2014 Ford C-MAX Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2014 Ford C-Max most often describe transmission noise or failure and sudden loss of power steering assist. Rear door and liftgate latches that fail to hold, open unexpectedly, or stick are also common, along with hybrid warning lights and electrical faults. Transmission complaints mostly fall between roughly 70,000 and 110,000 miles, while steering complaints appear at both low and high mileage.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission whining, grinding, or failure

   • 15 complaints (19%)
   • median 88,612 mi at 6.7 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2024

   Owners describe a loud whine, roar, grinding, or thumping noise from the transmission area, sometimes heard while driving and sometimes when the engine is warming up. Some complaints say a dealer or independent shop found a bearing or internal transmission fault and recommended replacement, and some report the replacement failing again. Replacement costs were quoted in the thousands of dollars, and some owners said the car was no longer under warranty. Mostly reported between roughly 70,000 and 110,000 miles, with some reports above 150,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the bulletins on thumping, rubbing, or grinding noise in HF35 transmissions were reviewed for the vehicle, and listen for whining or grinding on a test drive, including while the engine warms up. Ask for records of any transmission repair or replacement, since some complaints describe a repeat failure after a replacement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2014 Ford cmax energi - 70,300 miles purchased new nov. 2014. Was driving switch backs down hill with my car in low. I heard a noise and suddenly the car slipped out of gear in neutral. I braked to a stop. Put it in park and back to drive and it seemed fine. A week and a later, it did it again in the same down hill place on the switch backs. I really takes off when it unexpectedly slips out of gear. I took it to the Ford agency the next day to have it checked. They kept it 42 days (including sundays) but never found the cause. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11005220, filed 2017-07, 70,300 miles

   “When I first drive it with battery-only mode (about 15 miles), it is quiet. When the engine kicks in, there is a loud whining noise when driving it on the streets or on highways and even on idle. I took it to Ford dealership they said it is the transmission and they can not repair just some parts of it, so it needs a brand new transmission to the tune of $8000. At only 110k miles, I could not drive it past 15 miles of battery range.”

   NHTSA complaint #11587106, filed 2024-05
2. 2
   Steering

   Power steering assist fault or sudden stiff steering

   • 14 complaints (18%)
   • median 48,000 mi at 5.6 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2014–2024

   Owners describe the power steering assist cutting out or locking up, sometimes with a Service Power Steering warning on the dashboard. Some say the wheel became very hard to turn while driving, and others report the assist failing completely, which in some cases meant the car had to be towed. According to complaints, the dealer or a repair shop found a failed power steering module or steering rack and recommended replacement. Reported at mileages from about 1,900 to over 170,000 miles, and some describe the fault appearing at engine start-up.

   Recall 14V514000 · DO NOT DRIVE

   What to check: Ask whether the vehicle falls within the build dates covered by recall 14V514000 for steering gears, and check for stored steering or power steering fault codes. Some complaints describe intermittent faults that the dealer could not reproduce, so ask for the diagnostic records from any earlier visit.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1st incident the vehicle completely died while I was doing 50mph down a 5 lane road. All electrical went out while I was driving. Lost my power steering and braking was extremely difficult. Had to have the vehicle towed as it would not re-start. 2nd time about two weeks after getting the car fixed the vehicle died while I was driving on i75 with same scenario. I was able to pull over on shoulder and had to have the vehicle towed in. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10633639, filed 2014-09, 2,100 miles

   “During last trip with car, parked car while shopping. When leaving store car lost steering and warning light came on in dash indicating power steering assist fault. Car was extremely difficult to drive after that. Waiting for appointment with dealer. Had this happened while turning at a busy intersection it could have been a problem. Car has 100,000 miles so I expect some problems, but I think this could be a safety issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #11420372, filed 2021-06
3. 3
   Latches, locks and linkages

   Rear door latch, liftgate, and door panel problems

   • 12 complaints (15%)
   • median 64,893 mi at 6.9 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2016–2023

   Owners describe rear passenger doors that stick or are hard to open from inside, often tied to an inside door panel that comes loose. Other complaints describe a door or the liftgate unlatching or opening on its own, with the ajar warning staying on after a repair. Some owners say the dealer told them a recall repair was complete while the problem continued. Where mileage is given, reports fall between about 17,000 and 90,000 miles.

   Recall 16V643000Recall 20V331000

   What to check: Ask the dealer to confirm whether recalls 16V643000 and 20V331000 for door latches are open for this vehicle and whether the repair was recorded. Test each door and the liftgate from inside and outside, and check that the inside door trim panels sit firmly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The 2 back passenger doors do not function properly. They become stuck when closed and cannot be opened in a normal manner. The doors require great force to be opened because the inside door panel comes loose and causes the doors to not operate properly. The doors cannot be opened from the inside of the car and must be opened forcefully by an adult. The means that any child sitting in the back seat is unable to exit the car. This has happened on multiple occasions and happens randomly. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11254121, filed 2019-09, 40,200 miles

   “The passenger side rear door plastic panel keeps dislodging from its metal casing, then gets stuck on part of the interior frame, causing the door to not be operational. The plastic overlaps the frame once it is dislodged; the metal part of the door is opening, but the plastic panel holds it back from being able to go past an inch. The door is, essentially, stuck. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11434532, filed 2021-09
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Hybrid warning lights and battery electrical faults

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 78,000 mi at 6.1 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2026

   Owners describe dashboard warnings such as a wrench light, check engine light, or a stop-safely message, sometimes with the car not engaging drive or with features shutting off to save battery. Some report the battery running down, including a car that needed a jump start every day, and others describe the electrical system cutting out while driving. According to complaints, dealers sometimes reset codes or could not reproduce the fault, and an owner felt the test equipment was not suited to the hybrid battery system. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 2,000 to about 100,000 miles, and some describe problems at startup.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask the dealer to test the hybrid battery and 12-volt battery with hybrid-capable equipment, and whether the 12-volt battery drain and 2.0L hybrid drivability bulletins were reviewed. On a test drive, check that no warning lights appear at startup and that the car moves into drive normally.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Wrench light came on meaning contact dealer asap about powertrain issue. I had noticed a few days earlier it seemed to not be switching between electric and engine as well or smoothly when driving. When stationary, the display screen for radio would not come on when getting into the car. Instead it gives message turning off to conserve battery. Car has been well maintained and is at 78000 miles. Took to dealer. Cannot find issue. Codes it is throwing are for battery but they both test good. They reset codes and we went to pick it up. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11032161, filed 2017-10, 78,000 miles

   “Ever since we brought the car to a Ford dealership for a recall on the back door latch we have had issues with the battery. We have to jump start it every day.”

   NHTSA complaint #11480312, filed 2022-08
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Unexpected rolling, gear slip, or acceleration

   • 10 complaints (13%)
   • median 56,150 mi at 5.8 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2024

   Owners describe the car moving without the driver selecting it: rolling backward after being placed in park, slipping out of gear on a downhill, or rolling into traffic while backing out after the brakes failed. A separate complaint describes the car accelerating on its own while coasting, and at other times not moving when the accelerator was pressed in reverse or drive. In some complaints the dealer could not find the source of the problem. Where mileage is given, these reports fall between about 18,900 and 70,300 miles, and the situations involve parking, backing out, or stopping.

   Recall 22V4130003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether recall 22V413000 for the shifter cable bushing has been completed and whether the shifter lever position bulletins were checked. On a test drive, confirm the gear display matches the selected gear and that the car holds in park when stopped on a slope.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Unintended acceleration. I was coasting to a stop for a red light and the car started to accelerate on its own. Jamming on the brakes stopped the car. One of time I was trying to back out of a parking spot and then I put the car in reverse and pressed the accelerator nothing would happened, so I put the car back it park and then back into reverse and still nothing. Next I shifted into drive and the car still wouldnt move when the accelerator was pressed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11128496, filed 2018-09, 42,000 miles

   “While backing out of the driveway, the brakes failed. In an attempt to stop the car from continuing into on coming traffic, attempted to put the car in park. After moving the gearshift into park, the car continued to roll into on coming traffic. The C-Max struck another another car and continued to roll until it was stopped by a small retaining wall on the opposite side of the street.”

   NHTSA complaint #11469602, filed 2022-06

Buying note. Used-car buyers can ask for service records for transmission, steering, and door latch repairs, and confirm whether the related recalls were completed. A test drive that includes reverse, parking, and a slope may help check the symptoms owners describe.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.