Research · complaint index

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

We compared 6 model years of the Ford Cmax Hybrid by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2013, 2014 stand 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
201321
20148
20154
20161
20172
20181
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
20181010.302Fewest complaints
20172220.602Typical
20161410.302Fewest complaints
20154541.009Typical
201410682.206Most complaints
2013298215.709Most complaints
  • 201810 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 201722 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 201614 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 201545 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 2014106 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
  • 2013298 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 11, 2026

Fewest complaints for their age: 2018, 2016.

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What Ford Cmax Hybrid years have the most complaints?

Adjusted for years on the road, 2013, 2014 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 6 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.