BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
2015 Ford C-Max
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 59 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2015 Ford C-Max, most frequently naming the driver assistance, electrical and powertrain (other) categories. 6 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 89 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 2015 | 1 | 1 |
| Aug 2016 | 1 | 2 |
| Feb 2017 | 1 | 3 |
| May 2017 | 1 | 4 |
| Sep 2017 | 1 | 5 |
| Oct 2017 | 1 | 6 |
| Jan 2019 | 1 | 7 |
| Mar 2019 | 1 | 8 |
| Apr 2019 | 1 | 9 |
| May 2019 | 2 | 11 |
| Sep 2019 | 1 | 12 |
| Oct 2019 | 1 | 13 |
| Feb 2020 | 1 | 14 |
| Jun 2020 | 1 | 15 |
| Jul 2020 | 1 | 16 |
| Aug 2020 | 1 | 17 |
| Sep 2020 | 1 | 18 |
| Dec 2020 | 1 | 19 |
| Jan 2021 | 1 | 20 |
| Apr 2021 | 2 | 22 |
| Sep 2021 | 1 | 23 |
| Dec 2021 | 2 | 25 |
| Feb 2022 | 1 | 26 |
| Jul 2022 | 3 | 29 |
| Sep 2022 | 1 | 30 |
| Oct 2022 | 1 | 31 |
| Dec 2022 | 1 | 32 |
| Jul 2023 | 2 | 34 |
| Aug 2023 | 1 | 35 |
| Jan 2024 | 1 | 36 |
| Mar 2024 | 1 | 37 |
| Apr 2024 | 2 | 39 |
| Aug 2024 | 1 | 40 |
| Sep 2024 | 1 | 41 |
| Jan 2025 | 1 | 42 |
| Apr 2025 | 1 | 43 |
| May 2025 | 1 | 44 |
| Jul 2025 | 1 | 45 |
| Dec 2025 | 2 | 47 |
| May 2026 | 1 | 48 |
| Aug 2026 | 4 | 52 |
| Oct 2026 | 5 | 57 |
| Nov 2026 | 2 | 59 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Driver assistance1321.0%
- Electrical914.5%
- Powertrain (other)711.3%
- Airbags69.7%
- Steering69.7%
- Fuel system46.5%
- Other / unspecified34.8%
- Engine34.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
6 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL); POWER TRAIN:SHIFT LINKAGE/CABLE/ROD
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
Door Latch Failures
In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (MY) 2012-2014 Ford Fiesta, and 2013-2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ. Some VOQs reported the failure occurred after the latch had been remedied under a prior recall which involved fracture of the latch pawl spring tab due to thermally induced cyclic fatigue. Other VOQs alleged a similar failure in vehicles not previously recalled. A latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in a ?door will not close? condition, however in certain somewhat rare circumstances, may result in the door coming open while driving. In response to ODI?s investigation, Ford has announced three field actions, as discussed below.On March 23, 2020, Ford submitted Safety Recall 20V-177 (Ford 20S15), a regional recall campaign to address door latch failures in vehicles not previously recalled under Safety Recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 and 17V-210. The recall affects vehicles currently or ever registered in certain high ambient temperature states (see 20V-177 for affected states). As a remedy, Ford will replace all four door latches free of charge.On August 24, 2020, Ford issued a non-safety regional field action (Ford 20R01) to address door latch failures on the same model/MY vehicles not covered under 20V-177 (i.e., not currently/ever registered in affected states). According to Ford, spring tab failure rates for vehicles covered by this action are about half that of the 20V-177 vehicles. Under this action, dealers will replace all door latches, free of charge, if either; a) the vehicle exhibits a related latch concern, or b) if the vehicle owner expresses a concern about the latches in their vehicles. Details can be found under NHTSA TSB No. 10190990, a copy of which is available in this investigative file available at NHTSA.gov.On June 8, 2020, Ford submitted Safety Recall 20V-331 (Ford 20S30) addressing vehicles previously remedied under NHTSA Recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 and 17V-210, where the repair may not have been properly completed, specifically not all of the door latches were replaced, or replaced correctly. This recall involves an inspection of the latches, with the option for a consumer self-inspection; owners could view the date codes on their latches (and confirm child safety locks are present on the rear doors) and then submit the information to Ford?s mobile app or website. A dealership inspection option was also available. Any vehicle found to have unreplaced defective latches requires the replacement of all door latches as directed by Ford.Regarding the 4,494 reports cited above, 1,485 involve scope-related failures (with 13% alleging door opening), and the remaining 3,009 reports involving remedy concerns (with 18% alleging door opening - note ODI was unable to verify the allegations of door opening). The three ODI injuries were all relatively minor. Ford?s reported injury incidences include one (unconfirmed) report of an ejection, three minor injuries with the others involving undisclosed injuries. Ford?s crashes involved two (unconfirmed) crashes alleging the incident door contacted another vehicle and three involving doors striking other property.The recalled vehicles include MY 2011-2015 Ford Fiesta, 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015 Ford Mustang and Lincoln MKC, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2012-2015 Ford Focus and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect.Ford's actions address ODI's concerns at this time. ODI will take further action if warranted by new information. The reference (OD
Door Latch Failure
In January, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2012-2013 Ford Focus vehicles (subject vehicles).ODI has received 464 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with over 200 claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion.One consumer alleged an injury that occurred while driving when a door inadvertently opened and then closed on a child's arm.Another alleged that a door that inadvertently opened struck a parked vehicle.In response to ODI's information request, Ford Motor Company (Ford) provided 500 unique reports related to the alleged problem on the subject vehicles.Ford reported no injury or accident claims.Ford also submitted 1,513 warranty claims related to door latch failures.Many customers indicated that the affected door could not be latched at all and some of them decided to restrain the door by other means in order to operate the vehicle.Some customers also reported door latch failures occurring on multiple doors and at different times.Additionally, Ford stated that MY 2014-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape, 2013-2015 Ford C-Max, 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect, 2015 Ford Mustang, and 2015 Lincoln MKC, all use the same door latch as the 2012-2013 Ford Focus.On September 6, 2016, Ford notified ODI that it would conduct a safety recall (16V-643) to remedy the door latches in the MY 2012-2015 Ford Focus and other Ford models mentioned above (total of approximately 2 million vehicles).According to Ford, a component within the door latch may break preventing the door from latching.Ford dealers will replace all four door latches in the recalled vehicles with a new more robust latch design that is currently in production.The recall action initiated by the manufacturer appears to address the safety risks.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the identification (ODI) numbers found in the attached list.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
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 the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. While reversing, the rear-view camera failed to display an image. An unknown message was displayed. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available.
- NHTSA ID
- 11775408
- Incident
- Oct 13, 2025
There has been an open rear view camera recall on this vehicle for nearly a year now, but Ford has not made parts to address it. The intermittent failure of the camera is an ongoing safety hazard.
- NHTSA ID
- 11775081
- Incident
- Nov 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford C-Max. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in reverse(R), the rear-view camera intermittently operated. The vehicle reversed and the back over prevention screen unexpectedly went blank. The failure was a recurring failure. 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 local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11773250
- Incident
- Jul 15, 2024
- Mileage
- 45,000 mi
Backup camera does not work 50% of the time. Ford has a recall #25SA9 that is about a year old. Ford not provided any guidelines on when they will address the matter.
- NHTSA ID
- 11771917
- Incident
- Oct 14, 2026
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 became permanently inverted. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that there would be a cost for the diagnostic test. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was 71,833.
- NHTSA ID
- 11769637
- Incident
- Oct 18, 2025
- Mileage
- 71,833 mi
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 image. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle crashed into an object, causing a dent to the driver’s side rear bumper. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11768556
- Incident
- Dec 15, 2025
- Mileage
- 140,000 mi
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 bag partially deployed, with smoke coming out of the air bag. The fire department responded to the scene, inspected the vehicle, and advised the contact to drive the vehicle. Upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the wrench warning light illuminated. The contact sustained a bruised and swollen forehead resulting in black eyes. The contact's daughter later transported the contact and her 10-month-old granddaughter, who was also occupying the rear seat of the vehicle during the crash, to the hospital. The contact was informed that she sustained a three-millimeter head bleed; however, the granddaughter did not sustain any injury. The contact underwent a CT scan and received IV pain medication. A Police report was filed. The insurance company advised the contact that the vehicle was deemed a total loss due to the partial air bag deployment, and the contact was advised to fill out the form for an adjuster to inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11768465
- Incident
- Sep 14, 2026
- Mileage
- 187,000 mi
See attached document for complaint
- NHTSA ID
- 11758445
- Incident
- Jun 19, 2026
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
POWER TRAIN
Special Field Action 26L03 Certain 2013-2024 Model Year California Emissions-Certified Vehicles Transmission Fluid Auxiliary Pump Reimbursement
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; STRUCTURE:BODY
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how to retrieve the master code. This guide is located under the Workshop Manual tab > Accessories > Installation > Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide > PPT C > Step C2.<br /><br /> Note: The only available keypad for some vehicles from the assembly plant is the accessory wireless keyless entry keypad. The integrated wired keypad cannot be installed on vehicles not equipped from the factory with a wired keyless entry k
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; POWER TRAIN
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.
EQUIPMENT
All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is lost, follow these steps to recover the code. Dealer Key Code access is granted through the Dealer Program Enrollment System (DPES); dealership management can authorize users. The authorized user must go to FMCDealer.com > Parts and Service > Parts Product Line Information > Keys/Entry Devices > Aftermarket Keyless Entry Keypad Code Access. Follow the instructions on the screen to obtain the master code for the accessory keypad.
POWER TRAIN
Some 2013-2020 Fusion, MKZ and 2013-2018 C-Max vehicles equipped with an HF35 transmission may exhibit a thumping/rubbing or grinding noise coming from the transmission. The noise may be present in all gear ranges including neutral when the vehicle is moving but will not be present when the vehicle is stationary or in park.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.