What 113 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Focus

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Forcus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed power steering pump. The contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. In addition, the vehicle was towed to two independent mechanics multiple times for the same failure within the two years. The contact referenced an unknown recall which had a similar failure description, however the contact's VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11737817

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction and instead turned in the opposite direction. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed steering column. The contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised that the parts to repair the vehicle were discontinued. In addition, the contact was informed that the aftermarket parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.

NHTSA ODI 11689468

My car made grinding sounds when turning the steering wheel. My mechanic found a leak on Power Steering Pump & replaced it. My car has only 48,800 miles & there's a recall for Ford Trucks with the same problem.

NHTSA ODI 11574454

BACKING UP THE WHEEL BARELY TURNS AND IT LOCKS UP WHILE BACKING UP, MAKING TURNS, THE WHEEL LOCKS UP AS I MAKE TURNS LEFT AND RIGHT I'LL BRING IT TO THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES BUT THIS ISSUE PERSISTS EVERY YEAR I BUY A NEW POWER STEERING SYSTEM EVERY YEAR. I HAVE BROUGHT 3 POWER STEERING SYSTEMS FROM FORD 3 YEARS IN A ROW.IT'S DEADLY!

NHTSA ODI 11360025

MY POWER STEERING TURNS ON AND OFF WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE HAD TIE ROD ENDS, RACK, PINION, POWER STEERING PUMP, AND LINES REPLACED. THAT HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11133241

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE "POWER STEERING FAILED" AND "CHECK POWER STEERING NOW" MESSAGES APPEARED. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND WOULD NOT TURN. THE CONTACT BOUNCED INTO A CURB AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE STEERING SEIZED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

NHTSA ODI 10839577

UPON ENTERING A SCHOOL ZONE AND DECELERATING TO 35 MPH, WHILE ENTERING INTO A LEFT CURVE THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP PREVENTING THE TURN INTO THE CURVE. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE RUNNING OFF THE ROAD AND HITTING A ROAD SIGN CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER MIRROR AND RIGHT REAR DOOR AND QUARTER PANEL.

NHTSA ODI 10730451

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES AND NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 5/15/15*CN UPDATED 09/16/2015 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10703535

DRIVING IN THE FAST LANE UPHILL IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA OF FREEWAY APPROX 65-70 MILES PER HOUR. WHILE CONTINUING DRIVING UP THE UPHILL GRADE THE ROADWAY SHARPLY CURVED TO THE RIGHT. I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL HARD TO THE RIGHT TO EXECUTE THE CURVE, HOWEVER, THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED ONLY SO FAR TO THE RIGHT AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO TURN THE WHEEL ANY FURTHER. I PANICKED BECAUSE I WAS UNCERTAIN WHETHER I WOULD MAKE THE CURVE SUCCESSFULLY. LUCKILY, I JUST BARELY MADE THE CURVE AND DID NOT RUN OFF THE ROADWAY. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM(THE STIFFNESS WHEN TURNING RIGHT) EXISTS AT LOWER SPEEDS AS WELL. ODDLY, THE STEERING IS VERY LOOSE AND NORMAL WHEN I MAKE LEFT TURNS OR CURVES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10491456

THE CAR HAS POOR STEERING, POOR SUSPENSION CONTROL OVER BUMPS, AN ACKNOWLEDGED BUT UNREPAIRED TRANSMISSION MOUNT, SEVERE ALIGNMENT ISSUE, TIRES ARE FEATHERED AND CUPPED PER DEALER AND DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO FIX IT. THE CARE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BUT THE DEALER STATES IF WE DO NOT PURCHASE NEW TIRES, PAY FOR AN ALIGNMENT THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION MOUNT. IT HAS BEEN AT 3 FORD DEALERS IN THE PAST 3 WEEKS. I SAID NOTHING IS WRONG (THOMAS FORD IN BEVERLY MA), NEXT FIXED A BEARING AND 2 SUSPENSION PARTS AND SAID IT IS FIXED (IT WAS NOT) (DANVERS MOTOR COMPANY, DANVERS MA) AND FINALLY THE SELLING DEALER SAID THE ALIGNMENT, TIRES AND TRANSMISSION MOUNT ARE FAULTY (JACK MADDEN FORD, NORWOOD, MA). THIS CARE IS UNSAFE AND IS UNDER BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10465531