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

I STARTED THE CAR AND THE STEERING MALFUNCTION ASSIST LIGHT WAS ON AND THE POWER STEERING WAS COMPLETELY OUT.

NHTSA ODI 11045565

THE POWER STEERING (ELECTRIC STEERING ASSIST) FAILS INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THIS OCCURS EITHER HOT OR COLD. IT OCCURS WITH VEHICLE STATIONARY AND IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 11044893

STEERING ASSIST FAULT LIGHT CAME ON PERIODICALLY OVER PAST 5 THOUSAND MILES, MENTIONED DURING LAST VISIT. NOW IT CAME ON AND WON'T CLEAR. HAVE READ OF MANY PEOPLE WITH 2012 FORDS WITH THIS ISSUE. THIS IS SECOND PROBLEM WITH CAR, HAVE ALSO HAD CLUTCH REPLACED TWICE.

NHTSA ODI 11045048

THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE MAKING A TURN THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.....I HAVE NO POWER ASSISTED STEERING

NHTSA ODI 11044397

THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLOWING DOWN THE CAR. WON'T GET UP TO SPEED, CANNOT EXCEED 25MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11043654

HORN HAS STOPPED WORKING. RADIO CRACKLING WHEN CAR ON AND OFF, IN MOTION AND WHEN STILL, DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11043445

TANAKA RECALL: I RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION THAT MY CAR WAS RECALLED DUE TO DEFECTIVE TANAKA AIR BAGS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP (HALDEMAN FORD IN ALLENTOWN, PA) THAT I WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THEY RECEIVED THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR. PERIODICALLY, I INQUIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE REPAIR, BUT WAS TOLD EACH TIME THAT THEY STILL HAD NOT RECEIVED THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR. I AGAIN INQUIRED RECENTLY AND WAS AGAIN TOLD I WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE REQUIRED PARTS ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS ONE YEAR AND TWO MONTHS SINCE I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION AND STILL THEY SAY THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS. I HAVE JUST BEEN NOTIFIED THAT TANAKA WAS FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY. IT NOW APPEARS THAT THE PARTS MAY NEVER BE AVAILABLE AND I WILL BE REQUIRED TO DRIVE AROUND WITH DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS AIRBAGS WITH NO LEGAL RECOURSE TO SUE TANAKA FOR DAMAGES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. FORD SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF FORD AND ITS DEALERSHIPS.

NHTSA ODI 11043190

STEERING ASSIST FAILURE NOTICE APPEARED ON AND OFF FOR NEARLY A YEAR. NOTICE WOULD DISAPPEAR AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND STRAIGHTENING STEERING WHEEL. IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS THE ISSUE HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. LAST WEEK IT HAPPENED TWICE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED.

NHTSA ODI 11042951

MY ELECTRICAL STEERING IS ACTING UP, MAKING A WEIRD NOISE AFTER I START MY CAR, IS STIFF AT TIMES AND HARD TO TURN. I RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE, " STEERING ASSIST, SERVICE REQUIRED" ON THE DASH RECENTLY. THAT MESSAGE HAS GONE, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS THIS IS A DANGER TO ME WHEN I DRIVE. WHENEVER I START MY CAR, THE STEERING IS RIGID AND STIFF IN THE CITY.

NHTSA ODI 11043045

THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING IS STARTING TO FAIL. IT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING WHILE THE ON MY CITY STREET. NEED TO TURN OFF ENGINE AND RESTART THE CAR. SOMETIME THE STEERING BECOMES DIFFICULT WHILE DRIVING AT CITY SPEEDS.THIS HAPPEN ROUGHLY 6 MONTHS AGO BUT WENT AWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11043139

THIS IS A 5 YEAR OLD CAR. WITH 750000 MILES ON IT. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAS ALREADY DIED COSTING UP $2K IN MONEY WE DON'T HAVE TO FIX IT. THE FIX IS REPLACING THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION. WE HAD STARTED FOR THE FIRST TIME THE DAY IT WENT OUT. WE WERE PARKED I HAD TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH NO POWER STEERING. IF YOU SHUT OF THE CAR IT WOULD TEMPORARILY FIX IT'S SELF. AND IT DID THE GUY AT THE DEALER SHUT IT DOWN AFTER SEEING THE NO STEERING ASSIST WHEN HE RESTARTED THE CAR IT MAGICALLY WORKED AGAIN. UNTIL NEXT TIME THAT IS. FORD KNOWS THIS PROBLEM EXIST AND REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR ALL 2012 FOCUS. THIS IS A NEW CAR IT SHOULD NOT BE HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. PUTTING US IN FINANCIAL STRAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11042734

I CAN'T DRIVE THIS VECHICLE ON THE ROAD BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS AND SLIPS. I WOULD BE AT A STOP AND IT'S IN DRIVE BUT DOES NOT GO ANYWHERE. MY VEHICLE ROLLAS BACK AND ALMOST CAUSE A ACCIDENT. DUE TO A FAULTY POWERSHIFT DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT ON FORD BUT AS A CONSUMER I HAVE TO WAIT TEN BUSINESS DAYS TO EVEN SETTLE A CLAIM. MY LIFE IS IN DANGER BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE A VECHICLE WILL HIT ME SOON IN THE MIDDLE OF A INTERSECTION. I NEED HELP FROM SOMEONE PLEASE. IM BEGGING YOU FORD HAS MADE NO ATTEMPTS TO HELP ME AND I STILL OWE 5,000 TO PAY IT OFF. WHICH THIS VECHICLE IS FAR TO LOW VALUED. IF ANYONE CAN HELP ME WITH THIS ISSUE ASAP.

NHTSA ODI 11041999

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAS GONE OUT, I HAD JUST STARTED THE CAR AND HAD NO POWER STEERING AND IT IS VERY HARD TO STEER, I ALMOST WRECKED TRYING TO GET IT HIOME.

NHTSA ODI 11041627

THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO AT START-UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. WE ARE NOW REPORTING THIS AFTER THE 4TH OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA ODI 11041332

DRIVER SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTON STARTED TO STICK. ON 10/28/17 BUCKLE WOULD NOT RELEASE. I HAD HAVE MY SEAT BELT CUT IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. EVENT HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT WHILE PARKED.

NHTSA ODI 11041354

CLOSED DRIVER DOOR IN A PARKING LOT. RETURNED TO CAR TO FIND DOOR PARTIALLY OPEN. ATTEMPTED MANY TIMES TO CLOSE DOOR. DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH. HAD TO MANUALLY HOLD DOOR CLOSED TO DRIVE HOME. DOOR REMAINS UNABLE TO LATCH.

NHTSA ODI 11041429

AT LEAST 4 TIMES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, UPON STARTING THE CAR THERE WAS THE MESSAGE "STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. IT WENT AWAY AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED: IF IT HAPPENED ANY TIME OTHER THAN WHEN PARKED THIS COULD BE FATAL.

NHTSA ODI 11040982

MY POWER STEERING SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING WHILE STATIONARY. THANK I WAS NOT TURNING IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC AND DID NOT HAVE A CUSTOMER IN MY CAR. MY EMPLOYMENT IS DRIVING. OH AND JUST TWO DAYS PRIOR THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER WAS REPLACED. IT SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING . STOPPED FOR GAS CAME OUT AND CAR WOULD NOT START.

NHTSA ODI 11040820

FORD HAS ISSUED NUMEROUS BULLETINS RELATED TO PROBLEMS WITH THE FORD FOCUS TRANSMISSION. OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS FORD HAS EXTENDED THE COVERAGE ON CERTAIN SYSTEMS. MY CAR TRANSMISSION FAILED, PREVENTING THE CAR FROM BEING DRIVEN FASTER THAN APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH (FIRST GEAR). THE DEALER COMPLETED A SOFTWARE REBOOT WHICH TEMPORARILY ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM BUT STATED THAT I NEEDED A NEW "CLUTCH PACK" (APPROXIMATELY $1,600). ALTHOUGH THE SOFTWARE REBOOT WAS COVERED UNDER ONE OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSIONS, THE CLUTCH PACK WAS NOT. APPARENTLY, THE SOFTWARE THAT TELLS THE SYSTEM WHAT TO DO IS COVERED, BUT THE HARDWARE IS NOT? I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT FORD REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM IN SPITE OF NUMEROUS ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND DOCUMENTED. THE ISSUE/PROBLEM THAT I EXPERIENCED HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED, BUT FORD REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT FAULTY DESIGN HAS CAUSED THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11040538

I WAS VERIFIYING ON INTERNET IF MY CAR HAD AN OPEN RECALL AND IT APPEARS THAT A DOOR LATCH WITH A FRACTURED PAWL SPRING. APPARENTLY A PREVIOUS OWNER HAD AN ISSUE WITH ONE OF THE DOOR NO CLOSING. NEED TO WORK THIS SITUATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, TRYING TO TRANSPORT MY CAR OVER SEAS IN LESS THAN A MONTH AND THEY WONT DO IT IF THE CAR HACE AN OPEN RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11040644

I STARTED MY CAR AND BEGAN PULLING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE WHEN THE CAR STEERING BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER, THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT, AND AN ERROR MESSAGE CAME ON THAT SAID "STEERING ASSIST FAILURE SERVICE REQUIRED". I HAD NOT FULLY PULLED OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE, SO I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND LET IT SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES. I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN, AND THE MESSAGE DID NOT APPEAR WHEN I BEGAN DRIVING THE 2ND TIME. I AM VERY SCARED THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN WHILE I AM DRIVING ON A BUSY ROAD AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER FORD CARS BEING RECALLED DUE TO THIS ISSUE FOR THE SAME YEAR, BUT NOT THE FOCUS. I HAVE ALSO SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS STEERING ASSIST FAILURE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND RECALLED FOR SAFETY OF 2012 FORD FOCUS DRIVERS, THEIR PASSENGERS, AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11039908

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO CLOSE THE DOOR, BUT IT FAILED TO CLOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PAACO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP (1411 W MARSHALL AVE, LONGVIEW, TX 75604, PHONE NUMBER: (903) 242-8800). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE FORD DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V643000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,021.

NHTSA ODI 11040210

SYNC MODULE FAILED. COSTING $1000 TO FIX. A SMOG PART FAILURE RESULTED IN FORD WANTING 2000 TO REPAIR AND REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. THE CLUTCH FAILS TO ENGAGE ON LOW SPEED TURNS CREATING A LOSS OF CONTROL. FORD FIXED WITH THE RECALL. STEERING FAULT DETECTED MAKING IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE CAR. RECALL IS AVAILABLE ON OTHER MODELS BUT NOT FOCUS. ANOTHER 1000 TO FIX IT. FORD IS UNSAFE!

NHTSA ODI 11039796

WHEN I START THE CAR INITIALLY I CAN'T TURN THE WHEEL OF THE CAR. I HAVE TO TUG ON IT TO GET IT TO TURN EVENTUALLY. I'M AFRAID THAT I'LL BE DRIVING IN THE POWER STEERING WILL GO OUT. ALSO HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLES WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. THEY SAY MY CAR HAS TOO MANY MILES TO QUALIFY FOR THE CLUTCH RECALL THAT FORD HAS PUT OUT. I DON'T SEE WHAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH A MALFUNCTION SAYING I'VE HAD TROUBLES WITH IT SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. BOTH OF THESE ISSUES ARE SAFETY ISSUES. I HAVE NO MONEY TO REPLACE THIS STUFF. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY FORD WON'T WORK WITH PEOPLE ON THIS THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THE STEERING AS I SEEN MANY OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT IT. AND THEY NEED TO SUCK IT UP AND TAKE THE EXPENDITURE OF REPLACING ALL OF THESE CRUTCHES THAT THEY HAVE A RECALL ON REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. SOMETIMES MY SEATBELT COMES LOOSE AFTER I CLICKED IT. I HAVE TO LATCH IT WHILE TRYING TO DRIVE. I'M TIRED OF THIS CAR. I'LL NEVER BUY FROM FORD AGAIN. I'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT. AND HAVE INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP THAT WE BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY CLEAN THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT PERIOD AFTER TAKING IT TOO BUT IT'S GOING TO COST ME $3,000.

NHTSA ODI 11035991

CAR TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL 16S30 TO REPLACE 4 DOOR LATCHES PER NHTSA WEBSITE. WHEN CAR RETURNED TO CUSTOMER ONLY STATED 1 LATCH REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI 11034541