Model year record
2015 Ford C-Max Energi recalls & problems
The 2015 Ford C-Max Energi has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 15 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is back over prevention (5 complaints).

Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2015 Ford C-Max Energi.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2015 Ford CMAX Energi 5 HB FWD
| Frontal crash | ★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover risk | 14.7% |


NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
C-MAX Energi Plug-in Hybrid Plug-in Hybrid
| City / highway | 40 / 36 mpg |
|---|---|
| Electric range | 20 mi |
| On electricity | 88 MPGe · 37 kWh/100 mi |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $1,750/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Back over prevention | 5 | — |
| Electrical system | 4 | 19,449 mi |
| Steering | 3 | — |
| Unknown or other | 1 | — |
| Air bags | 1 | — |
| StructureBody | 1 | — |
| Engine | 1 | — |
| Visibility | 1 | — |
| Latches/locks/linkagesDoors › Latch | 1 | — |
| Service brakes | 1 | — |
| Power train | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Back over prevention
The contact owns a 2015 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated that while reversing at an undisclosed speed, the rearview camera was inoperative, and the image was intermittently upside down. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that a software update was needed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that another unknown software update was needed. The vehicle was repaired;…
- Back over prevention
The contact owns a 2015 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the rearview camera image failed to function properly, and the image appeared upside down. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.
- Back over prevention
The contact owns a 2015 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
- Back over prevention
The contact owns a 2015 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact called the local dealer and the manufacturer for an ETA on parts availability and was informed that a date was not available. The contact was informed that another letter would be sent from the manufacturer whenever the part was available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.
- Back over prevention
The contact owns a 2015 Ford C-MAX Energi. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a black screen. The contact stated that occasionally the rear-view camera displayed images of previous displays. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact was an elderly person who needed the use of the rear-view camera display and needed the vehicle to be repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Power train
The contact owned a 2015 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated upon parking and turning off the vehicle by a river, the vehicle later rolled away into the river. The vehicle was unoccupied. The contact was able to extract the vehicle out of the river with the assistance of professionals. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where the vehicle was deemed a total loss. The dealer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) which she associated with the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
- Electrical system
The contact owns a 2015 Ford C-Max Energi. The contact stated that the manufacturer label indicated that the vehicle was drivable for 22 miles when fully charged; however, the vehicle was only drivable for approximately 14 miles. Additionally, the contact stated that occasionally, the vehicle was only drivable for 8 miles. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that the failure was related to the tires. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
- Electrical system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD C-MAX ENERGI. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. ALSO, THE ABS SERVICE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V436000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SAWGRASS FORD (LOCATED AT 14501 W SUNRISE BLVD, SUNRISE, FL 33323, (954) 851-9000), BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert soundsClosedLed to recall 22V063000
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review…
- Door Latch FailuresClosedLed to recall 20V177000
In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (MY) 2012-2014 Ford Fiesta, and 2013-2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ. Some VOQs reported the failure occurred after the latch had been remedied under a prior recall which involved fracture of the latch pawl spring tab due to thermally induced cyclic fatigue. Other VOQs alleged a similar failure in vehicles not previously recalled. A latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in a ?door will not close? condition, however in certain somewhat rare circumstances, may result in the door coming open while driving. In response to ODI?s investigation, Ford has announced three field actions, as discussed below.On March 23, 2020, Ford submitted Safety…
- Door Latch FailureClosedLed to recall 16V643000
In January, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2012-2013 Ford Focus vehicles (subject vehicles).ODI has received 464 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with over 200 claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion.One consumer alleged an injury that occurred while driving when a door inadvertently opened and then closed on a child's arm.Another alleged that a door that inadvertently opened struck a parked vehicle.In response to ODI's information request, Ford Motor Company (Ford) provided 500 unique reports related to the alleged problem on the subject vehicles.Ford reported no injury or accident claims.Ford also submitted 1,513 warranty claims related to door latch failures.Many customers indicated…