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

AFTER SITTING IN NEUTRAL WAITING FOR CONSTRUCTION TO ALLOW US TO PROCEED, STARTED OUT AND THEN POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TURNED OFF AT NEXT RED LIGHT AND STARTED AGAIN AND BEGAN WORKING. A FEW MILES LATER STOPPED FOR GAS AND WHEN STARTED VEHICLE, NO POWER STEERING AND IS STILL OUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10609681

THE STEERING WHEEL HAS SHARP METAL EDGES PROTRUDING FROM THE TOP OF THE WHEEL. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I SLICED MY FINGER ON THE EDGE. NOT A MAJOR INCIDENT... BUT UPON REVIEWING THE INTERNET THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE FORD FOCUS. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THE METAL EDGES CAN SLICE THE AIRBAG UPON DEPLOYMENT. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS TRUE BUT FOR THE SAKE OF MY SLICED FINGER AND MY AIR BAG I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE! MY HOPE IS THAT FORD WILL REPAIR OR REPLACE THE METAL ON THE WHEEL SO IT IS NO LONGER A DANGER WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10606877

THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE, THERE IS AN ERROR MESSAGE, STEERING ASSIST FAULT. IT HAPPENED BEFORE, BUT I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN AND IT WOULD TURN. BEFORE THIS INCIDENT THERE WOULD BE TIMES WHEN THE A/C FAN WOULD ADJUST ITSELF, BY GOING HIGHER OR LOWER AND THE RADIO VOLUME WOULD INCREASE OR DECREASES WITHOUT ANY HELP FROM ME. THIS PARTICULAR TIME IT WOULD NOT MOVE AND I WAS FORCED TO LEAVE IT IN A PARKING GARAGE OVERNIGHT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GET IT TO WORK BY TURNING THE OFF AND ON THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, SUGGESTING THE WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY IF I WERE DRIVING THE CAR. WELL, THE CAR SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN AND STARTED TO TRY TO TURN ITSELF ON WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. AFTER WHICH IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I HAD IT TOWED IN AND OF COURSE IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

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UPON STARTING THE CAR A MESSAGE APPEARED THAT STATED 'STEERING MALFUNCTION ASSIST'; THEN DRIVING/STEERING WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. SHUT THE CAR OFF; THEN RE-STARTED AND IT WAS OK. NEXT DAY THE MESSAGE APPEARED AGAIN. THE CAR IS NOW PARKED WITH PLANS TO TAKE IT IN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10597982

WAS LEAVING MY DESTINATION WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON STATING STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED. BROUGHT CAR TO GUS MACHADO FORD OF KENDALL WAS TOLD NEEDED NEW POWER STEERING GEAR AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1778.81 TO REPLACE. AFTER RESEARCHING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2012 FORD FOCUS, I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MANY CONSUMERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY THERE MUST BE A DEFECT IN THIS PARTICULAR PART. THANK GOODNESS I WAS NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WHEN THIS OCCURRED, I COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT. THIS SHOULD REALLY BE INVESTIGATED IN ORDER TO AVOID A FATAL ACCIDENT FROM HAPPENING. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD WITH THIS ISSUE TO GET MY COST COVERED IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REPAIR IT. APPARENTLY THIS IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

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WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY OVER OUR 2012 FORD FOCUS . AS BACKGROUND, WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING 40 MPH ON A STRAIGHT ROAD THE CAR STEERING LOCKED AND PULLED HER INTO A CURB CAUSING A BROKEN WHEEL, RIM, AND TIE ROD (ESTIMATED AT $1500 TO REPAIR BY BOB TOMES FORD IN MCKINNEY TEXAS). AFTER THE CAR SETTING AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR WORD FROM FORD'S CORPORATE OFFICE FOR SEVEN WEEKS WE JUST FOUND OUT THEY ARE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE. IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE TO ME THAT IT TOOK FORD SEVEN WEEKS TO RESPOND WHILE I MADE TWO CAR PAYMENTS AND PAID FOR INSURANCE THROUGHOUT THAT TIME WITHOUT A CAR. WE HAD FOUND THROUGH RESEARCH ON THE WEB THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE REPORTING STEERING PROBLEMS ON THE 2012 FORD'S FOCUS. FOR YOUR INFORMATION WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THIS CAR AND ARE ASKING BOB TOMES FORD TO HELP US RESOLVE THE ISSUE LOCALLY SINCE FORD HAS NOT OFFERED ANY HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10588610

ON MARCH 13TH, I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR. ALL OF THE SUDDEN I LOST COMPLETE POWER IN MY CAR. THE RPMS REVVED UP EXTREMELY HIGH AND I GAINED NO POWER WHEN PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR. I LOST ALL SPEED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS AND WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. STEERING BECAME HARD AND IT TOOK MORE EFFORT TO BREAK AND SLOW THE CAR. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AS SOON AS I CAME TO REST. I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR AND THE CAR WOULD NOT EVEN TURN OVER. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD MY CAR TOWED TO FORD. THEY HAD THE CAR FOR 4 DAYS AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM). THE PART WAS COVERED UNDER THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY ACCORDING TO FORD. I WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS FIXED AND SENT ON MY WAY. ON MARCH 24TH THE CAR BROKE DOWN AGAIN. THE CAR DID THE SAME THING AS THE FIRST TIME AND AGAIN ALMOST CAUSED A CAR ACCIDENT IN WHICH SERIOUS INJURY COULD HAVE RESULTED. I SAT WITH THE CAR TURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AND THEN TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR. THE CAR RESTARTED ON THE 4TH TIME. I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD AND ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE TO ATTEMPT TO DRIVE OVER, THEY SAID IT WAS. THEY HAVE NOW HAD THE CAR FOR ONE WEEK AND ARE UNABLE TO LOCATE AN ISSUE. I WAS GIVEN A LOANER VEHICLE WHICH THEY HAVE NOW DEMANDED THEY GET BACK. I BEEN TOLD THE PROCESS OF FORD DECIDING WHAT TO DO CAN TAKE UP TO 2 MONTHS. I AM NO LEFT WITH NO CAR AND FORD IS CLAIMING NO RESPONSIBILITY AND PROVIDING NO CUSTOMER SERVICE. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND REFUND THOSE AFFECTED. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

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I PURCHASED FORD FOCUS USED- ONE YEAR OLD- WITH 16500 MILES. THREE TIMES IT STOPPED AS I WAS TURNING LEFT IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ONE TIME I BACKED UP AND IT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. OTHER TIMES IT WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS ON HILLS OR ON RAMPS TWO TIMES ON MY STEEP DRIVEWAY IT CAME OUT OF GEAR. BROUGHT TO SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES - TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG REPEATEDLY. I GOT RID OF CAR AFTER 13 MONTHS AND TOOK A FINANCIAL HIT BUT NOW I AM DRIVING A SAFE CAR. THE DIFFERENCE IS AMAZING AND I AM SIMPLY DRIVING A CHEVY CRUZE SO NOT AN EXPENSIVE CAR IN COMPARISON. FOCUS IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10563169

THE ALUMINUM TRIM ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE THE DRIVER CAN REST HANDS IS SPLINTERING OFF. IT IS SHARP AND JAGGED METAL. IT CUT THREE OF MY FINGERS DEEPLY. FORD WILL NOT WARRANTY THIS EVEN THOUGH MANY MANY OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING OF THE DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10559644

WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, MY LEFT HAND MIDDLE FINGER WAS SLICED OPEN BY A SILVER TRIM PIECE AROUND THE HORN/RADIO CONTROL AREA. SPECIFICALLY, THE SILVER PIECE IS LIKE A FOIL TYPE COVERING WITH A RAISED EDGE WHICH IS SHARP LIKE A RAZOR BLADE. ONCE I WAS CUT, I PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT HAD CUT ME AND I REALIZED IT WAS THE SILVER TRIM. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I WAS ABLE TO PEEL THE SILVER PIECE BACK SINCE IT IS LIKE TIN FOIL AND REMOVE IT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I NOTICED OTHER AREAS AROUND THE STEERING WHEEL WITH THE SAME ISSUE FOR THE SILVER PIECE BEING RAISED. FURTHER SEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALED THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT. I AM BRINGING MY CAR TO THE DEALER TODAY (11-29-13) TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

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THE CHROME METALLIC TRIM ON THE STEERING WHEEL PEELING OFF AROUND THE EDGE. SHARP METAL HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS CUTS TO THE DRIVER'S HANDS. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING THIS 2012 FORD FOCUS SEL, THE STEERING HAS INTERMITTENT ISSUES. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT 65 MPH THE CAR WANDERS TO BOTH SIDES OF YOUR LANE, SOMETIMES ALMOST SIDESWIPING OTHER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES STIFF AS THOUGH THE POWER STEERING IS GONE. OTHER TIMES IT FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING THROUGH A WINDSTORM AND FEELS OUT OF CONTROL. DEALER HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO "REPLICATE" THEREFORE, NO CORRECTIONS MADE FROM FORD. THIS IS A DANGEROUS AND VERY SCARY VEHICLE. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.PLEASE INVESTIGATE. LIVES COULD BE LOST BECAUSE OF THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10552840

DRIVING FROM DETROIT TO PENNSYLVANIA, CAR WAS TURNED OFF FOR 10 MINUTES. WHEN STARTED, A MESSAGE SAID THE POWER STEERING WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE AND INDEED IT WASN'T. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND POWER STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED AT THEIR EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548991

CHROME STEERING WHEEL TRIM BEGAN TO PEEL OFF. CUT MY FINGER A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES TO WHERE I WAS BLEEDING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10544466

STARTED UP CAR AND PUT TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE. STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL BACK INTO DRIVEWAY. ERROR MESSAGE INDICATED STEERING ASSIST FAILURE AND THAT SERVICE WAS REQUIRED. I SHUT OFF THE CAR, RESTARTED IT, AND THE STEERING SEEMED BACK TO NORMAL.

NHTSA ODI 10542377

WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING CAME ON AND LOST ABILITY TO STEER VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE NO EXPLANATION. VEHICLE IS STILL NOT STEERABLE AT THIS TIME WITH NO RESOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10537395

WHEN DRIVING HOME I HEARD A LOUD POP NOISE, THE STEERING BECAME HARD TO CONTROL AND WHEN I MADE A SLOW RIGHT HAND TURN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE FELL OFF THE CAR. APPLE FORD IS TRYING TO TELL ME I HIT SOMETHING. I WOULD KNOW IF I HIT SOMETHING AND FOR ME TO HIT SOMETHING THAT LARGE I WOULD HAVE SEEN IT, IF THERE WAS A LARGE POT HOLE I WOULD HAVE SEEN IT... THERE IS NO BODY DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END BUMPER OF MY CAR.. I JUST HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN THIS CAR, THE SYNC MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACE SINCE I HAD IT.. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER THAT PICKED UP MY CAR EVEN SAID HE HAD JUST PICKED UP A 2013 FORD FUSION THAT HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.. AND THE DEALERSHIPS ARE TELLING PEOPLE THEY ARE HITTING SOMETHING!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10535852

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILS WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED. IT JUST CUTS OFF AND STEERING BECOMES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. RESTARTING THE CAR SEEMS TO RESET THE PSA AND I CAN DRIVE AGAIN. BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED 7-8 TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR. I'VE GONE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES, AND EACH TIME THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE ERROR, BUT CANNOT REPLICATE IT AND THEY DO NOT MAKE ANY CORRECTIVE REPAIRS OR ACTION. THEY JUST EXPECT ME TO DRIVE OFF WITH THE CAR WITH THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM STILL IN EXISTENCE - AND THEY'RE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM! AND THEY DO NOT APPEAR TO BE RESEARCHING IT. THIS IS MY FAMILY CAR, AND THIS IS JUST IRRESPONSIBLE OF FORD. PSA IS NOT AN OPTIONAL FEATURE THAT WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT. WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT THESE FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED UNDER 45MPH AND ON MOSTLY STRAIGHT RESIDENTIAL ROADS. WHAT ABOUT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR AT A SHARP BEND? WILL IT TAKE LIVES LOST BEFORE THEY EVEN BEGIN TO FIX THE PROBLEM? AND GOOGLE SEARCHES SHOW THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM AND MANY OTHERS ARE GIVEN THE SHRUG OFF. FORD KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM, BUT ARE NOT ADDRESSING IT PROPERLY. PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10532108

THE CHROME METALLIC TRIM ON THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN PEELING OFF AROUND THE EDGE. PIECES OF SHARP METAL CUT INTO MY FINGERTIPS ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. *TR

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MY FIRST INCIDENT WAS DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE APPEARED WITH A STRANGE BEEPING NOISE FOLLOWED BY AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN I TURNED OFF MY CAR AND GOT IT BACK ON, THE POWER STEERING WAS BACK TO ITS NORMAL LEVELS. LATER THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR WAS IN MOVEMENT OVER 30MPH WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE HIGHWAY AND THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE CAME ON AGAIN MAKING MY CAR TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE CAUSING ME TO ALMOST CRASH. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR OUT OF THE HIGH WAY IN ORDER TO HAVE THE STEERING LEVELS BACK BY TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. TODAY I TOOK MY CAR TO THE FORD SERVICE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS IN ORDER TO GET MY CAR CHECKED BUT THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT THIS INCIDENT FOR WHAT SUGGESTED ME TO CONTACT ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE DURING THE NEXT INCIDENT AND HAVE THEM TAKE IN MY CAR TO THERE SERVICE TO FIX IT AT THE MOMENT. I MENTIONED THAT IF THAT WAS TO BE DONE MY CAR WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO BE TURNED OFF AND ON IN THE PROCESS CAUSING THE ISSUE TO MOMENTARILY DISAPPEAR FOR WHAT HE WOULD STILL NOT BE ABLE TO WITNESS THE INCIDENT AS HE REQUEST, JUST LIKE TODAY. HE REFUSED TO MAKE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS INDICATING THAT WAS THE BEST THING HE COULD DO. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10523209

THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN ONE HOUR. I PULLED OUR OF MY COMPANY PARKING LOT ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY AND MY POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT.ON DASH IT READ, "STEERING MALFUNCTION. SERVICE NEEDED." IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT BUT I MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND SAT FOR A FEW MINUTES. HOPING IT WAS A FLUKE, I STARTED THE CAR UP AGAIN AND PULLED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I MADE IT ABOUT TWO BLOCKS BEFORE IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I PULLED OVER AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. I AM CURRENTLY AWAITING AN EXPLANATION AND A FIX. MY CAR ALSO HESITATED AND SHUDDERS WHEN AT A STOP AND STARTING TO GO. THE CHROME IS COMING OFF OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND IS QUITE SHARP. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED (IT HAD BEEN A RENTAL). AFRAID I MAY BE STUCK WITH A LEMON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10516134

WHEN DRIVER ENTERED VEHICLE, STARTED IT, AND BEGAN TO STEER, THE SILVER FINISH ON THE RIGHT SIDE, TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL CROSSBEAM HAD SPLIT AND CURLED UP, WHICH CAUSED LACERATIONS ACROSS TWO FINGERS. THE CAR HAD BEEN FINE ON PREVIOUS USE, AND HAD BEEN UNUSED FOR SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE FINISH ITSELF. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10515133

METALLIC STEERING WHEEL TRIM IS PEELING AT THE TOP LEFT SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL. PEELING MATERIAL IS VERY SHARP AND CAN EASILY CUT SKIN, AS IT DID TO ME AND MANY OTHERS AS SEEN ONLINE AFTER DOING A SIMPLE SEARCH FOR "FORD FOCUS PEELING STEERING WHEEL TRIM". I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT IN RARE CIRCUMSTANCES THE AIRBAG ITSELF COULD BE CUT BY THE SHARP TRIM WHEN DEPLOYING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10508577

I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND HAD MY HAND ON THE STEERING WHEEL . I MOVED MY HAND AND THE CHROME ON MY STEERING WHEEL CUT AND TOOK OFF A CHUCK OF MY PINKY FINGER . MY SKIN WAS STRUCK ON THE CHROME ON MY STEERING WHEEL , I HAD TO PUT PRESSURE ON MY FINGER TO STOP IT FROM BLEEDING ALL OVER THE DRIVER SEAT . I PULLED OVER TO GET MY FIRST AID KITS TO GET A GAUGES ON IT. *TR

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