The Used Car Index

2018 Ford C-MAX problems

NHTSA lists 10 complaints for the 2018 Ford C-MAX, 2 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 1 complaints mention an injury, with 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as FORD C-MAX.

At a glance

Complaints
10
With crash
2
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
1
Injuries
1
Deaths
0
Recalls
1
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
2,925,968
Investigations
1
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
61

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
AIR BAGS220.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM220.0%
STEERING220.0%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM110.0%
POWER TRAIN110.0%
SEAT BELTS110.0%
SUSPENSION110.0%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER110.0%
VISIBILITY/WIPER110.0%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
SEAT BELTSFRONT1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
loss of control330.0%0.83
restraint or airbag330.0%0.94
electrical electronic110.0%0.56
fluid or fuel leak110.0%1.00
mechanical failure110.0%0.84
visibility or lighting110.0%1.00
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate770.0%0.64
high220.0%0.91
low110.0%0.87

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 10 tagged complaints of 10 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

1 recalls.

22V413000

Date: 2022-06-10. Systems: POWER TRAIN.

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach. (excerpt)

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury. (excerpt)

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-73 (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

1 investigations; 0 open.

DP22005

Opened: 2023-01-27. Closed: 2023-08-07.

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. The standard applies to hybrid and ele

Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Linked campaign numbers: 22V063000.

Manufacturer communications

61 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM28
EQUIPMENT21
POWER TRAIN11
SEATS5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2

11030282

Date: 2026-03-25. Type: Other. Systems: BACK OVER PREVENTION, LANE DEPARTURE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

Advance Notice a Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation

11029052

Date: 2026-02-24. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the

11025837

Date: 2025-11-26. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone co

11025611

Date: 2025-11-12. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN.

Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of th

11008948

Date: 2024-10-10. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

11001174

Date: 2024-05-27. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty

10254138

Date: 2024-04-24. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT.

All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicle s owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad,

10240743

Date: 2023-06-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT.

The Service Awareness Newsletter is an informal communication that contains information that may not be presently available in a TSB, SSM, GSB, or other electronic communication. This article includes information on warranty, technical service tips and other service information.

10225458

Date: 2022-10-25. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: POWER TRAIN.

Some 2013-2020 Fusion, MKZ and 2013-2018 C-Max vehicles equipped with an HF35 transmission may exhibit a thumping/rubbing or grinding noise coming from the transmission. The noise may be present in all gear ranges including neutral when the vehicle is moving but will not be present when the vehicle

10217028

Date: 2022-07-29. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Some 2017-2022 Ford/Lincoln customers may experience a notification in the FordPassA A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A?/LincolnWayA A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A? app indicating Vehicle Has Entered Deep Sleep Mode. This occurs when the vehicle has not been started for 14 consecutive days, battery voltag

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
C-MAX10

Same model, other years

All model years | All Ford models

Other Ford models, 2018

Sources

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