Ford C-max owners have reported 7 visibility related problems since 1996. Table 1 shows the 1 most common visibility problems. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's wiper (7 problems). For details of each of the problem category, use the links in the table.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Wiper problems |
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.
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 passenger-side bottom corner of the windshield has become unglued. A glass repair shop informed us that the front passenger air bad deploys off of the windshield. In the event of an accident, the passenger side front air bag may not function properly, resulting in increased risk of injury to the front seat passenger. We noticed the right bottom corner of the windshield lifting up when we were cleaning the windshield from the inside. The vehicle is being taken to Ford for a diagnostic evaluation, but all warranties have expired.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford C-max. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 mph in the rain, the windshield wipers became inoperable, and the headlights inadvertently turned off. The contact stated that the horn would beep independently but failed to operate while depressed. Additionally, the heater and a/c unit became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle also failed to start. The contact had to jump start the vehicle on several occasions. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
The right-hand outside rearview mirror contains a small inset mirror intended to provide a different angle of view so as to give the driver visibility of vehicles alongside or in the "blind spot. " it is supposed to be mounted at an angle relative to the plane of the main mirror similar to the driver side mirror, but on my car it is mounted in the same plane as the main mirror so the views are identical. Ford dealer's service manager says it's correct, but every other Ford vehicle I have seen has an blind side mirror that is angled. Ford's customer service consultants refuse to dispute the local dealer's opinion. I believe this mirror was manufactured and installed in error. Ford's owner manuals for various models all describe the blind spot mirrors identically, but my mirror does not conform to those descrptions. More critically, it doesn't perform its intended function.
I was driving home from work, doing about 35 mph in stop and go traffic, when I heard a loud almost metallic "pop" from the exterior rear. I was less than a half mile from home, and the back window, although still in its frame,was completely crackled/shattered. No sign of impact from anything having hit it, it was actually bowing out.
On 4-1-2015, at approximately 1pm, while traveling west on highway 702 in pierce county washington in moderate to heavy rain I switched the windshield wipers from intermittent to the low continuous speed. Anticipating the heavy wash from an oncoming fully loaded logging truck I switched the wipers to the high speed and the wipers froze in place just as I reached the logging truck. Fortunately they restarted when I switched them back to the low continuous speed. I contacted the dealer, korum Ford in puyallup, wa and arranged for a service call the next day 4-2-2015. The Ford service department advised that the wipers failed because of damage to the wiring that goes to the module that controls the wiper¿s high speed. They also advised that the damage was done by mice and showed me the chewed marks on the plastic cover and some mouse droppings. They also showed me the shredded insulation lining on the underside of the engine hood. The service technician advised that Ford uses soy in the insulation and that attracts the mice. When I picked up the vehicle on 4-11-2015 the service advisor showed me where to put cayenne pepper to discourage the mice from eating the wire insulation. I contacted Ford and they did not have any suggestions on how to prevent further damage and refused to accept any responsibility for the cost of the damage. It should be noted that if I had not been on a familiar straight road I would have been head-on with a loaded logging truck. I guess i¿m fortunate that it only cost me $2,324. 73 instead of my life. Ford needs to come up with a method of preventing rodent damage caused by their use of soy in the wire insulation and they must advise owners of the risk of damage by rodents and they should not charge customers thousands of dollars to fix their mistake.