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2016 Ford C-MAX

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Ford C-MAX do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 37.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 13 of 22 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Back Over Prevention. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

5 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2022
Unknown Or OtherFire

I was driving slowly leaving a supermarket parking lot. There was no one else around. There was a sudden loud bang, the car lurched upward and to the right, coming to rest over a curb hanging down a ditch. The front end started to smoke and then caught fire. The car was a total loss. There had been no impact. I was able to esca…

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I was driving slowly leaving a supermarket parking lot. There was no one else around. There was a sudden loud bang, the car lurched upward and to the right, coming to rest over a curb hanging down a ditch. The front end started to smoke and then caught fire. The car was a total loss. There had been no impact. I was able to escape down the ditch with the help of police and the fire department put out the fire. The first 2 pictures are on the scene; the remainder in the tow lot. Friends have suggested that perhaps the hybrid battery exploded.

NHTSA ODI #11447580

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2021
Unknown Or Other

Rear backup camera intermittently does not show any image on the screen. When this happens the screen is either blue or black and camera image either flashes in and out or never shows up at all. This happens approximately 10% of the time the vehicle is put in reverse - the rest of the time the camera works normally.

NHTSA ODI #11432032

Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2019
Unknown 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 …

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11190619

16,331 miles · Oct 15, 2017
Unknown Or OtherVehicle 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 HAPPEN…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11033441

20,000 miles · Apr 12, 2016
Unknown Or OtherCrashInjury

HEAD IMPACT - PREVIOUSLY RECALLED IN JULY 2013 BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR HEADLINER DESIGN ISSUES. STRUCK WHEN TURNING VEHICLE ONTO HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI #10855102

Official recalls

3

25V695000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Oct 13, 2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.

22V413000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

Jun 10, 2022

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

17V052000 · Structure:body

Jan 24, 2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Improperly welded apron joints may reduce the front-end structural integrity of the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the apron joints, repairing the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S03.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.