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.
I have taken my car in 7 times for transmission issues and malfunctions always while driving on highway! thankfully I purchased extended warranty but it expired. Now I am back at the dealership for the 8th time and they want to charge me $2100 to fix a problem that was never really fixed to start with! now I am having steering problems! the steering just goes out while driving on the highway and in city. The fact that the steering just stops working is extremely dangerous it has put me in very hazardous situations! this is the second time the steering has gone out while driving! I have to pull over and shut car off for 10minutes before restarting. My wife had the kids in the car with her heading to the store and it went out and she had no clue what to do and not strong enough to force the wheel to get the car off the road so she was left sitting in the middle of the highway with the kids until the steering would work again. Its disgusting that Ford refuses to fix these problems since they are extremely dangerous!
Steering assist failure notice appeared on and off for nearly a year. Notice would disappear after turning vehicle off and straightening steering wheel. At 77000 miles, warning came on again and would not clear. This is a serious safety hazard especially if it happens while driving on the road. I was lucky it was just in my driveway. Ford has recalled several cars of similar make and model for this same issue yet have not recalled the Ford Focus. This is a serious safety hazard especially if it happens while driving on the road. Ford needs to own up to their mistake and send a recall and fix the problem on all vehicles. I should not have to pay for a manufacturing defect. The car is now out of commission because I can't afford the repair and I am to scared to drive it as is.
At 73,000 miles error code in dash read steering assist malfunction service needed. It is very difficult to steer my car. At 76,000 miles error code read engine too hot, stop safely and wait 8 minutes. Car shudders and high revs at low speeds and very loud engine noise. I hope that Ford recalls these issues soon!!!
Power steering electrical rack.I prepared to leave work, check engine light showed issue with electronic steering.two weeks prior to this event, my radio system(loud crackling)failed.with no power steering assist, drove home, two miles.I called Ford dealer to have car tower to their shop.
- N.Chili, NY, USA
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Upon startup, there is a loss to the power steering. Wheel cannot be turned at all. Sometimes there is no error, other times I get error of steering assist malfunction. Owned car for 6 years, purchased brand new. About 60K miles. Have twins with brand new learners permit, with this car to be dedicated for them to drive. How can this be safe? multiple message boards show this is a known issue with these vehicles and poor design requires $2K fix. Need immediate recall.
My Ford Focus I was driving down the street one real slow and my steering assist stopped the car just stopped I stopped it because the steering wheel became almost impossible to turn steering assist malfunction I went to the dealership they said it was $2,500 to repair it I don't have $2,500 my car is already had to transmission failures it's had an exploding battery it's had door locks that had to be replaced cuz they didn't stay last night transmission's been went over twice from the dealership and I just think they need to fix this for no charge because it is a safety hazard now I have no power steering my car is worthless I'm single I'm
Drove from my apartment to the mailboxes in our complex and when I went to start my car to leave the mailbox I go a "steering assist failure" and could not drive my car, the steering wheel could not turn.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While stationary and driving at various speeds, the steering wheel seized without warning on several occasions. Don sanderson Ford in glendale, Arizona was made aware of the failure and stated that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. Consumer stated 3 to 4 times upon starting the vehicle the wheel would not move, after awhile after putting the car from "P" to "N" and back again it moved. There have been several recalls. Consumer has brought it in many times for transmission recalls. Consumer also stated driver and passenger doors open on ther own and passenger window would not go down from driver side controls.
Power steering went out completely. On a 3 and a half hour trip I stopped to get gas, turned the car off. After pumping gas I started the car and a fault appeared "power steering loss, stop safely". had the car towed to the mechanic and replaced the power steering rack. Driving it home the power steering rack and computer faulted again while doin 70 mph on the highway! this is unbelievably dangerous. With the considerable about of problems like this there should have been a recall already.
On multiple occasions my 2012 Ford Focus got stuck in park and would not shift into drive. The steering wheel would not turn. The shift stick would not move from park back into drive. The electrical lights 'P N D S' turned off on the dash. When I pushed on the brake the car would not shift back into drive. Last night it happened in the middle of rush hour traffic at a red light. I turned the car on and off several times. The dash board lights would come on, but 'P N D S' remained unlit and the car would not shift back into drive. After 4 or 5 times of turning car on and off and opening and closing the door (this affects dash board lights some how). The lights came back on and the car would allow me to shift back into drive while pushing on the brake.
Starting in October 2017, my power steering failed while operating my car. The problem has started happening intermittent and unexpectedly. Sometimes, the issue occurs when turning on the car (before ever turning the steering wheel). Other times, it happens while driving (both times I was going straight and had to stop in the middle of the road).. without powersteering, it makes it almost impossible to steer at higher speeds and is extremely dangerous. There are 75 unique complaints about this issue on this one website - M.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Focus/2012/steering/power_steering_failure.shtml
My power steering went out when I was traveling home from work on the interstate. I came upon a curve to the right on the interstate and I almost hit another vehicle to the left of me as it was very difficult to turn the wheel but I slowly managed to pull the vehicle over onto the shoulder of the road. I turned my car off and sat there for a minute and turned it back on and my power steering was working fine and proceeded home slowly, and was very leery it would go out on me again. Right before I got home on my street, it went out one more time and I almost side swiped another vehicle when I was turning to the right. It took all the strength I had to turn the wheel to avoid side swiping the car on the left even though I was only going 20 mph.the power steering was out for good this time. I had it towed to a shop and I found out it was gonna be $1800 to fix this problem. After researching this issue, this is an ongoing problem for many Ford Focus's and Ford needs to address this as a recall! I could have been hurt badly on the interstate or hurt someone else. This is a dangerous problem and I had no warning! it scared me to death.
On many different occasions my steering wheel will completely lock up. Today was not the first day - just now knowing I can report this. Happens frequently and randomly since getting the vehicle. This is dangerous when driving, and it seems to be a common issue on these Ford. When the wheel locks up - you have to stop the vehicle. If I turn the car off/back on 4 or 5 times it usually unlocks it. As far as the electrical goes - the car is possessed. If you turn the car off and remove the keys - the radio continues to play even after getting out of the car. The keyless entry will not lock the doors. Windshield wipers will go off randomly without keys in the ignition. Sometimes the radio will randomly turn itself all the way up and if you try to turn the whole thing off, it does not respond. Many issues with this car!
Car worked well yesterday. Turned it on today amber light and tone power assist steering need service. Power steering failed overnight. Car has about 41K miles on it, estimate for repair $2000+.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Newark, CA, USA