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

STARTING IN OCTOBER 2017, MY POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE OPERATING MY CAR. THE PROBLEM HAS STARTED HAPPENING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTEDLY. SOMETIMES, THE ISSUE OCCURS WHEN TURNING ON THE CAR (BEFORE EVER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL). OTHER TIMES, IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING (BOTH TIMES I WAS GOING STRAIGHT AND HAD TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD).. WITHOUT POWERSTEERING, IT MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THERE ARE 75 UNIQUE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON THIS ONE WEBSITE - HTTP://M.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/FOCUS/2012/STEERING/POWER_STEERING_FAILURE.SHTML

NHTSA ODI 11065342

PULLING OUT OF DAYCARE ON A CITY STREET, THE ENGINE STARTING CHUGGING. THE TRANSMISSION/ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY TO MAKE IT HOME. CHUGGING EACH TIME I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. EXTREMELY SCARY ESPECIALLY WITH 3 KIDS IN THE CAR. I DRIVE ON STATE RD. 82 FOR WORK AND PICK UP THE KIDS. VERY DANGEROUS. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. I NEED IT REPAIRED AT NO COST TO ME.

NHTSA ODI 11065344

MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHEN I WAS TRAVELING HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE. I CAME UPON A CURVE TO THE RIGHT ON THE INTERSTATE AND I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE TO THE LEFT OF ME AS IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL BUT I SLOWLY MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I TURNED MY CAR OFF AND SAT THERE FOR A MINUTE AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND MY POWER STEERING WAS WORKING FINE AND PROCEEDED HOME SLOWLY, AND WAS VERY LEERY IT WOULD GO OUT ON ME AGAIN. RIGHT BEFORE I GOT HOME ON MY STREET, IT WENT OUT ONE MORE TIME AND I ALMOST SIDE SWIPED ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN I WAS TURNING TO THE RIGHT. IT TOOK ALL THE STRENGTH I HAD TO TURN THE WHEEL TO AVOID SIDE SWIPING THE CAR ON THE LEFT EVEN THOUGH I WAS ONLY GOING 20 MPH.THE POWER STEERING WAS OUT FOR GOOD THIS TIME. I HAD IT TOWED TO A SHOP AND I FOUND OUT IT WAS GONNA BE $1800 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR MANY FORD FOCUS'S AND FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS AS A RECALL! I COULD HAVE BEEN HURT BADLY ON THE INTERSTATE OR HURT SOMEONE ELSE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND I HAD NO WARNING! IT SCARED ME TO DEATH.

NHTSA ODI 11064813

FUEL TANK OR VAPOR RECOVERY SYSTEM FAULTS IN THE PURGE VALVE AND VAPOR CANISTER CAUSE EXCESSIVE VACUUM IN THE FUEL TANK WHICH THEN BEGINS TO COLLAPSE. EFFECTS INCLUDE FALSE FUEL READINGS AND 'DISTANCE TO EMPTY' INDICATIONS IN THE TRIP COMPUTER, AS WELL AS A REDUCED OVERALL FUEL CAPACITY. DRIVING AT 70 MPH SPEED LIMIT DURING RUSH HOUR IN THE MIDDLE OF A 3 LANE INTERSTATE, THE 'DISTANCE TO EMPTY' READING WAS 25 MILES AND MY DESTINATION LESS THAN 3 MILES AWAY. I RAN OUT OF FUEL AND HAD TO MANEUVER TO THE SHOULDER IN A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER.

NHTSA ODI 11064924

THE VEHICLE DIP BEAM BULB (LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS) BURN OUT, ON AVERAGE EVERY THREE TO FOUR MONTHS. WE HAVE REPLACED SAID BULBS (BOTH LEFT LOW BEAM AND RIGHT LOW BEAM) AT LEAST SIX TIMES IN THE APPROXIMATE TWO PLUS YEARS WE HAVE OWNED SAID VEHICLE. MOST RECENT EVENT, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018

NHTSA ODI 11064930

TRANSMISSION WENT TO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH. DISPLAYED WARNING THAT TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED. PILLED ON TO SIDE OF ROAD AVOIDING BEING REAR ENDED BY SEMI TRUCK. TURNED VEHICLE OFF WAITED 10 MIN RESTARTED VEHICLE DROVE 1/2 MILE BACK TO DEALERSHIP NO WARNING MESSAGES. 4TH TIME INTO DEALERSHIP FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI 11064440

Y 2012 FORD FOCUS NEEDS A NEW FUEL TANK, FUEL PUMP, PURGE VALVE AND CANISTER PER TSB 16-0062. IT'S BECAUSE THE PURGE VALVE WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND HAS COLLAPSED MY GAS TANK (PLASTIC) AND I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP, GAS TANK, FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLY. ALL COST $1350.00. MANY OTHERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM BUT IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A RECALL, NOT AN "EFF" YOU TO THE CUSTOMER THAT HAS TO DEAL W/ A KNOWN ISSUE TO FORD. WHEN STOPPED, THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE ROUGH. THE ENGINE ACTUALLY DIED ON MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THIS PAST SUNDAY ONE OF THE HIGHWAYS IN LA. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON W/ CODE P1450. THEN THE FUEL GAUGE BECAME HIGHLY INACCURATE, SHOWING A FULL TANK OF FUEL WHEN I MAY BE AT HALF OR LOWER. CALLED AAA, MY DAUGHTER GOT HERSELF OUT OF THE DANGEROUS SITUATION, NOW MY CAR IS BEING REPAIRED, I HAVE NO CHOICE. THIS IS FRUSTRATING TO SEE HOW FORD CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS ISSUE - ONE THAT SEEMS TO BE QUITE SERIOUS WITH MANY OTHER FORD FOCUS 2012 OWNERS: HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/SEARCH?CLIENT=SAFARI&RLS=EN&Q=FORD+FOCUS+ISSUES+WIHT+FUEL+VALVE&IE=UTF-8&OE=UTF-8. AND HERE HTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/FORD/FOCUS/OTHER-FUEL-SYSTEM-PUMP-PROBLEMS.PHP THE GARAGE THAT IS DOING THE REPAIRS IN LA (LA AUTO CENTER) ON WASHINGTON BLVD HAVE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO DO MANY MANY SUCH REPAIRS TO OTHER FORD FOCUS CARS - AND DEALING WITH THE DEALERSHIPS THERE - ALL IGNORING OR REFUSING TO HELP ITS OWN CUSTOMERS. PLEASE HELP US! I HOPE THIS FEDERAL AGENCY WILL HELP US, UNLIKE WHAT SEEMS TO BE GOING ON CURRENTLY POLITICALLY - PROTECTING MAJOR CORPORATIONS FROM CONSUMER ACCOUNTABILITY.

NHTSA ODI 11064475

STARTED CAR AND STEERING ASSIST FAULT CAME IN, DROVE IT TO DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD 110$ JUST TO DIAGNOSE IT. FROM THE LOOKS OF IT SAME PROBLEM THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS HAVING, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED

NHTSA ODI 11064206

CAR WORKED WELL YESTERDAY. TURNED IT ON TODAY AMBER LIGHT AND TONE POWER ASSIST STEERING NEED SERVICE. POWER STEERING FAILED OVERNIGHT. CAR HAS ABOUT 41K MILES ON IT, ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR $2000+.

NHTSA ODI 11064235

ON MANY DIFFERENT OCCASIONS MY STEERING WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY LOCK UP. TODAY WAS NOT THE FIRST DAY - JUST NOW KNOWING I CAN REPORT THIS. HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND RANDOMLY SINCE GETTING THE VEHICLE. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING, AND IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE ON THESE FORDS. WHEN THE WHEEL LOCKS UP - YOU HAVE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IF I TURN THE CAR OFF/BACK ON 4 OR 5 TIMES IT USUALLY UNLOCKS IT. AS FAR AS THE ELECTRICAL GOES - THE CAR IS POSSESSED. IF YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AND REMOVE THE KEYS - THE RADIO CONTINUES TO PLAY EVEN AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR. THE KEYLESS ENTRY WILL NOT LOCK THE DOORS. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL GO OFF RANDOMLY WITHOUT KEYS IN THE IGNITION. SOMETIMES THE RADIO WILL RANDOMLY TURN ITSELF ALL THE WAY UP AND IF YOU TRY TO TURN THE WHOLE THING OFF, IT DOES NOT RESPOND. MANY ISSUES WITH THIS CAR!

NHTSA ODI 11064267

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK IT TO FORD DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIXED. THEY INFORMED US THAT THE PURGE VALVE WAS FAULTY WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO BE DEFORMED. TOTAL COST OF FIX IS $1,000 PLUS AND THEY ALSO WANTED TO CHARGE $321 TO CHECK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO FORD AND THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE AND THE PART WAS ALREADY RECALLED ON THE FUSION BUT NOT THE FOCUS, THEREFORE, FORD REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PART ON THE FOCUS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID WE COULD FIX THE PURGE VALVE ONLY BUT THE GAS GAUGE WOULD NOT READ CORRECTLY. WHAT KIND OF ADVICE IS THAT? A BANDAID ON A SYSTEMIC ISSUE DUE TO A FAULTY MANUFACTURED PART THAT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE WHEN DRIVEN. I HAVE FILED A CASE NUMBER WITH FORD AND THEY REFUSE TO CORRECT THEIR FAULTY PART. FORD RECOMMENDED I FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA.

NHTSA ODI 11064283

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE STEERING SEIZED AND THE STEERING ASSIST FAULT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COURTESY FORD (1410 W PINE ST, HATTIESBURG, MS 39401, (601) 544-8111) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING ELECTRIC RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11063825

DRIVING ON A CITY STREET WHEN IT JUST WOULD NOT GO AFTER A RED LIGHT. WHEN I DID GET IT TO MOVE OFF OF THE CITY STREET TO A PARKING LOT IT WAS HARD TO STEER. ALL THE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. I COULD NOT LOCK THE DOORS WITH MY REMOTE, WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MY HOUSE. THE NEXT MORNING I PUT MY CODE READER ON THE VEHICLE AND FOUND ABOUT 13 FAULT CODES WHICH I RESET SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF MY VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN, HARD STEERING AND TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING OR GOING INTO GEAR. DISPLAYS TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION SERVICE NOW. WONT,T GO INTO GEAR. HORN STOPPED WORKING AND WITHUT DOING ANYTHING IT SUDDENLY STARTED WORKING.

NHTSA ODI 11063422

THE POWER STEERING ON THIS CAR IS DETECTIVE. IT CAN GO OUT WITHOUT NOTICE AND MAKE THE CAR HARD TO DRIVE. ON MANY, MANY OCCASIONS MY POWER STEERING WOULD NOT WORK WHEN I STARTED MY CAR. I WOULD TURN OFF AND THEN RESTART THE CAR AND IT WOULD WORK AGAIN. RECENTLY, I LOSS POWER STEERING TWICE WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. I WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY STEER TO A SAFE PLACE BOTH TIMES. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND RETAINED POWER STEERING ONCE AGAIN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ALL TOGETHER THE POWER STEERING ON THESE 2012 FORD FOCUS IS DETECTIVE AND THE FORD COMPANY NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND A RECALL ISSUED.

NHTSA ODI 11062882

RADIO DON'T WORK MAKE A LOUD SQUEEKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING WHEN OFF

NHTSA ODI 11061555

STARTED CAR PUT IN DRIVE THE STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND HAD NO POWER STEERING DROVE OUT OF DRIVE STILL NO POWER STEERING DROVE ABOUT 2 MILES STILL NO POWER STEERING STOP PUT IN PARK STOP ENGINE WAITED ABOUT 15 SECONDS STARTED CAR LIGHT OUT AND THE HAD POWER STEERING . TALKED TO SHOP FOREMAN AT CROUSE FORD TOLD ME THEY HAVE NOT SEEN ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE FOCUS BUT WHAT I DESCRIBED SAY IT IS THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION

NHTSA ODI 11060863

WAS DRIVING CAR AND RANDOMLY A WARNING CAME UP ' POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED' THEN POWER STEERING TURNED OFF. TURN CAR OFF TURN BACK ON FIX THE PROBLEM. THEN PROBLEM CAME BACK AND HAS NOT GONE AWAY. I HAVE NO POWER STEERING. RADIO HAS BEEN ACTING STRANGE SINCE PURCHASED CAR

NHTSA ODI 11058581

2015 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER SHIFT DUAL CLUTCH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE FAILURE. *LD *JS

NHTSA ODI 11053293

TRANSMISSION MODULE RECALL PROBLEM GETTING WORSE IT HAS IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES , ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE AT A LIGHT ON A HILL.

NHTSA ODI 11057946

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND JERKED. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION VIBRATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE TRANSMISSION FAULTY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LANCE CUNNINGHAM FORD AT (866) 591-3943 (4101 CLINTON HWY, KNOXVILLE, TN 37912) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTO CENTER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT WAS DIRECTED TO VOICEMAIL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

NHTSA ODI 11058077

DRIVING HOME IN TRAFFIC MY CARS POWER STEERING FAILED AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. WAS ABLE TO STRUGGLE WITH STEERING TO GET IT HOME. LATER WENT OUT TO MOVED CAR AND STEERING WAS FINE. CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT NO RECALL YET. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. FORD MUST BE WAITING FOR MORE RELATED DEATH BEFORE ISSUING A RECALL. REPAIR COST $1600 - $2300! REAL NICE FORD.

NHTSA ODI 11058079

FAULTY FUEL VENT VALVE CAUSED ENTIRE FUEL TANK TO COLLAPSE.

NHTSA ODI 11057807

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE STEERING ASSIST WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WILLIS FORD (15 N DUPONT BLVD, SMYRNA, DE 19977) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 83,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11057189

THE PURGE VALVE CAUSE THE CAR TO STALL IN TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING AND BACK FIRE CAUSE THE GAS TANK TO SUCK IN

NHTSA ODI 11057258

I WAS DRIVING ON BUSY FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC IN MY 2012 FORD FOCUS A LIGHT CAME ON SAYING STEERING ASSIST FAILURE SERVICE REQUIRED. THIS SCARED ME VERY MUCH. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND LIFETHREATENING. THE WHEEL WAS HEAVY AND HARD TO STEER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY CURVING EXIT. I WAS FRIGHTENED I WOULD HIT THE GUARDRAILS. BROUGHT CAR TO TORRINGTON, CT FORD DEALER WHO IS VERY NICE SAID STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED $1,977. CALLED FORD ASKED WHY WAS FOCUS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL ISSUED FOR SAME REASON TO EDGE, FUSION AND EXPLORER. FORD REPRESENTATIVE NAMED PAM SAID "REASON IT WAS NOT INVOLVED IN RECALL IS BECAUSE BUILT AT DIFFERENT TIME AND USING DIFFERENT PART AFFECTED BY THE RECALL." I SAID BUT THEY ALL USED SAME TEMKIN MANUF. PART. HE SAID, "RECALLS ARE VIN SPECIFIC." WOULD NOT PAY FOR REPAIR, AND SAID MY COMPLAINT WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE "APPROPRIATE INTERNAL DEPARTMENT". (THAT MUST BE THE DO-NOTHING-ABOUT-IT UNIT) HOW DISAPPOINTING AND EMBARRASSING THAT AN AMERICAN COMPANY DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ITS CUSTOMERS. THIS IS MY THIRD AND LAST FORD CAR I WILL BUY. WHO IS GOING TO DIE BEFORE BIG BUSINESS TAKES NOTICE? THERE ARE 508 COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE!! AND THOUSANDS MORE ON OTHER INTERNET SITES! WHY ARE WE SPINNING OUR WHEELS WITH THIS AGENCY THAT DOES NOTHING WITH THIS LIFE-THREATENING ISSUE. WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING ABLE TO STEER OR BRAKE YOUR CAR? THIS STEERING ASSIST FAILURE IS DEADLY AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND RECALLED FOR SAFETY OF 2012 FORD FOCUS DRIVERS, THEIR PASSENGERS, AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD.-- TK (FORMER FORD DRIVER)

NHTSA ODI 11056847