Owners have filed 19 complaints
about the 2017 Ford C-Max with NHTSA between 2017 and 2026.
The largest single group is the other & unspecified.
Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 6 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 12
Against the median year of the Ford C-Max. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 82
15.8% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 95
56% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2017 Ford C-Max
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Other & Unspecified
421.1%
1 crashes, 2 fires · median 10,500 mi
Acceleration & Cruise Control
315.8%
Median failure at 16,500 miles
Steering
315.8%
Median failure at 43,896 miles
Transmission & Drivetrain
315.8%
Median failure at 51,500 miles
Wheels
210.5%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
15.3%
Fuel & Propulsion
15.3%
Median failure at 55,000 miles
Electrical System
15.3%
Engine & Cooling
15.3%
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
111.1%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
222.2%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
333.3%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
333.3%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Nov 2017peak 3Jan 2026
Recalls on the 2017 Ford C-Max
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 2022311362,062 units in Canada
Powertrain
Issue: On certain vehicles, the shift cable may detach from the transmission. This could cause the transmission not to shift gears when the shifter is moved. As a result, the transmission could be in a different gear than the gear shifter indicates. If a driver attempts to exit the vehicle while the transmission is not in Park, and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle could move suddenly. Safety Risk: Sudden and unexpected movement of the vehicle could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Ford will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the transmission shifter cable bushing and install a protective service cap. Ford advises that you should apply the parking brake each time the vehicle is parked.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
San Francisco, CAFire
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On 1/16/2026, while operating my 2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid in the Bay Area, the vehicle displayed a low tire pressure warning. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle experienced a rapid mechanical or electrical failure that required me to safely pull over and exit the vehicle. Upon exiting, I observed smoke followed by open flames originating from the vehicle. Emergency services were contacted immediately, and the fire department responded and extinguished the fire. The vehicle sustained catastrophic damage and was declared a total loss. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility following the incident. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle had not undergone any recent mechanical repairs or modifications beyond routine maintenance, including an oil change approximately two weeks prior to the incident and a state smog inspection approximately one week prior. The vehicle had been operating normally prior to the warning and failure. All physical documentation stored within the vehicle, including the title, registration, and passport, was destroyed in the fire. Photographic and video documentation of the incident and damage, along with contemporaneous incident records, are available upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11712723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kansas City, MOFire
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Government vehicle was parked and unoccupied when caught fire. Damaged another government vehicle parked next to it. Both total losses. State Fire Marshal was at the scene stated that it appeared the fire started around the engine compartment.
NHTSA complaint #11420399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,500 milesValrico, FLCrash
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE PARK ASSIST FAILED WHEN THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM WAS PARKING MY VEHICLE IN A PARALLEL PARKING SPACE. THE PARK ASSIST SYSTEM APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY UNTIL DURING THE VEHICLE'S IT'S INITIAL BACKUP MANEUVER WHEN IT BACKED MY VEHICLE INTO A PARKED PICKUP TRUCK IN THE ADJACENT PARKING STALL WITHOUT WARNING. FORTUNATELY DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO PAINT DAMAGE ON MY VEHICLE'S BUMPER WITH DO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IN THE ADJACENT PARKING STALL. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP HERE IN BRANDON FLORIDA HAS TESTED THE SYSTEM AND REPORTED THAT THE SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY,THUS DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY ON 11/09/2017 (CAS-13504308) AND AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THEM.
NHTSA complaint #11051973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
San Francisco, CAFire
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On 1/16/2026, while operating my 2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid in the Bay Area, the vehicle displayed a low tire pressure warning. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle experienced a rapid mechanical or electrical failure that required me to safely pull over and exit the vehicle. Upon exiting, I observed smoke followed by open flames originating from the vehicle. Emergency services were contacted immediately, and the fire department responded and extinguished the fire. The vehicle sustained catastrophic damage and was declared a total loss. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility following the incident. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle had not undergone any recent mechanical repairs or modifications beyond routine maintenance, including an oil change approximately two weeks prior to the incident and a state smog inspection approximately one week prior. The vehicle had been operating normally prior to the warning and failure. All physical documentation stored within the vehicle, including the title, registration, and passport, was destroyed in the fire. Photographic and video documentation of the incident and damage, along with contemporaneous incident records, are available upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11712723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 43,896 milesSwanton, VT
STEERING
The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel detached from the steering column. The contact stated that the steering wheel had loosened. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a detached steering wheel bolt. The contact was informed that the steering wheel bolt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 43,896.
NHTSA complaint #11680455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 70,000 milesHolly Springs, NC
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-MAX Hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift as intended and made an abnormal humming sound while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated while while driving at various speeds, and while coming to a complete stop, the vehicle made an abnormal humming sound. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
NHTSA complaint #11604691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clearwater, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Swollen lugnuts
NHTSA complaint #11592716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clearwater, FL
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
Swollen lugnuts
NHTSA complaint #11592716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glen Allen, VA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Car accelerated by itself in Drive. I'd to either apply brake or put the car in Neutral to stop it. When shifted back to D, it auto accelerated. After I got home, shut it off and after 10 min. it started working normally.
NHTSA complaint #11585231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glen Allen, VA
ENGINE
Car accelerated by itself in Drive. I'd to either apply brake or put the car in Neutral to stop it. When shifted back to D, it auto accelerated. After I got home, shut it off and after 10 min. it started working normally.
NHTSA complaint #11585231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Meriden, CT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Rear back-up camera does not display on dashboard console screen when air temperature is cold, i.e. below about 45º, and will only turn back on when the car has sufficiently warmed up after driving some distance. This has been happening for at least two years. When the camera is not working, there is a blind spot directly behind the car. The rear of the car proximity warning signal still works, but the screen remains black. I brought this problem to the attention of the dealership service manager, who told me he could not find anything obviously wrong.
NHTSA complaint #11568220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Meriden, CT
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Rear back-up camera does not display on dashboard console screen when air temperature is cold, i.e. below about 45º, and will only turn back on when the car has sufficiently warmed up after driving some distance. This has been happening for at least two years. When the camera is not working, there is a blind spot directly behind the car. The rear of the car proximity warning signal still works, but the screen remains black. I brought this problem to the attention of the dealership service manager, who told me he could not find anything obviously wrong.
NHTSA complaint #11568220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,500 milesNeedham, MA
STEERING
The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-MAX Hybrid. The contact stated while starting the vehicle in cold temperatures, the steering wheel was locked. The contact stated that the steering wheel operated as needed after the vehicle had warmed up. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. The contact stated that he used his physical strength to steer the steering wheel, and he drove to his nearby residence. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the same assessment was made. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,500.
NHTSA complaint #11567542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 55,000 milesMocksville, NC
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated while driving 3 MPH, the vehicle started to stall and failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and was informed that gasoline was leaking onto the wires and spark plugs. The contact was informed that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
NHTSA complaint #11490331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Columbus, OH
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
Ford Dealer Service recommends I replace lug nuts. I have 35th miles. That they are expanding and Ford cannot assure they or other repair shops will be able to remove lug nuts for repairs or replacements such as brakes, tires, etc. I read many complaints online about this problem, that the lug nut can break causing other lug nuts to break under pressure, that cause tire to fall off. They do not replace under warranty and do not discount parts. I call upon NHTSA to have Ford recall these affected cars for replacement lug nuts. Thank you
NHTSA complaint #11479223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Aurora, IL
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-Max. 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 the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the failure was experienced intermittently. Parts distribution disconnect. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11472806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kansas City, MOFire
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Government vehicle was parked and unoccupied when caught fire. Damaged another government vehicle parked next to it. Both total losses. State Fire Marshal was at the scene stated that it appeared the fire started around the engine compartment.
NHTSA complaint #11420399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 33,000 milesELK Grove Village, IL
POWER TRAIN
THE CAR WAS IN ACCELERATION MODE AT EVERY SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY, RESIDENTIAL STREETS, AT STOP SIGNS, ALWAYS EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMITS. I CONTINUALLY BRAKED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. TIRES SQUEALED WHEN I RELEASED THE BRAKE AT STOP SIGNS. THERE WAS NOTHING UNDER THE GAS PEDAL. I DIDN'T DARE DRIVE INTO THE GARAGE; THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE KITCHEN. WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK, ENGINE STILL REVVED.
NHTSA complaint #11318715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1 milesELK Grove Village, IL
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION. THE CAR ACCELERATED TO ABOVE HIGHWAY SPEED, AND REQUIRED CONTINUAL BREAKING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. WHEN HOME AND IN PARK, ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV TO MAX. SHUT CAR DOWN, AND WHEN RESTARTED IT RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. NO OBSTRUCTION OF GAS PEDAL.
NHTSA complaint #11318708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 33,000 milesELK Grove Village, IL
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE CAR WAS IN ACCELERATION MODE AT EVERY SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY, RESIDENTIAL STREETS, AT STOP SIGNS, ALWAYS EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMITS. I CONTINUALLY BRAKED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. TIRES SQUEALED WHEN I RELEASED THE BRAKE AT STOP SIGNS. THERE WAS NOTHING UNDER THE GAS PEDAL. I DIDN'T DARE DRIVE INTO THE GARAGE; THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE KITCHEN. WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK, ENGINE STILL REVVED.
NHTSA complaint #11318715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 13,100 milesSwanton, VT
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD C-MAX. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN FELT LOOSE AS IF IT WERE NOT ATTACHED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOKAN FORD (2 FRANKLIN PARK W #1, ST ALBANS CITY, VT), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 13,100.
NHTSA complaint #11131163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,500 milesValrico, FLCrash
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE PARK ASSIST FAILED WHEN THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM WAS PARKING MY VEHICLE IN A PARALLEL PARKING SPACE. THE PARK ASSIST SYSTEM APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY UNTIL DURING THE VEHICLE'S IT'S INITIAL BACKUP MANEUVER WHEN IT BACKED MY VEHICLE INTO A PARKED PICKUP TRUCK IN THE ADJACENT PARKING STALL WITHOUT WARNING. FORTUNATELY DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO PAINT DAMAGE ON MY VEHICLE'S BUMPER WITH DO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IN THE ADJACENT PARKING STALL. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP HERE IN BRANDON FLORIDA HAS TESTED THE SYSTEM AND REPORTED THAT THE SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY,THUS DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY ON 11/09/2017 (CAS-13504308) AND AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THEM.
NHTSA complaint #11051973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.