Ford C-Max Reliability
471 NHTSA complaints (2013–2018). Complaint rate: 84.9 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2013–2014 Ford C-Max. The 2017–2018 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Ford C-Max Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 85 | 1.2% |
| POWER TRAIN | 69 | 7.2% |
| STEERING | 66 | 1.5% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 64 | 7.8% |
| ENGINE | 26 | 3.8% |
| AIR BAGS | 16 | 56.2% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 15 | 26.7% |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 15 | 0.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 14 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 13 | 30.8% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013AVOID | — | 231 | 6 | 5 | View 2013View→ |
| 2014AVOID | — | 103 | 8 | 4 | View 2014View→ |
| 2015 | — | 59 | 11 | — | View 2015View→ |
| 2016 | — | 40 | 4 | 1 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017GOOD | — | 26 | 2 | 2 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018GOOD | — | 12 | 2 | — | View 2018View→ |
See also: Ford C-Maxaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Ford C-Max?
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