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

THE POWER STEERING HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONING. IT WILL MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MAKING IT VERY HARD TO STEER. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.

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STARTING CAR AND ENGAGED ENGINE& TRANS STARTED TO MOVE WHEN I FOUND THAT NO POWER STEERING. FOUND OUT THAT IF YOU STOP AND RESTART CAR IT MIGHT RESET IT DID. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE MORE TIMES. ALL HAD AMBER MESSAGE ALL HAPPENED WHILE STATIONARY.

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SECOND & THIRD TIME THE POWER STEERING HAS LOCKED OUT ON THIS VEHICLE WHILE STATIONARY, THANK GOD. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SHOWED A MESSAGE READING "STEERING FAULT AND IT WAS AMBER IN COLOR. TURN OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTED VEHICLE AS MY SPOUSE TOLD ME AND STEERING WAS OK. DROVE TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION AND STOPPED ABOUT ONE HOUR LATER STARTED TO RESTART VEHICLE TO THE SYSTEM WARNING AND STATUS MESSAGES CLUSTER WAS ON AND AMBER IN COLOR, TURN OFF AND RESTART VEHICLE AND IT WAS OK, DROVE HOME AND IT IS AS OF THIS DATE STILL WORKING. .

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MY DAUGHTER PULLED OUT HER PARKING SPACE AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BEYOND HARD TO TURN FOR AN ADULT MALE OR FEMALE, SUGGESTING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT A LACK OF POWER STEERING FLUID BUT THAT THE CAR'S STEERING MODULES FAILED, WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN.

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STEERING ASSIST MALFUNCTION WARNING WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING. HAPPENED AT START UP. TURNED CAR OFF AND RESTARTED. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. THE 4TH TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE POWER ASSIST DID NOT RESUME. CAR NOW HAS NO POWER STEERING AT ALL.

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VEHICLE IS A 2012 FORD FOCUS WITH ONLY 46,000 MILES. WHILE STARTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN FROM A STOPPED POSITION THE INSTRUMENTATION PANEL SHOWED A "STEERING ASSIST FAULT" MESSAGE AND ALL POWER STEERING WAS LOST. THIS NEARLY RESULTED IN HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE AS I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THE STEERING TO BECOME COMPLETELY MANUAL, IT WAS DIFFICULT AT SUCH A SLOW SPEED TO TURN THE WHEEL. IN SPEAKING WITH FORD THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR MULTIPLE VEHICLES AND MULTIPLE YEARS FOR THE SAME ISSUE BUT THE FOCUS WAS EXCLUDED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KEN GRODY FORD CARLSBAD (5555 PASEO DEL NORTE, CARLSBAD, CA 92008, (760) 438-9171), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING WAS OPERABLE ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AT THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

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I BACKED OUT MY FOCUS FROM THE GARAGE AND HEARD A BEEP OR NOISE TO ALERT ME OF A PROBLEM. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS RIGID AND DASH MESSAGE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT STEERING MALFUNCTION. IN ADDITION WAS A SQUARE BOX WITH AN "I" IN THE BOX. I THEN MOVED THE CAR BACK INTO THE GARAGE AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE.

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VEHICLE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL FAILED AND POWER STEERING LOST

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WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF ABILITY TO STEER. ALSO, WHEN STARTING THE CAR, TROUBLE TURNING WHEEL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STEER AND SWERVE IN AND OUT OF LANES WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO REMOVE HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JD BYRIDER AUTO SALES (3700 W BROAD ST, COLUMBUS, OH 43228, (614) 456-1717) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. OUT OF CONSIDERATION, THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.

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ONE DAY I WENT TO START MY CAR UP, AND TRIED TO TURN MY WHEEL AND IT WOULDN'T TURN. SOMEBODY WAS ABLE TO LOOSEN IT UP FOR ME THAT TIME. TWO DAYS AFTER THAT I ATTEMPTED THE SAME THING AND IT WOULDN'T NOT LOOSEN UP AT ALL. THE WHEEL IS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. I'VE DONE A LITTLE RESEARCH AND SEEN THAT THEY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH A NUMBER OF THESE MODELS.

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WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE A SENSOR DISABLES MAKING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STEER. ONCE I PULL OVER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF FOR A PERIOD OF TIME IT RESETS AND I AM ABLE TO DRIVE. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, ROADS AND DURING DIFFERENT WEATHER. THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND AM LUCKY THAT IT HAS NOT HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN YOU FIRST START THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESET THE SYSTEM BY RESTARTING THE VEHICLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS PREPARING TO PULL OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, SHE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING ASSISTANCE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TALLAHASSEE FORD LINCOLN (243 N MAGNOLIA DR, TALLAHASSEE, FL 32301, (850) 877-1171), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

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LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. INTERMITTENT. HAPPENS ON START UP A WARNING OF A STEERING PROBLEM WITH NO POWER STEERING. LOST POWER STEERING ONCE WHEN DRIVING.

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JUST LIKE THE OTHER HUNDREDS OF FORD OWNERS THAT ARE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST MY FOCUS STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT FORD DOESN'T WANT TO FIX. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FORD I ALMOST DIED! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE AGAIN.

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WHILE IN MOTION ON THE INTERSTATE MY CONSUL GAVE ME A NOTIFICATION THAT THERE WAS A "FAILURE IN STEERING ASSIST" AND TO PULL OVER SAFELY. AT WITCH TIME I LOST MY POWER STEERING ASSIST. I PULLED OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT WHICH THANKFULLY LED TO BAXTER FORD SOUTH WHERE THEY RAN A SERVICE CHECK THE NEXT DAY. AFTER RUNNING THE CHECK THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS A FAILURE IN THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE (PSCM). THE PSCM WAS RE PROGRAMED TO THE LAST KNOWN CODE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW LONG THE FIX WOULD LAST. ON THE SAME DAY AFTER DRIVING 600 MILES I RECEIVED THE SAME MESSAGE AND ONCE AGAIN LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST. NOTE THAT THE SAME FAILURE HAS OCCURRED IN THE 2011- 2012 FORD FUSION, FORD FLEX, AND FORD TAURUS. ALL HAVE BEEN RECALLED EXCEPT FOR THE 2012 FORD FOCUS MODEL. I WILL ATTACH AND HIGHLIGHT MY INVOICE FROM BAXTER FORD SOUTH.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. ALSO, "SERVICE STEERING NOW" AND "ADVANCETRAC" WERE DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LARRY H. MILLER FORD DRAPER (11442 LONE PEAK PKWY, DRAPER, UT 84020, (801) 590-0561) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM TOTALLY FAILED - I STARTED MY CAR AND RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE ON THE DASH AND HAD NO POWER STEERING. HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE FORD DEALER AND SPENT $2,096.20 TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING RACK REPLACED AND THE NEW ONE PROGRAMMED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT AND PARK THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THE PARKING LOT. IN ORDER TO MOVE IT, THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE TOWED. THE CONTACT CALLED A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REPAIR WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL ODOR. THE CONTACT CALLED BOB TOMES FORD (LOCATED AT 950 S CENTRAL EXPY, MCKINNEY, TX 75070, 214-544-5000) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED REGARDING THE RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,673.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE MESSAGE "ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST" ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HOLEMAN FORD (3641 RT 42 SOUTH, TURNERSVILLE, NJ) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETECT A DEFECT IN THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO FUTURE FORD LINCOLN (LOCATED AT 650 AUTOMALL DR, ROSEVILLE, CA 95661, (888) 656-7577) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE I-285 MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND IT IS NOT FIX.

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WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER. DRIVING TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE, SHE STOPPED FOR GAS. SHE STARTED THE CAR AND THE NOTIFICATION" STEERING ASSIST FAILURE - SERVICE REQUIRED" CAME ON. SHE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THE STEERING WORKED FINE.. WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THANKFULLY, SHE WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF.. SHE TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND MADE IT TO A FRIEND'S HOME NEAR BY. SINCE LAST NIGHT, THE POWER STEERING IS COMPLETELY OUT. I'VE JUST FOUND THIS SITE WHICH I WAS DIRECTED TO FROM A CONSUMER SITE STATING A LONG HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING ON THIS VEHICLE. WE ARE NOW WAITING ON A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE THE CAR TO A NEARBY DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE ISSUE. I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED TO THEM I'VE FOUND THIS SITE AND THERE IS A LONG LIST OF DOCUMENTED ISSUES. ( THEY SEEM TO BE SURPRISED ABOUT IT ( GO FIGURE )) ....

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