rhinbc Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 March 16, 2016After researching vehicles for about a year, I decided to get a C-Max hybrid as it has very few problems.After reading a few reports that said Ford was adding more sound insulation to the 2016, I waited rather than get a 2015.I bought a 2016 about 3 weeks ago. It is a loaded SEL in the Tectonic color with black interior.So far, I like the car, especially the gas mileage. I have about 450 kilometers on it, a lot of that city driving,and am getting 40-45 mpg, or 6.5 liters per 100 k. That I really like. And the gas motor is on quite a bit to keep me warm!But....Ford didn't do a very good job of isolating tire/road noise. The Michelin M/S energy saver tires are NOISY!If you are on new pavement it is quiet, but on older pavement, or seal-coated pavement with the pebbled surface,it is noisy. So, if you want mileage, it is a good car. If you want a quiet ride, not so much.As I drive it more, I'll update this from time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Smith Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 welcome, tires may "break in" a quiet down in time... I'm still on my factory tires on my 2013....have not noticed any more or less noise when compared to my wifes saturn vue. Noise can be so subjective and road dependent. what tire pressures are you running. my current tank I'm at 49.7 half way in running 40psi . trying to hit 700 miles on this tank...gonna be close have had nice weather, no need to use heat or AC. C-MaxSea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) Congrats and enjoy your C-Max. Interesting you should mention tire noise as I also look for "low noise" tires when I buy tires. About the only sources on tire noise ratings are from consumers (tirerack.com) or consumerreports.com. I found the attached study a few years ago on tire noise. Engine noise dominates the noise we hear at low speeds while tire noise dominates at higher speeds. The study used 45 mph and above as the study speed for tire noise. I believe that since we hear very little engine noise in the C-Max due to ANC and significant EV operation, we will hear more tire noise at all speeds and believe the tires are noisier than others (I know that I do). So, I'm not sure the Michelins are noisy compared to other tires. :) It may be just what we are hearing (or not hearing). Also, as indicated in the study road surface affects tire noise and tire noise can be reduced without compromising safety by using a "low noise" surface. "...low noise road surface can be built at the same time considering safety, durability and cost using one or more of the following approaches: 1. A surface with a smooth surface texture using small top size aggregate 2. A porous surface, such as an open graded friction course (OGFC) with a high air void content 3. A pavement-wearing course that has an inherent low stiffness at the tire/pavement interface." Tire study noise.pdf Edited March 17, 2016 by Plus 3 Golfer obob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelleytoons Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Wow, *my* first Ford (my C-Max) is the quietest car I've ever owned -- the tires are almost noiseless (and I assume they are the same, although mine is a 2014 SE). Just goes to show how different strokes for different folks affect things (although you might experiment with tire pressure -- they can be run at a VERY wide range and you may well find one that suits you better). (My car is so quiet when I go up to the gate guards a lot of time they don't even come out because they don't hear me -- several have commented on this. I love running in EV "stealth" mode :>). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 March 16, 2016After researching vehicles for about a year, I decided to get a C-Max hybrid as it has very few problems.After reading a few reports that said Ford was adding more sound insulation to the 2016, I waited rather than get a 2015.I bought a 2016 about 3 weeks ago. It is a loaded SEL in the Tectonic color with black interior.So far, I like the car, especially the gas mileage. I have about 450 kilometers on it, a lot of that city driving,and am getting 40-45 mpg, or 6.5 liters per 100 k. That I really like. And the gas motor is on quite a bit to keep me warm!But....Ford didn't do a very good job of isolating tire/road noise. The Michelin M/S energy saver tires are NOISY!If you are on new pavement it is quiet, but on older pavement, or seal-coated pavement with the pebbled surface,it is noisy. So, if you want mileage, it is a good car. If you want a quiet ride, not so much.As I drive it more, I'll update this from time to time.Interesting, I wonder if you get different tires up there. I don't notice the road noise that much. About what I used to get. The C-Max is quiet enough that I can speak to the passenger without raising my voice, at any speed I've tried up to 80MPH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markd Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Have you tried turning the radio up? Seriously, the car is very quite when the ice isn't running so that is probably why you hear the tire noise. Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markd Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Have you tried turning the radio up? Seriously, the car is very quite when the ice isn't running so that is probably why you hear the tire noise. Welcome to the forum! C-MaxSea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhinbc Posted April 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2017 Well, I've had my 2016 SEL for a year now..The change oil light came on at 3600 km or about 2250 miles95% of my driving is in the city, and it had a lot of condensation in it.So I will have to try to get on the highway more to get it hotter.A week after the oil change, the cam sensor (used for timing)failed and had to be replaced.And a plastic panel by the right rear window won't stay in place,so they ordered a new one about 2 weeks ago. Not here yet. In the summer, with no A/C, I was getting 50 mph per Canadian gallonor about 40 mph per US gallon in city driving.The little bit of highway I did drive was usually higher!In the winter, I get around 37 mpg Cdn. I like to be warm! As for gas mileage, this is the best car I have owned. BUT.. unless I am on new pavement, this is the worst car I have owned for road noise.Even my 1990 Plymouth Sundance is not as bad.But in the summer, if you have the windows open, the noise is way better.The tires are Michelin A/S that are also marked MSThe recommended tire pressure is 38, but I run them about 35, and thatseems to change the tone of the noise. Below about 1500 rpm, I can feel the engine vibrations through the steering wheel.And for me, the turn signal and wiper switch should be an inch further away from the steering wheel,as I am prone to hitting it and starting the wipers on dry glass. So if this is all I have to complain about, that's pretty good!Would I buy another one? No. My next car will have to have way less road noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted April 10, 2017 Report Share Posted April 10, 2017 Condensation in the oil is not uncommon; but how do you know you had water in the oil? I do used oil analysis. Some owners have reported road noise issues related to tires. Others run the tires for 60K miles without issues. I swap OEMs and snows every winter and can't say I notice a big noise difference. There is also an active noise suppression system in the cabin to counteract drive train noise. Some owners have had issues, disabling it. Check the fuse. I'm fine with it, save for the narrow speed range that results in a "moan" when driving in Vermont (never heard it before visiting my daughter; we live in NY) I can only suggest examining the tires to see if they have any uneven wear that might point you to a mechanical issue. A lot of folks have replace sway bar links (me) or shocks, or had alignment issues. I also run tire pressures close to sidewall rating, and rarely open the windows, both for economy reasons. Best mileage ever, though, and a lot of fun getting there, too. HAve fun,Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhinbc Posted September 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2017 Well, I decided to do a road trip in my 2016 Ford CMax Hybrid so drove from Victoria, BC, to Saskatchewan to see my brothers. Man, that is a long way and I will never drive it again! Round trip, I went 4260 kilometers and averaged 50.784 miles per gallon. Interestingly, I got better mileage driving through the mountains than I did in the prairies. The car ran great, and the air conditioner was able to keep me cool, even at 35 degrees celsius. I must admit, the gas/electric drive system is fantastic! Ford did a great job. The ECVT is also a great transmission for 99% of driving. The only "downfall" I had was when I was going 140 kph, and wondered how much gas pedal was left. So I stomped it down, and found I had at least half a pedal to go! But... the engine revved up but I didn't go any faster, like you would in a standard automatic transmission. You have to apply the gas slower to go faster. A very small thing to have to do. Unfortunately, I did get a rock crack in the windshield and it had to be replaced. And one thing that surprised me for a while.... I was going downhill, and the gas engine was off. Then it was on doing 4000 rpm! It took a bit to realize the computer had turned it on to use as a brake to help maintain my speed. But... what I didn't like was the constant roar from the road noise! If you got headaches, you would have had a bad one at the end of the day. For an example of what I mean, check out some clips from my dash cam... This was on the 401 between Hope and Vancouver, BC, and is a particularly loud section. It wasn't all as bad as this. If you listen after about a minute, this was what it was like for most of the 4260 kilometers. John Denver is singing in the background... https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6qJLRNMW3pTdFppbTNkdnNVcXM/view?usp=sharing Here's another video while on gravel with music in the background... https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6qJLRNMW3pTMDdLWk1kVWhXVkk/view?usp=sharing On the last road home! Here, I turned the radio off so you hear just the road noise on fairly smooth asphalt... https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6qJLRNMW3pTWDNlNjZKZ1RKVm8/view?usp=sharing Like I said in a previous post... On new or smooth pavement, the road noise is tolerable. On rough or seal coated pavement it is loud to very loud. On gravel, the noise is very loud to terrible. I attached a wire to the back frame to get rid of static electricity, and I could hear it when it moved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhinbc Posted September 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2017 I forgot to mention the steering... One thing I didn't like was the steering at highway speeds...It's too heavy and sensitive.It takes too much force to move the steering wheel and when it does move,a quarter of an inch moves you from one side of your lane to the other.It should require less effort and more movement to change position.In town, it is much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted September 5, 2017 Report Share Posted September 5, 2017 If you raise your tire pressure to 50 psi like I have you will notice it is a little easier to turn and more responsive. :) BTW it is a good idea to crisscross you tires every 10k miles which will help to keep more even wear and tire noise down. :) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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