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CarComplaints.com Notes: You should probably steer clear of the 2012 Focus. Otherwise, you might not be able to steer at all.

The 2012 is the first Focus to offer Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS). It's also the first year with massive power steering failure. These things are not mutually exclusive.

And while you wait for your steering to disappear, you'll be greeted with a transmission that shudders, vibrates or won't shift at all.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
22 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
24 / 5
Average Mileage:
86,666 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Ford Focus steering problems

steering problem

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2012 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 12 of 46)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #689

Mar 222019

Focus

  • 900,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Steering quits intermittently.. it's a well known and documented safety hazard as I have seen hundreds and hundreds of similar complaints. Just adding one more to the list. Don't see a full recall in the future but a little help with a very expensive repair would be nice.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #688

Apr 082019

Focus

  • 96,000 miles
Have had several instances of the power steering not functioning upon start up. Warning light came on, but reset and worked upon restarting. Occasionally steering will take extra time, approx. 5 seconds, to function upon starting however yesterday it would not reset and function properly. Had to drive approx. 5 miles with no power steering. Worked properly after parking and restarting car after approx. 15 min.

- Jensen Beach, FL, USA

problem #687

Apr 032019

Focus

  • 80,000 miles
Bought this used for my son's first car. Power steering went out while driving. Only 80000 miles on this car. This could have killed my innocent boy. Recall this before someone dies!!!

- Lake Orion, MI, USA

problem #686

Apr 012019

Focus

  • 79,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On two separate occasions, the car lost steering ability without any warning while my son was driving on a busy highway in traffic. He was luckily able to pull over without crashing, though required considerable effort to maneuver the car out of traffic, as steering required full strength. The steering assist malfunction message appeared after the 3rd incident when he started the car in his driveway. I cannot understand how Ford can can continue to endanger drivers and others by not recalling this clearly defective electronic steering system. The exact same system has been recalled in other models totaling over 1.3 million vehicles, per a new yorktimes article. This is not a small or trivial problem. In addition, Ford manufacturing has notified dealers of 'steering problems' but fell short by not investigating the issue. The problem is apparently well known and documented. Please do something before innocent people are injured and/or killed. We have already endured the stress of a transmission/clutch malfunction, for which Ford extended the warranty to cover, but did not notify owners, as an official recall would require. Our extremely honest and diligent mechanic researched it and found out, so we were able to have those repairs done at the dealer at no expense. This is a no-brained, do the right thing and issue the recall. Don't play russian roulette with other people's lives.

- Lomita, CA, USA

problem #685

Mar 232019

Focus

  • 61,000 miles
After a 30 mile drive, I stopped to fill my tank. When I restarted my vehicle, I received a warning that the power steering boost had failed. I checked under the hood and did not see any other problems. I was able to drive the car back to drop off my passenger, although the steering was extremely tight. After my friend left my car, the power steering came back and the issue has not recurred. I did some research on the internet and found at least 200 other instances of similar events, leading to a total failure, and a $1600 bill from Ford for each occurrence. There is a tsb which exists for this issue, and there was a recall of other Ford vehicles for similar problems. However, the Focus was not included in the recall but it sounds like a similar issue which necessitated the recall of 600K vehicles in 2015. There are also plenty of articles from reputable sources, like the New York times, which also document this,

- Sugar Land, TX, USA

problem #684

Mar 262019

Focus

  • 80,459 miles
Electronic power steering assist failures. Several times over the past four months my wife and I started the car and there was no power steering. The car was undrivable and warning on the dash indicated steering failure. Sometimes two or more restarts were required before the warning went off and the power steering returned. Although it hasn't happened yet while driving the car. My research on this failure showed that its highly possible that it could happen while driving and cause injury or death. Farther research shows that repairs could cost as much as $2,200

- Manila, AR, USA

problem #683

Mar 272019

Focus

  • 143,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The transmission is under class action lawsuit. Having trouble with since buying in 2012, still waiting on outcome of that. Today. March 27, 2019, "steering wheel assist- service needed". steering out wheel will not turn. I work I need a car. I will be calling Ford today. My Ford Focus SE is no longer under warranty, over 140,000 miles on it. I was not able to leave home for work today. Sometimes when I turn the car off the time changes I then turn it back on and it goes back to the correct time. Also in the past sometimes in would not start. I would wait a while and then it would start. It has not done that since I bought the car in 2012. This car has a lot of problems.

- Georgetown, DE, USA

problem #682

Mar 012019

Focus

  • 120,000 miles
When I went to drive my car out of the driveway the steering acted like it was locked. After trying multiple times of turning key on/off I finally called the mechanic to tow the vehicle to their shop. After a couple weeks of diagnosis it was determined it was the electric steering. Why have multiple other Ford vehicles had a recall for this problem but not the Focus?

- Morgantown, IN, USA

problem #681

Mar 172019

Focus

  • 83,000 miles
Steering became very stiff, almost jerking at times, when turning. Feels like it takes a couple seconds for the steering to correct itself like there's a delay from turning the wheel to the car actually turning. Does it at low city driving speeds and on the highway. We drove it Saturday, it was fine. It didn't get used Sunday, and problem started on Monday morning. When turning at low speeds there is also a grinding noise coming from behind the steering wheel. No warnings on dash, no incident to cause this. Vehicle has only 83,000 miles. Took it to the dealer and they said it's the steering gear and it will be over $1500 to fix. Money I don't have for a problem that shouldn't be happening on a car this new. I'm scared to drive it and can't afford to fix it so it sits in the driveway like a giant expensive paperweight.

- Moberly, MO, USA

problem #680

Mar 202019

Focus

  • 80,000 miles
After turning on ignition to the car a warning comes up "steering assist fault" on the information screen near the odometer. The steering wheel is then very hard to turn. This has happened 2 times in the first day of the issue. When I turn the car off and restart the car the problem goes away. I have researched and found several complaints of the same exact issue I am having and some have reported losing steering while driving so I am very concerned about my safety.

- Aliso Viejo, CA, USA

problem #679

Mar 062019

Focus

  • 110,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Off and on for the past 2 months go out to start the car put it in reverse attempt to back up and the steering wheel becomes stuck it will not turn at all you have to give it 1 min and then try again and then it resumes normal, last summer was driving down the main highway the right headlight went out the next morning start the car and appears in screen default on the L lighting open the hood to see all electrical wires to the headlights were burnt where the bulb connects to the wire areas had to have all wiring redone and also new complete headlights, also 2 years ago was driving down the highway car stalls out I drift to the edge of the highway attempted several restarts would not restart had it towed and had to replace the fuel pump and relay switch

- Madison Heights, VA, USA

problem #678

Mar 182019

Focus

  • 78,859 miles
While driving approximately 45 mph in traffic on the 5 freeway in los angeles, a warning came up on the dashboard stating "steering assist fault - service required". after the message displayed, a turn in the road was coming up and I noted that I had no power steering and had to use excessive force to turn the wheel to make the turn. Luckily I managed to nurse the car back home without causing an accident or going off the road. Turning at slow speeds is nearly impossible. I will be taking the vehicle into the Ford dealership but it is my understanding that similar issues have occured to multiple 2012 Focus vehicles and no recall has been issued similar to other recalls for different Ford models. Luckily my current failure did not cause an accident, but the car is not a hazard to drive for both myself and other motorists. This issue needs a recall before someone gets injured or worse, and owners don't have to fork over $1500+ to fix the issue as seems common online.

- Cypress, CA, USA

problem #677

Mar 142019

Focus

  • 200,000 miles
2012 Ford Focus is very hard to steer, as if it has no power steering. There is no power steering pump. I learned that this vehicle has some kind of electrical steering. I have also learned that other vehicle like the Focus has the same problems as mine but yet these other Focus's have recalls for this problem. But not mine. We fear that this could cause a serious accident.

- Beattyville, KY, USA

problem #676

Nov 222018

Focus

  • 198,000 miles
Sometimes when the car is started and you go to back up or even pull in to park the steering wheel locks up and does not allow you to turn it. The radio makes this horrible loud crackling noise and imposes a tremendous safety concern when you are driving down the road and the speakers cut on and off without you ever touching the stereo system, I feel for those who have sensitive hearing or even the elderly if it happens to them because it is horribly loud and even with the radio off it still pops and squeaks, also the canister purge I just spent 700 last year replacing fuel pump relay switch car just cut off going down the 4oad and would not start back

- Madison Heights, VA, USA

problem #675

Mar 082019

Focus

  • 89,000 miles
Started my car and received a power steering failure message. Turn car off and back in and it goes away. Happened three times once while I was waiting at a stop light. Took vehicle in and told it was a gear that needs to be fixed. This was a recall on other gods but not mine. Over $2,000 to fix.

- El Cajon, CA, USA

problem #674

Mar 072019

Focus

  • 93,000 miles
I have a 2012 Ford Focus at 93000 miles, I started the car one morning on my way to work and the steering assist fault pop up on the screen behind the steering wheel. The steering wheel became hard to turn and I couldn't drive it due to it being not safe to drive. I took it to a Ford dealership and they told me the steering rack and pinion needs to be replace and it'll cost $2200 for the repairs. I've look up online and found man others like me who face this problem. Ford needs to have a recall on this, it's very dangerous for us to drive down the road and suddenly your steering wheel wouldn't turn.

- Albany, GA, USA

problem #673

Mar 112019

Focus

  • 148,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle became difficult to steer and "power steering assist fault" illuminated on the message center. The contact continued driving at a slower pace to her destination. After a while, the vehicle steering began to operate normally. The vehicle was taken to Ford auto world (2903 S scatterfield rd, anderson, in 46016) where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack and power steering module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 148,000.

- Anderson, IN, USA

problem #672

Mar 112019

Focus

  • 40,000 miles
I started my car, backed it out of my driveway, went to go forward and the steering, quit, very stiff couldnt turn the steering wheel, so I turned the car off, then started it back up, and the steering was fine, a few days later this happened again at the gas station, then again in the subdivision could hardly turn the wheel to get back in the driveway. This car has 40000 miles on it, 1 owner, 1 driver.

- Union, MO, USA

problem #671

Feb 012019

Focus

  • 100,000 miles
Start up the cal: Power assist failure (or the like) which I can restart the car and it goes away, this has been recalled on other Ford, but not mine.

- South Fulton, TN, USA

problem #670

Feb 192019

Focus

  • 82,800 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. When the vehicle was started, the power steering warning indicator illuminated. The contact attempted to turn the steering wheel, but it seized. The vehicle was towed to honolulu Ford (1370 N king St, honolulu, hi 96817, (808)-824-3981) where it was diagnosed that the power steering failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered to assist with part of the steering repair. The failure mileage was approximately 82,800.

- Ewa Beach, HI, USA

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