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

"STEERING ASSIST FAULT" ERROR MESSAGE STARTED APPEARING RANDOMLY WHEN STARTING UP CAR IN PARK ABOUT ONCE MONTH A YEAR AGO. I COULD GET IT TO CLEAR BY SHUTTING OFF CAR AND OPENING AND CLOSING DOOR AND RESTARTING. FREQUENCY INCREASED LAST MONTH TO ABOUT ONCE A WEEK, THEN TO EVERY DAY, AND NOW IT WON'T CLEAR. MECHANIC'S CHARGE $2,114 TO REPLACE THE FAULTY PART, REALIGN AND REPROGRAM CAR'S STEERING.

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INACCURATE FUEL GAUGE INDICATION AND INACCURATE DISTANCE TO EMPTY. ENDED UP HAVING TO REPLACE EVAP EMMISION PURGE VALVE, FUEL PUMP, AND FUEL TANK, AND CANISTER. HAD TO REPLACE ALL PARTS AGAIN 4 MONTHS LATER WHEN MY CAR STOP RUNNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THIS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES.

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POSSIBLE TAKATA RECALL-DONT KNOW IF THIS IS A TAKATA AIRBAG-ITS A 2012 FORD FOCUS, THERE IS NO RECALL AS OF NOW, BUT MY SON BOUGHT CAR YESTERDAY, WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT TODAY, CAR IS IN BAD SHAPE, HE IS OK, BUT NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. A GUY WAS ISSUED A CITATION FOR MAKING A LEFT AND NOT YIELDING, SO MY SON SWIRVED TO MISS HIM AND HIS FRONT AND SIDE OF CAR WERE PRETTY BAD DAMAGED. HE WAS GOING 30, SLAMMED ON BREAKS AND SKIDDED WHEN THEY HIT.

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ON APRIL 7TH 2018 I STARTED MY 2012 FORD FOCUS AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED SOLID THE WARNING LIGHTS LITE UP STATING ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT 3 TIMES UNTIL IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN. I WENT RIGHT TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THEY CLAIM THERE IS NO RECALL. I DID SOME RESEARCH FIND THAT THERE'S BEEN OVER 120 INJURIES AND ONE DEATH RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING FAILURE ON THESE VEHICLES. THIS IS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE NOW TOTALING 10 TIMES AND NOW I'M TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHICH CONCERNS OF AS I'M ON THE ROAD THE STEERING LOCKS UP WHEN I GET IN A CRASH OR ACCIDENT. THE NHTSA AND FORD KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED. PLEASE HELP I WAS STATIONARY IT'S TIME AND JUST HOPING AND PRAYING THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ME WHEN I'M ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES AN HOUR LIKE IT HAS DONE TO OTHER PEOPLE AND HAVE BEEN INJURED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT'S SON WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE EVENTUALLY STARTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO TALLAHASSEE FORD LINCOLN (243 N MAGNOLIA DR, TALLAHASSEE, FL 32301) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PURGE VALVE PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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2012 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PARTS BEING UNAVAILABLE FOR TRANSMISSION/TCM SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED "PARKING AID MALFUNCTION-SERVICE REQUIRED". THE DEALER ADVISED THIS WAS A RECALL AND TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *JS

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MY CAR STALLS CONSTANTLY AND WHILE DRIVING I HAVE TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART IT. FORD SAYS IT'S A PURGE VALVE PROBLEM, WITH THE GAS TANK BEING UNABLE TO RELIEVE PRESSURE (OR ALLOW AIR IN) AS GAS IS USED. FROM WHAT WE'VE READ ONLINE MANY MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. SUPPOSEDLY IT'S A $2,000 FIX. I HAVE STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION BEFORE. IT WAS SCARY.

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I WENT TO START MY CAR AND THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THAT SAID "STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE". THE CAR IS NO LONGER DRIVEABLE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DENYING RESPONSIBILITY. THERE IS A NY TIMES ARTICLE RE: THIS STATING THEY ARE AWARE YET NO RECALL YET. WE NEED A RECALL. THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE BY OWNERS WHO HAVE NOT YET FILED WITH NHTSA. HTTPS://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2015/12/25/AUTOMOBILES/FORD-FOCUS-STEERING-PROBLEM-PROMPTS-MANY-COMPLAINTS-BUT-NO-INQUIRY.HTML I NEED HELP. I AM IN DEBT FOR THIS VEHICLE AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT.

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POWER STEERING FAILED. THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED WHICH INCLUDES THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE (PSCM). THE POWER STEERING FAILURE BEGAN ON 3/1/18 AND WAS INITIALLY RESOLVED BY TURNING OFF THEN TURNING ON THE CAR. THIS WORKED FOR TWO WEEKS. COMPLETE FAILURE OCCURRED ON 3/14/18. THE PSCM IS NOT SERVICEABLE AND IS NOT A SEPARATE COMPONENT OF THE POWER STEERING RACK RESULTING IN A HIGH COST REPAIR ON A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS 35948 ORIGINAL MILES. THIS SYSTEM IS REFERRED TO AS THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING (EPAS) SYSTEM AND HAS BEEN RECALLED ON THE FORD FLEX, TAURUS, AND THE LINCOLN MKS AND MKT 2011 THROUGH 2013 MODELS, BUT NOT RECALLED ON THE FORD FOCUS EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AND FAULTY EQUIPMENT DESIGN.

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WHILE DRIVING MY TRANSMISSION/ENGINE WILL CUT OUT FOR 1 SECOND CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD AND STALL FOR A BRIEF SECOND, THEN IT RESUMES DRIVING NORMAL. OTHER TIMES THE ENGINE WILL SHUTTER/ SOUND LIKE IT'S ALMOST GOING TO STALL OUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR ACCELERATING FROM A ROLLING OR STOPPED POSITION. OFTEN THESE OCCUR ON CITY STREETS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MALLOY FORD OF CHARLOTTESVILLE (LOCATED AT 1300 RICHMOND RD, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22911, (434) 977-7960), BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE FOUND WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND ALTERNATOR. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE CONNECTOR OF THE BCM. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE ALSO FAILED TO ACCELERATE APPROPRIATELY. THE CONTACT DROVE TO HER HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

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IT STARTED AS THE RADIO BEING ON AND A LOUD CRACKLINGS SOUND WOULD OCCUR THEN THE RADIO WOULD STOP AND NEVER TURN BACK ON. NOW THE RADIO IS ALWAYS ON AND STILL THE SOUND OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY AND SOUNDS LIKE GUNSHOTS GOING OFF. IT'S BEEN SO LOUD IT HAS SCARED ME TO THE POINT WHERE I'VE LOST SOME CONTROL OF THE WHEEL. ALSO THE 911 ASSIST CAN'T BE USED WHEN THE RADIO ISN'T WORKING. THE VEHICLE CAN BE SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY OF ON THE ROAD.

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I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN 7 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND MALFUNCTIONS ALWAYS WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY! THANKFULLY I PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT IT EXPIRED. NOW I AM BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE 8TH TIME AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $2100.00 TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT WAS NEVER REALLY FIXED TO START WITH! NOW I AM HAVING STEERING PROBLEMS! THE STEERING JUST GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN CITY. THE FACT THAT THE STEERING JUST STOPS WORKING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IT HAS PUT ME IN VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS! THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE STEERING HAS GONE OUT WHILE DRIVING! I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT CAR OFF FOR 10MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING. MY WIFE HAD THE KIDS IN THE CAR WITH HER HEADING TO THE STORE AND IT WENT OUT AND SHE HAD NO CLUE WHAT TO DO AND NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO FORCE THE WHEEL TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD SO SHE WAS LEFT SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY WITH THE KIDS UNTIL THE STEERING WOULD WORK AGAIN. ITS DISGUSTING THAT FORD REFUSES TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS SINCE THEY ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!

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STEERING ASSIST FAILURE NOTICE APPEARED ON AND OFF FOR NEARLY A YEAR. NOTICE WOULD DISAPPEAR AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND STRAIGHTENING STEERING WHEEL. AT 77000 MILES, WARNING CAME ON AGAIN AND WOULD NOT CLEAR. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD ESPECIALLY IF IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. I WAS LUCKY IT WAS JUST IN MY DRIVEWAY. FORD HAS RECALLED SEVERAL CARS OF SIMILAR MAKE AND MODEL FOR THIS SAME ISSUE YET HAVE NOT RECALLED THE FORD FOCUS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD ESPECIALLY IF IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. FORD NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THEIR MISTAKE AND SEND A RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM ON ALL VEHICLES. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF COMMISSION BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD THE REPAIR AND I AM TO SCARED TO DRIVE IT AS IS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATES THAT VEHICLE HAS DIFFICULTY ACCELERATING FROM STOP LIGHT. VEHICLE STUDDERS UPON PRESSING GAS PEDAL AND HAS TROUBLE ACCELERATING TO FULL SPEED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (VARSITY FORD IN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN) TWICE FOR THE SAME FAILURE. DURING THE FIRST VISIT, IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. DURING THE SECOND VISIT, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. DEALER AND FORD SAY THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000. *TT

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WHILE DRIVING ON BUSY INTERSTATE GAS GAUGE INDICATED SUFFICIENT GAS, HOWEVER ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND FOCUS STALLED ON PART OF INTERSTATE IN CITY WITH VERY LITTLE SHOULDER. TEXAS STATE POLICE HAD FOCUS TOWED BECAUSE OF SAFETY HAZARD. FORD DEALER ADVISED SIMPLY RAN OUT OF GAS. NOT TRUE. THEN INTERMITTENT ENGINE LIGHT ON AND HESITATION-STALLING, BUT DEALER NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE. THEN FEW MONTHS LATER GAS GAUGE ACTING ERRATICALLY, ENGINE LIGHT ON AND FOCUS AGAIN STALLING IN TRAFFIC NUMEROUS TIMES. THIS TIME DEALER DIAGNOSED AS EVAPORATIVE PURGE VALVE FAILURE CAUSING FUEL TANK TO COLLAPSE AND OTHER DAMAGE. COST $2113.42 FOR ALL REPAIRS.

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WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN THE FOCUS EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF TRANSMISSION ENGAGEMENT POWER. THE VEHICLE BEHAVED AS IF IN NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN DRIVE.

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2012 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION STALLING AND A SIDE DOOR LATCH RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. THE PARTS NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE RECALL FOR THE DOOR LATCH WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A FULL REFUND FOR THE VEHICLE. *JS

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WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AS MY DAUGHTERS FIRST CAR A YEAR AGO. IT LOOKS GREAT BUT HAS ISSUES. THE TRANSMISSION/CLUTCH FEELS LIKE IT SLIPS. THE CAR ALWAYS REVS HIGH. AND YOU TOUCH THE GAS PEDAL AND SOMETIMES IT JOLTS TOO QUICKLY. TODAY, I DROVE ON FREEWAY AND CAME TO A STOP WITH RED LIGHT AT OFF RAMP. LIGHT TURNS GREEN AND PUSH ON GAS AND IT SHUTTERED AND THEN PROPELLED FORWARD. FELT LIKE IT COULDN'T GET IN GEAR? IT HAS DONE THIS A FEW TIMES WHILE IN MOTION AND ON THE FREEWAY TOO, SLIPS OR SPUTTERS. I'M FEARFUL FOR MY YOUNG DAUGHTER BEING LESS EXPERIENCED OF A DRIVER IN THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE. I'M READING OTHER PEOPLES COMPLAINTS, AND I SEE MANY, MANY ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. WE BOUGHT THE CAR W 86K MILES APRIL 2017. NOW HAS 97K. WE WILL TAKE THE CAR IN TO OUR FORD DEALER TOMORROW.

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AT 73,000 MILES ERROR CODE IN DASH READ STEERING ASSIST MALFUNCTION SERVICE NEEDED. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER MY CAR. AT 76,000 MILES ERROR CODE READ ENGINE TOO HOT, STOP SAFELY AND WAIT 8 MINUTES. CAR SHUDDERS AND HIGH REVS AT LOW SPEEDS AND VERY LOUD ENGINE NOISE. I HOPE THAT FORD RECALLS THESE ISSUES SOON!!!

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MY CAR'S POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND I COULD NOT STEER MY CAR. THANKFULLY I WASN'T GOING VERY FAST OF I WOULD HAVE CRASHED.

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UPON STARTUP, THERE IS A LOSS TO THE POWER STEERING. WHEEL CANNOT BE TURNED AT ALL. SOMETIMES THERE IS NO ERROR, OTHER TIMES I GET ERROR OF STEERING ASSIST MALFUNCTION. OWNED CAR FOR 6 YEARS, PURCHASED BRAND NEW. ABOUT 60K MILES. HAVE TWINS WITH BRAND NEW LEARNERS PERMIT, WITH THIS CAR TO BE DEDICATED FOR THEM TO DRIVE. HOW CAN THIS BE SAFE? MULTIPLE MESSAGE BOARDS SHOW THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES AND POOR DESIGN REQUIRES $2K FIX. NEED IMMEDIATE RECALL.

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POWER STEERING ELECTRICAL RACK.I PREPARED TO LEAVE WORK,CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SHOWED ISSUE WITH ELECTRONIC STEERING.TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS EVENT,MY RADIO SYSTEM(LOUD CRACKLING)FAILED.WITH NO POWER STEERING ASSIST,DROVE HOME,TWO MILES.I CALLED FORD DEALER TO HAVE CAR TOWER TO THEIR SHOP.

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ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILURE, OUT OF WARRANTY, FORD WANTS 1800 DOLLARS TO TRY TO FIX. CAR HAS SAT IN GARAGE FOR OVER A YEAR UNDRIVABLE.

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MY WIFE'S STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNING WHEN SHE WAS STUCK AT WORK...STEERING ASSIST FAULT...SERVICE REQUIRED CAME UP ON THE SCREEN...WAS ON HER SCREEN. HTTPS://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS/FORD-VEHICLES-WITH-STEERING-ISSUE-RECALLED-062915.HTML HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2012/FORD/FOCUS/STEERING/PROBLEM.ASPX HTTPS://OWNER.FORD.COM/TOOLS/ACCOUNT/MAINTENANCE/RECALLS/RESULTS.HTML HTTP://MONEY.CNN.COM/2018/03/14/NEWS/COMPANIES/FORD-STEERING-WHEEL-RECALL/INDEX.HTML

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