Red

Riiiight... good point.

The paper that my hubby got back from the dealership says the squeak was from the 'battery housing bracket'.

Maybe they meant the housing for the rectangular thing under the hood that has the small red (+) terminal to the battery?  (Since that's in the squeak-sound area, and is the olde tyme spot for a 12v battery?)

On the plus side, I'm very happy the squeak was solved quickly (the car was returned the same day). On the minus side, I'm now not sure that this Ford Service is familiar with C-maxes.

It's another year later since the last post, but adding one more issue with resolution to this list.

I brought in my 4-month old Cmax for a program update, and mentioned that it would go squeaky-squeaky-squeaky (sounded like it was coming from the front of the driver door/dash area) whenever I went over a slightly bumpy road. I tried driving with the window open, but didn't go away (so not the window-frame fuzz-based squeak some others described).

I brought in the car to Ford service a bit low on gas (30 miles left)... and when I got it back, there were only 4 miles left on the tank. They said it took them quite a while to find the source!  Ended up being a loose bracket under the 12V battery.housing, which wasn't tightened to spec at the factory.

Hoping the squeak is (and stays) gone!

Thanks, Bill.

I have some velcro straps that seems similar in concept to cable ties (like these ~$3 ones at HD: http://www.homedepot.com/p/VELCRO-brand-8-in-x-1-2-in-One-Wrap-Straps-Multicolor-5-Pack-90438ACS/202261928 ).I'll be trying those velcro straps if the rubber twist ties aren't strong enough. (The rubber ties are narrower and can maintain a hook-shape, so they were easier to thread and fasten in that space, so they got the first attempt).  

I have two kids, so we do actually have pipe cleaners, which I admit, I didn't even think of. That said, while the rubber twist ties seem similar in concept to pipe cleaners (it's basically rubber coating a wire instead of fuzz padding a wire), the rubber twist ties feel a bit more durable than the cheapo craft pipe cleaners we have.

(ETA: Just realized you may have meant to use the pipe cleaners for snaking other things through, rather than as the fastener themselves?)

I ended up using 6" (blue) reusable rubber twist ties ($3 @ Home Depot) to fasten carabiners to the metal car frame -- one on each side of the trunk (hatch?).  

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Nite-Ize-6-in-Gear-Tie-in-Blue-2-Pack-GT6-2PK-03/203210604

Since the twist ties hold their shape, preshaping them like a hook helped with threading it through the holes in the metal frame. Threading it took a few minutes since it's not easy to reach into the metal structure behind the cut-out in the plastic molding in the C-max (The photo above is looking up into the cut-out from the floor of the trunk).

The 6" ties just make it through the two holes in the metal support and around the carabiner. If the ties came in 8" or 10" it would probably be better/stronger... but the next size seems to be 12", which for me, left too much twist-tie left over (I didn't want to double it since I don't want it accidentally interfering with the seatbelt which also passes through the metal support).  

Since I used the twist tie to fasten a carabiner, I can fairly easily hook/unhook the cargo organizer using the caribiners. So far, these rubber twist-ties are doing the job well. I'll see if it holds up over time, or if heavy groceries and taking sharp turns ends up pulling the carabiner out of the twist tie grip.

Thanks, Frank -- a bunch of those ties look like great options!

It reminded me that I had some slim velcro straps that just might work. Now I have to try to find them...

I found a ~$30 cargo holder (High Road Accordion Cargo Organizer) that seems to fit perfectly in my 2015 C-Max SE Hybrid. It fits almost exactly to the cargo area width, has enough support to stay upright and open, and can fold to fit into the cargo area pocket..

( http://www.highroadorganizers.com/Accordion_Car_Trunk_and_Cargo_Organizing_Bin_p/hr-5533-blk0x.htm

It's also being sold on amazon and ebay.

I'm working on how to attach the organizer to the car for support (see this thread:  http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/1332-adding-a-cargo-net-to-the-c-max/ )

Here are some photos:

It fits 3 grocery bags in the three larger compartments (as shown with a cooler bag, a Trader Joe's reusable bag, and a Whole Foods paper bag). the last compartment is divided into 4 smaller compartments (probably would fit bottles well, or other narrow items (I'll have to test if it fits a pint of berries, and prevents them from getting crushed). All dividers are sewn in and not removable. (ETA - in the 4 smallest compartments, one piece is attached by velcro, so it can be opened into two smaller rectangles).

In looking again at that metal part, I think I could use it as an attachment point for the cargo organizer. I could thread something through the holes on the side of the metal -- probably something thin and tied tightly (perhaps fishing line) --which seems far enough from the seatbelt pass-through area that it wouldn't interfere with the seatbelt motion.

Has anyone tried this?

I know I'm reviving this thread from 2 years ago, but I'm in the process of figuring out my own cargo solution, and am impressed with these photos/descriptions.

That said, I have a question: On my 2015 C-Max SE Hybrid, if you look up in that little nook with the tail light access door, I have an opening in the plastic, with a strip of plastic. I attached a carabiner to it in the photos below (although it seems too weak - and would be likely to break with a sudden force). However, it also looks like there is a metal housing for the tail light/seat belt that could be linked to, with a bit more effort.

1. Is that metal tail light/seat-belt housing part of the frame?
2. If so, is there a reason not to hook to that, rather than use the (somewhat thin) plastic to make attachment points with the bungee buddies?
3. And, if so, would it be better not to use a metal carabiner to hook to the metal frame near the tail light, but perhaps use a plastic carabiner, or fishing wire?  

Thoughts?

Here is a picture of the opening with the strip of plastic, and (what I think is) the metal tail light housing above it.

I think this strip of plastic is too weak to keep a cargo organizer clipped to it (near passenger-side tail light):

Heh... of course.. the parking lights.

I didn't see them light up in the window reflection when I turned to that setting in the daytime, but I do see them reflect on the garage now that it's night.

. I didn't know if mine were on during the daytime on the AUTO setting, so I turned them ON, crossed the bridge, parked the car, went to a meeting all day, and came out to find that they had stayed on for six hours (according to the lot attendant who watched the whole event unfold), until the battery went stone dead. 

 

My advice is to only use AUTO for your headlights! 

That's annoying. 

It seems that either the functionality changed for the 2015's, or I just have Cmax that acts differently from some others.

I did a re-test by parking (in broad daylight) to face into the windows of my workplace so I could see my headlights in the window reflection.

With the car on, I turned the headlights to "on" (single headlamp icon with straight lines out of it), I saw the headlights light up in the window reflection. As soon as I turned off the car (before I even took out the key) the headlights turned off. When I opened the door, no warning chime sounded.

I don't know what the double headlights with eyelashes mean?  When I had it to that setting, I didn't see my headlights turn on, but when I opened the door, I then heard a warning chime.

I think I read in some other Ford thread that the cars don't use a relay anymore (but can't find that page again).

That said, I did find something interesting in a Ford Fusion hybrid thread:

http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/9671-system-sounds-changed-audio-tones-for-alerts-backup-assist-turn-signals-etc/?do=findComment&comment=92350

___________________________________

Posted by Riggo

Posted 19 January 2015 - 03:21 AM

_____________________________________

So, today, the signal noise didn't seem as loud -- but I did have the radio on, and windows open most of the trip. I didn't use my reverse sensor today, but the day my daughter commented on the volume of the signal, I had done a K-turn in the driveway before we left for camp, and the reverse sensor went off as I backed up near our tree.

I'll start a new thread if this changes from a request into an experiment...

Hmmm... ya'll were making me think I might be a bit nuts. So, I googled it and found some F-150 loud signal speaker complaints.

http://www.f150forum.com/f38/blinker-speaker-154193/

My first thought on hearing my Cmax signal was that it must have come from Ford's truck line.

Maybe it's just us females with bionic hearing? I told my husband that the loud signal was the one thing that bothered me during the test drive --- but it didn't bother him. My daughter was in the backseat yesterday when I took her to camp (her second ride in the car), and she asked me why the signal was so crazy loud.

(ETA: How hard would it be to add volume control to it?  The sound seems to come out of a speaker tucked somewhere inside the dash. And for those who might want a young child to easily take a nap in the otherwise very quiet car, the loud signal could be viewed as baby-unfriendly). 

To add to the list of experiences:

I did an initial test drive of a 2015 SE Cmax at one dealership that seemed to 'jump off the line', and the brakes were very 'grabby'. I felt like I had to be very careful while driving  -- but the benefit was that it felt nice and fast when merging on the highway.

I later test-drove the car I ultimately purchased (a different 2015 SE Cmax at a different dealership) which seemed to provide a more 'normal' driving experience, and it reacted more gently both to the brakes and the accelerator.

I'm not sure if there are differences in the Cmax's sensitivity across different cars (or if I accidentally drove the first car in low gear??)... but putting this out there in case it is helpful.

I did read this thread before purchasing, and it encouraged me to do a test at the dealership of the car we were about to purchase: I stepped on the gas while going in reverse, and this did NOT result in any 'jump' or sudden acceleration. My Cmax seems to reverse gently.

Thank you for this thread so that I did think to test this. I back out of my driveway every morning into a busy road, and it would have been a dealbreaker if the car behaved as the OP describes.  Our Cmax reverses very smoothly on level surfaces when using the accelerator pedal. So, I'm going to say that what you are experiencing is not how it behaves in all Cmax's. Good luck with getting a fix.

I wonder if the 2013 has different headlight functionality than the 2015.

On the 2015 SE, when the headlight knob is turned to the [ETA: second from the right click], for the headlights to be 'on', my headlights turn off as soon as the car is turned off, but the parking lights stay on. The parking lights turn off once I lock the car.

You would think they would want to push the older cars apparently they like having cars that won't sell. Got to hand it to corporations how they think sometimes. Enjoy your new car

That was my thought -- it seemed strange (they had even sent me an e-price on the red one a month ago, and now said they could no longer honor that price because the Ford incentives expired on the 2014! Their inventory shows that they have a handful of 2014 C-max's sitting on their lot -- so who knows what they are thinking).

And thanks!  The Magnetic's reverse sensor system came with ambient lighting... so, although I didn't get the red exterior, last night I was having fun making the interior glow red (and green, and lavender...)!

As a new Cmax driver, I agree with several others that the stitching on steering wheel is rough and sharp. After several turns today --- yeowch!  Is it wool? I know my skin does not like wool, so I'm wondering if those of us who noted this as an issue are doing so because we grip the inside of the wheel more than others, or if it's a wool issue.

Also agree with the lumbar support suggestion. (In addition, an adjustment for depth of the seat would be helpful for the those of us on the petite side).

New request (unless I missed it in all the posts): 

Option to change the volume of the turn signal -- in such a quiet cabin the turn signal sounds so LOUD!

And if you're chatting on the speakerphone as you are driving along... well, try not to turn.

I know this was last posted to a year ago, but figure I'd post a recent experience:

Requested a bunch of e-prices from NJ dealerships. Liccardi Ford (in NJ) came in lowest with the $2,500 Ford incentives plus an additional $2,500+ off from the dealership (for a 2015 SE).  I had been looking at a red 2014 SE at a different dealership, but the other dealership wasn't as flexible with the price... and the red one didn't have the reverse sensors. 

So, we got the 2015 Magnetic (with reverse sensors) for less than another dealership's 2014 red SE.  I really wanted a red one, but didn't think it was worth a couple thousand more for an older MY with fewer options. The salesman said that the Ford incentives didn't apply to the 2014's anymore... so it seems their 2014's would end up being more expensive than the 2015's.