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.
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.
"steer assist fault" error message with total loss of power steering while driving, causing low speed impact into curb in neighborhood. This is a known power steering system failure and yet Ford has failed its customers and continue to put them in danger and life's as risk. This is my 16year old daughter car and it is an absolute disgrace that this issue has significant documentation & complaints confirming this failure yet no recall & Ford not taking responsibility for their products. It's extremely sad that it will probably take a humans life before this known power steering failure issue which causes drivers to lose all power steering capabilities! hey Ford..don't expect a merry christmas from the [xxx] family! information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
While I was driving the whole stearing column starts to vibrate then it tightens up and the light comes on saying stearing assist fault, service required. When this happens the stearing wheel locks up and you can't turn. I've had this happen three times, luckily not in a curve or at a higher rate of speed. I have to stop the car, turn it off and back on to reset. I know I will crash if I am going around a curve or driving on the interstate, with the car stearing locked. I currently have it at the Ford dealership for repair. The mechanic said it was not safe to drive.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. When the vehicle was started, the power steering indicator illuminated and the vehicle could not be steered. The dealer (verner-cadby Ford, 1240 bloomfield ave, fairfield, NJ 07004, (973) 575-0333) stated that the failure was due to age and the repair would cost approximately $1,700. The manufacturer stated that there was no recall for the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.
70K miles, steering assist failure. Leaving my 19 yo daughter stranding out of town. Car was parked and malfunction would not reset with restarting or disconnecting battery. $2000 to repair... I own four Ford and my patience is wearing thin from all the recalls on all four vehicles that I own.
Electric assist steering failed after 116,000 due to manufacturers placement of electronic box location 3" (three inches) away from exhaust manifold, thereby destroying electronics inside sealed box. Makes steering extremely difficult. Failure in parking lot and almost caused me to hit a parked car while trying to turn into a parking space.
- Framingham, MA, USA
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Electronic power steering failure light keeps going on and no power steering is available. Does reset upon restarting car. There are over 10000 online forum complaints about same issue. Ford was aware of issue and continued to sell the vehicle with this issue and the transmission control fault.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While starting the vehicle, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer (gosch Ford escondido, 1717 auto park way, escondido, ca 92029, (760) 745-3361) where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was 67,000.
Car was in park. When I turned on the ignition and started to back out I couldn't turn the steering wheel and the power steering warning light came on. I put the car back in park, turned it off then back on after a couple of minutes and it was fine. This has happened at least 4 times within the past year.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving 25 mph, the power steering failed without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle became very difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the electronic power steering needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. An unknown dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
7 years ago I purchased a brand new 2012 Ford Focus from a local dealership. The car currently has 36,600 miles only, but so far had 3 recalls(!). 1 for transmission issues (got it to the dealership, they said they fixed it but to this date it is still stalling when accelerating), 1 for defect door latches, and 1 for the fuel pump. On top of these 2 days ago while trying to back out from a parking lot the steering wheel went dead and a warning came up on the dashboard screen saying the power steering is out. Towed it and took it to the nearest Ford dealership and after two days I got the new that rack and pinion need replacement and it will cost $2,100 parts and labor. Called Ford motors company and they said it's nothing they can do since the car is out of warranty. How can parts like these can fail after only 36,000 miles"?? and why Ford Motor Company doesn't take responsibility for defect cars like these placed on the market to be sold as "new""!
Starting my car while parked, power steering malfunction indicated on dash, I would shut the car off and start it again and it would clear, however after multiple times of this occurring it is constant. I am unable to drive my car and will have to pay close to $2000 for the repair. My car has 55000 miles!
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. When the contact started the vehicle, the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
The power steering assist malfunction light went on and power steering failed three times on my Ford Focus 2012. When I restarted the car, the malfunction light went away and power steering returned. Each time the vehicle was in a stationary position. The dealership service department said the rack and pinion module needed to be replaced. Thank goodness my vehicle was not in motion or serious injury or death could have occurred. The vehicle has less than 35,000 miles on it and there is no reason why this significant of a repair is necessary on a vehicle with so little mileage on it. This is clearly a manufacturer defect problem and not a wear and tear issue. Ford was not willing to assist in any way unless this part is subject to a recall.
When I started my car, the steering felt like it locked up, and the steering assist fault light came on. I had to turn off my car, and turn it back on before it worked properly. It has done this two times now in the past three days
2012 Ford Focus SE power steering failure light comes on. Fixed power steering hard top steer. So replaced steering gear, steering wheel sensor and reprogramming steering wheel. Also alignment steering wheel sensor assembly. Told hard to get sensor and reprogram after repairs. Sop additional cost to fix.
I was turning my car (in motion) on a local street and my power steering assist stopped working completely, with my three year old in the back seat. I was unable to to make the turn adequately, and even pulled a muscle in my shoulder trying to force the steering wheel in the correct direction.
Over the course of a year, an indicator warning message kept coming on about the power steering manual assist, which turns out to be a defect in the steering column. Turning the car on and off solved the issue at the beginning. But then while I was on the road in September of 2018, the light came on again and wouldn't go off. I had to have the car towed to a dealership and have the entire steering column replaced for $2,200. The cost was negligible to the risk'we who own these cars were risking our lives and the lives of people on the road. This is a safety issue and Ford ought to address the issue by fixing the problem for free.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 45 mph, the contact experienced difficulty steering the vehicle and the service power steering warning message illuminated. The contact stated that the failure began two years ago, but went away after awhile. However, the failure became worse over the past two weeks. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.
Steering assist fault - three times since the purchase of this vehicle it has displayed this message. It always went away after turning the car off and back on. The third time it has not gone away. The vehicle has no power steering. 6 years old/ bought new off the lot/ 92000 miles.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Landisville, PA, USA