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.
Power steering failed around 75000 miles suddenly while driving. I let it be because it went away after turning the car on and off but since January 2018, the car has been permanently without power steering. Ford customer service was no help and only requested that I get a diagnostic that cost 100$. the diagnostic confirmed what I said - that the steering needed to be replaced and that it was not working. They estimated the repair at 2100$. this is a safety issue. If something were to run out in the road I would not be able to turn the wheel fast enough. Additionally, I don't drive others really anymore because I don't feel comfortable putting their safety at risk. This is a safety issue that Ford needs to fix. I am a loyal customer and I wrote to Ford execs (yes wrote because they would not give me a number) multiple times in the past few months. Their response was that NHTSA said it wasnt an issue so they aren't going to do anything. NHTSA needs to step up and require Ford to remedy this issue. There are thousands of complains for this issue and there have been recalls made for the same issue in other Ford models, so I am unable to understand how this has not been recalled for the 2012 Ford Focus. Its an embarrassment for Ford and NHTSA and makes me and probably all of these other previously loyal customers not want to buy Ford again. Take action. People and their safety are depending on you.
Park assist failure makes the car loose power steering while driving. It will do it with no warning and you all of a sudden can not steer. It will not reset and there is no power steering. Very dangerous to drive. Seems to be a defect as it happened all of a sudden.
Started vehicle, put in reverse and began backing out of driveway. I immediately could tell something was wrong and my steering wheel lost all power steering. The dash lit up saying 'steering assist fault service required'.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 5 mph, the steering wheel seized while making a left turn and the power steering assist warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was turned off, restarted, and was able to drive properly. The failure recurred five times. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing of the failure. The manufacturer was notified and transferred the contact to NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
The steering wheel locked up and the steering assist came on while I was doing 5 mph. And the fuel tank is being has been deformed because of a vacuum problem with the cap less gas tank. I know that the rest of the 2012 Fusion and escape have been recalled, because of the danger of driving down the road and steering will loose controll
- Kewanee, IL, USA
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First time power steering quit I had just started it in the morning to go work, had to shut car off then turn it back on and steering would work then. Second time I lost steering when I was turning off of a 55mph highway in the middle of the turn and power steering quit, forcing me to go off in the ditch. Was very frustrating and now after shutting off the car the power steering does not start working at all. So I have to drive every day without it. Very frustrating when I pay this much for a vehicle and I have to get charged $1,200+ to fix it. Don't have the money to fix it so just drive without it now. Frustrating.
At times the steering locks up have to restart to fix problem. Warning light comes on >>>> steering system failure. What soes this mean " can it lock up during driving"
On Friday, 06/08/2018 I lost my steering assist due to a "steering assist malfunction". I am able to steer the car but as a senior citizen I feel that I am putting my life, as well as others, at risk for a known defect that the Ford Motor Company has known about for years, have recalled many of their model vehicles with the same "defect" except the Ford Focus. This is a dangerous situation for everyone. Please get Ford Motor Company to correct their intentional neglect of this matter.
I was backing out of a parking place at a gas station when the "steering assist fault" "service required" came on this happened around 80K miles. Now sitting at 88K miles I recently had to have the steering rack and pinion assembly replaced in it costing me almost 1,800 dollars in repairs. I have read several complaints with this car having the same issues around about the same mileage intervals. I'm hoping this issue hasn't caused any serious injury or fatalities.
Power steering failure at 63000 miles. Resulting in $2222 bill to replace power steering gear assembly. Error code "steering assist fault service required" was displayed 5-8 times while backing up at startup on prior occasions. For all prior occasions restarting the car cleared the issue. On the last occurrence the issue would not clear leaving the car with manual steering.
While I was driving my car the power steering went out. I still could steer the car but it was more difficult to do so. I know there was a recall on Ford's with power steering issues but my car was not included. I had to pay the dealer $1790 for the repair. The dealership said my year car was not part of the recall...since it was a similar issue I believe it should of been included.
Electrical issue with the car which is causing the power steering to malfunction. When this happens, I am unable to turn the steering wheel at all! Ford has not issued a recall. There are several complaints regarding this issue that has caused accidents because the issue has been know to happen while driving. The Ford dealership recommends I replace the entire steering system (epas) to correct the concern, for around $2,000. I cannot afford this - why do I have to pay for an extreme mistake made by Ford when they created these cars? I am fearful the error will occur every time I drive, and take extra caution on each trip I make. Please help
While driving I lost all ability to turn the wheel. I was driving slow and about to park. I turned off the vehicle and then started the vehicle back on and received a "steering assist fault error displaying on the dash panel. I turned off the vehicle again to see if this error would clear, but it did not. I look up this error online and found at least 150 other people having this same issue some if I read correctly ended in deaths. Some say to turn off the vehicle and turn it back on to clear this issue. This fix did not work for me. I had to get the vehicle towed. This could have been very bad if this had happened on the interstate which I just exited. Please help use to resolve this issue.
My vehicle has on multiple occasions experienced a complete power steering system failure. The most recent of which occurred with my 1 year old daughter in the car; I was entering a turn when the display alarm sounded with the failure causing me to lose control and drive off the road. Ford company is refusing to honor my warranty claiming the part is not covered (a steering sensor), though the steering column itself is covered. I have been told by the service advisor the column cannot be replaced without also replacing the sensor and the sensor cannot be replaced without also replacing the column. It seems they have found a loophole with what is known to be a dangerous hazard to their vehicle. In point of fact the New York times has even written an article in 2015 documenting power steering failure and the injuries that have occurred due to it.
"steering assist fault" error message started appearing randomly when starting up car in park about once month a year ago. I could get it to clear by shutting off car and opening and closing door and restarting. Frequency increased last month to about once a week, then to every day, and now it won't clear. Mechanic's charge $2,114 to replace the faulty part, realign and reprogram car's steering.
On April 7th 2018 I started my 2012 Ford Focus and the steering wheel was locked solid the warning lights lite up stating electronic power steering assist failure. I turned the vehicle off and restarted it 3 times until it started working again. I went right to the dealer where I bought the vehicle. They claim there is no recall. I did some research find that there's been over 120 injuries and one death related to the power steering failure on these vehicles. This is happened to my vehicle now totaling 10 times and now I'm terrified to drive the vehicle which concerns of as I'm on the road the steering locks up when I get in a crash or accident. The NHTSA and Ford know of this problem. This is a major issue that must be addressed. Please help I was stationary it's time and just hoping and praying this doesn't happen to me when I'm on the highway at 70 miles an hour like it has done to other people and have been injured.
I went to start my car and the warning light came on that said "steering system failure". the car is no longer driveable. The manufacturer is denying responsibility. There is a NY times article re: This stating they are aware yet no recall yet. We need a recall. There are other complaints online by owners who have not yet filed with NHTSA. Https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/25/automobiles/Ford-Focus-steering-problem-prompts-many-complaints-but-no-inquiry.html I need help. I am in debt for this vehicle and I was told there was nothing wrong with it when I bought it.
Power steering failed. The entire power steering rack was replaced which includes the power steering control module (pscm). The power steering failure began on 3/1/18 and was initially resolved by turning off then turning on the car. This worked for two weeks. Complete failure occurred on 3/14/18. The pscm is not serviceable and is not a separate component of the power steering rack resulting in a high cost repair on a low mileage vehicle. The vehicle has 35948 original miles. This system is referred to as the electronic power assisted steering (epas) system and has been recalled on the Ford flex, Taurus, and the Lincoln mks and mkt 2011 through 2013 models, but not recalled on the Ford Focus even though it is the same problem and faulty equipment design.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Presto, PA, USA