2013 FORD C-MAX Complaints

DURING A TWO-LEG ROAD TRIP FROM ORANGE COUNTY, CA TO PARK CITY, UT VIA LAS VEGAS, ON THE FIRST LEG JUST OUTSIDE LAS VEGAS I GOT A WARNING MESSAGE "STEERING ASSIST FAULT:SERVICE REQUIRED". CAR DID NOT LOSE STEERING ASSIST HOWEVER AFTER THE NEXT KEY CYCLE (OFF/ON) A STEERING ASSIST FAILED MESSAGE APPEARED AND VEHICLE LOST STEERING ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN CAREFULLY TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER . THEY TOLD ME THE FAULT WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE TIRE PRESSURES (REALLY?) AND THEY HAD SET THE TIRE PRESSURES AND RESET THE FAULT CODE (C102D - EXCESSIVE FRICTION IN STEERING RACK). ON THE SECOND LEG AROUND 40 MILES FROM DESTINATION THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN - SAME FAULT CODE, SAME RESULT. CAR WAS TAKEN EARLY NEXT MORNING TO NEAREST FORD DEALER IN PARK CITY. AFTER A SHORT TIME THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY STEERING RACK. THEY ISSUED A LOANER CAR WHILE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. IT'S MY OPINION THAT THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND AFTER READING OF SIMILAR OCCURRENCES ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES, I BELIEVE FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED. *TR

BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND POWER STEERING FAILED. WARNING LIGHT WENT ON. I STOPPED DRIVING IMMEDIATELY AND CALLED LOCAL FORD DEALER SERVICE. THEY SUGGESTED RESTARTING THE CAR TO SEE IF STEERING RESUMED AND IT DID. THEY OFFERED A FREE TOW WHICH I DECLINED WHEN I SAW I HAD NON POWER STEERING IF NEEDED. DEALER CLOSE BY AND I DROVE AT VERY LOW SPEED. THREE DAYS LATER THE CAR REPAIR WAS COMPLETED (JULY 4TH WEEKEND). THE WORK ON THE INVOICE WAS "TRACE AND REPLACE POWER STEERING GEAR SET ALIGNMENT WITH PART# 1 CV6Z*3504*JE GEAR ASY - STEERING. CAR SEEMS FINE AND WE WERE ADVISED OF AN UPCOMING POWER STEERING RECALL IN WHICH WE NEED TO PARTICIPATE. HATS OFF TO GENESEE VALLEY FORD IN AVON NY FOR TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND GIVING US SUCH PROMPT SERVICE PLUS A LOANER. *TR

ADDITIONAL DATA: FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE ADMITTED THE FIRST RECHARGE OF THE HYBRID WAS DONE WITH AND INADEQUATE SOFTWARE SYSTEM. ON MAY 31 THE CAR AGAIN FAILED TO START. FORD ADMITTED THAT THE SOFTWARE HAD BEEN CHANGED TO ACCOMPLISH THE LOGIC SYSTEM TO BETTER CONTROL THE CAR. IT IS NOTE HERE FORD ALSO ADMITTED THIS C MAC WAS MADE FOR PARTS FORM BOTH 2013 AND 2014 INVENTORY. MY ISSUE IS FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGE REFUND TO BE PAID FOR LOSS IN MPG. HOWEVER FORD FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THE SCIENTIFIC FACT RECHARGING OF A DEPLETED BATTERY MARKEDLY REDUCES LIFE. I BELIEVE SAFECAR.GOV MUST FORCE FORD TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FAILURE: THIS MESSAGE SENT TO FORD " MY VIN NUMBER FOR MY C-MAX IS [XXX]. IT IS A SCIENTIFIC FACT TOTAL DISCHARGE OF A BATTERY FOLLOWED BY A RECHARGE LOWERS THE LIFE EXPEDIENCY OF THE BATTERY. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. THE FIRST RECHARGE WAS DONE WITH A INEFFECTIVE SOFTWARE CHANGE. THE SECOND RECHARGE WAS DONE WITH AN IMPROVED SOFTWARE CHANGE. QUESTION TO BE ANSWERED BY FORD. BECAUSE OF INEFFECTIVE SOFTWARE MY BATTERY LIFE HAS BEEN REDUCED. AS A RESULT FORD IS OBLIGATED TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THESE FAILURES. MY QUESTION TO FORD IS:"WHAT WILL FORD DO TO COMPENSATE?" INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE LOW PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AS I WAS TAKING A TRIP OF ABOUT 65 MILES TO MY MOTHERS HOME. I STOPPED AND CHECKED THE TIRES AND HAD TO PUT AIR IN THE TWO TIRES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE LIGHT DID NOT GO OUT; BUT I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE BECAUSE I DID NOT TURN THE CAR OFF SO I CONTINUED THE LAST 3 MILES OF MY TRIP. I PARKED THE CAR AT MY MOTHERS AND VISITED FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS. WHEN I GOT READY TO LEAVE, I WALKED AROUND THE CAR AND CHECKED THE TIRES AGAIN. I DID NOT NOTE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES OR THEM BEING LOW; BUT THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. I CONTINUED ON HOME WITH THE INTENTION OF TAKING THE CAR BACK TO MY DEALERSHIP. ABOUT A THIRD OF WAY HOME I HAD THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BLOW OUT. THERE IS A WHOLE IN THE OUTSIDE TIRE WALL, AND THE INSIDE TIRE WALL SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. *TR

ON OR ABOUT12/21/2013C-MAX FAILED TO START, LATE ON RAINY NIGHT ON FEDERAL RESERVATION. HYBRID BATTERY FAILED. SHEEHY MARLOWE HEIGHTS RECHARGED HYBRID BATTERY CHANGED SOFTWARE RETURNED CAR. WITH MILEAGE REDUCTION TO 38 MPG CAR WAS DEFINED AS A MIXTURE BETWEEN 2013 AND 2014 PART BUILD. ON 31 MAY 2014 CAR AGAIN FAILED TO START. HYBRID BATTERY FAILED. SERVICED BY SHEEHY FORD SPRINGFIELD RETURNED 2 DAYS LATER WITH MILEAGE REDUCTION TO 38 MPG. REQUESTED FORD ENGINEERING REVIEW OF TWO FAILURES. NO REPORT FROM FORD AS OF THIS DATE. *JS

THE LOSS OF POWER INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 27, 2014, WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH IN THE FAST LANE OF THE 405 FREEWAY AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE 405 AND 5 FREEWAYS IN LOS ANGELES, CA. THE FORD C MAX 2013 SUDDENLY DROPPED FROM 70 MPH TO LESS THAN 5 MPH. THE CAR WARNING MESSAGE ON THE DASH READ: "STOP SAFELY". DUE TO THE COURTESY OF THE MANY DRIVERS ON THE FREEWAY AT 7 IN THE MORNING, THE CAR CROSSED 4 TO 5 LANES OF FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, IN A LIMITED OPERATING MODE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AN HOUR, ENDING AT THE ON-RAMP FOR CARS ENTERING THE FREEWAY. THE CAR WAS STOPPED BUT NOT TURNED OFF. AT THAT POINT THE FUEL HISTORY DISPLAY WAS BLANK FOR THE LAST FIVE MINUTES. AFTER WAITING APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 5 MINUTES, THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND APPEARED TO RUN NORMALLY. IMMEDIATELY, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST FORD SERVICE CENTER, GALPIN FORD IN SHERMAN OAKS, CALIFORNIA FOR ASSISTANCE AND DIAGNOSIS. THE GALPIN SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT LOCATE A COMPUTER CODE THAT RELATED TO THE PROBLEM. AFTER LEAVING GALPIN FORD, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN 350 MILES TO WALNUT CREEK, CA WITH NO POWER ISSUES. THE NEXT DAY, THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS CONTACTED AT WALNUT CREEK FORD (WHERE THE CAR WAS LEASED ON MARCH 27, 2014). THE SERVICE MANAGER THERE INDICATED IF THERE WAS NO COMPUTER CODE FOR THE PROBLEM, NO DIAGNOSIS COULD BE MADE UNTIL THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED AGAIN. AS OF JUNE 11, 2014, THE LOSS OF POWER ISSUE HAS NOT RECURRED. *TR

UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS, MY HUSBAND BUMPED THE IGNITION KEY WITH HIS KNEE AND THE CAR TURNED OFF. HE QUICKLY FIGURED OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED IT AND WE CONTINUED ON. *TR

ONE MONTH AFTER THE ELECTRONIC STEERING MODULE FAILED (AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED HERE) & HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE RCM MODULE FAILED. ADVANCED TRACTION CONTROL, AND AIRBAG LIGHTS WERE/ARE LIT ON DASHBOARD. I DROVE WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING AIRBAG FOR 10 DAYS WHILE BEST FORD NASHUA TRIED TO REPLACE THE MODULE WHICH IS OUT OF STOCK. YESTERDAY 6/6/14 FORD NASHUA PROVIDED A RENTAL CAR UNTIL THEY CAN GET THE PART. *TR

VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE OVER NIGHT. DEAD BATTERY. TOWED TO DEALER. COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. JUNE 1 VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE OVER NIGHT, DEAD BATTERY IN THE MORNING. *TR

CAR WILL NOT START, NOTHING LEFT ON, CAR JUMPED WITH JUMPER, TOOK PLACE AGAIN YESTERDAY 5/27/2014. UNABLE TO JUMP START THIS TIME, FORD ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE APPLIED A JUMPER ABLE TO GET ELECTRICAL SYSTEM UP, BUT CAR WILL NOT RUN. FORD DEALER RECEIVED CAR, STATED THAT THEIR ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO JUMP CAR. ALSO STATED BATTERY WAS DEAD, BUT TESTED FINE. ASKED WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN, COULD NOT TELL ME. THEY STATED THAT ALL POWER SYSTEMS LIKE LIGHTS OR PHONES ARE AUTOMATICALLY TURNED OFF AFTER 45 MINUTES. HAVE CALLED FORD CUSTOMER CARE AND GIVEN A CASE NUMBER. WHEN BATTERY IS DEAD, GEAR SHIFTER CANNOT BE MOVED TO EVEN PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE CARPORT TO BE TOWED. *TR