What 3,789 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Focus Bev

I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH ON A BUSY ROAD WHEN THE ALERT SOUND WENT OFF IN THE CAR. THE MESSAGE ON THE DASH SAID THAT THERE WAS A POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION. IT IMMEDIATELY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I WAS ABLE TO ARRIVE AT MY DESTINATION JUST UP THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE STEERING HAD RETURNED TO NORMAL WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY STEERING ISSUES SINCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10694732

1.POWER STEERING GOES OUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME, WHETHER ITS INITIAL CRANK OR DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS. IT APPEARS TO OCCUR MORE SO IN THE WARMER MONTHS OF THE YEAR. 2. TRANSMISSION SLIPS, CHATTERS, ROLLBACKS WHILE IN GEAR, HESITATION, DELAYED RESPONSE. I HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES, THEY SAID THEY CANT GET THE POWER STEERING TO RE-OCCUR SO THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR! THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION ACTS WITHIN THEIR SPECS, AS THIS IS DOES COME AND GO BUT APPEARS 90-95% OF THE TIME. HOWEVER I DID RECEIVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OUT OF NO WHERE FOR THE TRANSMISSION IN WHICH I HEARD THEY DO NOTHING BUT CLEAN OIL OFF THE CLUTCH PLATE WHICH WILL RESOLVE NOTHING. MY WIFE IS 100LBS SOAKING WET AND CANNOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE IN TURNS WHEN THE STEERING GOES OUT. SHE HAS ALREADY BLOWN OUT A TIRE ON A CURB DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO CORRECT THE PATH OF THE VEHICLE IN A TURN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10692993

ON SEVERAL INSTANCES WHILE ENTERING A TURN THE POWER STEERING SHUT OFF AND A FAILURE NOTIFICATION WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS RESULTED IN SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY WHILE HAVING TO QUICKLY ADJUST TO THE INCREASED STRENGTH REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE TURN WITHOUT HITTING ANOTHER CAR OR CURB. TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON RESOLVES THE ISSUE TEMPORARILY, BUT POWER STEERING FAILS SEEMINGLY RANDOMLY EVERY TIME.

NHTSA ODI 10690822

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE STEERING ASSIST FAULT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 4/29/15*CN

NHTSA ODI 10690548

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO A SAFE LOCATION. AFTER RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED WITH EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 10690698

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, I HAVE HAD THE POWER STEERING FAIL ON MY CAR. I'VE HAD IT HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 25MPH-70MPH. WHILE DRIVING I WILL HEAR THE ALERT CHIME AND I WILL RECEIVE THE MESSAGE POWER STEERING FAULT APPEAR ON SCREEN, ABOUT 2 SECONDS LATER THE STEERING BECOMES STIFF AND VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE RIDE AND OR FREEWAY. GENERALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS I TURN THE CAR OFF, AND RESTART AND THE FAULT MESSAGE DISAPPEARS. WHEN I TOOK IT INTO THE FORD DEALER, THEY CHARGED ME $150 TO LOOK AT IT, BUT "COULD NOT REPLICATE" THE ISSUE SO THEY SENT ME ON MY WAY. I SPOKE WITH A FORD SUPPORT REP WHO TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH THEY COULD DO IF THE FAULT MESSAGE WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE, BUT THEIR SUGGESTION IN THE FUTURE WAS TO SNAP A PICTURE OF THE DISPLAY WHEN IT HAPPENS. HOW DANGEROUS WOULD THAT BE IN A CAR THAT YOU CAN NOT STEER TO GRAB MY CELLPHONE AND SNAP A PICTURE? I'VE LOOKED UP THIS ISSUE ONLINE IN MANY FORD FOCUS FORUMS, AND THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. FOR A CAR'S STEERING TO NOT FUNCTION AFTER 60K MILES IS RIDICULOUS. AND BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED, I HAVE NO WARRANTY. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF CUSTOMER'S EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE OVER AND OVER, AND FORD IS RELUCTANT TO FIX IT BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING MODULE IS DIFFICULT TO REPLACE. I'VE HEARD THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. BUT HOW IS THE CONSUMER AT FAULT FOR THIS? I FEEL I AM TAKING MY LIFE IN MY OWN HANDS WHENEVER I DRIVE THIS VEHICLE, AND FORD WILL BE RELUCTANT TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL SOMEONE IS IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10683800

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE MESSAGE BOARD DISPLAYED LOSS OF STEERING, STOP VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HIT A CURVE AND FRACTURED THE LEFT STRUT AND RACK AND PINION. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY ABLE TO MOVE WHEN IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

NHTSA ODI 10682987

ON 2/9/2015 APPROX. 4:00PM, MY WIFE CALLED ME ON MY CELL PHONE IN A PANIC, CLEARLY STRESSED. SHE SAID SHE ALMOST WAS IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE STEERING ON HER 2012 FORD FOCUS SE HATCHBACK LOCKED UP WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH AND MERGING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. SHE TOLD ME SHE GOT OVER AND OFF THE ROAD WITH 0 STEERING. SHE SAID A SOUND CAME OVER THE CAR AS IT HAPPENED AND A MESSAGE WITH STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED. UPON ARRIVING ON SCENE, I RESTARTED THE CAR AND GOT THE SAME MESSAGE AND 0 POWER STEERING. I CALLED FORD SERVICE AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN THE NEXT DAY. AS I TYPE THIS THE CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALER. PART TO FIX WITH LABOR $1,652 BEFORE TAX ON A PART FORD KNOWS IS DEFECTIVE. I DID A SEARCH ON THE FAULT CODE THAT WAS DISPLAYED AND I WAS TAKEN ABACK FROM WHAT I SEEN AND READ ABOUT THIS MODEL YEAR AND CAR AND THE STEERING JUST GOING OUT WITHOUT WARNING. FORD ACTS LIKE IT IS NOT A PROBLEMATIC OR DEFECTIVE PART, BUT HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE SAME BACK-ORDERED PARTS TO FIX IT. SHE WAS LUCKY SHE OR NO BODY ELSE DIED YESTERDAY. DO THE RIGHT THING AND ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART. I HAVE ALSO SEEN THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED IN 2014 IN CALIFORNIA. FORD DO THE RIGHT THING! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10682625

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE OUT A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

NHTSA ODI 10682337

1. DRIVING ON CONGESTED INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH 2. WARNING MESSAGE IN DASH DISPLAYED "DRIVER ASSISTANCE STEERING FAILURE" 3. MANUALLY CONFIRMED LOSS OF POWER STEERING 4. DROVE ABOUT 15 MILES TO A FORD DEALER BUT THEY WERE CLOSING FOR THE DAY 5. STARTED VEHICLE AND HAD NORMAL POWER STEERING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10679606

AT FIRST THE POWER STEERING WOULD GO OUT IN REVERSE WHEN I WAS TRYING TO BACK OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. IT THEN STARTED TO ACT UP WHEN I WOULD START THE CAR. I WOULD HAVE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART IT. NOW IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE WHEN GOING AROUND CURVES AND CORNERS. ALSO VERY HARD TO MANEUVER IN PARKING LOTS AROUND PEOPLE AND OTHER CARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10678934

WAS DRIVING WITH MY MOM WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HER POWER STEERING GAVE OUT AND IT WAS INCREDIBILITY HARD FOR HER TO STEER. I TOOK OVER AND DROVE HOME NOW I DROVE VEHICLES WITH OUT POWER STEERING BEFORE BUT THIS WAS BY FAR THE TOUGHEST STEERING VEHICLE I DROVE. IT WAS COMPLETELY DANGEROUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE OF FORD TO NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE AS OF YET. THANKFULLY I WAS WITH MY MOM THAT DAY AND NOTHING WORSE HAPPENED BUT IT COULD HAVE ENDED ALOT WORSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10678231

STARTED ENGINE AND ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED TO OPERATE. THIS USUALLY COULD BE REMEDIED BY RESTARTING THE CAR, BUT NOT THIS TIME. CAR IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER IN THIS CONDITION. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL MENTIONS OF THIS CONDITION ON THE INTERNET. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10670222

THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST AND HAD TO MANUALLY FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL TO REGAIN CONTROL. ERROR MESSAGE CAME UP ON THE DASH, POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE POWER STEERING COMES BACK AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES NOW, TWICE IN THE PAST WEEK 12/26/14. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10668503

UPON STARTING MY VEHICLE I HAD A STEERING ASSIST MALFUNCTION DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD. WHILE DRIVING IT WAS AS IF I HAD NO POWER STEERING AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY RIGHT OR LEFT. I COMMUTED 45 MILES LIKE THIS AND UPON START UP THE NEXT MORNING THE ISSUE WAS GONE. INTERMITTENT ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10667307

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO TURN AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED 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 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 10664579

I WAS DRIVING ON I271 WESTBOUND. FROM WHERE I GOT ON TO ENTERING THE EXPRESS LANE THE NOTIFICATION OF STEERING FAULT SERVICE NOW. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO WHERE I WAS GOING WHICH WAS UNDER TEN MINUTES AWAY AND ABLE TO PROPERLY STEER IT WITHOUT IT COMPLETELY LOSING THE STEERING. AT MY LOCATION IT WAS WHEN THE STEERING WENT. THE POWER STEERING RACK IS WHAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH WAS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TURN. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. IF I WOULD OF LOST IT ON THE HIGHWAY, THERE COULD OF BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND OR DEATH. SOMETHING THAT HAS ONLY JUST OVER 38,000 MILES AND TWO YEARS OLD SHOULDNT HAVE TO BE REPLACED ON A CAR THAT IS ONLY JUST OVER TWO YEARS OLD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10664709

I STARTED MY CAR ON 12/6/14 AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURNED IT ON AGAIN AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS OPERATING. ON 12/8/14 I STARTED MY CAR AND ONCE AGAIN THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND MY DASHBOARD DISPLAYED A MESSAGE STATING STEERING ASSIST SERVICE OR SERVICE STEERING ASSIST. I CALLED FORD TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND I HAVE CHECKED ONLINE AND SEE THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING POWER STEERING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10662978

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE OR WHEN IN THE IDLE POSITION, THE POWER STEERING WOULD DISENGAGE INDEPENDENTLY. THE STEERING AND POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE AFTER THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THERE WAS A HESITATION BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESPOND FOLLOWED BY A BRIEF RAPID ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 10662419

STEERING SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED. DRIVER COULD NOT TURN CAR TO THE RIGHT. CAR HAS ONLY 45,000 MILES. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF OPERATING AT HIGHER SPEED. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO FORD THEY TOLD ME THE "STEERING RACK" WAS ON BACK ORDER, WHICH LEADS ONE TO BELIEVE THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE! FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE IT LEADS TO DEATH. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10661901

STEERING HAS BECOME UNRELIABLE AND HAS "GONE OUT" TWO TIMES IN THE PAST THREE DAYS. ONCE AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND ANOTHER AT A LOWER RATE OF SPEED. MY HUSBAND HAS HAD TO USE EXTREME EXCESSIVE FORCE (HE IS QUITE STRONG TOO) IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE CAR WHERE HE WANTS IT TO GO. THE LIGHT CAME ON AND HE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON AND THE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON THE DASHBOARD. TO ADD, THE CAR IS UP TO DATE ON ALL SERVICES NEEDED AND IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10661542

CAR IS SHUDDERING, VIBRATING, ROLLING BACKWARDS ON INCLINES, STUTTERING BAD GAS MILEAGE AT LOW SPEEDS BETWEEN 0 AND 20 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN 4 TIMES TO THE DEALER BEGINNING ON 5/3/12 THROUGH 11/14/13 IT HAS BEEN REPROGRAMMED 3 TIMES AND A NEW TRANSMISSION REPLACED IT WHICH HAS SOLVED THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY BUT STARTS HAPPENING AGAIN. WHEN DRIVING IN OR PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE CAR EITHER HESITATES SO BAD OR JUST WONT MOVE FOR A FEW SECONDS. NEEDLESS TO SAY THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CLOSE CALLS. THE DEALER HAS BEEN PROACTIVE IN WORKING WITH ME HOWEVER THIS IS NOT A DEALER ISSUE THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10659409

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND EXCESSIVE FORCE ON THE STEERING WHEEL WAS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. UPDATED 12/22/14*LJ

NHTSA ODI 10654806

WHEN CAR STARTS POWER STEERING (ELECTRONIC) DOES NOT WORK FOR AN UNDETERMINED LENGTH ON TIME FROM A FEW SECONDS TO ONE HOUR. STOP AND RESTART CAR AND POWER STEERING WORKS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10654569

I SEE YOU ARE INVESTIGATING POWER STEERING PROBLEMS WITH THE FUSION. I HAVE A 2012 FORD FOCUS AND THE POWER STEERING IS OUT. I WOULD LEAVE THE CAR PARKED AND RUNNING DURING THE SUMMER, IF I WAS ON MY CELL PHONE. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST LIGHT WOULD COME ON, WHILE IN PARK AND IF I TRIED TO MOVE THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT RESPOND. I COULD TURN THE CAR OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN BACK ON AND THE PROBLEM WOULD SEEMS TO FIX ITSELF. I DON'T RECALL HOW MANY TIMES IT HAPPENED, 5-7 TIMES PROBABLY.THE FINAL TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS AGAIN PARKED AND THIS TIME TURNING THE CAR OFF DID NOT CORRECT IT. THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER 15, 2014 WITH ABOUT 38,000 MILES. UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET, I NEVER HAD THE POWER STEERING GO OUT ON ME WHILE DRIVING. I WILL BE GOING TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED TOMORROW AT MAC HAIK FORD IN GEORGETOWN, TX WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JANUARY OF 2013. I JUST HAD TO LEARN TO DRIVE WITHOUT POWER STEERING AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10653957