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

MY CAR'S STEERING WHEEL GOT STUCK WITH A NOTICE SAYING "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT". THE FIRST TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURRED THE CAR WAS BACKING UP, AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY WHEN I PARKED AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE SECOND TIME THE PROBLEM STAYED... THE COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM WAS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $2000 (PARTS AND LABOR) AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE MILEAGE WAS AROUND 60,000 AT THE TIME. LAST WEEK (08/12/2016, AT ABOUT 72,000 MILES), A WARNING CAME ON ABOUT A DOOR BEING OPEN WHILE I WAS PARKING. IT WAS THE ONE AT THE BACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK, SO I TIED IT WITH A SEATBELT TO KEEP DRIVING. SINCE THEN THE CAR GOES INTO PANIC MODE NOW AND THEN WHEN I LEAVE IT LOCKED, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE DOOR MOVES AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE MECHANICALLY FORCED THE LATCH OPEN. I SOMEHOW FEEL LUCKY THAT NONE OF THE PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, BUT I AM NOW CONCERNED ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE FAILING (LIKE A DOOR FLYING OPEN) IN WORSE CONDITIONS.

NHTSA ODI 10896188

POWER STEERING DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY COME ONE WHEN CAR STARTS, THE YELLOW INFORMATION LIGHT APPEARS, HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR TO GET IT ON. THIS WAS THE FIRST WEEK IT STARTED. IT WENT OUT ON A NASTY CURVE GOING 55 MPH AND ALMOST CAUSED A MAJOR WRECK AND ALSO ON THE INTERSTATE A FEW HOURS AFTER THAT. I HAD TO LEAVE IT SET A WHILE AND RESTART IT BEFORE I HAD POWER STEERING. THIS IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS!

NHTSA ODI 10895881

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS WERE NOT PROVIDED.THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000.

NHTSA ODI 10895934

MY DAUGHTER WAS LEAVING A FRIENDS HOUSE AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO BACK OUT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. SHE RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS FINE. SHE WAS LEAVING THE ICE ARENA AND THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED AGAIN..I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER BUT HE WASN'T AWARE OF ANY RECALLS.. VERY DANGEROUS ID THE STEERING FAILS WHILE DRIVING.120,000 MILES

NHTSA ODI 10895248

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED. THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT PERFORM CORRECTLY UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED OFTEN AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. UPDATED 09/28/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ODI 10895378

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 65MPH THE AUTO STEERING WENT OUT. VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. PULLED CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED CAR OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IT STEERING FINE. STARTED BACK ON THE HIGHWAY WENT A LITTLE DISTANCE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI 10895004

I PURCHASED A USED 2012 FORD FOCUS HATCHBACK IN OCTOBER 2012 THAT HAD 29,000 MILE ON IT AT THE TIME. I DROVE THE VEHICLE UP TO 39,000 AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED AS I WAS INITIATING A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC. I LOOKED DOWN TO SEE THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT ERROR MESSAGE. THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AT THAT POINT, AND I WAS OUT 2,000$ IN REPAIRS. I HAVE SEEN THAT FORD HAS RECALLED OTHER VEHICLES FOR THE SAME ISSUE, JUST NOT THE 2012 FOCUS YET. IN OCTOBER 2014, I FOUND THE HARD STUTTERING UPON ACCELERATING AND THEN I RECEIVED MY FIRST RECALL NOTICE. A NEW TCM WAS INSTALLED, REPROGRAMMED, ALONG WITH A NEW CLUTCH. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT THE CLUTCH FAILED AND I HAD TO BRING IT BACK IN FOR REPAIRS. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER THAT I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT AROUND 70 MPH AND THE DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH A TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION, SERVICE NOW ERROR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE TCM AGAIN AND REPROGRAMMED. IN AUGUST 2016, THE CAR IS NOW AT AROUND 65,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING AROUND 40 MPH ON A BUSY CITY STREET WHEN I RECEIVED THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION, SERVICE NOW ERROR. I JUST GOT THE CAR BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY, THE 4TH TIME, WITH A NEW TCM THAT HAS BEEN REPROGRAMMED. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE, AND FORD IS AWARE. THE TECHNICIANS I HAVE DEALT WITH ALL KNOW THE EXACT ISSUE BEFORE I EXPLAIN IT TO THEM. I ASKED FOR A COMPLAINT LINE, OR ANY OPTIONS FOR CONSUMERS IN MY POSITION AND WAS TOLD BY BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE HOT LINE THAT THERE ARE NONE. I ASKED THE TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP IF THEY KNEW THEY WERE HANDING ME AN UNSAFE VEHICLE, AND HE SHOOK HIS HEAD THEN STATED HE WISHED THERE WAS SOMETHING THEY COULD DO BUT I AM OUT OF LUCK.

NHTSA ODI 10892962

THE STEERING GETS LOOSE AND TIGHT AND WHEN YOU TRY TO CORRECT FOR LANE DRIFT IT TAKES A SECOND FOR THE STEERING TO RESPOND, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I CALLED FORD AND OF COURSE THEY WONT DO NOTHING OR HELP IN ANYWAY. CAR ONLY HAS 74,000 MILES ON IT AND OF COURSE ITS NOT COVERED.

NHTSA ODI 10892653

2 MAJOR ISSUES: TRANSMISSION WOULD SUDDEN DROP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. SEVERAL TIMES I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT WOULD DROP INTO NEUTRAL, LEAVING ME NO WAY TO CONTROL MY VEHICLE. THIS WAS FIXED WITH A FORD WARRANTY EXTENSION AND REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM). NOW, AT 74000 MILES, I AM HAVING A MALFUNCTION OF THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING (EPS). USUALLY RIGHT WHEN I START THE VEHICLE AND AM BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE, BUT OCCASIONALLY ALSO WHILE DRIVING, A WARNING CODE APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD SAYING "MALFUNCTION: POWER STEERING" AND THE WHEEL LOCKS IN PLACE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THE 2012 FOCUS SEEMS TO HAVE LOTS OF MAJOR ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 10887974

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING WONT RESPOND WANTS TO DRIFT INTO OTHER LANES OF TRAFFIC.THE STEERING GETS LOOSE AND TIGHT AND WHEN YOU TRY TO CORRECT FOR LANE DRIFT IT TAKES A SECOND FOR THE STEERING TO RESPOND, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I CALLED FORD AND OF COURSE THEY WONT DO NOTHING OR HELP IN ANYWAY. CAR ONLY HAS 42,000 MILES ON IT AND OF COURSE ITS NOT COVERED BUT THEY CAN FIX IT FOR $2000.00. FIRST TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS NOW THIS.

NHTSA ODI 10885622

CANNOT HARDLY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT STOP AND WHEN DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN BUSY HIGHWAYS. THE ERROR MESSAGE CAME ON SAYS THAT THE STEERING ASSIST FAILURE. I TOOK IT TO HONOLULU FORD WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THEY SAID SINCE MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY I HAVE TO PAY FOR A RACK AND PINION SYSTEM FOR 2500.00 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. UNACCEPTABLE FROM A MAJOR COMPANY.

NHTSA ODI 10885257

AN ALERT COMES UP ON THE DASH BOARD CLAIMING THAT STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE ALTHOUGH THE FASTER I GO THE EASIER IT IS TO STEER' BIT TURNS REMAIN DIFFICULT THIS STARTED HAPPENING IN 2015, POWERING OFF THE CAR WOULD TEMPORARILY FIX IT. THE ISSUE WAS INTERMITTENT BUT IS NOW VERY CONSISTENT AND HAPPENING EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10885284

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 09/20/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ODI 10884974

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WHEN STARTED DISPLAYED THE EPAS WARNING/SERVICE REQUIRED MESSAGE. NO INJURIES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, BUT HAD THE SYSTEM GONE OUT AT SPEED IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT STORY. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN BY MY 24 Y/O SON, AND HIS GENERATION HAVE NO EXPERIENCE DRIVING W/O POWER STEERING. INTERNET RESEARCH HAS HIGHLIGHTED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AS WELL AS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER. EARLY REPAIR COST ESTIMATES PUT THE DOLLAR VALUE BETWEEN $1500 AND $2000.

NHTSA ODI 10885004

POWER STEERING FAILURE, CAUSING THE CAR TO LOOSE POWER STEERING WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND WAS INITIALLY RESOLVED BY RESTARTING THE CAR. HOWEVER, A WEEK AFTER THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED (AND LESS THAN 50 DRIVING MILES LATER), THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER STEERING. THIS ALL STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AFTER AN UPDATE FOR A TRANSMISSION RECALL. ACCORDING THE FORD DEALERSHIP, A GEAR HAD BROKEN IN THE STEERING COLUMN RESULTING IN THE FAILURE. WHEN DISCUSSING THE ISSUE WITH A MECHANIC AT A DIFFERENT SHOP, HE SAID THAT TYPE OF DAMAGE TYPICALLY IS THE RESULT OF SIGNIFICANT CRASH FORCE. THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. BARRING AN ACCIDENT, THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS MORE LIKELY THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE PART OR COMPONENT.

NHTSA ODI 10884484

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED SEVERAL TIMES AT START UP OR LOW SPEED JULY 2016. DIAGNOSED AS INTERNAL SYSTEM FAILURE OF THE STEERING RACK PROGRAM. THE STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED AT $1900. FORTUNATELY, I DID NOT HAVE HIGHWAY SPEED FAILURES BEFORE THE ERROR COULD BE DIAGNOSED AND FIXED. STEERING IS EXCEEDINGLY MORE DIFFICULT THAN OLD "MANUAL" STEERING WITHOUT THE POWER ASSIST.

NHTSA ODI 10884439

THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN WHILE DRIVING. AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF, IT WAS STILL THE SAME. $2000 FOR REPAIR. CAME BACK FROM THE SHOP WITH A DEAD BATTERY. ANOTHER $180. MONEY I DON'T HAVE. 76,000 MILES AT FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI 10883800

DROVE CAR TO STORE ON WAY TO WORK . PARKED CAR CAME OUT TO START VEHICLE. PANEL LIT UP STATED" STEERING ASSIST FAULT. TURNED CAR OFF REMAINED THE SAME MESSAGE APPEARED. CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS TOLD COVERED ON THE POWERTRAIN DEALER SAYS IT WILL COST OVER 2000.00 THAT MONIES I DON'T HAVE TO SPARE,

NHTSA ODI 10883416

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO VEER SLIGHTLY OFF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

NHTSA ODI 10882894

TURNED MY CAR ON TO TAKE MY SON TO SCHOOL AND IMMEDIATELY THE "STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" ALERT CAME ON. TRIED TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON BUT STILL THE SAME ALERT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER MINS AFTER AND THEY INFORMED ME THE RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED COSTING ME OVER $2000!

NHTSA ODI 10883076

WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON THE STEERING SYSTEM FAULT MESSAGE CAME ON THE DASH AND CAUSED MY STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. I COULDN'T TURN IT AT ALL. ALL I WAS ABLE TO DO WAS DRIVE STRAIGHT BUT I WAS IN THE PARKING LOT SO I HAD TO TURN. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON AFTER A COUPLE OF TRIES IT EVENTUALLY UNLOCKED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. HOWEVER THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. I DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN WHILE I'M IN THE CAR WITH MY TWO CHILDREN. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT HAPPENS IS WHEN I PUMP GAS IN THE CAR IT SEEMS TO STALLS ONCE I DRIVE LIKE IT WANTS TO SHUT OFF BUT IT DOESN'T.

NHTSA ODI 10881400

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 10881488

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTING IT, THE VEHICLE RESUMED TO NORMAL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TCM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER, FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MIGHT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,365.

NHTSA ODI 10876783

THE ELECTRICAL STEERING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING IN THIS CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HEAVY FEELING, AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED.

NHTSA ODI 10876258

POWER STEERING HAS INTERMITTENTLY GONE OUT ON CAR. ON JUNE 21, 2016 THE STEERING FAULT LIGHT CAME ON WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE. THE STEERING LOCKED UP, THE FAULT LIGHT APPEARED AND STATED SERVICE WAS REQUIRED. DEALERSHIP SAYS COMPUTER RECORDED DEFAULT MESSAGE BUT FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT AUTHORIZE REPAIRS UNLESS THE STEERING LOCKS UP, LIGHT AND DEFAULT MESSAGE APPEARS WHILE IN THE DEALERSHIP'S POSSESSION. WE HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY REFUSE TO TAKE ANY ACTION. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT AND RECEIVED A CASE NUMBER -CAS9882100- AS OF JUNE 22, 2016.

NHTSA ODI 10875992