Problems · NHTSA complaints

2016 Ford C-Max problems

Owners filed 10 complaints about the 2016 Ford C-Max with NHTSA between Oct 2017 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is back over prevention (5).

Complaints
10
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Back over prevention5
  2. Electrical system1
  3. Fuel/propulsion system1
  4. Service brakes1
  5. Power train1
  6. Vehicle speed control1
  7. Other / unknown3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20171
20183
20191
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
20265

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Back over prevention

5 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford C-Max. The contact stated that the rearview camera is malfunctioning, cuts out intermittently, and displays an error message stating that the camera is unavailable. The contact received a safety recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the replacement parts required to complete the repair are not yet available. The contact has reached out to the local dealer and notified the manufacturer of the failure, noting that the manufacturer has exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide the recall remedy. The failure mileage was 63,343.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2026Back over preventionODI 11771483

Electrical system

1 report
“Rear view camera recall was last year on October 2025 I am facing serious safety issues with the camera not working properly or sometimes entirely not at all the screen turns blue and does not display anything it’s very dangerous”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 9, 2026Electrical system, Unknown or other, Back over preventionODI 11770039

Fuel/propulsion system

1 report
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 13, 2018Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11111214

Service brakes

1 report
“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.....”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 25, 2018Service brakesODI 11103849

Power train

1 report1 related recall
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 3, 2018Power trainODI 11058297

Vehicle speed control

1 report
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2017Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 11033441
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.