On 8/24/2018 I pulled into a gas station and filled the car up. As I was leaving I heard a grinding noise as I turned the steering wheel. I had never heard any noise from turning before. As I drove home 4.7 miles there were no turns, but the road does wind a little bit. As I was driving I noticed the steering felt a little "loose" and a little unresponsive. There were no lights or warning so I continued home where I would look at it. Where the road curved I could hear a grinding sound as turned the steering wheel. No sound was heard while driving straight. When I got to my block I made a right hand turn and the grinding noise was very pronounced. When I turned left onto my street the noise was just as pronounced. When in my driveway I turned the wheel while parked and the grinding sound was at the same level. I turned the engine off and turned the steering wheel right and left and the grinding noise was the same as when the engine was running. A couple of days later I read about the possibility of it being a steering assist fault. I started the car and checked for warnings and lights and there were none. I turned the steering wheel and got the same grinding noise. The next day I jacked the car up to visually inspect the steering linkage and cv axle. No play in the cv, nothing visibly broken in the steering. I tried turning the wheel with the car on the jack stands and now the steering wheel would not move at all. I removed the stands and tried again to turn the steering wheel left and right, it would not turn either direction.

- Mount Pleasant, WI, USA

After driving for 2 hours at highway speed, 90+ degrees ambient, I stopped the car to discharge a passenger. When I restarted the car, the power assist had failed. I was able to park the car with considerable manual effort. 2 hours later I started the car and the power assist steering worked normally. After about a month there have been no recurrences. When I reported the problem to my dealer the service rep wanted to charge me $100 to read the diagnostic computer.

- St. Cloud, FL, USA

While driving in the parking lot, the car (2014 Ford Focus 5dr hb) suddenly loss power. Unfortunately, the recall only apply to the electric model. Makes/models/model years: Ford/Focus electric/2012-2014 mfr's report date: October 28, 2013 NHTSA campaign number: 13V-523 components: Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, PCM) potential number of units affected: 2,456

- Artesia, CA, USA

I was driving down a state road about 100 yards away from the road I live on. I turned my turn signal on and began slowing down. When I was able to turn I began pressing the accelerator to turn, upon doing so my steering locked up. I lost my power steering and wasn't able to turn. A car was approaching and had to stop to prevent from hitting my on my passenger side. I have no clue why there hasn't been a recall after researching this defect. There are so many people that have been in crashes including deaths. I'm thankful no one was hurt in this situation but I cant imagine if my daughter would have been driving as we purchased this car for her. I pray you look into this and issue a recall.

- Lakeland, FL, USA

Steering failed while driving home from work on the I 4 a road where the speed limit varies from 65 to 70 miles an hour. Not a great time to not be able to control of your car made it home but the car is to difficult to drive. And now I find out Ford knew this was issue since 2013!.

- Wesley Chapel, FL, USA

At 42000 miles my car developed some noise with the steering. There was rubbing noise coming from behind the steering wheel whenever I was turning at low speeds such as when I'm pulling in or out of parking. When I took the car to a Ford dealership, I was told the noise was coming from the steering rack and it would need to be replaced. I'm aware there's a recall 14S18 that addresses this issue, but my car isn't covered because it wasn't manufactured at the date that affects that recall, so I'm asking for recall 14S18 to be expanded to include vehicles built at the same time as mine.

- Everett, WA, USA

Steering assist message came on during engine star, vehicle was almost impossible to turn steer out of parking lot.car has only 73000 miles. Dealer repaired at owner cost of over $2100.complete steering mechanism needed to be replaced.

- Bay Shore, NY, USA

I was driving home from work on a city street and I got a warning light that said "power steering assist fault" and I suddenly lost my power steering. I was able to get home but I am obviously concerned. While doing an internet search on the problem I found a site with many complaints and they said there was a recall on 2013 Ford Focus models for the same problem, so this has been an ongoing issue with Ford.

- Cary, NC, USA

Power steering failure. Needs total replacement. Vehicle only has 46,000 miles. I was lucky I was not driving it, when it went out. I am guessing the temp that day had something to do with it. Temp was 85 that day.

- Aurora, OR, USA

I parked vehicle in parking lot of store. I returned to car, started the engine, put car in reverse, gave it a little gas while I tried to turn the steering but it would not move. Message flashed 'steering wheel assist error'. car now has to be towed to dealership for a repair that is not covered by Ford. Lucky the steering did not go out while I was driving.

- Richmond Hill, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the warning indicator flashed "power steering loss" and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (echelon Ford, 4 S white horse pike, stratford, NJ 08084, 1-(856) 627-8400) where it was diagnosed that the steering motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer issued 95 tsbs for the steering and one steering recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000.

- Hammonton, NJ, USA

Steering wheel has locked twice after vehicle had started and was moving. First was when leaving a garage at work and moving forwards on a turn. Second was when trying to back out of a parking spot in reverse and locked up. Both times the hud popped up a message indicating failure. Took to dealer to diagnose and they said I need a new steering rack for $2300. Seems strange or faulty on the company considering it is a 2014 Focus with only 38K miles on it that this would fail so soon. Never been in an accident. I am hoping this doesn't happen while driving, otherwise it might not just be repair problem but a wrongful death suit against Ford. Being unable to move your steering wheel while driving is very dangerous and I am confused the estimate to repair was so high. Other websites indicate well under $1,000 to replace a steering rack with parts and labor. I suggest Ford fix this problem with a recall before it gets worse for me and other owners.

- The Colony, TX, USA

I was driving in the #1 lane in moderate traffic on the freeway, going about 40 mph, moving straight ahead, and slightly accelerating. An alert showed up on my dash screen stating that there was an issue with steering assist. As I pulled off the freeway, I noticed that it was significantly more difficult to turn my steering wheel, and as I took a right turn at the freeway exit, it was almost impossible to turn. I had the vehicle towed to a mechanic who recommended that I have it taken to the dealership, as he believed it fell under the same steering issue that many other Ford models have lately been recalled for. The dealership confirmed that the steering gear will need to be replaced, at full cost to me because the Focus does not fall under these recalls. Ford must issue a recall for the Focus models in addition to those that have already been recalled. I am not the only Focus owner to experience this terrifying issue, which could have easily caused an accident had my steering assist gone out in a slightly different situation. This is a life threatening fault and Focus owners need to be aware that the vehicles they are driving are dangerous.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

Went to autozone for power steering fluid. They asked year make model said it doesn't require it. I left an on my way out steering locked. Praise the lord no one way hurt.

- Youngstown, OH, USA

I have had this 2014 Ford Focus since early 2015. I have had problems out of this car since I have had it, with the dealership not ever finding out what was wrong. It started with power train issues which they had issued a recall for and I had brought to them and the dealership still did not fix. The last two weeks the car has begun having steering issues. While I was driving it just locked up and I had to coast to a stop and restart it. It drove fine after it sat for a minute and I restarted it, then three days later would not turn again after I started the vehicle while parked in my driveway and was getting ready to drop my children off at school and then head to work myself. I once again had to turn the vehicle of and let it sit for a minute and had to restart it. It ran okay for another three days. This morning it once again while parked in my driveway will not turn and the steering assist light came on the car. This time it will not turn at all after I have restarted the car several times.

- Lexington, TN, USA

I had nothing but problems with this car I've had it for eight months and I am in a death trap Ford is trying to kill me I swear to god I've taken this car in for transmission alignment tire rotation is a full blown body inspection my car pulls me left alright I never watch but I never know which way I'm going I come off the freeway and I better be prepared for head on collision I had a Ford tec, drive with me in this dangerous car and he to felt the car pool one way or the other. Back to the service department guess what there is nothing they can do about it.[xxx] Ford recall staring gears..recall 14V514000 another 16V643000 another 15V813000 more fuel system gasoline devilettes fuel pump many more.. information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Santa Rosa, CA, USA

When car is parked and I start the engine the dashboard shows "steering assist fault" error message appears. When the attempt to drive the steering wheel will be very difficult to turn to the right or to the left or will lock. This issue makes it very difficult to make turns in an intersections, highways and city streets. Problem will continues until car is turn off. When the car is started up again, the message error will appear on the dashboard and the steering wheel problem will continue.

- Orlando, FL, USA

The steering wheel on my 2014 Ford Focus SE came loose one morning. No indication of looseness in the weeks leading up. The steering wheel just became very wobbly and loose. The Ford dealership stated it was not covered under warranty and the comprehensive extended warranty wouldn't cover it either, the issue: A nut that holds the steering wheel to the steering column came loose. According to the technician, there was not much loctight on the bolt. $200 later I have the same nut tightened back down with newly added loctight. Fast forward and on 3/14/2018 Ford announced a recall affecting 1.4 million Ford Fusion that have this very same issue. Yet I have a Focus not a Fusion. This issue is not seclusive to just the Fusion line up and Ford needs to expand their recall to put the same fix in place for all affected models. Perhaps the loctight isn't enough and the Focus needs the new aggressive threaded bolt with the nylon nut.

- Payson, UT, USA

Start with the transmission RPM go between five and seven after a stop sign are trying to merge onto the freeway second all coming off the freeway are coming to a complete stop anywhere in the street the congress poll either left or right you never really know which way causing you to lose control of the car

- Santas Rosa, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 15 mph, a warning alarm sounded and a steering failure warning message displayed. The power steering suddenly malfunctioned and the steering wheel locked up. As a result, the contact drove off the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the failure continued. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified and the contact was instructed to have the vehicle diagnosed. The local dealer was not notified. The failure mileage was 49,800.

- Elyria, OH, USA