NHTSA vehicle safety data

2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid Recalls & Complaints

The 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 120 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Ford dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid owner complaints

Owners have filed 120 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, describing incidents dated December 10, 2012 to February 23, 2026.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 49 complaints
Engine 18 complaints
Power Train 15 complaints
Steering 15 complaints
Structure 13 complaints
Latches/Locks/Linkages 11 complaints

Of the 120 complaints on file, 5 report a crash; across all 120 complaints, owners report 5 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11724213 · Filed March 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The message "Stop Safely Now'" was displayed on the screen. The contact was able to pull to the side of the…
ODI #11719818 · Filed February 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that on several occasions, while the vehicle was parked, it failed to start. The vehicle was jump-started on several occasions but needed to be towed occasionally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed…
ODI #11695114 · Filed October 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that while in reverse, the rearview camera failed to display a rearview image, potentially compromising the back over prevention system. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The…

Read all 120 complaints

Owner-reported

2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid mileage at failure

99 of the 120 complaints on file for the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Electrical System	Median 20,000 miles	Middle half 3,000–50,000 miles	Based on 43 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid in 3 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP22-005: Pedestrian alert sounds
Closed August 7, 2023
- Recall 22V-063
Recall Query RQ19-005: Door Latch Failures
Closed February 7, 2022
- Recall 20V-177
- Recall 20V-331
Preliminary Evaluation PE16-001: Door Latch Failure
Closed October 29, 2016
- Recall 16V-643

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Energy Absorber Between the Headliner/FMVSS 201

NHTSA #13V303000 · Structure · NHTSA notice

Reported July 10, 2013 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 33,021 vehicles

Ford campaign 13C02 · Owners notified August 5, 2013 · Vehicles built January 19, 2012 – June 25, 2013 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2013 C-Max hybrid vehicles, without panoramic roofs, that were manufactured January 19, 2012, through June 25, 2013. During vehicle testing, the vehicle exceeded a head injury criteria requirement set by the standard. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact."

Safety consequence

In the event of a crash, an occupant could be at an increased risk of an injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install energy absorbers between the headliner and the roof. The recall began on August 5, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C02.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Driver Side Child Lock may not Function

NHTSA #13V085000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages · NHTSA notice

Reported March 7, 2013 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 5,675 vehicles

Ford campaign 13S02 · Owners notified March 27, 2013 · Vehicles built November 16, 2012 – November 21, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Focus and C-Max vehicles built from November 16, 2012, through November 21, 2012; and model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2012, through November 21, 2012. The left rear door child lock was built incorrectly. As a result, the child lock may not engage when the operator uses normal force to activate the child lock.

Safety consequence

The operator may incorrectly believe the child lock is engaged. However, the door may be opened from the inside, increasing the risk of injury to an unrestrained child.

Manufacturer remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected rear door latches, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

Notes

Ford's recall campaign number is 13S02.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

120 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid.

Hybrid Propulsion System

ODI #11724213

Incident: February 16, 2026 · Filed: March 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The message "Stop Safely Now'" was displayed on the screen. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. However, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The failure persisted. The vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled. The message "Stop Safely Now'" was displayed on the screen. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. After waiting for several minutes, the contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle functioned as intended. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the failure first occurred three years ago, and the dealer diagnosed that it as a battery failure. The contact was unsure if the battery was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

Electrical System

ODI #11719818

Incident: February 23, 2026 · Filed: February 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that on several occasions, while the vehicle was parked, it failed to start. The vehicle was jump-started on several occasions but needed to be towed occasionally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with battery failure. The contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed. The dealer suggested that a waiver be signed for the battery replacement. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced electrical failures. The instrument panel intermittently malfunctioned, and the turn signals failed to operate properly. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 36,463.

Back Over Prevention

ODI #11695114

Incident: May 15, 2025 · Filed: October 22, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that while in reverse, the rearview camera failed to display a rearview image, potentially compromising the back over prevention system. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The rearview camera warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 230,000.

Structure; Electrical System

ODI #11677787

Incident: July 26, 2025 · Filed: August 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 15-20 MPH, the steering wheel was wobbly. The contact exited the highway immediately and was able to pull over to the side of the roadway. The contact then pulled into a parking lot and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear subframe was rusted, causing the control arms to separate. The dealer determined that the rear subframe and connecting parts needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that a high voltage wire was chewed on by rodents. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Electrical System; Engine

ODI #11629946

Incident: October 31, 2024 · Filed: December 10, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated while driving on three occasions at approximately 30-55 MPH, several unknown warning lights were flashing. The message to shift to park(P) was flashing. The vehicle was shifted to park, and the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The contact's husband assisted with restarting the vehicle. The contact determined that the battery was working as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for five weeks, where it was diagnosed that the battery junction box had corrosion and defective fuses. Additionally, there was a failing control unit. The dealer informed the contact a Ford engineer was advising with the repairs. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Power Train

ODI #11624737

Incident: May 1, 2024 · Filed: November 12, 2024

The contact's wife owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated there was an abnormal hissing and crackling sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a defective transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was informed that there were no recalls or warranties on the vehicle. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Structure; Latches/Locks/Linkages; Electrical System

ODI #11618860

Incident: October 9, 2024 · Filed: October 9, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that upon exiting the vehicle, the driver’s side doors failed to latch closed. The contact also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to get another driver’s attention, he became aware that the horn was not functioning as needed. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: RQ19005 (Latches/Locks/Linkages, Structure); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000. The VIN was not available.

Structure

ODI #11615448

Incident: September 9, 2024 · Filed: September 19, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the hatchback ajar message was displayed. The contact attempted to raise the liftgate; however, the liftgate failed to raise up. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Power Train

ODI #11476859

Incident: August 1, 2022 · Filed: August 1, 2022

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was able to restart after several attempts. Additionally, the vehicle remained on after the contact had pushed the Auto Start/Stop button to turn off the vehicle. The contact was able to turn off the vehicle after pushing the Auto Start/Stop button numerous times. The dealer and Five Star Ford Stone Mountain (3800 US-78, Snellville, GA 30039) were made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Power Train; Latches/Locks/Linkages

ODI #11476016

Incident: June 8, 2022 · Filed: July 26, 2022

The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) and 20V331000 (Latches, Locks, and Linkages) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced a transmission failure and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. Parts distribution disconnect.

Check your 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Ford C-Max Hybrid at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Ford VIN