Total Complaints
9 filings
FORD C-MAX HYBRID · model year
2016 FORD C-MAX HYBRID
9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2016FORDC-MAX HYBRID carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2016 C-MAX HYBRID is unknown or other with 2 filings, followed by structure:body (1) and exterior lighting (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2016 C-MAX HYBRID, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
9
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20250730BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rearview camera image appeared upside down. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Mileage: 100,000
20190321UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TOUCHSCREEPROBLEMS BEGAN WITH GPS GLITCHES IN DEC 2018, AND HAVE GOTTEN STEADILY WORSE...AS OF TODAY - TOUCHSCREEN DASHBOARD IS NOT WORKING - INCLUDING REAR VIEW CAMERA, HANDLESS FEATURES, GPS, CD PLAYER, ENTERTAINMENT/AUDIO SYSTEM. N SOMETIMES REMAINS ON EVEN AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. REQUIRES REPEATED TURNING ON AND OFF OF CAR, AND LOCKING/UNLOCKING THE DOORS TO HAVE TOUCHSCREEN FINALLY TURN OFF. HAVE CONTACTED FORD MULTIPLE TIMES, AND FOLLOWED THEIR DIRECTIONS TO TRY AND UPDATE SYSTEM, AND HAS NOT WORKED. NOW FORD WANTS ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE CAR (WHILE LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD), IS OVER 36,000 MILES, SO WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. ON INTERNET, SEEMS LIKE MANY OTHER FOLKS ARE ALSO HAVING THIS PROBLEM. FRIENDS HAVE 2017 FORD FUSION, WHICH IS HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES, BUT SINCE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, FORD IS REPLACING THEIR TOUCHSCREEN UNIT FOR FREE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT, AND FORD SHOULD DO A RECALL.
20180713FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
INTERMITTENT INABILITY TO CONTROL SPEED. FINALLY GOT AN ERROR CODE OF P2112 (THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL SYSTEM) WHILE IN MOTION AND VIBRATION BECAUSE THE BATTERY DOES NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY
Mileage: 36,000
20180625SERVICE BRAKES
MY 2016 FORD C-MAX WITH 10000 MILES HAS BRAKE ISSUES... ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE BRAKES ARE RUSTED AND NEED REPLACED FOR $1000.00. SERIOUSLY, A VEHICLE WITH 10000 MILES HAS BAD BRAKES AND NOT COVERED BY THE FORD WARRANTY..... I HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS WHILE MY WIFE IS DRIVING THE CAR AS SHE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE.....
Mileage: 10,000
20180103POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD C-MAX HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND THE "STOP NOW PULL OVER" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO PERRY FORD OF POWAY (12740 POWAY RD, POWAY, CA 92064), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. *BF ** *TR
Mileage: 18,000
20171015VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD ALTHOUGH FORD IS NOT CALLING THIS A RECALL I BELIEVE IT IS PRETTY SERIOUS. THIS IF FOR THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM;17B28 FORD IS SAYING THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY MAY DEVELOP CONTAMINATION AND MAY RESULT IN THE VEHCILE ENTERING A PROTECTIVE LOW-SPEED MODE WHICH CAN BE DANGEROUS IF THIS HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT THE THE NEXT APPOINTMENT FOR THIS FIX IS NOT UNTIL AUGUST 2018! I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT FORD SHOULD FIX RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES HOWEVER I HAVE READ FROM SOME PEOPLE THAT THIS HAS HAPPEN ON THEIR VEHICLE IN WHICH THEIR CAR DROPPED TO 5MPH.
Mileage: 16,331
20171015UNKNOWN OR OTHER
RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD ALTHOUGH FORD IS NOT CALLING THIS A RECALL I BELIEVE IT IS PRETTY SERIOUS. THIS IF FOR THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM;17B28 FORD IS SAYING THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY MAY DEVELOP CONTAMINATION AND MAY RESULT IN THE VEHCILE ENTERING A PROTECTIVE LOW-SPEED MODE WHICH CAN BE DANGEROUS IF THIS HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT THE THE NEXT APPOINTMENT FOR THIS FIX IS NOT UNTIL AUGUST 2018! I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT FORD SHOULD FIX RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES HOWEVER I HAVE READ FROM SOME PEOPLE THAT THIS HAS HAPPEN ON THEIR VEHICLE IN WHICH THEIR CAR DROPPED TO 5MPH.
Mileage: 16,331
20170121CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY
PRESSED THE BRAKES TO STOP IN A PARKING LOT, AND THE CAR TOOK OFF AS OBSESSED AND JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT A HUGE FLOWER POT,
Mileage: 2,600
20170121CrashEXTERIOR LIGHTING
PRESSED THE BRAKES TO STOP IN A PARKING LOT, AND THE CAR TOOK OFF AS OBSESSED AND JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT A HUGE FLOWER POT,
Mileage: 2,600
Compare 2016FORDC-MAX HYBRID to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2016 FORD C-MAX HYBRID have?▼
The 2016 FORD C-MAX HYBRID has 9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 FORD C-MAX HYBRID?▼
The most-complained component for the 2016 FORD C-MAX HYBRID is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY and EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
Is the 2016 FORD C-MAX HYBRID safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.