NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2013–2017

Ford C-Max Energi recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 137 owner complaints for the Ford C-Max Energi, covering model years 2013 to 2017. The 2013 model year drew the most complaints (50), and Electrical System is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Ford C-Max Energi VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

1 recall campaign on file
137 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
5 model years with data (2013–2017)

most complaints: 2013 (50 for that model year)
top component: Electrical System (54 complaints)
latest recall 13V475000 (reported Oct 17, 2013)

10 complaints reporting a crash (7.3%)
4 complaints reporting a fire (2.9%)
4 complaints reporting an injury (2.9%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Ford C-Max Energi complaints by model year

5 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2013 model year has the most complaints: 50 of 137, or 36.5%. Next come 2016 (32) and 2014 (30). The fewest are for 2017, with 10 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Ford C-Max Energi complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Ford C-Max Energi complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury
2013	50	2	3	2
2014	30	0	1	0
2015	15	2	0	0
2016	32	5	0	2
2017	10	1	0	0
All model years	137	10	4	4

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Ford C-Max Energi components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Electrical System is the component named most often, in 54 complaints (39.4% of all 137), followed by Power Train (18) and Steering (18).

Components named most often in Ford C-Max Energi complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Ford C-Max Energi complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Electrical System	54	39.4%
Power Train	18	13.1%
Steering	18	13.1%
Structure	12	8.8%
Unknown or Other	12	8.8%
Back Over Prevention	11	8.0%
Engine	9	6.6%
Fuel/Propulsion System	8	5.8%
Wheels	7	5.1%
Vehicle Speed Control	5	3.6%
Latches/Locks/Linkages	4	2.9%
Equipment	3	2.2%
Air Bags	2	1.5%
Hybrid Propulsion System	2	1.5%
Seat Belts	2	1.5%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Ford C-Max Energi recalls

1 campaign · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name C-Max Energi, newest first. The only campaign, 13V475000, covers model year 2013.

1 recall campaign

Ford C-Max Energi recall campaigns covering each model year
2013: 1 campaign

NHTSA campaign 13V475000
Reported Oct 17, 2013
Equipment › Electrical › Anti-Theft Devices; Electrical System › Ignition › Anti-Theft › Control Module
Model year 2013
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus Electric vehicles and 2013 C-Max vehicles equipped with the Intelligent Access Push Button Start System. In the affected vehicles, there is no audible chime when the vehicle is operational and the driver's door is opened. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Consequence:
Without an audible door chime, a vehicle owner may open the door and exit the vehicle without being reminded that the vehicle is still operational, leaving the vehicle susceptible to theft.
Remedy:
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the door chime, free of charge. The recall began on October 30, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C07.
Filed by Ford Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Ford C-Max Energi questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Ford C-Max Energi have?

NHTSA lists 1 vehicle recall campaign for the Ford C-Max Energi, covering model years 2013 to 2017. The campaign, 13V475000, was reported on October 17, 2013 and is filed under “Equipment”.

Which Ford C-Max Energi model year has the most complaints?

The 2013 model year, with 50 of the 137 complaints in NHTSA’s file (36.5%). The next are 2016 (32) and 2014 (30). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Ford C-Max Energi complaint?

Electrical System is the component named most often: 54 complaints, or 39.4% of all 137. Power Train (18) and Steering (18) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Ford C-Max Energi?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Ford dealer.

How many Ford C-Max Energi complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 137 complaints, 10 report a crash, 4 a fire, 4 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Ford models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Ford VIN decoder with every Ford model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Ford F-150 1995–2027 · 158 recalls · 35,790 complaints
Ford Explorer 1995–2027 · 131 recalls · 31,089 complaints
Ford Escape 2000–2026 · 95 recalls · 27,343 complaints
Ford Fusion 2006–2020 · 46 recalls · 22,383 complaints
Ford Focus 1999–2018 · 36 recalls · 22,086 complaints
Ford Windstar 1995–2005 · 33 recalls · 14,108 complaints
Ford Edge 2004–2024 · 43 recalls · 14,009 complaints
Ford Taurus 1995–2019 · 52 recalls · 12,702 complaints

All Ford models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.