Petri

Just an update on this: Picked up the car today from the dealer. Drove off the lot and had about a half hour drive to my destination. The steering as what it was before we brought it in (power assist worked) but still had the 'clicking' when turning corners. About halfway there the steering started to feel a little stiffer, but I thought it was my imagination.... then the red 'Service Power steering now' message came up (in red). The car was still ok to drive though. Then I parked the car at my destination. Half hour later got in, and bam.... no Power Steering at all. 'Service Power assist Steering' message is displayed (in yellow). So, I can only assume that the codes were cleared at the dealer (high Friction in steering) but have now reactivated after the car has run a couple times. So, it seems that it's a PCM or module that cuts power to the steering module once the code is set, because I would think otherwise the power steering would still work. SO.....looks like either I replace the steering rack, or junk this car.... with a brand new battery ... 😞 Just seems weird that ever since the battery went kaput the steering issues came up. Thoughts? PK

Bill-N Thanks for the reply! So we had the battery replaced and the power steering works as it did before. The dealer was saying that we.still needed a new steering rack as it 'clicks' during turns, which we already knew about previously (known issue with the leaky gaskets on the rack).... they still charged us almost $200 for a 'diagnosis ' of the steering (pulled codes for 'high friction detected). Anyway... leaving it at that. Thanks again! Cheers

Hello all, My son went away for the weekend with the C-Max about 2 hours away. On Saturday he went to go somewhere but the power locks wouldn't work. He used the key to get in and discovered that the car wouldn't start. He got a boost from a friend of his and was able to drive off. The next day he was leaving to come home, and the car started fine, but he had no power steering. As a precaution, we had the car towed to the dealer close to home. Today, they did confirm that a new battery was needed, as well as a new power steering rack. Now, I've seen other posts regarding this and others have mentioned that if the battery is too low it won't power other systems in the car (like initiate the power steering module). Anyone have any insight? I asked them.to just try to hook a battery up to it and see what happens. Don't really want to sing another $3000 into this car (2013 C-Max). Thanks in advance, PK

Update on this... Had some time to tinker with it today, and I'm wondering if the year/model that I grabbed the ACM with in the beginning may be the culprit. It may have come out of a pre-2013 vehicle (Focus 2011-12)... but I can't remember for sure. I was just looking for other cars that had a 4" style display. In checking in the databases on CYANlabs.net, I see that the values for a 2011-12 ACM are different that the values for a 2013-14 ACM. So even though I load the 'correct' ASBuilt values for my car, the values mean something different pre-2013. Like I said earlier, I'm grasping at straws here.... Anyone be able to shed likght on this? sopund plausible? Cheers, PK

Hey guys, at wits end with this.... it's been awhile since I've had a chance to work on this. Last week I was able to grab another APIM from a similar 1.1 Sync system. Tore out the passenger seat and side panel in between the seats to get at the APIM. Replaced it. Hooked up Forscan and reprogrammed it to the AsBuilt values, was sure to change the ACM values (as I've stated in above posts) but still the same issue. So to recap this is my journey so far: Started out with no radio working at all. It wasn't the fuse. I replaced the ACM from a Focus in a wrecker. The radio did work, but was very quiet. I found that is I changed a value in the first line 727-01-01 xx5x xxxx xxxx (ASBuilt value) to xx0x xxxx xxxx I could at least hear the radio while driving, but I need to turn the volume up ALL the way to 30. This led me to think it may have been the DACMC (Digital Audio Control Module C). Replaced that one (behind the glove compartment, passenger side) set the values as per AsBuilt for my car.... still the same issue. Now tried another APIM and same issue. In FORscan I did Module tests on all the Modules, and they came out fine (no errors). I'm stumped.... can't see why a *!!*%?# Stereo should be so complicated!!!!!!!!! Does anybody know this system in and out? I've checked fuses all around the car that I think may be part of the issue but they are all OK... Is it some obscure fuse to a component I might not a thought connected? Any help would be appreciated.... Cheers, PK

Hey guys.... well I found another amp (DACMC Module) from a Cmax in a wrecker last week. Finally got around to checking it out today. I reset the ACM address line 727-01-01 so that it would recognize the amp (back to the original AS BUILT setting.) STILL no love.... same result. Now, it MAY be that the amp I got is also not working correctly (maybe same issue). So, I'm trying to find out what other cars might have this same module.... I can't see ONLY the C-Max's would have it? I can't see it being a different setting to what I already have. All I know is that if I change the 727-01-01 address third digit it affects the sound volume. For example, if I set it to the original values of F850 EE00 0066 I can barely hear anything out of the stereo with the volume cranked all the way up. If I change the Third digit as follows: F800 EE00 0066 those values correspond as below (as I posted before): 5 = Front: External Variable & Rear: External Variable 0 = Front: Int Amp & Rear: Int Amp Then I CAN hear the radio, although I still have to crank it all the way up to 30 just to have an average listening experience. But I guess this is the least of my worries. Seem the car is losing coolant somewhere, and wouldn't start the other day until the coolant was topped up and I let it sit for 8 hours. But that's a whole other thread!!! lol. Thanks for all the help so far, and if anyone has any other ideas please let me know!!! CHeers! PK

Hey Paradox! I had the exact same issue as yours. Whenever I would try to turn on the radio, a bunch of squares would kinda 'swoop' across the 4" screen but then just a blank screen, and the radio would never turn on. I replaced the ACM (Audio Control Module) from a similar model year Ford Focus but am still having the issue of it not getting loud enough. I have to crank the volume, but at least I still have a radio now. I believe it's the amplifier now that's causing my grief. Will update this post once I can find a replacement. Cheers, Happy New Year! PK

Hey cr08! Hope you had a Happy Holiday season! I'm just back to this as the Holidays took up a lot of my time, and my son (who uses this car) is home from University and uses the car eveyday. I just had a chance to look at it again. Thanks for posting your DACMC values. Mine were Identical 'As Built' and on the module currently. I reset my ACM 727-01-01 values back to my car's original As Built. Again, had to turn volume all the way up just to barely hear it. My Original values are 727-01-01 F850 EE00 00xx Once I changed the third value (727-01-01 xx*x xxxx xxxx) to '0' then I could then hear it 'better' but simply not loud enough... still have to have full volume for comfortable listening volume. (to answer a previous question, yes, this occurs across all inputs , FM/AM radio, Bluetooth, CD etc..) That address's values are as follows: 5 = Front: External Variable & Rear: External Variable 0 = Front: Int Amp & Rear: Int Amp So, I think it's safe to say in my original setup I'm trying to use the DACMC (Amplifier, value 5), but my amp is pooched. I see the values in Forescan for the DACMC (identicle to yours), but I feel it's the amp that need to be replaced as well. Now the question lies.... what other Ford's used this same amplifier? I got the radio out of a similar year Focus, but I'm not sure they have the same amp setup? I know the C-Max amp is located behind the passenger side glovebox... but the C-Max is a rare model to find in a wrecking yard. Cheers, and Happy New Year! PK

Thanks Cr08! I don't think I have reply notification enabled, as I had to hunt down my original post to see if anyone answered!! Glad I did! I'm very technically savvy. I have already found out about Forscan (amazing tool) since I posted this, and got my ODBC hookup adapter today. Went out and hooked 'er up to see what the ACM values were. I downloaded my 'As Built' info from Motorcraft per my VIN# and everything was the same EXCEPT for values for address 727-01-01. So, I blindly changed it to the original thinking that it would solve it, without writing down the original values I had in there (when I say I'm very tecnically savvy, I don't mean that I'm smart.. lol). Hit the 'write all' button as that address entry doesn't have it's own 'restore' or 'write' buttons like the other lines do. Turned off the ignition and restarted it again..... and it was worse!!! With the volume cranked all the way up I could just barely hear it. So then I'm thinking..."You dummy...should have backed up the original data"... lesson learned. I spent the next 15 minutes finding Forscan spreadsheets to see what value I needed to change it back to at least get it back to how I had it. I was able to do that, but not without Forscan giving me check-sum grief while updating. So now I've found a speadsheet that lists all the posssible values for the ACM addresses and have been pouring over them today to see what value may be the culprit to my still low volume issues. Tomorrow I'll look at the DACM values, as I sense that either I'm sending the wrong outputs to the amplifier, or the amplifier may be the issue.... I'll try to post back, but want to thank you for your insight!!! PK

Hello All! I've been scouring the forum here, but am finding the same repeated info, but no real solution to my question, so I'm asking it now. I, as others here have the dreaded 'Popping/Static' radio issues with my 2013 C-Max SE. Previously, I've removed the fuse (79) for the radio to reset it, and that worked once. My kids were driving the car when they told me that there was LOUD pop from all the speakers and the radio went dead. The radio hasn't worked now for about 4 months. Won't turn on, only Info I get from the 4" screen is time and date, and the Menu button only lets me configure 'Language' and 'Clock'. Yes, I've tried the fuse trick many times, still no worky... After looking into this recently, I stumbled across a Youtube video of a guy who had the same issue. His solution was to replace the Radio Control Module in the dash with another one he pulled from a Ford Focus at a wrecker, as it uses a similar radio. So, yesterday I went to my favourite wrecking yard and pulled two Radio modules out. One from a later model C-Max (2017 I think?) but it had the large touchscreen and wasn't the same layout, and the other from a Ford Focus that had the same 'keypad/dash button' configuration as my car (with the 4" screen). When I got home I pulled apart the dash on the C-Max and tried each radio I grabbed. The one from the C-Max worked (I was able to turn the radio on/off, browse through all settings etc...) but it was REAL quiet. I had to turn the volume all the way up to hear it. I figured that it was because this radio unit needed an amp that was in the donor car. So I checked the other radio from the Focus, and it worked as well. Was able to do all functions as well as browse through all previously paired phones etc. Although this one worked as well, it was still quiet... but not as quiet as the one from the C-Max. You still had to turn the volume way up to hear it. My daughter tried to use the AUX function with her phone and it was barely audible. So, long story short... I've read that the microphone may be the culprit as it is messing with the ambient noise cancellation etc?? How do you disconnect it? Has anyone used another Ford model radio with success? C-Max's are hard to come by in wrecking yards, while there are plenty of Focus's. Anyone have any ideas as to why it may be so quiet? Thanks in advance, PK