2013 FORD C-MAX Steering Problems

Steering stopped working but after restarted it began to work again. It was fine for a few days and then DTC came up indicating "Service Power Steering" and the power steering has quit working.

While driving car, power steering will fail and deactivate leaving the steering extremely heavy and manual. Can happen at any speed, and has happened on the interstate at highway speeds. Information cluster states, "power steering fault - service power steering immediately" When this happens it is highly unsafe and happens instantly without warning. Makes getting the car off the road and stopped safely very difficult and dangerous. Stopping the car, turning it off fully and restarting seems to clear the fault and makes the car power steering operate as normal again. But this has happened many times since owning the car and I can find no reason when or why it gets triggered. Online searches find many other owners of this car describing the exact same issue and they share the same concerns about it being unsafe.

Got a “Power steering assist fault” message on the screen. It was very hard to steer the wheel. The case on the wheel was turning around it. Managed to drive 3 more miles to the dealership. A lot of other ford models have same issues, even under 50.000 miles. And many of the are in recall program, but not 2013 ford c-max. Can’t afford 3.400$ price for fixing it at the dealership. I’m a second owner, bought it for 5.000 , 3 years ago. At least it didn’t stuck completely, and I didn’t Die

On the morning of 12/13/23 I got in my car to go to work. Upon starting my car the warning light for service power steering came on. I noticed the car was very hard to steer when existing my drive way. I drove the car back into my neighborhood to see if it was safe to drive in traffic. The steering was so tight and steering wheel would fight me wanting to return to center. With the fault code still present I went home and inspected the steering system and hooked up my scan tool to the OBD port. I had a fault code of 3000-53 and 3000-49. The 3000-53 would not clear. I have found online other Fford vehicles with recalls for the same steering system setup, but not on the Ford C Max. If this had happened when I was driving on the road at a high rate of speed it would have caused a serious accident, as the steering was very unresponsive and actually fighting my input of direction.

I went to change lanes and all of a sudden the steering became difficult. I thought the car had lost power, but it was only the steering. The sudden loss came as a surprise and did cause me to loose control momentarily during the lane change. Shortly thereafter a warning light came on indicating the power steering needed to be serviced. I was able to arrive at my destination safely, but power steering was completely out. Upon restarting the car the problem went away. Returning home later that evening the problem returned about 5 miles into my trip. I returned home and shortly after brought the car to the auto parts store to see if there was a code on their scan tool. No codes, but this time when the car was started the warning light came on immediately and power steering has quit working 100% of the time.

I started the car and could not move the steering wheel without great great effort. “Power steering failure” notice appeared on dashboard.

Steering warning light came on after driving away from home. Power Steering failed, no possible way to move steering wheel. Powered vehicle off. Next day, steering worked and took vehicle to Ford Dealer. Upon inspection by Dealer, the steering gear failed and needs to be replaced. Vehicle has less than 50,000 miles driven. In my opinion, this is a manufacturing issue that Ford needs to review and possibly recall. This could have been very serious had the failure occurred while I was driving the vehicle.

I started my car & put in reverse the service power steering light came on & my steering wheel locked so I put it back in park turned the car off waited a moment & started it again the problem stopped. I then got online to troubleshoot & see that there is many complaints about this happening but it worse situations when they were actually driving & almost had an accident due to not being able to steer the vehicle. Now I'm scared it will happen when I'm driving next time. This is a life threatening problem & the fact that its a know issue should be fixed by ford at no charge or you will end up with class action lawsuits for putting peoples lives in danger !!!!!

The message to service the power steering suddenly appeared and the steering wheel could not be rotated, when we were at our drive way. I felt to be very lucky for not being on the road when the loss of power steering occurred. After I turned off the engine and restarted the car one minute later, the power steering problem disappeared and I was able to drive the car again. About one week later, I sent the car to a Ford dealer for inspection. The test result showed the error code U300-49:08 and the internal electronic failure type. The dealer recommended replacing the steering gear at a cost of over $3000. We have just completed a 7-year service contract with the same dealer. Thus, the car should have been well maintained.

Was driving my 2013 Ford CMax and heard a noise in the front. I took it to the local Belle Tire and they replaced the upper inner front tirod. Still had issues and heard noise. Took it to a repair facility and they claimed they heard no noise. Two weeks later my Steering assist warning light came on and I lost all steering capabilities. Luckily I was not injured. Ford has recalls for this same issue on other years and models. Due to the severity of this problem and possible casuality Ford should issue a recall for this part. I had to pay $2100.00 to repair this problem

After making a stop at a rest stop traveling from Portland, OR to The Dalles, OR, when we got back into the car and started it, a warning light came on saying “service power steering. See your dealer.” From that point forward, we had no power steering and had to drive home that way. We know after doing research that Ford has a recall (15S18) for this exact problem but because there weren’t as many CMax vehicles sold, they did not include it. We had to drive home almost 60 miles at highway speed to get home.

TURNED THE CAR ON IN A PARKING LOT AND SAW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. HAD TOTALLY LOST POWER STEERING AND ACCELERATION, AND BRAKING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. ROLLED DOWN THE PARKING LOT AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH THE PARKING BRAKE AND TURN IT OFF. TURNED IT BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR WERE BACK. DROVE THE CAR HOME AND TRIED TURNING IT ON AND OFF A FEW MORE TIMES. POWER STEERING SEEMS TO BE COMPLETELY GONE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON.

Mileage: 76,600

POWER STEERING FAILS WITHOUT WARNING MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER THAN MANUAL STEERING. TURNING CAR OFF RESETS ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE BUT THAT IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE POWER STEERING WON'T FAIL AGAIN WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY.

Mileage: 1

TOTAL POWER STEERING LOSS. ISSUE HAPPENED TWICE SINCE OWNING THE CAR . ONCE AT 30,000 MILES AND THE SECOND AT 80,000 MILES.FORD DEALER SAID IT NEEDED A ELECTRIC POWER STEERING RACK & PINION.

ELECTRIC STEERING RACK FAILED CAUSING NO POWER STEERING. SYMPTOMS STARTED WITH INTERMITTENT LOCKING. LUCKILY THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE FAULTY HIGH ENERGY BATTERY PACK STILL UNDER WARRANTY. REPROGRAMMING DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. IT APPEARS FORD HAD A RECALL FOR HIGHER PRODUCTION MODELS USING THE SAME RACK BUT NOT FOR C-MAX WHICH HAD LOW PRODUCTION. MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD TO LOSE STEERING CAPABILITY.

Mileage: 79,678

AS WITH MANY COMPLAINTS LISTED IN FORUMS OUTSIDE OF THE NHTSA MY 2013 C MAX IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME STEERING ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RESOLVED IN OTHER FORD MODELS UNDER RECALL 15S18. THE ELECTRIC STEERING RACK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $2,000. ISSUES ARE SCRAPING AND MINOR SEIZING STEERING INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURNING AND PROGRESSIVELY WORSENING. CURRENTLY NOTING NOISE WHEN LEAVING TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. NO ISSUES DRIVING STRAIGHT, AT THIS TIME. MANY STATE THEIR STEERING SEIZES COMPLETELY AND CLEARLY I DO NOT WISH THIS TO HAPPEN, PARTICULARLY WITH KIDS IN THE CAR. I HAVE NO ON BOARD SCREEN ERRORS ILLUMINATING AT THIS POINT AND HAVE VALID FEAR OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS CAR AND OTHERS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE 15S18 RECALL AND WHY OTHERS ARE COMPLAINING OUTSIDE OF NHTSA I DON'T KNOW BUT THIS AFFECTS MANY MORE CARS THAN LISTED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL. I AM REQUESTING THIS VEHICLE BE INCLUDED IN RECALL 15S18 BEFORE DEATH OCCURS. THIS ISSUE BEGAN IN WINTER AND HAS PROGRESSED. 40,000 MILES ON CAR.

BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY TO DRIVE TO A SPOT ON THE CUL DE SAC. STARTED TO PULL UP TO THE CURB AND COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. SAW A LIGHT THAT SAID SERVICE POWER STEERING SOON. NO WARNING UNTIL POWER STEERING STOPPED COMPLETELY. GOT STOPPED JUST A COUPLE OF FEET FROM THE LIGHT POST. FORD CHARGED $2200.00 TO FIX. CAR HAS JUST OVER 50,000 MILES.

Mileage: 50,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD C-MAX. THE CONTACT STATED AT START-UP, THE STEERING CEASED WITH THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HONOLULU FORD LOCATED AT 1370 N KING ST, HONOLULU, HI 96817, (808) 824-3981 AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE POWER STEERING WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 177,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF FAULTY POWER STEERING IN THEIR ENTIRE PRODUCT LINE BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL.*JB

Mileage: 177,000

MY VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000 MILES ON IT. I GOT IN MY VEHICLE TO LEAVE AND A RED MESSAGE APPEARED SAYING, "SERVICE POWER STEERING SYSTEM". THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. IN FACT, I WASN'T ABLE TO TURN IT AT ALL. I SHUT OFF THE CAR AND THEN RESTARTED IT. IT APPEARED TO BE WORKING AGAIN AND I DROVE IT FOR AN HOUR WITHOUT ANY ISSUE. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I LOOKED ON A FEW FORUMS AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THE CMAX AND OTHER FORD EPAS SYSTEMS. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE FORUMS SAY IT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THEM DRIVING. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR FORD. BECAUSE OF WHAT I READ, I AM SCARED TO CONTINUE DRIVING, BUT NEED THE VEHICLE TO GET OT WORK. I WANT TO GET IT FIXED, BUT DO NOT HAVE THE APPROXIMATELY $2000 IT COSTS TO DO SO. I DO NOT WANT TO RISK MY LIFE OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS. FORD, IF THIS IS HAPPENING IN THIS MODEL AND IN SIMILAR MODELS, AND YOU KNOW ABOUT IT, WILL YOU PLEASE COVER THE COST?

Mileage: 105,000

WHILE VEHICLE MOVING AT ~15MILES PER HOUR IN A LEFT TURN AT A T INTERSECTION POWER STEERING TURNED VIOLENTLY THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, WITHOUT A POSSIBILITY FOR ME TO KEEP IT IN MY BOTH HANDS. ROTATION RATE OF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY RAPID AND REQUIRED IMMEDIATE AND HEAVY BRAKING SO AS NOT TO HIT PARKED VEHICLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TURN. MY WIFE DESCRIBED TWO OTHER INSTANCE WHEN IT HAPPENED TO HER IN HER WORK PARKING LOT WHERE SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND HAD TO IMMEDIATELY SLAM THE BRAKES TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED TO HER WHILE TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THIS ISSUE IS NEW. WE HAD THE GEAR BOX CHANGED AT 75,000 MILES AND THE 3 INSTANCES HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN. WE ARE BRINGING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR HOPING THEY CAN FIX THIS ISSUE.

Mileage: 77,300

MY CAR WOULD NOT TURN. A NOTIFICATION TO CHECK POWER STEERING APPEARED. I WAS PARKED AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE SPACE BECAUSE THE WHEELS WOULD NOT TURN. THERE ARE MULTIPLE REPORTS ON LINE ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE WITH CMAX CARS. THE REPAIR WILL COST ME $ 2,600 TO FIX

Mileage: 95,500

I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL WHEN MY CAR'S POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING INSTANTLY AND IT BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER, THERE WAS ALSO A MESSAGE THAT DISPLAYED SAYING "SERVICE POWER STEERING". WHEN I STOPPED AN RESTARTED THE CAR, THE MESSAGE AND STEERING WERE FINE, HOWEVER THIS REPEATED A FEW DAYS LATER. WHEN I TOOK IT TO FORD TO BE SERVICED, THEY SAID IT WAS 'PROBABLY A BATTERY ISSUE", WHICH WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE NEXT DAY, THE SAME ISSUES OCCURRED.

Mileage: 70,000

ON MY 2013 CMAX ENERGI OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING, WHICH MAKES HIT HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. "POWER STEERING REQUIRES SERVICE" WARNING COMES ON. IT GENERLLY OCCURS JUST AFTER STARTING THE CAR. AFTER RE-STARTING SEVERAL TIMES, POWER STEERING WILL TYPICALLY KICK BACK IN. DEALER INDICATED NEED TO REPLACE STEERING COLUMN. PARTS COST IS AROUND $2000 AND LABOR $1000.

Mileage: 98,000

RECEIVED WARNING "POWER STEERING REQUIRES SERVICE" WHILE DRIVING. SHORTLY AFTER, WE PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE--ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE MESSAGE SAID "POWER STEERING FAULT". OUR LOCAL DEALER SAID THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY OR RECALL. RESEARCH SHOWS MULTIPLE RECALLS ON 2013 FORD VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NOT FOR THE CMAX ENERGI (PERHAPS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A VERY POPULAR CAR AND THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH SOLD TO TRIGGER THE RECALL THRESHOLD).

Mileage: 59,939

WE BEGAN TO HAVE DIFFICULTY STEERING OUR WELL-MAINTAINED FORD C-MAX JUST AFTER STARTING WHEN BACKING UP IN OUR DRIVEWAY AT AROUND 63,000 MILES. WE REPORTED IT TO FORD AND THEY SAID IT JUST WAS THAT THE ELECTRICAL SIGNAL TAKES AWHILE TO GET TO THE STEERING. BEFORE 70,000 MILES THE 'CHECK STEERING' LIGHT WENT ON. BEFORE WE COULD GET IT TO THE DEALER, THE POWER STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY. FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY. WE HAVE READ THAT THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND THERE WAS A RECALL OF OTHER 2013 FORD MODELS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. THE DEALER SAYS THE REPAIR WILL COST US APPROXIMATELY $3,500. WE BELIEVE THE FORD C-MAX SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

Mileage: 68,000

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSIST FAULT ALERT LIGHT SHOWED UP AND THE CAR START GETTING VERY HARD TO CONTROL. TOOK IT TO THE AUTO SHOP AND THEY FOUND CODE C102D. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL RACK. $2325.

Mileage: 86,000

THE POWER STEERING WAS OCCASIONALLY FAILING BUT AFTER READING THE MANUAL I SAW THAT FORD SUGGEST DE POWERING THE CAR AND RESTARTING IT. AFTER WRENCHING MY BACK FROM DRIVING WITH THE POWER STEERING NOT WORKING I STARTED DOING THAT. THEN THE POWER STEERING SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. WHEN I WENT IN THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME OVER $2000 TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT FORD HAD RECALLED SIMILAR MODELS OF THAT YEAR RANGE FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE BUT HADN'T RECALLED THE CMAX. THE STEERING WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING AND MY CAR WASN'T EVEN AT 100,000 MILES. I ALSO HAD BEEN TAKING THE CAR IN REGULARLY TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR CHECKS AND REPAIRS AND NO ONE INDICATED THIS MIGHT BE A CONCERN.

Mileage: 92,957

POWER STEERING COMPUTER MODULE WENT OUT WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPOT. LUCKILY NO CARS WERE PARKED NEXT TO ME AND NOBODY WAS WALKING IN THE LOT AS I LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THIS CAR HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. THIS ALSO HAPPENED AFTER DRIVING LESS THAN 100 MILES AFTER HAVING THE TRANSMISSION AND FRONT AXLE REPLACED.

Mileage: 40,600

OUT OF NOWHERE, THE CAR POPS UP A MESSAGE TO SERVICE POWER STEERING. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN, THE MESSAGE DISAPPEARS. I DROVE 1 DAY WITH THE STEERING AS NORMAL, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY THE ELECTRIC ASSISTED POWER STEERING STOPS AND IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE CAR DECIDES EACH TIME YOU START IT IF THERE IS A STEERING PROBLEM AND THEN GIVES OR DOESNT GIVE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING AT YOUR START OF TRIP. ITS FRUSTRATING THAT OTHER MODELS OF FORD WITH THIS SAME STEERING SYSTEM HAVE RECALLS, BUT THIS LOWER SALES QUANTITY C-MAX GETS IGNORED.

Mileage: 140,000

BEFORE 50,000 MILES STEERING WENT FROM INTERMITTENTLY HAVING NO POWER TO CONTINUOUSLY HAVING NO POWER. USUALLY POWER STEERING IS ABSENT AT START-UP. VEHICLE DISPLAYS "SERVICE POWER STEERING" MESSAGE. OBD2/CAN THROWS A PSCM - POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE U3000 CM CONTROL MODULE CODE. STEERING WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT WORK UNDER WARRANTY - ASKED AT FORD IF THERE WERE STEERING RECALLS AND TOLD THERE WERE NONE. I DID NOT ESCALATE BECAUSE TURNING OFF THE CAR ONE OR MORE TIMES WOULD RESET. NOW THAT THE CAR IS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY, NO ACTION I CAN TAKE, (SUCH AS RESTARTING THE CAR OR CLEARING THE ERROR CODE) WILL RESET THE STEERING. STEERING EFFORT IS MUCH HIGHER THAN ANY NON-POWER STEERING CAR OR OLD TRUCK I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. THE FAILED PSCM (POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE) DOES NOT APPEAR TO EXIST AS A STAND-ALONE PART. FORD TELLS ME ~$700-$800 IF STEERING COLUMN, OR $2300 IF RACK AND PINION NEED REPLACED. HOURS SPENT SEARCHING FOR THE PART TO DO MY OWN REPAIRS HAS NOT GIVEN ME A SINGLE PART NUMBER THAT RELATES TO THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM. THIS ALL SEEMS TO BE PART OF FORDS TROUBLE PRONE AND HUGELY EXPENSIVE EPAS (ELECTRONIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING) SYSTEM. EPAS HAS HAD RECALLS IN MORE POPULAR FORD MODELS, SUCH AS RECALL 15S18 BEGINNING JULY 20, 2015. I SUSPECT LOW PRODUCTION QUANTITY CARS SUCH AS THE HYBRID C-MAX LIKELY HAVE A SIMILAR FAILURE RATE, BUT IT ISN'T NOTICEABLE DUE TO THE MUCH LOWER QUANTITY PRODUCED. FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SAME FLAWED SYSTEM ON MULTIPLE MODELS DESERVES THE SAME FIX. WHILE I NEVER LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING, IT WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC FOR SMALL/WEAK DRIVERS OR THOSE WHA HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING. I'VE DRIVEN BOTH CARS WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND WITH FAILED POWER STEERING, BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD TO USE THE LEVEL OF EFFORT IT TAKES TO STEER THE EPAS SYSTEM WHENE IT SHUTS DOWN.

Mileage: 49,315

WHEN I STARTED MY CAR TO RETURN HOME FROM WORK, THE "STEERING WARNING" LIGHT CAME ON. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND WHEN I TRIED TO BACK OUT, I REALIZED THAT MY WHEEL WAS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT WITH THE SAME RESPONSE. I CALLED FOR A TOW TO A DEALERSHIP AND AFTER THEY HAD THE CAR OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE NEXT AFTERNOON, WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $1,400 TO REPLACE THE STEERING PUMP AND TO BALANCE AND REALIGN MY TIRES. THE REPAIR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AS IT IS 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS JUST OVER 52,000 MILES. THERE WAS NO INDICATION MY STEERING WAS ABOUT TO GO. MY CAR IS REGULARLY SERVICED AND MADE NO NOISES OR HAD ANY TROUBLES PRIOR TO THIS INSTANT FAILURE.

Mileage: 52,000

UNABLE TO DRIVE CARE DUE TO SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING (HAPPENED WHEN PARKED FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES -- WENT IN BUILDING TO PICK UP SON FROM DAYCARE, CAME OUT AND NO POWER STEERING WHEN I RESTARTED CAR). THIS HAS APPARENTLY BEEN A PROBLEM ON OTHER FORD MODELS OF THE SAME YEAR AND THERE ARE RECALLS FOR THOSE, BUT NOT FOR THE C-MAX. UNSURE IF THIS COULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING, BUT IT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC IF IT DID. CAR HAS 52000 MILES AND HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED.

Mileage: 52,000

43,500 MILES THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED; IT BEGAN A FEW THOUSAND MILES AGO, WHERE IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORK AFTER STARTING THE CAR, BUT THEN WITHIN A FEW MINUTES IT WOULD BEGIN WORKING. NOW IT HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY FOR LONGER. DEALER SERVICE HAS REVIEWED AND HAS DETERMINED THE (EST.) $2000 PARTS NEED REPLACING.

Mileage: 43,500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 FORD C-MAX. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DIVIDER. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT KNEE AND LOWER BACK, AND BURNS TO THE FOREARM. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE AND WRIST, AND BURNS TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BODY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

2013 CMAX SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE 2014 CMAX STEERING BOX RECALL. SAME ISSUE IS HAPPENIG... LOSS OF POWER STEERING, HARD TO CONTROL AT TIMES, CAR WOBBLES WHEN SWITCHING LANES.

Mileage: 50,000

STEERING HAS BEEN HARD TO CONTROL. PROBLEM STARTED WHEN SWITCHING LANES - WE NOTICED A WOBBLE WHEN GOING FROM ONE LANE TO ANOTHER. TURNING THE WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS YOU CAN CLEARLY HEAR GRINDING / SLIPPING IN THE STEERING COMPONENTS. FEEDBACK TO THE WHEELS HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY MORE JERKY. TODAY, POWER STEERING COMPLETELY WENT OUT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM MANY ARE HAVING WITH MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE AND OTHERS. FORD SHOULD COVER THIS ISSUE AS A RECALL BECAUSE LOSING STEERING CONTROL ON THE HIGHWAY WOULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO OWNERS OF THE 2014 C-MAX AS WELL AS OTHERS ON THE ROAD.

Mileage: 50,000

DRIVING ON I-40, ABOUT 150 MILES FROM MY DESTINATION ON JULY 31, 2016, THE "SERVICE POWER STEERING SOON" LIGHT CAME ON IN THE CAR. I FINISHED THE DRIVE HOME WITH NO PROBLEM AND TURNED THE CAR OFF TO UNLOAD IT. WHEN I RE-STARTED IT, THE CAR REPORTED A COMPLETE STEERING FAILURE, AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST SIMPLY QUIT. I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE FORD STEERING SYSTEM IN THE C-MAX AND OTHER MODELS. I ARRANGED TO HAVE THE ISSUE EXAMINED & REPAIRED AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALER. I DROVE THE CAR THERE, WITH EXTENSIVE EFFORT REQUIRED TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING UNIT HAD FAILED, WITH APPROXIMATELY 35,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. MY COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $1880, AND I DO HAVE THE RECEIPT. FORD REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND I WAS FORCED TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT. I BELIEVE THIS KNOWN DEFECT CREATES AN UNSAFE SITUATION. 1. FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THIS DEFECT AS IT IS FAR MORE COMMON THAT ACCEPTABLE, AND 2. THEY SHOULD CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS TO A CAR WHEN THE PROBLEM IS DETECTED. HAD I NOT HAD A LOT OF STRENGTH, I COULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT TRYING TO GET IT IN FOR REPAIR. THE SYSTEM WORKED JUST FINE FOR 150 MILES, SO THERE WAS NO REAL ISSUE STOPPING THE STEERING ASSIST...UNTIL I TURNED IT OFF AND THEN THE CAR DISABLED ITS STEERING. FORD SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO LET THE CAR CONTINUE TO DRIVE AFTER THE CAR SELF-DISABLES ITS POWER STEERING. IT WAS ONLY SELF-DISABLED AFTER I SHUT IT OFF, SO IT WAS ACTUALLY STILL SAFELY DRIVEABLE, BUT THE CAR'S COMPUTER APPARENTLY DECIDED TO CREATE THE DANGEROUS SITUATION BY SHUTTING OFF THE EPAS SYSTEM COMPLETELY, YET LEAVE THE CAR DRIVABLE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS FAILURE AND COMPEL FORD TO ADDRESS THE STEERING UNIT FAILURE ISSUE AND REIMBURSE THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR.

Mileage: 35,000

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON A 70MPH HIGHWAY. NO WARNING OR INDICATION. THE STEERING JUST CUT OUT. I WAS TRAVELLING WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD SON IN THE BACK WHEN I BASICALLY LOST ALL CONTROL OVER THE CAR. IT WAS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO NAVIGATE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY. A GENTLEMAN HAD TO STOP AND HELP ME GET THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR IS THREE YEARS OLD AND WE WERE TOLD THE POWER STEERING IS SHOT. WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND IT WILL COST $1,700.

Mileage: 60,000

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE FREEWAY AT NIGHT. A LIGHT WARNING OF POWER STEERING PROBLEM CAME ON. EXITED AND WENT TO A TRUCK STOP. RESTARTED CAR BUT THE POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK. VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED. THERE WAS NO APPARENT CAUSE. *TR

Mileage: 5,900