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

POWER ASSIST STEERING FAILED TWICE WHILE DRIVING, ONE AT LOW SPEED (15 MPH) AND AGAIN IN TRAFFIC AT (50 MPH). TURNING IGNITION OFF THAN ON RETURNS STEERING TO NORMAL. NO WARNING BEFORE FAILURE. LUCKY TO GET VEHICLE OFF TO SHOULDER OFF TO SIDE OF FREEWAY WITHOUT A COLLISION.

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MY DAUGHTER COMPLAINED THAT SHE RECEIVED A DASHBOARD WARNING AND LOST POWER STEERING A FEW TIMES- TO CONFIRM, I DROVE HER CAR FOR A WEEK AND IT HAPPENED SIX TIMES IN ONE WEEK!!! TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING! IT HAPPENED WHILE IN REVERSE, DRIVING FORWARD AND UPON STARTING. IN MY DRIVEWAY, AND IN CITY STREETS AND WHILE TURNING. I WAS NOT GOING FAST AND WAS WATCHING FOR IT. WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO AREN'T WATCHING FOR IT? APPARENTLY IT IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE AS TONS OF OTHER OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS MY CHILDS CAR (WHICH I WILL NOT LET HER DRIVE) AND I FIND IT TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE THAT FORD HAS NOT RECALLED THIS HUGE SAFETY ISSUE!

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NOTICE CAME UP ON DASH MONITOR "STEERING ASSIST MALFUNCTION-NEEDS ATTENTION". AFTER RE-STARTING THE CAR YOU COULD STEER IT, AND TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A "STEERING RACK" AT A COST OF $1600.00, NOT COVERED ON THE "DRIVE TRAIN" WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH I WAS TOLD BY THE SALES MAN FROM A DIFFERENT DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, THAT A NEW STEERING RACK HAD BEEN INSTALLED AT JUST OVER 3000 MILES. THE CAR NOW ONLY HAS JUST OVER 45000 MILES ON IT. NOT HAPPY! CAR WAS NOT MOVING WHEN THE INITIAL "NEEDS ATTENTION" MESSAGE APPEARED, IT WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, AND JUST STARTED TO GO HOME FROM WORK.

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DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE REPORTED - ELECTRONIC POWER-ASSISTED STEERING FAILURE. I LOST POWER STEERING. ON HIGHWAY PROBLEM WAS MANAGEABLE. IT REQUIRES MUCH MORE EFFORT TO STEER AND CONTROL CAR IN CITY.

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ON AT LEAST FIVE OCCASIONS THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 45MPH. JUST PRIOR TO THE FAILURE A WARNING LIGHT TURNS ON. ONCE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND TURNED OFF THEN BACK ON THE POWER STEERING RESUMES NORMAL OPERATION. FORD DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING SYSTEM. SEEMS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO A RECALL ISSUE ON OTHER FORD MODELS

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UPON ENGINE START, ELECTRIC POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK. AFTER 10 SECONDS, IT WORKS FINE. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED, EXCEPT SOMETIMES WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, IT REQUIRES A FEW START/RESTART CYCLES FOR THE POWER STEERING TO START WORKING. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST 15,000 MILES, ABOUT 10 MONTHS. NO FAULT LIGHT HAS EVER COME ON. STEERING HAS NEVER FAILED WHILE DRIVING. ONCE THE POWER STEERING COMES ON, IT STAYS ON FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THE IGNITION IS ON.

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POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS WAS ON THE FREEWAY STARTING OUR VACATION THAT IS NOW RUINED BECAUSE FORD IS CLOSED ON SUNDAY'S.

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THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING UNIT IS DEFECTIVE. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT BEGAN MAKING A GRINDING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AND MINUTES LATER AFTER PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY IT STARTED LOCKING UP WHERE IT WOULD NOT TURN. MY DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO JIGGLE IT BACK AND FORTH TO MAKE IT STEER INTO HER WORKS PARKING LOT. STEERING FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON AND SAID TO SAFELY STOP. I HAD TO TRAILER IT A MECHANIC SHOP BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT TURN. MECHANIC AND HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE ELECTRIC STEERING RACK ($1947.74).

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I WENT TO START UP MY 2012 FORD FOCUS TO DRIVE MY SON TO SCHOOL, AND AS IT TURNED OVER I RECEIVED A MESSAGE ON MY DASHBOARD SAYING THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING ASSIST MODULE AND THAT IT NEEDED SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. I STILL HAD TO DRIVE MY SON INTO SCHOOL, SO I HAD TO DRIVE MY FOCUS IN TRAFFIC WITH NO POWER STEERING. THE CAR WAS VERY HARD TO STEER AND FORTUNATELY I MADE IT OK. LATER, WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE FOR WORK, THERE WAS NO MESSAGE AND IT HAS BEEN FINE THE REST OF THE DAY. THIS SEEMS VERY DANGEROUS TO ME. WHY IS THERE NO FIX OR RECALL ON THIS?

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THE POWER ASSIST FAULT KEEPS COMING ON AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO TURN WHEN STATIONARY AND WHEN YOU TRY TO TURN.

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STEERING FAULT LIGHT AND LOCKED STEERING WHEEL - RECURRING IN MY DRIVEWAY, UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE & FIX - WHAT IF IT HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY?

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LOSS OF STEERING AT 55 MPH ON TWO LANE HIGHWAY. CROSSED CENTER LINE AND HIT BY ONCOMING TRUCK

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 2/17/2017 MY FOCUS LOST POWER STEERING. I MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD THE CAR TAKEN TO DEAN SELLERS FOR REPAIRS. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE DONE ($2100) I LEARNED OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE 2012 FORD FOCUS AND THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY VEERED TO THE LEFT OVER THE DOUBLE LINES WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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UPON START-UP A YELLOW WARNING MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED THAT THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED, I.E. IT TOOK GREAT EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. CAR WAS SHUT OFF. LATER IN THE DAY, CAR WAS RE-STARTED AND THE POWER STEERING WAS AGAIN WORKING AND NO WARNING LIGHT (AMBER) WAS DISPLAYED. APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER WAS MADE TO ADDRESS ISSUE.

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STARTED THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY AND THE STEERING ASSIST FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR HAS NO POWER STEERING. IT IS NOT DRIVABLE. I DRIVE 70 MILES A DAY ON THE FREEWAY AND IT WAS PURE LUCK THIS DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

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"DRIVER ASSIST FAULT" AGAIN. THIS IS THE 4TH INSTANCE THAT IS HAPPENED IN 3 WEEKS - WHERE MY CAR SUDDENLY POWERS OFF WHILE I AM BEHIND THE WHEEL. THE LAST THREE TIMES IT HAPPENED WHILE MY CAR WAS IN REVERSE MOTION. TODAY, IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS IN DRIVE BUT STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT IN DOWNTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC. SOMEONE HAD TO HELP ME PUSH MY CAR OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. OCCURRED ON MY WAY TO WORK AROUND 3:30 PM EST.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACTS STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. A WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STATING, "STEERING ASSIST FAILURE". THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE DEALER WITH THE ERROR MESSAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO THE DRIVE OR REVERSE POSITIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE POWER STEERING DEFAULT WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,600. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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IT USED TO BE THAT UPON STARTING MY CAR, A WARNING PROMPT READING "STEERING ASSIST MALFUNCTION" POPPED UP AND MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD BE VERY DIFFCULT TO TURN. USUALLY, I WOULD TURN OFF THE CAR, TURN IT BACK ON, AND VOILA--IT WOULD WORK FINE. BUT NOW, THE STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTION HAS DEVELOPED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WITH NO PATTER OR WARNING OF IT HAPPENING. AGAIN I WOULD TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT BACK ON ONCE I MERGED OUT FROM THE ROADS OF THE STREET OR FREEWAY. STEERING ALONE WAS REALLY DIFFICULT. NOW, MY CAR READS THE SAME MALFUNCTION PROMPT, AND MY NIFTY TRICK OF TURNING IT OFF AND BACK ON NO LONGER WORKS. THE ISSUE IS PERMANENT AS OF NOW. ALSO I HAVE LOTS OF VIDEOS DOCUMENTED ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON YOUTUBE.

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INTERMITTENT POWER ASSIST STEERING MALFUNCTION OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. POWER ASSIST MALFUNCTION ON STARTING CAR WOULD RESET AFTER RESTARTING CAR. FORD GARAGE CHECKED AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WENT OUT TO START CAR TODAY AND POWER ASSIST STEERING NOW OUT COMPLETELY. UNABLE TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. RESTARTING CAR DOES NOT HELP. FORTUNATELY CAR WAS PARKED IN GARAGE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WILL BE CALLING FORD TOMORROW.

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METAL ON AIRBAG ASSEMBLY/STEERING WHEEL COVER CRACKING AND PEELING. CAUSING MULTIPLE FINGER LACERATIONS WHILE DRIVING.

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I GOT IN MY CAR, BUT IT IN REVERSE AND BEGAN BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE WHEN MY SUDDENLY CAR LOST POWER. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION BUT THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED UP AND I COULD NOT STEER OR STOP MY CAR FROM GOING BACKWARDS AND I HIT A PARKED CAR IN THE PARKING DECK AT SCHOOL AS A RESULT. THE CODE ON MY DASH WAS (I) STEERING ASSIST FAIL. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE STEERING WHEEL AND BREAK RELEASED AND I WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR AGAIN. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IN 2 WEEKS IT HAS DONE THIS (JAN 28, FEB 2 AND FEB 8). ALL THREE TIMES THE CAR HAS BEEN IN MOTION AND IN REVERSE GEAR. I CONTACTED FORD CORPORATE OFFICES AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO UNLESS THE CAR DUPLICATES THE PROBLEM IN THEIR PRESENCE.

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ON 2 SEPERATE OCCASSIONS WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED AFTER HOURS OF NON USE, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE INDICATOR MESSAGE IN THE CAR STATES NO STEERING ASSIST. THE CAR COULD BE MANUALLY STEERED WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY.THE CAR WAS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, SO IT COULD BE MANUEVERED SAFELY AND PARKED. WHEN TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AFTER THE FIRST EVENT, NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND. ONE WEEK LATER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED AND WAS TAKEN BACK FOR SERVICE AGAIN.

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THE CAR NEEDS NOW A REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING GEAR. THE PRICE IS OVER $1500. THE CAR DIDN'T LET ME TURN RIGHT OR LEFT AND I JUST BOUGHT IT AT A CERTIFIED CARMAN FORD DEALERSHIP. IT SHOWED PROBLEMS AT 117650 MILES. THIS IS A SCAM, I PAID FOR INSURANCE AND I BROUGHT THE CAR TO CHANGE THE OIL EARLIER ANS THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY DEFECT. NOW, I CANT USE MY CAR. I WAS IN MOTION, THE CAR SEEMED TO MOVE TO ONE SIDE, THEN AT HOME WHILE STATIONED, I COULDN'T MOVE THE CAR AT ALL. NO EVEN RIGHT OR LEFT.

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