2017 Ford C-MAX

On 1/16/2026, while operating my 2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid in the Bay Area, the vehicle displayed a low tire pressure warning. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle experienced a rapid mechanical or electrical failure that required me to safely pull over and exit the vehicle. Upon exiting, I observed smoke followed by open flames originating from the vehicle. Emergency services were contacted immediately, and the fire department responded and extinguished the fire. The vehicle sustained catastrophic damage and was declared a total loss. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility following the incident. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle had not undergone any recent mechanical repairs or modifications beyond routine maintenance, including an oil change approximately two weeks prior to the incident and a state smog inspection approximately one week prior. The vehicle had been operating normally prior to the warning and failure. All physical documentation stored within the vehicle, including the title, registration, and passport, was destroyed in the fire. Photographic and video documentation of the incident and damage, along with contemporaneous incident records, are available upon request.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel detached from the steering column. The contact stated that the steering wheel had loosened. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a detached steering wheel bolt. The contact was informed that the steering wheel bolt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 43,896.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-MAX Hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift as intended and made an abnormal humming sound while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated while while driving at various speeds, and while coming to a complete stop, the vehicle made an abnormal humming sound. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Rear back-up camera does not display on dashboard console screen when air temperature is cold, i.e. below about 45º, and will only turn back on when the car has sufficiently warmed up after driving some distance. This has been happening for at least two years. When the camera is not working, there is a blind spot directly behind the car. The rear of the car proximity warning signal still works, but the screen remains black. I brought this problem to the attention of the dealership service manager, who told me he could not find anything obviously wrong.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-MAX Hybrid. The contact stated while starting the vehicle in cold temperatures, the steering wheel was locked. The contact stated that the steering wheel operated as needed after the vehicle had warmed up. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. The contact stated that he used his physical strength to steer the steering wheel, and he drove to his nearby residence. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the same assessment was made. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,500.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated while driving 3 MPH, the vehicle started to stall and failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and was informed that gasoline was leaking onto the wires and spark plugs. The contact was informed that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Ford Dealer Service recommends I replace lug nuts. I have 35th miles. That they are expanding and Ford cannot assure they or other repair shops will be able to remove lug nuts for repairs or replacements such as brakes, tires, etc. I read many complaints online about this problem, that the lug nut can break causing other lug nuts to break under pressure, that cause tire to fall off. They do not replace under warranty and do not discount parts. I call upon NHTSA to have Ford recall these affected cars for replacement lug nuts. Thank you

The contact owns a 2017 Ford C-Max. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the failure was experienced intermittently. Parts distribution disconnect. The failure mileage was unknown.