Testdriver Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 My next door neighbor claims that my C-Max has been making noises at night. On 2 separate nights they've claimed that they've heard a loud alarm-like noise coming from the car, though not loud enough to be an actual car alarm. Both nights they heard it on multiple occasions, and they thought the noise started almost exactly an hour apart. Their bedroom window is right next to our driveway where we leave the car, which is why they've heard the noises and we have not. We have the base SE model (200a) with MFT and the winter package, so we do not have any proximity sensors or anything like that (I think). I've contacted my dealer and they could not find a similar issue reported in their database. . Anyone have any idea what could be causing this or experienced similar issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noah Harbinger Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 How is it that your neighbor heard it when you can't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus-A-CMax Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) You neighbor probably sleeps right next to the rear wheels of your car, hugging the wheels like pillow...cause thats the only noise mine makes when the car cools the Lith batteries when the car is off. To hear that, you literally have to have your ears next to the wheel as I found out while checking the tire pressure. No other noises reported. Edited June 20, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxTom Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 Jus-A-CMax...you live in the hot Valley (I'm from Northridge previously)...do you have the a/c buzz noted in the other postings? The claim here is that all other C-Maxs have it at a/c start-up. Dealer went so far as replacing the compressor ($1,800+) since they thought it was not normal...until Ford engineering in Michigan told them to check the 3 others at the dealer...and found the noise as mine/others. Ford HDQ was not previously aware of this "issue." Thanks for your insight in advance...Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdefny Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 Mine has started honking its horn in the middle of the night. I have had no need to go back to the dealer since I got it 7months ago, but I guess I do now..I hate being without it for even a single day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testdriver Posted June 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 How is it that your neighbor heard it when you can't? Their bedroom window is right next to our driveway where we leave the car, which is why they've heard the noises and we have not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testdriver Posted June 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 Mine has started honking its horn in the middle of the night. I have had no need to go back to the dealer since I got it 7months ago, but I guess I do now..I hate being without it for even a single day. Please report back on their findings :salute: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PWBarrett Posted June 21, 2013 Report Share Posted June 21, 2013 All I can think of that would honk the horn is the perimeter alarm system going off, i.e. a door or hatch is ajar or not adjusted correctly, and/or somebody's messing with your car.There's no other alarm-like noise that the C-Max would make. If it really sounds like an alarm and not a horn (and you haven't got an add-on alarm system), it must be somebody else's car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARA Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 My C-Max has made noise on at least two occasions ( that I heard ). The door to the garage ( the C-Max is parked with the front end right at the door ) is located between the MB and the kitchen. The noise prompted me to open the door and see what was going on in the garage. What I heard was more of a buzzing with some clicking sounds. I figured it was par for the course for the C-Max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaDadMiami Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 I have heard this before, when I would be sitting in my C-MAX for a while with everything powered down. I don't think it's anything to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotomoto Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 My C-Max has made noise on at least two occasions ( that I heard ). The door to the garage ( the C-Max is parked with the front end right at the door ) is located between the MB and the kitchen. The noise prompted me to open the door and see what was going on in the garage. What I heard was more of a buzzing with some clicking sounds. I figured it was par for the course for the C-Max. Like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obob Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Like this? From http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/2130-c-max-romance-andor-sleeping-tips-and-tricks/?hl=romance obob, on 01 Jun 2013 - 03:15, said: t one point my friend and I both heard a buzzing/motor sound that lasted about 8 minutes with key off. I and several others have noticed this. I'm guessing it's the C-Max performing fuel system evaporation leak test(s). These apparently need to be done after the car sits awhile so there is no pressure inside the fuel system. There's some mention of these tests here (http://fordcmaxhybri...ne-light/page-4) that may help. Edited by Bill-N, 01 June 2013 - 11:27 AM. ScubaDadMiami 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaDadMiami Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 That's what I heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testdriver Posted July 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 I thought I'd follow up on this issue. A couple weeks ago, my wife heard one of our neighbor's alarm clocks go off that fit the description of the noise that my other neighbors thought was coming from our car. They haven't heard any noises from our car in a while, so I'm going to chalk it up to them mistaking the alarm clock noise for a noise coming from our C-Max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnMarty Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 I think it's the car moaning about needing the PCM update and it feels neglected... :baby: salsaguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmckinley Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Those of us who tow CMax's and Hybrid Fusions behind motorhomes have discovered that the brake system vacuum pump is always live regardless of key position. So with everything off, if the vacuum leaks down, the pump will fire up and pump down the vacuum in the reservoir. This is, I believe, what runs down the 12V battery in 3 hours or less when we tow. Every Time our auxiliary brake systems apply the brakes, it uses vacuum and then the pump has to run. This is a big pump, the fuse is 40 amp! This is also why your 12V battery will run down if you let the car set a few weeks. It even warns you in the owner's manual to put it on a charger if you're going to leave it set for a few weeks. You can hear it fire up when you first open the driver's door to get in. It almost always does this unless you have recently driven it. As these cars get older and the vacuum system gets leakier we can expect the battery to run down more often as the pump has to run more. This could be one of the dumbest design flaws on this car. I cannot imagine why it's designed this way. Pump should be hooked up to the accessory circuit so it only runs when the ignition is on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfruth Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Those of us who tow CMax's and Hybrid Fusions behind motorhomes have discovered that the brake system vacuum pump is always live regardless of key position. So with everything off, if the vacuum leaks down, the pump will fire up and pump down the vacuum in the reservoir. This is, I believe, what runs down the 12V battery in 3 hours or less when we tow. Every Time our auxiliary brake systems apply the brakes, it uses vacuum and then the pump has to run. This is a big pump, the fuse is 40 amp! This is also why your 12V battery will run down if you let the car set a few weeks. It even warns you in the owner's manual to put it on a charger if you're going to leave it set for a few weeks. You can hear it fire up when you first open the driver's door to get in. It almost always does this unless you have recently driven it. As these cars get older and the vacuum system gets leakier we can expect the battery to run down more often as the pump has to run more. This could be one of the dumbest design flaws on this car. I cannot imagine why it's designed this way. Pump should be hooked up to the accessory circuit so it only runs when the ignition is on.Did this 'feature' get added to the 2013 Fusion hybrids (my 2010 fires up its pump when I turn the key to run (just opening the door(s) won't do it ((not doubting you, just curious)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmckinley Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 I don't know about earlier models. In fact I argued with a Fusion guy on this forum because I thought mine didn't do it. While running some tests to fine tune my auxiliary braking system I discovered that mine was always live too. Certainly keeping the pump disabled when the key is off would be the logical approach. I think someone dropped the ball here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salsaguy Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 sounds like what might be a possible culprit for the dead battery issues if something is staying on.or.... do you have a cat or maybe dogs walking in front of car at night? goblins or ghosts....can you leave a webcam on a tripod to record it?My next door neighbor claims that my C-Max has been making noises at night. On 2 separate nights they've claimed that they've heard a loud alarm-like noise coming from the car, though not loud enough to be an actual car alarm. Both nights they heard it on multiple occasions, and they thought the noise started almost exactly an hour apart. Their bedroom window is right next to our driveway where we leave the car, which is why they've heard the noises and we have not. We have the base SE model (200a) with MFT and the winter package, so we do not have any proximity sensors or anything like that (I think). I've contacted my dealer and they could not find a similar issue reported in their database. . Anyone have any idea what could be causing this or experienced similar issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfruth Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Just got a tweet from @FordService @FordService @rfruth The car (2013 Fusion hybrid, brake vacuum pump) only has power to it when the vehicle is running. The power is controlled by the ABS module using a relay. =) ^MS 03:02 PM - 01 Aug 13 hope the C-Max is the same (and hope this is true, anyone know more) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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