2016 Ford C-Max problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Back Over Prevention (3) · Visibility/Wiper (2) · Power Train (2)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Ford C-Max model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (3)
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera 2025-10-13 · campaign 25V695000 · 1,448,655 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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'
Power Train:shift Linkage/Cable/Rod 2022-06-10 · campaign 22V413000 · 2,925,968 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Structure:body 2017-01-24 · campaign 17V052000 · 17 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Service bulletins (128)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-02-24 · SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
ford and lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the
Electrical System 2025-11-26 · TSB 25-2570 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this article supersedes tsb 24-2165 to update the tsb service procedure. some vehicles listed in the model statement above may exhibit various sync performance related concerns including but not limited to: display operation concerns navigation inoperative voice recognition concerns phone co
Power Train 2025-11-12 · SSM 54366 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2015-2021 ford and lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated mil with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0011, p0012, p0014, p0015, p0016, p0017, p0018, p0019, p0021, p0022, p0024 and/or p0025. pinpoint test hk in the powertrain control and emissions diagnosis (pc/ed) or in section 303-14 of th
Unknown Or Other 2024-10-10 · SSM 53040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
while performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 ford and lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.
Unknown Or Other 2024-05-27 · TSB 24-2165 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this article supersedes tsb 21-2175 to update the tsb service procedure. some 2016 mks, 2016-2017 navigator, 2016-2018 f-150/focus/c-max/edge/fiesta/mkx/transit connect/mustang, 2017-2018 continental/fusion/mkz, 2017-2019 explorer, 2016-2019 escape/mkc/flex/mkt/taurus/transit/expedition/f-super duty
Equipment 2024-04-24 · SSM 52476 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
all accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. if the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicle s owner during initial delivery. unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad,
Showing the 6 most recent of 128 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-15 · Back Over Prevention · 63,343 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford c-max. the contact stated that the rearview camera is malfunctioning, cuts out intermittently, and displays an error message stating that the camera is unavailable. the contact received a safety recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 25v695000 (back over prevention); however, the replacement parts required to co…”
2026-10-09 · Unknown Or Other“rear view camera recall was last year on october 2025 i am facing serious safety issues with the camera not working properly or sometimes entirely not at all the screen turns blue and does not display anything it’s very dangerous …”
2026-09-08 · Back Over Prevention · 136,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford c-max. the contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen. the contact stated that the failure was a persistent failure, and the rear-view camera displayed an upside-down image. the dealer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure was associ…”
2026-03-04 · Back Over Prevention · 40,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford c-max hybrid. 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 contact stated that the rear-view camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(r). the contact stated that the failure obstr…”
2026-02-18 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera“see attached document for complaint. re: nhtsa safety recall 25v695 to whom it may concern, in august 2025 we took our 2016 cmax into the ford dealer we purchased it from to have the check out the back-up camera that was not working and have a service done. they charges us $225.00 to check it out and then wanted to service it for several hundred…”
2025-02-18 · Engine · 44,530 mi · 💥 crash“the contact owned a 2016 ford c-max. the contact stated that while coming to a stop in a parking lot attempting to obtain mail from a mailbox; the vehicle independently accelerated and it was unknown what gear the vehicle was stationed in. in addition, it was unknown if the brake pedal was depressed or the gear the vehicle was in at the time of the…”
2023-11-21 · Visibility/Wiper“the backup camera doesn't regularly function, ranging from 15% to 75% of the time. a tire man with prior experience in a ford dealership recommended checking for an electronics update to the system. there may be a worsening functionality when the weather is wet, but that's not a clear correlation.…”
2022-02-27 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera“both this 2016 and my 2013 ford c-max hybrid have the backup cameras failing. sometimes they work, and sometimes they have a black or blue screen than pops up and it says camera unavailable. i know there is a recent recall for other fords with backup camera issues, but the c-max sells much lower volumes so it is harder to get the same exact pro…”
2022-01-15 · Unknown Or Other · 🔥 fire“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 wi…”
2022-01-04 · Seats“we drove from cincinnati, oh to wray, co for christmas. we drove 15 hrs straight back home ( gas and potty breaks). i drove the last 9 hrs. i have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. so the heated seats are wonderful - usually. yes, i used the heated seats almost all the way. i’m always hurting so i didn’t notice a problem. on our last gas stop i…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.