C-MaxA2

I can get out my manual pump and have something pumped up in the time it takes to reach that little compartment, get it out and plug everything in, etc. And I can take that pump anywhere without cords, etc. Sometimes simple is better...

Welcome from another SE Michigander (A2). We have a 2016 C-Max hybrid SE that we bought last June (with very low miles) and love ours. We also have a 2004 Ford Focus ZTW wagon. We used to think it got great gas mileage (it's a 5 speed) but the C-Max showed us not! I bought ours used and after we got it I noticed that we had one odd tire (a Kelly) and since there was no spare I made that into the spare and got a new wheel and Michelin tire to match the other 3 OEMs. I got a jack and on long trips take the 'spare' tire and kit along. The little electric pump that Ford gives you (under the passenger seat) is a poor excuse. I tried it out and couldn't get it to inflate a tire. I always carry a manual pump that works just great so I don't have to search for a gas station with air if I need to inflate a tire. We keep the tires at 50 lbs. and it feels fine (and is OK with Michelin) and that helps the gas mileage. Have fun with your Max!

Haven't had this issue with my C-Max (yet...) but I did have a 302 with my 2004 Ford Focus. I spent $800 total with two different garages (they both replaced the idle control valve - one after market and one Ford) but I continued to have the check engine light show up. I tried Techron (cheap at Costco!) and it worked but only for a month or two. I looked on the internet and saw other Focus people reference a 'better' product: Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant - Injector Cleaner and Fuel Conditioner. I used it and the check engine light went off and stayed off (two years). Now once or twice a year I put it in my gas and no 302 or check engine light. I bought a single use small bottle and a large bottle to refill the smaller bottle to get the right amount so I'd recommend getting a small bottle and large one for refills.

I hear it on my 04 Focus when I don't drive it for a while. It's rust. If it's a steady sound it's less likely to be rust. Have you tried putting your C-Max in neutral and braking downhill to 'sand off' potential rust? I do it once a month or every couple of months on my C-Max.

Thanks for the heads up. I was pretty stunned by the WeatherTech prices and the fact that WeatherTech ignores the left foot area; pretty much says they could care less about a C-Max, etc. The mats I got with my used C-Max don't cover that area and it gets dirty fast and is a pain to vacuum, etc.

Ha - JAZ. I had exactly that problem from Day 1. Complained to the dealer who sold me the car. They were happy to charge me regularly to clean it. 7 years after I bought it on a cold Jan. day I had the same problem as you -- I ended up 'stomping' the gas pedal to get it started and drove it to an independent shop. They replaced the throttle body - cheap plastic piece of junk and you could see the marks where it dragged and had caught regularly. At least it was not stuck at speed! $350 to replace and the replacement has been fine (8 years). Should have been a warranty defect fix...the issue was apparent the first few months I owned the car and the dealer acted like I was the only person who had ever experienced this issue.

On my Focus Wagon (2004 - with the Mazda 2.3L engine) I used to have issues with carbon building in the throttle body and the dealer seemed never able to resolve the issue (it would kick out a 'check engine' code). They would clean the throttle body and charge me $100. I asked them if there was a gas tank cleaner I could use. No clue from the dealer. I used several injector cleaners (Techron) that seemed to work but the one that worked the best was 'Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant'. Removed the check engine code very quickly and it hasn't come back on as long as I put the recommended amount in 1-2 times a year (Jan. / June). I bought it at O'Reillys - Protip: buy a small container AND the larger container - just refill the small container so you can more easily pour it into the gas tank. I've done it once with Max and will maybe follow the same schedule.

I've heard that you need to check the VIN to assure that the transmission is the right one for your vehicle. I'm not an expert on this but before you get too far along you should look into making sure the transmission is the model / version you need for the year of your vehicle. Apparently, it's not as simple as 'I need a C-Max transmission'. Just saying...

Could you share a picture of the situation? Hard to visualize. About the only thing I can think of is that the windshield is somehow leaking (replaced at some point).

7,850 miles so far on my 2016 purchased last summer.

My Costco Garmin GPS has been great - two cars and we use it in whichever car we go in (usually the CMax). Nice not to have to contend with two different GPS instructions. AND - the Costco Garmin has lifetime map updates and includes Canada (important if you're from Michigan)! And I can set them up for a trip inside a nice warm house instead of sitting in the car.

Our two old (1972) Combi bikes (Norway) that come apart in two pieces. Fit nicely in the back! Drum brakes in the front, coaster brake in the rear with a 2 speed gearing.

Please use the 'search' function in the upper right of this site ('View new content' to the right). Thanks.

I have a 2016 (though actually delivered to the dealer in Oct. of 2015) and I plan to replace the battery later this coming summer. 4 years is good enough; no point in pushing the envelope of battery longevity. Especially since it's a sort of 'specialty' battery and not that common.

I have a Ford Focus Wagon (2004) and a C-Max (2016) and the engine mounts are a well known Focus issue. I think I had new mounts (2) at about 72.000 miles and that noise ceased. I'm seeing a lot of the same problems in the two cars: engine mounts and the throttle body issue (locks up and gets carboned up). Kinda wish Ford had taken care of them in the intervening 12 years between these cars. It does help in diagnosing something; think about the sound, etc. and think back to the Focus!

Pretty much the way I approached getting my C-Max...wait until the bugs are worked out and see if you can snag a low miles model with some warranty left: 2016 SE with 2,100 miles in June of this year ($15,750). I did the same with our 2004 Focus Wagon - let Ford sort out and fix the issues and then buy when the model was announced as ending. The Wagon still going fine with no major repairs or issues. It's our 'truck' now for moving big stuff and gets the snow tires every winter. So far so good!

Thanks for an update. I have a 2016 I bought used and love it. I also have a 2004 Focus 2.3 liter wagon that has been just great. I'm hoping the CMax will be the same. But I have to say the CMax is so nice and quiet and efficient I'm preferring the CMax over the Focus more and more (my wife took it over).

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/4655-check-engine-light/

I've used and carried a nice bicycle pump for years now - whip it out, clip it on and pump away. Super fast and works 100% of the time. The Ford compressor is a pain in the ass and you can flatten the tire just trying to get the thingie screwed into the tire valve. I carry a full size spare with me on long trips and have devised (and tried out successfully) a jack as well. Eats up space in the back but I can fix a flat in about 18 min. and that gives us a more secure feeling than the joke Ford provided. I keep 'real' (thick wire) jumper cables inside the spare tire and on a long trip this week had to jump someone in a hotel parking lot. They had cables but what I call 'joke' jumper cables. They were pretty surprised when mine did the trick instantly after messing with theirs for 15 min. with no success. They asked where they could get jumpers like mine and I had to laugh and say I'd bought them 30+ years ago (in Upstate NYS where it really gets cold).

A 'new' C-Max owner here. Bought a 2016 (delivered to the dealer in Oct. of 2015...) from a Toyota dealer in OH for $15,750 (we live in Michigan) in late June of this year. Astonishingly, it had 2,200 miles since that date. I checked several sources and verified with Ford that it was still under warranty (til July of 2019). We just passed 4,000 miles. An SE model with the old Sync version with no upgrade path but we don't care for or need all those bells and whistles. More stuff to break and cause you issues. So far we love it - quiet, very easy to drive and we're getting around 43 mph both on the highway and around town. 'Kona blue' - didn't like it at first but now it looks great. The car had an odd tire (it was leased for 10 months and the person who leased it must have wrecked the tire and bought a cheap Kelly tire instead of the OEM Michelin) so I got another Michelin and a new wheel and turned the Kelly into a spare and got a jack (already have a great manual pump) and have practiced jacking it up. Heavy car compared to our 2004 Ford Focus ZTW wagon! Found the nice triangles indicating the lift points and want to paint them white so they're easier to see. I've experimented with the ECO setting versus 'normal' and when you go back to 'normal' it's quite a contrast! Rocket time. I've learned a ton from this forum and it's sad to see it slowly declining since we're now orphans. I did make up a license plate frame noting that this is a car built in Michigan (Wayne), USA. Thanks to all the people who have contributed knowledge here.

I've used many of the previous suggestions (BG, Techron, etc.) but found Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant & Injector cleaner worked the best. Used it in our Ford Focus ZTW wagon and it cleaned things pretty well. Not expensive either (BG is ...). I'd never heard of 'Terra Clean'.