PJFW8

I agree with all comments BUT the HVB (high voltage battery) can't be ignored.  PM Ford customer service for a recommendation. I would drive it once a month to get the HVB fully charged. There is likely a recommendation in the owners manual.

I checked out a 2014 yesterday. The "fairings" are made of a flexible material. Should be no problem other than those faced by the my 2013's low clearance.

In reply to Drdiesel regarding using a pm...I understand that private messages may defeat the benefit of having a forum to share problems and solutions, but they have their place, I had a tough problem on my 2010 Fusion Hybrid.  The private message system allowed me to provide personal information (including my past vehicle purchases) and my vin number.  Within 2 days Ford sent an engineer to my dealer and corrected the problem. They have also answered questions regarding proprietary information that I agreed not to post! They will open a case and go to bat for you as an individual.  Were the information is helpful to us all they usually post it. I have had a similar great experience with them on the Explorer site when I had narrow questions about my 2.0 Ecoboost.

Frank, your point is certainly valid. My comment may be overly broad. Thanks for your moderate and helpful tone! My experience leaves me "biased" to an extent. It is well known that the poorest reporter is the "eye witness". This is especially true when they may be the cause of the accident or were they are the victim. Folks swear the light was green when the video clearly shows it was red and even when their recollection defies the law of gravity! They are not lying, just confused by the shock of the accident or crime,  I was a trial lawyer and retired as a circuit court judge. In 37 years in the courtroom this was not rare but typical! Recall the run away Prius in California that Toyota engineers demonstrated was impossible. Defective equipment is always claimed and seldom proved. Never saw a valid case in my practice including a nice elderly lady who drove her Cadillac into the motor vehicle office!

Other than a Toyota's experience with slipping car mats and stacked winter mats, there are no documented cases of "unintended acceleration".  It is always later proven to be driver error.  Audi was nearly ruined by false reports by CBS which for which Audi was completely exonerated. Prius reports were shown to be false after investigation. People hit the wrong pedal and panic! People truly believe the car was at fault even in the face of conclusive evidence to the contrary.  If you want to kill the resale value of your Cmax, keep this thread going!

Well said, OutraGeo!  I agree 100% Don't forget to fully charge your 12v battery as Drdiesel suggests. I have not had an issue since I followed his advice. (The charger he recommends is excellent and a great buy)

Thanks!  I looked more closely. Capped is the way to go!

Thanks.  Retro Solutions has a good reputation.  I'm curious about capping.  I understand why it is needed in the factory reflector headlight. Does the OEM cap come out when the halogen bulb is removed? If not, why would the hid bulb need a cap?  Also, 35 watt or 55?  35 should be plenty for light output, but some like 55 since it is the same as the halogen bulb and may avoid a "bulb out warning".

So Drdiesel, what HID kit did you use?  You bought a capped bulb.  Great idea, but these are not always easy to find. (Great tip on the charger, by the way)

I agree 100%  That being said the system is not working correctly.  This is a problem which kills reliability statistics and strands people...or at a minimum is a great inconvenience.  This is my 3rd hybrid (Fusion and Lexus).  This is neither normal nor acceptable.

To begin with, the battery is much smaller than you would find in a normal car. It doesn't need the massive current a normal car needs to crank the engine, so it doesn't need to be as physically large, or have anywhere near the capacity. Its job is primarily as a small reserve and buffer. As soon as the car is turned on, it starts charging the 12V battery from the HV battery, through the DC-DC converter. Essentially, the HV battery is running all the 12 volt accessories (radio, Sync, headlights, seat heat, etc), and a small bit more to keep the 12 volt battery charged.

 

When the car is first turned on, it uses power from the 12 volt battery to actuate relays that energize circuitry that is run from the HV battery. The main one of these is the DC-DC converter that provides 12 volt power to run accessories and charge the 12 volt battery.

 

Because the capacity of the 12 volt battery is quite small, it can easily be run down by anything being left on - headlights (i.e. user error) or Sync (software error). It won't run your headlights for hours, like a normal car does - it simply doesn't have that reserve capacity. Eventually, the voltage drops below what the computers require. You can't start the car, because the computers aren't running.

 

Connecting a "jump" pack provides the (relatively small) amount of power to allow the computers to start up. This in turn allows you to "start" the car, wherein the computers close the relays to energize the DC-DC converter, which allows the HV battery to begin charging the 12 volt battery.

 

Because the 12 volt battery has a fairly small capacity, it charges relatively quickly - it doesn't take hours to charge from dead, like a regular car battery.

I called Sync Services.  I confirmed that my 3.6.2 update was done and there is no dealer install for me.  The Rep was certain this was an error and that I need no update.  She did say she was out for a couple of days so she may be unaware of a new issue.

Salman

Interesting!   Ford must know all of this.  I find it irritating that dealers still blame the customer for a dead battery by suggesting they left  a door ajar, an accessory or the ignition on.  My last 2 Fords had keyless ignition and auto headlights.  Never a dead battery!  Oddly, my 2010 Fusion hybrid 12 volt lasted only 10 months before failure.  My 2007 Lexus 400h (hybrid) needed a jump once in 3 years.  These are the only battery issues I experienced in 40 plus years of driving! 

Don't give up!  The Ford Explorer forum has customer service links.  They are great.  I used them for my Explorer and I got quick and professional results.

Seems to me that they are two different version numbers.  When the dealer installed the 3.5.1 update, my map navigation software went to 3.34.4.  Now I just installed the 3.6.2 update and the map navigation software has gone up to 3.48.9.

 

Unfortunately, it still hasn't fixed the nav errors.  The icon showing where the car is lags about 50yards behind where the car really is.  Then if I take a turn, the nav thinks I've turned onto a road 50 yards behind the one I'm really on, and starts giving me directions to turn back onto the road I'm already on!  Seems to happen only if I'm driving over 40mph.

 

I found some other entries in the forums describing this problem, and some report the fix is to replace the GPSM antenna module (that's in the dashboard just behind the nav screen, not the little stick on the roof).  Here's one report: "Performed pinpoint test for concern found to have defective GPSM; Removed instrument panel installed GPSM and performed PMI. The part number is: CJ5Z*10E893*C”

 

There are references to some bad GPSM antennas in cars built from Nov 2012 to Jan 15, 2013.  Been asking service people at my dealer to do this "pinpoint test" (whatever that may be) and if faulty, then replace the GPSM.  Service tech referred me to his shop foreman.  Shop foreman referred me to his service department manager.  Service Department Manager tells me Ford won't authorize any work on a car "based on internet rumors".

 

What about working to fix a problem that this customer (and many others) are reporting?  What happened to Customer Satisfaction?  I looked up this part in the MotorCraft catalog and it costs $71.  Replacing it seems like a really cheap way to satisfy a customer that spent $30,000!

 

This was my first Ford for 20 years, looks like it will be my last too.

Ford allows 1 1/2 hours.  My dealer has done quite a few. They have had no problems, but don't be the first!  Keep in mind that the dealer can't sell stock that has not had the recall. So those Cmax's are done first.  Mine will be done when they are able to get the parts.

Has any one gone in for the the headline had impact fix?  What is entailed? Before/After pics.  Do they staple pillows to the ceiling?  I kid...  But they are saying a day and half to fix, but they also allot a software update for the same amount of time.  Inquiring minds want to know considering the scratches the applied to my dash installing the inspection decal to the interior of the front window.

Thanks!  I just joined the energy site.  I appreciate the help on this forum.  My problem is solved.  (Although today my 12 volt battery died! One problem at a time)

This forum is primarily for C-Max Hybrid owners, you may get a faster response from http://fordcmaxenergiforum.com/.

 

C-Max hybrids do not use the myfordmobile app.

Set up an MyFord Mobile account on my iPhone5.  All went well but I never got a confirmation screen in the car. Did I miss something.  I tried twice over the weekend. Any help would be appreciated.

EDIT  Today I cancelled my account and started over.  NOTHING  All works well until I am instructed to go to the car and confirm on the screen.  My iPhone is from Sprint. I can't get the car to read texts either.  IDEAS?