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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:
21 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
22 / 3
Average Mileage:
87,378 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 5 of 46)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #821

May 022020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 93,092 miles

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

When starting vehicle steering would lock up and display error message of "steering assist fault needs service"

- Glendale, AZ, USA

problem #820

Nov 062019

Focus

  • 130,000 miles
Power assist steering error has occurred numerous times while stationary and moving. Error code flashes and sometimes clears after restarting engine or disconnecting battery for a period of time. This is a known problem with many Ford vehicles of the same build period utilizing the same equipment technology. Why this issue was not included in those recalls is not understandable. Just like the dual clutch issue, which I paid Ford $2,300 to rebuild the transmission, I am told that there's no warranty or recall. This means another $2,000+ to repair a known defect. 2 issues alone has caused repair bills the equate to 25% of the purchase price. Nice to see Ford has other options to add to the price tag at the owners expense and safety. Hopefully no fatalities will occur before Ford and NHTSA acknowledges this issue is in line with other recalls for similar equipment.

- Corpus Christi, TX, USA

problem #819

Apr 092020

Focus

  • 123,300 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus and stated while driving the power steering suddenly failed. The steering wheel became difficult to turn. The cause was not yet determined. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph the message "power assist malfunction" displayed and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer cross road Ford (1330 North Carolina why 66S. Kernersvillle nc) was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 123,300.

- Kernersville, NC, USA

problem #818

Apr 052020

Focus

  • 184,000 miles

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

The steering just stopped working in the middle of me driving down the highway. The steering wheel is completely locked up. Then after the fault warning came on the car's steering would not move at all and was locked onto a slight left trajectory which almost caused a serious accident.

- Renton, WA, USA

problem #817

Mar 062020

Focus

  • 120,000 miles
On vehicle start up power steering is occasionally unresponsive. I have been able to restart the vehicle to try to correct the issue which has overcome the problem in the past.there are no warning signs on the dash that address this problem. Now the vehicle has lost all power steering and maybe unsafe to drive. I have notified my Ford dealer with the problem, they said to have the car towed in for a $3000. Repair" this sure looks like a safety problem as no one can say if it is safe to drive with manual steering? what if I keep driving it as is? if I give the vehicle away can I or Ford be held liable if someone is injured. The car now not worth the cost to repair. Somebody is going to get hurt and I thought Ford was all about safety" I will be sure to let my friends and family know.

- Antioch, CA, USA

problem #816

Sep 102019

Focus

  • 58,335 miles
After receiving the recalls serviced by mike white Ford in cda Idaho.my vehicle is no.longer safe to drive.the 2012 Ford Focus that was perfect now stalls lacks power.the safety features no longer work.the car now has steering issues.since the recall work was done the car has sat in the driveway.it is unsafe for myself and others. When the car is in motion and you depress the gas paddle the rpms will race all the way up then plummit.while driving there is no power.when driving an incline or hill the gas paddle has to be pushed to the floor and still loses speed.the car shakes and the steering is erratic. One of the safety features in which the stereo mutes unless the seatbelts are clicked in while the car is in motion no longer works the Ford motor certified mechanics or technicians refuse to honor the. National traffic and motor vehicle Safety Act and the letter of recall concerning my 2012 Ford Focus that has under 60 thousand miles on the odometer.

- Spirit Lake, ID, USA

problem #815

Mar 032020

Focus

  • 103,000 miles

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

We recently purchased a 2012 Ford Focus hatchback for my 16 year old son. This morning, he started the vehicle and began driving away from the house. While doing so he was having difficulty maintaining control of the car due to the power steering being non-functioning. Fortunately I was sitting in the passenger seat and noticed he was struggling. He told me the steering wheel was very hard to turn. I instructed him to pull over but he couldn't turn the wheel hard enough so I asked that he just stop the car. At that time, we switched seats. Sure enough, the power steering was not functioning and the wheel was very difficult to turn. An amber colored warning light was illuminated on the dash. I was able to get the car back home to park it. After shutting it off and returning to check on it later and likely take it to the mechanic as I figured the power steering was completely out, I found that upon restart there was no issue. Since that time I have been conducting research and have found numerous complaints and concerns about the same problem with the same vehicle. Several persons have warned that this has happened to them while in motion, some of which at high speeds on the interstate. This is obviously incredibly concerning, particularly for younger, inexperienced drivers who may panic should this occur while in motion. According to complainant reports and the NHTSA website there is no current recall by Ford for this issue and the particular model. Please help remedy this issue so the safety of drivers of this vehicle, particularly children, and those that share the road with them is ensured. Thank you.

- West Jordan, UT, USA

problem #814

Feb 212020

Focus

  • 108,000 miles
Power assist failed while driving. Could not turn the wheel properly. Car started shaking and sounded like engine was going to fail. Only 108,000 miles

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #813

Jan 012012

Focus

  • miles
Ive had issues with the steering wheel since I 1st got the car. In the beginning it would like a couple minutes and then be fine. I noticed it when it was super cold or even just kind of cold. There have been a couple of times when the weather was fine and the steering was still very hard to turn. Id have issues in the morning by the time I left the parking lot it was fine and when I got in my car after work the same thing (with in a few minutes was fine). I've taken my car in many times but they could never figure out an issue. Now its 2020 and its been "out" since Thursday today is Monday and I just had it towed to the car dealer ship. Every time this issues occurred my car was in part I never got a warning message until today. Ive always been at home or at work where my car has sat for a few hours

- Waukee, IA, USA

problem #812

Jan 132020

Focus

  • 100,000 miles
I own a 2012 Ford Focus sel. An error code has come up for about 6 months when starting the car "steering assist fault" it will usually go away but on Jan 13th 2020 I was leaving work and it would not go away and I could not move my car. The error remained and I had to have the car towed because I could not steer the car at all. I am active duty military living in germany on orders and my car is now at the Ford garage with a quote of 1,860 euro to fix the power steering. This is unacceptable that Ford has not recognized this as a need for a safety recall and car owners are having to pay thousands of dollars to repair this part when I have been told by mechanics it is due to the part being placed in an incorrect place causing it to error out. This is a huge safety issue due to the error happening while driving as well, leaving you with no control to steer the car. I am out thousands of dollars in rental fees while my car has been sitting at a german Ford dealership waiting for repairs.

- Apo, AE, USA

problem #811

Aug 082019

Focus

  • 145,000 miles

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

Power steering malfunction. Warning occurred each time car was turned on for the first time during the day, but would usually reset and turn off after restarting the car while stationary. This happened for about six months when the power steering completely went out. The mechanic had said this has been a frequent problem for Ford Focus' as the power steering column has a bad and unusual setup that causes the wiring to overheat and thus resulting in the power steering to not work.

- Springfield, OR, USA

problem #810

Aug 072019

Focus

  • 110,379 miles
The power steering in my car went out. While I was leaving work my car prompted the following message "steering fault assist" came on and my power steering went out. I was very fortunate to be on a straight residential road when this occurred. The steering gear in my car needed to be replaced. After doing further research I found that this is a common issue with Ford cars. So much so that Ford has recalled Ford/Lincoln midsize sedans for an identical issue (recall number: 19V632000). It is inexcusable that Ford continuously ignores this issue for compact cars.

- Mount Dora, FL, USA

problem #809

Nov 202019

Focus

  • 40,000 miles
When driving the power steering will suddenly go out and the "power steering assist fault" indicator light comes on. I suddenly had no power steering, which is certainly a safety issue! and according to other 2012 Ford Focus owners this is a widespread issue with no recall yet! after 8 years.

- Warr Acres, OK, USA

problem #808

Jan 152020

Focus

  • 88,002 miles
I own a 2012 Ford Focus went to pick my kids up from school and killed my car. Then tried to restart my car and my steering wheel was really hard to turn then the steering assist failure popped up on my screen. Tried to restart the battery changed the fuse and it still pops up with the message. And this is my only transportation. It's really hard to steer it. And I'm scared to drive it.

- Haileyville, OK, USA

problem #807

Nov 152019

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,659 miles
The contact called on behalf of his aunt who owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while his aunt was entering her garage, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated the aunt does not remember the warning light that was illuminated. The contact stated the driver turned off and on the ignition and the steering wheel was functioning normal. The vehicle was taken to local dealer gene butman Ford located at 2105 washtenaw ave, ypsilanti, mi 48197, (734) 482-8581, where it was diagnosed with needing unknown rack to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. The manufacturer had not been informed of failure. The failure mileage was 34,659.

- Milan, MI, USA

problem #806

Jan 132020

Focus

  • 100,000 miles
The power steer fails when started and intermittently while driving. The power steering failure after starting has been happening over a year. Today the check engine line came on after pulling out of the drive way and warned me the power steering had failed. The vehicle has 100,700 miles on it.

- Saint Cloud, FL, USA

problem #805

Jan 112020

Focus

  • 106,750 miles
While driving at approximately 50mph on a country road the vehicle suddenly became unresponsive and numerous warning lights illuminated. A transmission failure warning appeared and the car immediately stopped accelerating. The electric steering became inoperative and steered the vehicle into oncoming traffic. Avoidance and stopping on the side of the road required an estimated 60-80lbs of force to regain minimal steering and bring the car to a stop. Once stopped numerous electrical systems on the car including lights, wipers, and other electrical components began to activate and deactivate in a seemingly random fashion. This car is absolutely unsafe!

- Longs, SC, USA

problem #804

Oct 222018

Focus

  • 62,100 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The driver was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was pushed into a nearby gas station to be diagnosed. The driver was informed that the fuel gauge was inoperable. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 18V735000 (fuel system, gasoline). Additionally, on another occasion while moving the vehicle from a parking space, the steering wheel became firm and difficult to maneuver. Metro Ford Chicago located at 6455 S western ave, Chicago, il 60636, (888)667-9088 was contacted by phone. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not subjected to a recall or a warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 62,100.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #803

Jan 072020

Focus

  • 110,000 miles
The power steering went out on my car this morning when I started it. It flashed an error message. After turning it off and restarting it about 3 times, it began to work. I have read that this can occur as I am driving. I am terrified this car is going to kill me, and I just bought it used and am paying payments. The vehicle was not in motion...yet.

- Little Rock, AR, USA

problem #802

Dec 242019

Focus 4-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving on the highway, the steering wheel seized. The contact was able to manually steer the vehicle to the side of the highway. The contact restarted the vehicle and drove slowly to his destination. Joe machens Ford (1911 w worley St, columbia, mo 65203, (573) 445-4411) stated that the rack and pinion system was defective and needed to be replaced at the cost of $2,700. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that nothing could be done since they were cleared by the national transportation board. An investigation was conducted and the steering system was repaired. The failure mileage was 75,000.

- St Peters, MO, USA

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