Research · complaint index

Ford Cmax Energi years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say

We compared 5 model years of the Ford Cmax Energi by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2013 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.

01 —Complaint index

Complaints per year on the road

1.0 = typical year for this model
View as table
Model yearComplaints per year since release
201316
20148
20155
20164
20172
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
20172220.402Fewest complaints
20164640.807Typical
20156051.0011Typical
201410681.606Typical
2013228163.306Most complaints
  • 201722 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 201646 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 201560 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 2014106 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 2013228 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 11, 2026

Fewest complaints for their age: 2017.

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What Ford Cmax Energi years have the most complaints?

Adjusted for years on the road, 2013 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 5 model years compared.

Is this a reliability rating?

No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.

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