2016 FORD C-MAX Recalls, Complaints & Safety

See attached document for complaint. RE: NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 25V695 To whom it may concern, In August 2025 we took our 2016 CMAX into the Ford Dealer we purchased it from to have the check out the back-up camera that was not working and have a service done. They charges us $225.00 to check it out and then wanted to service it for several hundred dollars more. There was no mention at that time about a recall, and after re-reading the bulletin you sent out, that did not come until October. The online status was that any repairs were not to begin until June 2026. Both of us are seniors and being concerned of the safety issues with the camera, we looked for the best price to repair/replace the camera and found a company, G&O Body in Placerville that did the repair for $618.25 In November.. So, at this point, we are out of pocket $843.25 to fix an issue that was put under free repair thru the recall. I would like to know how to apply for reimbursement for this camera replacement cost.

The contact owned a 2016 Ford C-Max. The contact stated that while coming to a stop in a parking lot attempting to obtain mail from a mailbox; the vehicle independently accelerated and it was unknown what gear the vehicle was stationed in. In addition, it was unknown if the brake pedal was depressed or the gear the vehicle was in at the time of the failure. The vehicle had struck and knocked 3 mailboxes down and crashed into the front passenger side corner panel of a Mail Van coming to a stop as it was revving. The vehicle traveled 26 feet from its original stationed position. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. Both front wheels were severely bent outwards after the crash. The air bags did not deploy. The mail delivery employee sought medical attention for cuts and bruises. The contact did not seek medical attention or sustained any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot by AAA where it was later taken by the insurance provider for further investigation. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 44,530.

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The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment, prompting her to discontinue driving the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the transmission had previously been replaced 3 years prior. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 49,000.

The backup camera doesn't regularly function, ranging from 15% to 75% of the time. A tire man with prior experience in a Ford dealership recommended checking for an electronics update to the system. There may be a worsening functionality when the weather is wet, but that's not a clear correlation.

Was driving it to a shop to do a transmission fluid exchange and got a big Stop Safely Now warning on the dash with an AdvanceTrac warning as well. Car stopped dead on a freeway off ramp - was very fortunate to get an immediate SoCal Freeway Service tow off the ramp in Los Angeles to a safe place, and after AAA told me I might wait 4 hours for a tow to my preferred Ford dealer, I got the car restarted and got it to a another dealer a couple miles away. Inspection showed a P0B37 error code with chafing of the high voltage battery harness. The dealer originally quoted me $1200 to fix it, but when I mentioned the California 10/150 hybrid powertrain warranty, they subsequently found TSB 17-0015 which deals with this exact issue on the 2013-16 Energi, and I've now read a report of the same issue on a 2017. The TSB quotes 1.8 hours labor with chafing and installation of heat shrink tubing, tie strap, and electrical tape... where the dealer came up with $1200 is beyond me. Obviously I'm pleased with the fact Ford is covering this one, but hope it doesn't happen to you... I had about 30 seconds to get the car to a safe place before it stopped entirely, and if I'd been in heavier traffic the vehicle would have stopped dead on a very busy expressway.

I have a 2016 Ford C-Max. On Saturday, 9-16-2023 my wife and I were traveling on Highway 69 in Prescott AZ. We turned off the highway and about 50 yards from Hwy 69 a STOP SAFELY NOW flashed on the instrument pannel. The car IMMEDIATELY braked hard and stopped. I had no time to pull over. Had it been 50 yards sooner I would have abruptly stopped on Hwy 69. The Hwy was traveling at 55 MPH. You figure it out, we were going to have an accident 100%. The C-Max was towed to Sun Valley Tire, a AAA approved repair shop in Prescott Valley. They pulled up the Ford, Technical Service Bulletin - TSB 17-0015. That bulletin describes wiring that chafes and shorts out the car. Exactly what happened to us. The actual fix is simple, locate the shorted out wire and repair it. To get to it requires disassembling most of the car. Total cost $438.01. That is not the point, Ford knew that this problem existed, sent out a TSB and is allowing Ford owners like me to have a life threatening incident. WHY has Ford been allowed to continue allow these C-Max's to stay on the road without a fix! Are you doing your jobs? I want the NHTSA to do its job. I also want to be reimbursed. Who do I contact. You have my VIN # and therefore all my information.

In the course of routine maintenance, it has been brought to my attention that Stock Ford lug nuts have "Swelled" and can not be removed using normal methods, making on the road tire replacement impossible. Ford states this is a known issue with defective Ford lug nuts.

blue images on the rearview camera when trying to reverse. No accidents have happened from the blue-screen problem

2016 FORD CMAX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO FAILURE OF REAR WHEEL HUBS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME DETERMING A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE.

Both this 2016 and my 2013 ford c-max hybrid have the backup cameras failing. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they have a black or blue screen than pops up and it says camera unavailable. I know there is a recent recall for other fords with backup camera issues, but the c-max sells much lower volumes so it is harder to get the same exact problem recalled.

I was driving slowly leaving a supermarket parking lot. There was no one else around. There was a sudden loud bang, the car lurched upward and to the right, coming to rest over a curb hanging down a ditch. The front end started to smoke and then caught fire. The car was a total loss. There had been no impact. I was able to escape down the ditch with the help of police and the fire department put out the fire. The first 2 pictures are on the scene; the remainder in the tow lot. Friends have suggested that perhaps the hybrid battery exploded.

Fire

We drove from Cincinnati, OH to Wray, Co for Christmas. We drove 15 hrs straight back home ( gas and potty breaks). I drove the last 9 hrs. I have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. So the heated seats are wonderful - usually. Yes, I used the heated seats almost all the way. I’m always hurting so I didn’t notice a problem. On our last gas stop I told my husband I must have been sweating because I felt like I had a heat rash. We got home at 3 am and my husband said it looked more like a burn. It was painful and when I looked at it I saw blisters. Next morning it was more painful and red and ugly looking. I called Ford Corporate to give them a heads up that there was an issue with their heated seats. They stated they couldn’t help. Sorry I got hurt. Take it to local service and let them know. Called Ford service - they can get me in on Jan 17 and I have to pay for it. I just want someone aware that their heated seats can cause severe burns. Btw. The burn is on my upper right thigh.

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The seat belt no longer retracts. It is available for inspection. The dealership has indicated they will charge us to replace the part and labor.

Rear backup camera intermittently does not show any image on the screen. When this happens the screen is either blue or black and camera image either flashes in and out or never shows up at all. This happens approximately 10% of the time the vehicle is put in reverse - the rest of the time the camera works normally.

Power steering system failed while driving, just out of warranty above 60,000 miles; vehicle is currently at a dealer for repair within a week. This made it extremely difficult to safely maneuver the car off the road. Dealer confirmed the power steering system is inoperable and needs to be replaced. Warning light appeared when power steering gave out; no other warning was given.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the display screen would not display any images and not allow the contact to use any of the functions. The contact also stated that sometimes it would take up to 5 minutes for the display screen to engage. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with nothing needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Component Failure The ABS system failed with only 14,500 miles on the odometer. Symptom The brake pedal became soft, Allowing more brake pedal travel than normal. Taken to Ford dealer Symptom described to service Representative and was told after several hrs that the brakes were normal. I told them that the brake pedal was always taut and the current behavior could become a danger to others and myself. It's after I provided my own OBD11 scan report ( Using a BlueDriver scan tool ) that indicated there is an Anti-Lock Brake module Code Failure That convinced them and Was told to leave the vehicle overnight. Dealer confirmed, that there is a definite problem and that it could be the brake master cylinder and brake booster. There were no warning lamps indication or lights except for the brake pedal losing pressure. The brakes did function, but the pedal almost when to the floor. Currently My Ford Cmax Sel Hybrid has been sitting in their service center for 7 days just waiting for Ford warranty service approval and was just notified that it was okayed and I would have to wait for parts to be ordered.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max. The contact stated that the mobile charger failed and the vehicle was unable to be charged. The contact stated that several different outlets were tried however, the failure persisted. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 51,000.

REAR TIRES REPEATEDLY WEARING OUT. THIS COULD CAUSE A BLOWOUT CAUSING HARM TO MYSELF AND OTHERS

SEVERAL TIMES NOW THE VEHICLE HAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. AT FIRST, IT WAS DRIVING UPHILL ON THE FREEWAY AND WHEN IT HIT A SMALL BUMP IT WOULD SHUT OFF. I FIGURED IT WAS JUST AT HIGH SPEEDS THAT THIS OCCURRED. RECENTLY, IT WAS JUST DRIVING UP A DRIVEWAY INCLINE AT 5 MPH, AND GOING OVER A SMALL SPEED BUMP TRIGGERED IT TO SHUT OFF. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TO HAVE SERVICE FIX IT AND THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING 65MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF. IT DOES NOT GO INTO A SAFE MODE, JUST COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN. IN ORDER TO CONTINUE DRIVING, YOU MUST PRESS THE PUSH-BUTTON START AND LET THE CAR SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES. AFTER YOU WAIT, PUSH THE BUTTON AGAIN AND IT WILL ALLOW YOU TO CONTINUE DRIVING AS NORMAL. I BELIEVE IT IS A WIRING ISSUE BUT MULTIPLE SERVICE LOCATIONS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE IT. I HAVE PAID HUNDREDS IN LABOR ATTEMPTING TO FIX IT. VERY DANGEROUS!

THE FRONT SPLASH GUARD KEEP BECOMING LOOSE THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED I HAD TO REPLACE THE FIRST ONE. THE FIRST ONE OCCURRED WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. SECOND TIME I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREETS.

FORD HAS RECALLED MANY CARS/TRUCKS FOR BACKUP CAMERA ISSUES. MY CAR IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND HAS HAD MANY ISSUES WITH THE CAMERA WHICH I HAVE MENTIONED TO THE DEALER. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INCLUDED MY VEHICLE IN THE RECALL AS WELL. THE CAMERA SHOWS A DARK SCREEN AND THEN A MESSAGE APPEARS SAYING IT IS NOT AVAILABLE. I'M ATTACHING THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WHICH WAS 10/08/2020 & HAPPENED AGAIN NUMEROUS TIMES. I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE STUCK PAYING FOR THIS "REPAIR". THANK YOU KINDLY, BARBARA D. JOHNSON

THE PASSENGER-SIDE BOTTOM CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD HAS BECOME UNGLUED. A GLASS REPAIR SHOP INFORMED US THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAD DEPLOYS OFF OF THE WINDSHIELD. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, RESULTING IN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. WE NOTICED THE RIGHT BOTTOM CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD LIFTING UP WHEN WE WERE CLEANING THE WINDSHIELD FROM THE INSIDE. THE VEHICLE IS BEING TAKEN TO FORD FOR A DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION, BUT ALL WARRANTIES HAVE EXPIRED.

DRIVING ALONG A HIGHWAY HOLDING STEADY SPEED OF 65MPH, THE CAR DISPLAYED A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE AND DISABLED THE ACCELERATOR. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WOULD TURN ON AND OFF WITH THE PUSH OF THE ON/OFF BUTTON, BUT THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE REMAINED ON THE DASHBOARD ANY TIME THE CAR WAS POWERED ON, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. WE CALLED FORD AS WE ARE STILL UNDER WARRANTY; HOWEVER, A TOW TRUCK WOULD HAVE TAKEN APPROX 90 MINUTES, AND I WAS NOT IN A SAFE POSITION, SO I USED A OBDII SCANNER AND APP TO RESET THE FAULT CODES. AFTER THAT THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WE HAVE SEEN THIS ERROR IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS; HOWEVER, THE LAST TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO.

MY CHARGER ISN'T ALWAYS FULLY CHARGING AT HOME AND WORK. AT HOME MY CAR IS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE OUTLET IS DEDICATED TO THE CHARGER. AT THE TOP OF CHARGER I GET THE RED FLASHING LIGHT AND SOMETIMES ON THE BOTTOM AS WELL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD C-MAX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH DOWNHILL, THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CONTACT CRUISED DOWN A HILL INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FORMULA FORD INC (LOCATED AT 265 RIVER ST, MONTPELLIER, VT 05601, 802-223-5201) WHO STATED THAT THE SOBD MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS STILL AWAITING APPROVAL ON THE PART FOR THE REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

2017 CMAX CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERCARRIAGE OF VEHICLE. STRUT BRACE FAILURE ON ONE SIDE OF VEHICLE AT AROUND 12,000 MILES. THEN THE OTHER SIDE STRUT BRACE FAILED A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD C-MAX. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT ARRIVED BACK TO WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER IN THE PARKING SPOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ROLLED AWAY. ON THE FIRST OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A FLAT SURFACE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO A TREE, CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. ON THE SECOND OCCASION, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AGAIN, STRUCK A TREE, AND CONTINUED ONTO THE ROADWAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SANTA MONICA FORD LINCOLN (LOCATED AT 1230 SANTA MONICA BLVD, SANTA MONICA, CA 90404, (310) 451-1588) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE FAILURE OR RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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I WAS GOING TO BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE THEN ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL WENT HAYWIRE.EVERYTHING TURNED ON( WINDSHIELD WIPERS, RADIO, ALL THE LIGHTS. ETC.) THEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS TO GO IN REVERSE AND IT WENT FORWARD. THEN I TRIED TURNING THE CAR OFF AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF, SO I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. I THEN MOVED THE STICK SHIFT BACK AND FORTH, PUT IT IN REVERSE AGAIN AND IT WENT A COUPLE OF FEET, THEN WOULDN'T MOVE ANYMORE. ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS REMAINED ON, BUT I COULDN'T TURN THE CAR OFF. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP WITH ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS STILL ON.THEY COULDN'T GET IT TURNED OFF EITHER. THEY HAVE IT THERE AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. NOW THEY CAN'T GET IT TURNED ON BECAUSE THE BATTERY DIED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 FORD C-MAX. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE, WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S TOW YARD AND DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS INJURED AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000. *TT *TR

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THE CAR WENT INTO "LIMP" MODE WHILE GOING 70 MPH. TOOK THE CAR IN AND WE WERE TOLD IT HAD A RECALL ON THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY. WE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND IT ISN'T LISTED ON THE NHTSA SITE.

1.REVERSE CAMERA STAYS ON 2.VERY SLOW TO RESPOND TO TOUCH 3.NAVIGATION 4.NAVIGATION NOT SAFE, FEATURES NOT DISABLED DURING DRIVING

HEAD IMPACT - PREVIOUSLY RECALLED IN JULY 2013 BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR HEADLINER DESIGN ISSUES. STRUCK WHEN TURNING VEHICLE ONTO HIGHWAY.

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