The 2013 Ford C-Max was a reliable, safe compact hybrid for its day, but after a decade on the road, maintenance costs are only going up, averaging around $567 a year, and a new traction battery goes for thousands of dollars.
Key Points
- The 2013 Ford C-Max currently has one recall on file for hybrid battery-related issues and just under 200 complaints.
- The biggest concern for 2013 C-Max drivers is simply the car’s age. Even if the vehicle is in great condition, the hybrid batteries are only designed to last around eight years.
- A recall was issued in 2018 for a charge cord that was liable to overheat and start a fire.
- The vehicle has suffered from sudden power loss as far back as 2015, but incidents are infrequent and it is unknown if the power loss is related to the hybrid battery.
- With Kelley Blue Book listing the vehicle at around $10,000 and replacement batteries costing around $6,000, the 2013 C-Max is not a great prospect for used car buyers.
Original 2013 Ford C-Max Traction Batteries Are Mostly Burned Out by Now
Whether your original C-Max hybrid battery is in perfect condition or it’s been banged around a bit, if it’s still powering your vehicle, then you’re one of the lucky ones.
These batteries are only built to last around eight years. Every day past that mark, you’re risking a visit from the tow truck every time you head out.
Replacing the battery can cost around $6,000, which makes the C-Max Hybrid an expensive proposition. A conventional gas-powered car might run beautifully for 10 to 15 years. But eight years in, $6,000 might be too steep of a repair bill when you could just buy a new car instead.
You should consider that your C-Max traction battery might simply be expired, like the AAA batteries in a TV remote, and there’s no fixing it.
This isn’t the only problem you might have with the battery, but with these cars approaching a decade in age, it’s getting to be more likely.
Ford Issued a Recall in 2018 for Around 50,000 Overheating Charge Cords
In 2018, a recall was issued for around 50,000 Ford hybrids and electric vehicles, including several 2013-2015 C-Max Energi units, over an overheating charge cord that could potentially start a fire. The vehicle’s sole hybrid propulsion system complaint on file with the NHTSA backs this up.
Essentially, the cord draws too much energy from some homes. If you leave the cord unattended, you could potentially come back to find the cord melted with scorch marks surrounding the wall outlet. More worrisome, a house fire isn’t unlikely with issues like these.
Ford corrected the problem by shipping replacement cords to owners. The new cords came equipped with thermistors, a type of resistor that only works within a safe temperature range. Basically, if it gets too hot, the cord stops pulling electricity, thanks to a simple piece of insulated wiring.
There have been no further complaints of overheating charge cords since the recall was issued.
Issues With Sudden Power Loss Date Back to When the C-Max Was Just a Couple of Years Old
Among the power train and electrical complaints, a handful of reports hint at early traction battery failure. In 2018, a few years before the C-Max battery’s expected expiration date, a driver reports that his car lost power on the freeway and flashed a “stop safely now” warning on the speedometer.
The same thing happened to another driver in 2016, when the car was just three years old, and another in 2015, just two years after the car first rolled off the assembly line.
One driver reports that this only happens when the gearshift is positioned just past the marker for “drive” mode. When positioned just past “park,” they have no problems at all.
Unfortunately, there’s not much data to go on for this problem. That’s the issue with such a low rate of incidence; it’s less likely to happen, which means that each incident can only be handled on a case-by-case basis.
The 2013 Ford C-Max is Safe and Reliable, But it’s Overpriced When You Factor in the Cost of a New Battery and the Eight-year Expiration Date
There are relatively few issues to look out for when considering a 2013 Ford C-Max. The overheating charge cord problem has already been handled, and sudden power loss is so scarce that it is practically a non-issue for most drivers.
However, given the car’s age, and the cost of buying a replacement battery, it might be worth looking elsewhere for a used vehicle. The car averages around $10,000 in the Kelley Blue Book, and when you add another $6,000 for a new traction battery, it gets to be a bit steep for a decade-old compact.
If you can get a great deal on the car itself, or if you can find one with a relatively new traction battery under the hood, that’s a different story. But don’t hold your breath.
Photos: Ford
