Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated while in reverse (R) and backing up at 3 MPH the back-over prevention camera failed and displayed a black screen. The contact stated that when the back-over prevention camera failed to operate, the radio and the GPS became inoperable. The contact stated that the back over prevention screen occasionally turned blue or showed a distorted image. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but occurred several times. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that a software update was needed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that she was advised by the dealer that the software update was not a certain remedy. …
The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated that while charging the hybrid battery, the battery stopped charging after 15-16 minutes. The contact stated that the battery could only be charged for 15-16 minutes at a time. The contact stated that there was a red triangle warning light illuminated on the charger but there was no warning light illuminated on the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the mileage range of the vehicle per charge was decreasing continuously. The vehicle was taken to dealer several times to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, Gator Ford (11780 Tampa Gateway Blvd, Seffner, FL 33584), where it was diagnosed that the hybrid battery had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2015 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated that the manufacturer label indicated that the vehicle was drivable for 22 miles when fully charged; however, the vehicle was only drivable for approximately 14 miles. Additionally, the contact stated that occasionally, the vehicle was only drivable for 8 miles. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that the failure was related to the tires. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
1. Rear windows open 6 to 8 inches upon returning to car from store- happened 4 times. (sitting in parking lots) 2. Car on overnight in garage. Garage has the gas furnace and heater 3. Does not steer when you want it to./ just takes off on its own/ caused wreck. Slow left turn. Went all by itself into the sidewalk. 4. Does not turn off or on when told to do so/ moves after parked, even if fully belted in 5. The Sync does not work and navigation got me lost twice in la 6. Humming noises and vibration below my feet at speed (65 to 70)
While driving on the highway (about 1/2 way through a 6-hour highway trip), the "stop safely" warning light and accompanying beeps started and the engine cut out completely. I had to later look up in the manual what the orange triangle warning symbol meant. We pulled over to the side of the road, put it in park, and it restarted immediately and was fine for the rest of the journey. I ran the cars "vehicle health report", which did not find any problems. I took it to the dealer and they were unable to duplicate the issue and found nothing wrong with it. They indicated they consulted with Ford, who was unable to provide suggestions. While this is a different model, I did notice online that the focus electric had a recall for this same issue. …
The car has 2-4 connections for a cell phone and the USB connections are located in the center consul and when it is used it connects to the display monitor on the dash. But when it is used for a cell phone the cell phone will not charged at any rate. The cell phone goes completely dead and it is no longer a part of the car/phone system. I tried using different types of charging cords and I have an iphone 5s. I even turn-off the phone to get it to charge but nothing works. I have to connect the phone to the back seat plug which is very inconvenient. I took the car to get check and the technician initially said the usc was OK, but when I had him use my cell with no aps open he did verified that the phone did not charge and the power depleted. He said he would get back to me after he contacts someone for further guidance.
The 120 volt, 12 amp charge cord that came with my car (Ford part no. Fm58-10b706ac) is overheating creating a fire hazard. The end of the cord that plugs into the wall has melted and the plug has left burn marks on three different electrical outlets on my house where I plug the car in to charge. Photos of the melted cord and outlet burn marks are attached. There is a design flaw in that the control unit built into the cord is too heavy and pulls the prongs from the outlet and if a prong is only partially plugged into the outlet it draws more current than the cord can handle. Ford is aware of the problem and advised (Ford EV help line [phone]) that the cord should not be left hanging in mid-air and needs to be propped up when plugged in. Those instructions are not in the owners manual or on the cord, nor were they communicated to cmax Energi owners. …
We have used the supplied utility 120v charging cable since we acquired the car to charge it at home. Recently, I noticed that the utility cable plug was melted and the weatherproof socket fixture plastic housing was burnt I changed the unit to a different outdoor outlet. It burned that outlet so badly that it's gfci was tripped and could not be reset. Fearing a possible house fire, I stopped using the cord. I reported it to our Ford dealer as a hazardous product defect. Out of warranty was the reply. I do not know where the electrical rate limiting circuitry is in the system, but I strongly suspect that during charging, the car now draws more wattage (1600-1700w, less than a powerful hairdryer) than the cable unit is rated at (1440w, per it's labeling), and this discrepancy over many many hours of continuous load has LED to the failure. …
NHTSA investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford C-Max Energi years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (19), 2014 (16) and 2016 (13) model years. Electrical complaints make up 38% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Ford C-Max Energi electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for any Ford C-Max Energi model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford C-Max Energi electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 42,000 miles; 63% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the 12v/24v/48v battery (2 mentions), followed by the propulsion system › charging › cable/cord › accessory (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.