2013 FORD C-MAX HYBRID Complaints

MY 2013 FORD C-MAX HYBRID BATTERY IS DEAD IN THE GARAGE AGAIN. NO ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WERE LEFT ON OVERNIGHT. THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE A TRADITIONAL BATTERY TO START THE ENGINE; IT USES THE HYBRID BATTERY TO DO THAT. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME MY CAR IS DEAD. I CALLED AAA TWICE AND CHARGED/JUMPED IT MYSELF WITH A BATTERY CHARGER THE OTHER TIMES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES, OF COURSE. I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED POOR MPGS FOR THIS VEHICLE, I AM WONDERING IF A FAULTY BATTERY OR RELATED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IS THE CAUSE FOR BOTH ISSUES. I HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM REPORTED ON SEVERAL OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINT WEB SITES BY MANY PEOPLE. THIS APPARENTLY IS A CHRONIC ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE. MY WARRANTY IS ALMOST UP, IF I AM HAVING ISSUES THROUGHOUT MY WARRANTY PERIOD WITH THIS ISSUE (WITH NO RESOLUTION), WHAT HAPPENS WHEN JUMPING THE BATTERY FAILS TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO LIFE AFTER THE WARRANTY RUNS OUT? I REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS COMMON ISSUE AND PRESS FORD TO FIX THE ISSUE AND EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE BATTERY AND CHARGING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WE NOTICED A NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AREA. WHENEVER WE STOPPED, I LOOKED AT THE TIRE AND NOTICED A LARGE BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. WE PURCHASED ANOTHER TIRE AND DROVE THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE WE HAD THE TIRE WITH THE SIDEWALL BUBBLE REMOVED AND THE NEW TIRE INSTALLED. WE LOOKED AT THE TIRE TO SEE WHAT HAD CAUSED THE BUBBLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE SQUARE TIRE PATCH INSTALLED ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE NEAR THE SIDEWALL. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS A NEW VEHICLE AND HAD MICHELIN TIRES ON IT. THIS WAS A PROFESSIONAL PATCH ON THIS TIRE THAT HAD TO HAVE BEEN DONE AT THE TIRE MANUFACTURER OR AT WAYNE ASSEMBLY PLT. WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT. THIS IS NOT A DEALER OR HOME REPAIR. I AM DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THAT A TIRE LIKE THIS COULD BE INSTALLED ON A NEW VEHICLE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A BLOW OUT AND SERIOUS INJURY TO SOMEONE. *TR

FROM PARK, SUDDEN FORWARD ACCELERATION AND HIT WALL, I HIT THE STEERING COLUMN, NO BRAKING, CAR REVERSED FROM IMPACT, STILL COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS, PULLED EMERGENCY BRAKE AND CAR STOPPED, ENGINE STILL REVVING UP, PUSHED BUTTON AND IT STOPPED. *TR

HEARD LOUD SCRAPING SOUND FROM FRONT UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE. PULLED OVER RIGHT AWAY AND SAW THAT ENTIRE FRONT EDGE OF FASCIA AT UNDERSIDE OF FRONT OF VEHICLE HAD COME LOOSE AND WAS DRAGGING ON ROAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN AN OBJECT THAT WAS UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT, THE SEAT TRACK DEEPLY CUT THE PASSENGER ON THE HAND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT WAS REMOVED AND THE SEAT TRACK WAS FILED DOWN SMOOTHLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. UPDATED 09/16/14*LJ UPDATED 1/20/2015 *JS

I WAS ON WAY TO WORK @ 15:30 AND I CAN NOT GET INTO MY LEASED CAR BECAUSE THERE IS CATASTROPHIC ELECTRICAL FAILURE.I CAN NOT GIVE YOU MILEAGE BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO ACCESS OR READ ELECTRIC DIGITAL ODOMETER DISPLAY.FORD ROADSIDE SENT TOW TRUCK TO TOW MY FORD LEASE IN FOR CATASTROPHIC ELECTRICAL FAILURE THE TOW DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO JUMP START THAT FAILED ALSO.WAS TOWED TO SERVICING DEALERSHIP FUTURE FORD BECAUSE ORIGINAL PURCHASE/LEASE DEALER LITHIA FRESNO IS NOT AUTHORIZED TO SERVICE THEIR OWN FORD C MAX HYBRID LEASE. I AM BEGGING WHOEVER READS THIS COMPLAINT PLEASE DO SO WITH INTEGRITY AND SHARE IT WITH SOMEBODY,ANYBODY OR AGENCY WITH AUTHORITY/JURISDICTION TO OPEN CASE AND INVESTIGATE, OR DOING ANYTHING TO STOP THESE SERIOUS, POTENTIALLY DEADLY FORD CMAX FAILURES. CATASTROPHIC MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, SYNC SYSTEM FAILURES.THIS IS THE 3RD SEPARATE, COMPLETE, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE W THIS CMAX HYBRID IN 18 MONTHS OF MY LEASE.I WANT OTHERS TO AT LEAST HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US ALREADY SO THAT OTHERS MAY NOT GET HURT.FOR THE SAKE OF SAFETY OF MILLIONS AND THE INTEGRITY OF DOING THE RIGHT THING THANK YOU. *TR

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

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

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

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