NHTSA Complaint #10904811 — 2013 FORD C-MAX ENERGI

THE 120 VOLT, 12 AMP CHARGE CORD THAT CAME WITH MY CAR (FORD PART NO. FM58-10B706AC) IS OVERHEATING CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. THE END OF THE CORD THAT PLUGS INTO THE WALL HAS MELTED AND THE PLUG HAS LEFT BURN MARKS ON THREE DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL OUTLETS ON MY HOUSE WHERE I PLUG THE CAR IN TO CHARGE. PHOTOS OF THE MELTED CORD AND OUTLET BURN MARKS ARE ATTACHED. THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT THE CONTROL UNIT BUILT INTO THE CORD IS TOO HEAVY AND PULLS THE PRONGS FROM THE OUTLET AND IF A PRONG IS ONLY PARTIALLY PLUGGED INTO THE OUTLET IT DRAWS MORE CURRENT THAN THE CORD CAN HANDLE. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ADVISED (FORD EV HELP LINE 1-800-392-3673) THAT THE CORD SHOULD NOT BE LEFT HANGING IN MID-AIR AND NEEDS TO BE PROPPED UP WHEN PLUGGED IN. THOSE INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL OR ON THE CORD, NOR WERE THEY COMMUNICATED TO CMAX ENERGI OWNERS. FORD ASSERTS THAT THE CORD IS NOT COVERED BY ITS EXTENDED 8-YEAR, 80,000 MILE WARRANTY FOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FOR THE CMAX ENERGI, SO THIS PART IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE (I WAS QUOTED $975 BY FORD TO REPLACE THE CORD). THUS IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT OWNERS WILL DEFER REPLACING THE CORD AND KEEP USING IT, BECAUSE IT STILL WORKS EVEN THOUGH THE PLUG IS PARTIALLY MELTED. THIS CORD IS HIGHLY LIKELY TO RESULT IN FIRES AND MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TWO CMAX ENERGI GARAGE FIRES IN FLORIDA I READ ABOUT IN THE PRESS LAST MONTH. I AM HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT ME.