How many recalls does the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid have?

The 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid has 3 NHTSA safety recall campaigns on record.

How do I check if my 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid?

Of 179 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is electrical system.

2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 61,696 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 179 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

EQUIPMENT 13V475000 2013-10-17 23,000 affected

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus Electric vehicles and 2013 C-Max vehicles equipped with the Intelligent Access Push Button Start System. In the affected vehicles, there is no audible chime when the vehicle is operational and the driver's door is opened. Thus, these vehicles…

Consequence

Without an audible door chime, a vehicle owner may open the door and exit the vehicle without being reminded that the vehicle is still operational, leaving the vehicle susceptible to theft.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the door chime, free of charge. The recall began on October 30, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C07.

STRUCTURE 13V303000 2013-07-10 33,021 affected

Defect

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2013 C-Max hybrid vehicles, without panoramic roofs, that were manufactured January 19, 2012, through June 25, 2013. During vehicle testing, the vehicle exceeded a head injury criteria requirement set by the standard. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal…

Consequence

In the event of a crash, an occupant could be at an increased risk of an injury.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install energy absorbers between the headliner and the roof. The recall began on August 5, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C02.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 13V085000 2013-03-07 5,675 affected

Defect

Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Focus and C-Max vehicles built from November 16, 2012, through November 21, 2012; and model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2012, through November 21, 2012. The left rear door child lock was built incorrectly. As a result, the child lock may not…

Consequence

The operator may incorrectly believe the child lock is engaged. However, the door may be opened from the inside, increasing the risk of injury to an unrestrained child.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected rear door latches, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ENGINE

POWER TRAIN

STEERING

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

STRUCTURE:BODY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

SERVICE BRAKES

AIR BAGS

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Total complaints179

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“The contact owns a 2013 ford c-max hybrid. The contact stated that on several occasions, while the vehicle was parked, it failed to start. The vehicle was jump-started on several occasions but needed to be towed occasionally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2026-02-23

“The contact owns a 2013 ford c-max hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The message "stop safely now'" was displayed on the screen. The contact was able to pull to the side of the…”

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2026-02-16

“The contact owns a 2013 ford c-max hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 15-20 mph, the steering wheel was wobbly. The contact exited the highway immediately and was able to pull over to the side of the roadway. The contact then pulled into a parking lot and the vehicle was towed…”

STRUCTURE · reported 2025-07-26

“The contact owns a 2013 ford c-max hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 15-20 mph, the steering wheel was wobbly. The contact exited the highway immediately and was able to pull over to the side of the roadway. The contact then pulled into a parking lot and the vehicle was towed…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2025-07-26

“The contact owns a 2013 ford c-max hybrid. The contact stated that while in reverse, the rearview camera failed to display a rearview image, potentially compromising the back over prevention system. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The…”

BACK OVER PREVENTION · reported 2025-05-15

“The contact owns a 2013 ford c-max hybrid. The contact stated while driving on three occasions at approximately 30-55 mph, several unknown warning lights were flashing. The message to shift to park(p) was flashing. The vehicle was shifted to park, and the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The…”

ENGINE · reported 2024-10-31

“The contact owns a 2013 ford c-max hybrid. The contact stated while driving on three occasions at approximately 30-55 mph, several unknown warning lights were flashing. The message to shift to park(p) was flashing. The vehicle was shifted to park, and the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2024-10-31

“The contact owns a 2013 ford c-max hybrid. The contact stated that upon exiting the vehicle, the driverâ€™s side doors failed to latch closed. The contact also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to get another driverâ€™s attention, he became aware that the horn was…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN · reported 2024-10-09

Defect investigations

Investigation 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…

Investigation PE16001 Opened 2016-01-16 · closed 2016-10-29

Door Latch Failure

In January, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2012-2013 Ford Focus vehicles (subject vehicles).ODI has received 464 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with…

Investigation PE16001 Opened 2016-01-16 · closed 2016-10-29