Reliability & cost of ownership
Ford C-Max Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Ford C-Max? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Ford C-Max problems by model year
26 recall entries and 349 owner complaints on file across 6 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 C-Max | 0 | 10 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2017 C-Max | 1 | 13 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2016 C-Max | 3 | 22 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2015 C-Max | 6 | 49 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2014 C-Max | 8 | 77 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2013 C-Max | 8 | 178 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Ford C-Max, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- electrical system80 complaints
- power train69 complaints
- steering62 complaints
- unknown or other55 complaints
- engine23 complaints
- structure17 complaints
- air bags16 complaints
- vehicle speed control14 complaints