago I took it to the local Ford dealership and they told me, that they would need to replace the hybrid system, with an estimated cost of $15000, which didn't make any sense as even car is not worth that much. I also called Ford customer service and even they didn't offer much and just told me something to the effect of "tough luck". I came across this post [XXX] which matches exactly with the issue I am experiencing. That particular car owner was able to get the transmission replaced by Ford, under a California law and the issue was resolved. This seems to suggest, that Ford bears the responsibility for this manufacturing fault and they should own up to it. It is not fair that after paying over $35000, for the car, the only options I am given is to either take the risk of a catastrophic accident with the car stalling in the midst of a highway (with no safe place to stop) or just junk the car. I am pleading that your department should make it a required safety recall and Ford should be required to either fix this issue, at no cost to the owners or compensate them fairly for the present value of the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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?

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!

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.

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).

Summary of Safety Issue The vehicle repeatedly experiences sudden loss of propulsion while driving, accompanied by a “Stop Safely Now” warning message and various other dashboard warnings . During these events the accelerator pedal becomes completely unresponsive while the vehicle remains powered, indicating a failure of the hybrid propulsion system or high-voltage battery control system. The vehicle and video footage of the failure are available for inspection upon request. Timeline of Events January 13, 2026 – The vehicle displayed a “Stop Safely Now” warning message and lost the ability to accelerate. The vehicle had to be towed to Lehighton Ford. January 21, 2026 – Paid $866.85 for repairs including battery service, Rear Control Module replacement, and PCM harness repair. Lehighton Ford stated the vehicle was repaired and safe to drive. Within minutes of leaving the dealership, the vehicle stalled again in active traffic and had to be returned. The issue was escalated to the Ford Engineering hotline and a Field Service Engineer. February 17, 2026 – The dealership attempted to return the vehicle after performing a BECM reprogramming. Upon pickup, new issues were immediately observed including near-stall conditions and hybrid system malfunction, so the vehicle was left with the dealership again. February 18, 2026 - The owner brought forth concerns about Ford’s Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 17-0015 which identifies potential damage to the traction battery interlock harness as a root cause for intermittent stalling and "Stop Safely Now" warnings. Although the dealership recorded Diagnostic Trouble Code B11D8—a fault directly related to the stall condition—the dealership later stated that no diagnostic codes relevant to the TSB were present and this component was not inspected. February 20, 2026 - Dealership claims that the vehicle has been test-driven for over 100 miles and is “functioning perfectly” and that a ‘battery rebalance’ was causing the issues experie

WHILE DRIVING the dashboard instrument panel beeps and flashes the word "Put in Park" and "Stop Safely Now", and the speedometer stops working, all kinds of warning lights start flashing on and off on the instrument panel, the heater goes on and off on it's own, then the instrument panel goes black, speedometer shows zero and car goes into shutdown mode. I was put in risk while driving without a speedometer and other vehicles near me were put into risk; when I pull over and stop the vehicle it strands me and I need a tow. This has happened randomly many times; I took it to FORD for repair, they didn't know how to fix the problem, my car was at FORD for 6 weeks! and I was without a car all that time, now 3 months later it's doing the same thing! I have videos of it happening along with the pictures I'm posting here, it is very scary when it's happening while driving and it's scary being stranded in unsafe places having to wait for a tow. This issue is Unresolved and DANGEROUS, I need FORD to get more involved.

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?

TURNED THE CAR ON IN A PARKING LOT AND SAW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. HAD TOTALLY LOST POWER STEERING AND ACCELERATION, AND BRAKING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. ROLLED DOWN THE PARKING LOT AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH THE PARKING BRAKE AND TURN IT OFF. TURNED IT BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR WERE BACK. DROVE THE CAR HOME AND TRIED TURNING IT ON AND OFF A FEW MORE TIMES. POWER STEERING SEEMS TO BE COMPLETELY GONE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON.

While driving, the Cmax displayed a red hazard, STOP SAFELY NOW, and lost all propulsion. The car was unable to be moved and is stranded in the driving lane.

GAS LINE LEAK UNDER CAR LEADING FROM TANK TO ENGINE. REQUIRES REMOVAL OF EXHAUST SYSTEM AND TANK TO REPLACE NEW LINE. COULD HAVE CAUSED FIRE W/ FUEL LEAKING ON TO EXHAUST SYSTEM (HAVE HAD TWO PREVIOUS FIRES IN DIFFERENT VEHICLES CAUSED BY FUEL LEAKING ONTO HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM). NO APPARENT PHYSICAL CAUSE FOR LEAK - DOES NOT SEEM TO BE COMPONENT ONE WOULD EXPECT TO LEAK OR NEED REPAIR REGARDLESS OF AGE OR MILEAGE. POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS PERSONAL AND PHYSICAL DAMAGE IF I HAD NOT SMELLED AND NOTICED LEAK. SEEMS TO ME THAT MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER OF APPARENT DEFECTIVE LINE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT REPAIR. LEAK COULD RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED CATASTROPHIC EVENT. VEHICLE HAD BEEN RECENTLY DRIVEN AND PARKED WHEN GAS SMELL WAS NOTCED AND MOVED ENOUGH TO SEE FUEL PUDDLE ON DRIVEWAY.

On March 21, after communicating several times with Yakima regarding difficulties I was having in installing the roof rack onto our car, I was able to install the racks, though the tower and clip system for the front rack were uncomfortably at the limit of extension of the drive bolt (the part of the system that applies the tension that keeps the rack on the car). With the multiple installation attempts and communication with Yakima Consumer Service I am very confident that I installed the rack consistent with Yakima instructions. Following installation the roof racks were not used to transport our kayaks until mid June. On June 16 my wife was driving on the very busy Interstate 5 close to our home in Lynnwood WA when the front rack separated from the car, impacting and damaging the roof on the way off. It was extremely lucky that no vehicle was behind her, and no accident was caused. We found remnants of the front rack on the side of the highway, and there was clear evidence that the rack had been hit by one or more vehicles. I don't know the extent of the damage to those vehicles. I called the Washington State Police to report and ask whether any incident had been reported; none had. The next day I submitted a report to Yakima about the incident. To this date I have not received any response to my report, somewhat surprising since the Consumer Service dept had been very prompt in responding to my previous communications when I was having difficulty installing the racks. Email correspondence with Yakima and photos are attached.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max. The contact received a recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V592000 (Equipment); however, the dealer informed the contact that the parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING- COPY OF A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE ADMINISTRATOR REGARDING TAKATA AIRBAGS. *SMD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V597000 (AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

THE TAIL LIGHTS HAVE TO BE MANUALLY TURNED ON WHEN LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AUTOMATICALLY AT ALL TIMES. WHAT THIS MEANS IS IF I PARK THE CAR DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS AND COME BACK WHEN DARK I OFTEN DRIVE WITHOUT TAILLIGHTS. PEOPLE HAVE YELLED AT ME AND HONKED AT ME TO TURN ON MY TAILLIGHTS WHEN DARK BECUASE THERE ARE NONE! THIS OCCURS BECAUSE I GET IN THE CAR AND START THE ENGINE AND THE LOW BEAM FRONT LIGHTS COME ON AUTOMATICALLY. THE TAIL LIGHTS HAVE TO BE TURNED ON. BUT, AS THE CMAX DOES NOT ACT TO THE STANDARD METHOD OF HEADLIGHTS MUST BE TURNED ON TO SEE IN DARK, THE TAILLIGHTS ARE FORGOTTEN. I AM NOT THE ONLY DRIVER OR MAKE OF CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. WE HAVE TRAINED OURSELVES TO TURN ON TAILLIGHTS IN MY FAMILY BUT STILL OCCURS OCCASIONALLY.

THE OUTSIDE DRIVERS SIDE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS GETTING SO HOT THE PLASTIC IS MELTING. *TR

We have a recall notice relating to the door latch that may come open while driving and the Ford dealer in Longmont, CO says they don't have parts to replace the defective door latch part. We have been waiting for several months now and the Ford dealer doesn't have the parts. We don't feel safe driving the car until this recall can be fixed.

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

LEFT REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NOT BUCKLE. WILL NOT LOCK. GRANDSON USE TO SIT IN THAT POSITION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V597000 (AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

225/57/17 driving down the interstate and the tire blew

THE LOW PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AS I WAS TAKING A TRIP OF ABOUT 65 MILES TO MY MOTHERS HOME. I STOPPED AND CHECKED THE TIRES AND HAD TO PUT AIR IN THE TWO TIRES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE LIGHT DID NOT GO OUT; BUT I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE BECAUSE I DID NOT TURN THE CAR OFF SO I CONTINUED THE LAST 3 MILES OF MY TRIP. I PARKED THE CAR AT MY MOTHERS AND VISITED FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS. WHEN I GOT READY TO LEAVE, I WALKED AROUND THE CAR AND CHECKED THE TIRES AGAIN. I DID NOT NOTE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES OR THEM BEING LOW; BUT THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. I CONTINUED ON HOME WITH THE INTENTION OF TAKING THE CAR BACK TO MY DEALERSHIP. ABOUT A THIRD OF WAY HOME I HAD THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BLOW OUT. THERE IS A WHOLE IN THE OUTSIDE TIRE WALL, AND THE INSIDE TIRE WALL SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. *TR

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.

ON 4-1-2015, AT APPROXIMATELY 1PM, WHILE TRAVELING WEST ON HIGHWAY 702 IN PIERCE COUNTY WASHINGTON IN MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN I SWITCHED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FROM INTERMITTENT TO THE LOW CONTINUOUS SPEED. ANTICIPATING THE HEAVY WASH FROM AN ONCOMING FULLY LOADED LOGGING TRUCK I SWITCHED THE WIPERS TO THE HIGH SPEED AND THE WIPERS FROZE IN PLACE JUST AS I REACHED THE LOGGING TRUCK. FORTUNATELY THEY RESTARTED WHEN I SWITCHED THEM BACK TO THE LOW CONTINUOUS SPEED. I CONTACTED THE DEALER, KORUM FORD IN PUYALLUP, WA AND ARRANGED FOR A SERVICE CALL THE NEXT DAY 4-2-2015. THE FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THAT THE WIPERS FAILED BECAUSE OF DAMAGE TO THE WIRING THAT GOES TO THE MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE WIPER'S HIGH SPEED. THEY ALSO ADVISED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE BY MICE AND SHOWED ME THE CHEWED MARKS ON THE PLASTIC COVER AND SOME MOUSE DROPPINGS. THEY ALSO SHOWED ME THE SHREDDED INSULATION LINING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE HOOD. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT FORD USES SOY IN THE INSULATION AND THAT ATTRACTS THE MICE. WHEN I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE ON 4-11-2015 THE SERVICE ADVISOR SHOWED ME WHERE TO PUT CAYENNE PEPPER TO DISCOURAGE THE MICE FROM EATING THE WIRE INSULATION. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE AND REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COST OF THE DAMAGE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IF I HAD NOT BEEN ON A FAMILIAR STRAIGHT ROAD I WOULD HAVE BEEN HEAD-ON WITH A LOADED LOGGING TRUCK. I GUESS I'M FORTUNATE THAT IT ONLY COST ME $2,324.73 INSTEAD OF MY LIFE. FORD NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A METHOD OF PREVENTING RODENT DAMAGE CAUSED BY THEIR USE OF SOY IN THE WIRE INSULATION AND THEY MUST ADVISE OWNERS OF THE RISK OF DAMAGE BY RODENTS AND THEY SHOULD NOT CHARGE CUSTOMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX THEIR MISTAKE. *TR

Description from Ford Dealer is in quotes, plus I added more details: "Rear sub-frame" (F1FZ5035D Cross Member) "broke in half" (due to rusting). "Unsafe to drive at this time." Good thing my wife questioned the new clunking sound that was emanating from the rear of the vehicle when going over bumps. We were able to proactively catch this before it resulted in an accident. I believe these parts should last much longer than 10 years.