2012 Ford Focus Steering Problems
- 791
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 791 stored complaint records:
- 20 indicate a crash
- 21 indicate injury
- 2 indicate fire
- 3 indicate a death
What owners report
- power steering · 103 records
- steering wheel · 44 records
- steering assist · 43 records
- assist fault · 15 records
- steering failed · 13 records
- failure mileage · 12 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 339 |
| 30–60k mi | 165 |
| 100–150k mi | 138 |
| 1–30k mi | 76 |
| 150–400k mi | 19 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Steering
2012 ford focus is very hard to steer, as if it has no power steering. There is no power steering pump. I learned that this vehicle has some kind of electrical steering. I have also learned that other vehicle like the focus has the same problems as mine but yet these other focus's have recalls for this problem. But not mine. We fear that this could cause a serious accident.
Fire reported
ODI 11187306
Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford focus. While driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle became difficult to steer and "power steering assist fault" illuminated on the message center. The contact continued driving at a slower pace to her destination. After a while, the vehicle steering began to operate normally. The vehicle was taken to ford auto world (2903 s scatterfield rd, anderson, in 46016) where it was…
ODI 11186156
Steering
I started my car, backed it out of my driveway, went to go forward and the steering, quit, very stiff couldnt turn the steering wheel, so i turned the car off, then started it back up, and the steering was fine, a few days later this happened again at the gas station, then again in the subdivision could hardly turn the wheel to get back in the driveway. This car has 40000 miles on it, 1 owner, 1 driver.
ODI 11185970
Steering
Started my car and received a power steering failure message. Turn car off and back in and it goes away. Happened three times once while i was waiting at a stop light. Took vehicle in and told it was a gear that needs to be fixed. This was a recall on other gods but not mine. Over $2,000 to fix.
ODI 11186526
Steering
I have a 2012 ford focus at 93000 miles, i started the car one morning on my way to work and the steering assist fault pop up on the screen behind the steering wheel. The steering wheel became hard to turn and i couldn't drive it due to it being not safe to drive. I took it to a ford dealership and they told me the steering rack and pinion needs to be replace and it'll cost $2200 for the repairs. I've look up online…
ODI 11186409
Power Train · Steering
Electronic power steering failed at less than 50,000 miles. Could not steer car. Electronic control is located by exhaust manifold, which heat caused unit to fail. This is a common problem and ford has recalled the steering unit on other model, but not on focus. Cost $2160 to repair. Transmission shutters at low speeds making it difficult to control. Had it into ford several times to diagnose and they state it is…
ODI 11206157
Exterior Lighting · Fuel/Propulsion System · Steering
Off and on for the past 2 months go out to start the car put it in reverse attempt to back up and the steering wheel becomes stuck it will not turn at all you have to give it 1 min and then try again and then it resumes normal, last summer was driving down the main highway the right headlight went out the next morning start the car and appears in screen default on the l lighting open the hood to see all electrical…
Fire reported
ODI 11190377
Steering
The electronic power steering failure light keeps coming on. Ford recalled other units for same problem and not the focus. Steering wheel locks up when light comes on and makes it difficult to steer. This is a major accident waiting to happen. The light usually comes on when first starting the car.
ODI 11184732
Steering
Went to leave to go to work on 3-5-2019 and i had no steering my car i have not had any issues since i've i this car i've had it for 3 years . We looked o utube to see what we could do to fix so i could go to work it took us 20 minutes to get it to unlock drive fine to work when i went to leave work at 4pm on 3-5-2019 it did it again it took me about 10 minutes this time after it unlocked i was still having a hard…
ODI 11184419
Steering
When i went to drive my car out of the driveway the steering acted like it was locked. After trying multiple times of turning key on/off i finally called the mechanic to tow the vehicle to their shop. After a couple weeks of diagnosis it was determined it was the electric steering. Why have multiple other ford vehicles had a recall for this problem but not the focus?
ODI 11191293
Steering
My car told me driver steering malfunction and my steering wheel completely stopped working .
ODI 11183108
Steering
2012 ford focus has power steering assist fault that will not clear. After on-line research done, have seen that many owners have experienced same sue. Beyonc has 81000 miles on it. Vehicle exhibits issue immediately during starting and continues throughout driving. Used to be able to reset by turning car off and then on, however that no longer works. Ford has recalled other vehicles for same issue but not the focus.
ODI 11182814
Steering
After starting 2012 ford focus start to pull out of parking spot and steering wheel locked up, could not turn right or left. Pulled forward and turned car off, was going to call tow but instead started car again and steering started working again. There needs to be a recall on this issue, what would have happened if i was driving and turning the corner in front of the local elementary school and the car hit students…
ODI 11182162
Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford focus. When the vehicle was started, the power steering warning indicator illuminated. The contact attempted to turn the steering wheel, but it seized. The vehicle was towed to honolulu ford (1370 n king st, honolulu, hi 96817, [redacted]) where it was diagnosed that the power steering failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of…
ODI 11184885
Steering
Takara recall, while driving i had to make a turn. When turning, suddenly the steering was difficult to turn and i was forced to stop the car. I got the message "steering assist malfunction". This was very scaring because i was in traffic and an accident could've happened.
ODI 11181130
Steering
I started my car and a warning light came on saying power steering assist was out. The car was very hard to steer. The next time i started car, the problem was gone. However, since then, the problem has returned and it is unsafe to this car drive in traffic. My research shows this is a commonand dangerous situation and needs to be corrected by ford on the 2012
ODI 11183762
Steering
While driving on city street going home an error message displayed 'steering assist fault - service required'. The car became very difficult to steer. Will be scheduling with mel hambelton ford to investigate the condition.
ODI 11180409
Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford focus. When the vehicle was started, the steering lost power and "power steering assist failed" illuminated. The vehicle was taken to jim charlon ford, inc [redacted], located at 269 s china lake blvd, ridgecrest, ca 93555) where it was diagnosed that the steering gear module needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure was not…
ODI 11183219
Steering
Driving to work steering started to get hard to steer on the high way and making turns. Then after work put in key turn key on says steering lost stop. At this time the steering was locked up my son was able to get the steering to where he could get it him but very hard to do i couldn't budget it. The way it acted on the highway i was afraid it would stop working cause it was getting more difficult to move the…
ODI 11176024
Steering
Power steering always takes awhile to start when the car is started, now it has gone out completely.
ODI 11174987
Steering
My power steering locked up while i was leaving my house. My car has only 90k miles and there has been tons of recalls in general for this car already. This is a serious problem and risk and i believe that i'm not the only person to have come across this.
ODI 11180549
Steering
Start up the cal: power assist failure (or the like) which i can restart the car and it goes away, this has been recalled on other fords, but not mine.
ODI 11185659
Steering
I started my car and the steering wouldn't work any more without a hole lot of muscle power. The car was parked'.
ODI 11181250
Power Train · Steering
The automatic transmition of my 2012 ford focus with 100k miles had hesitation and the engine suddenly shut off when driving due to the transmition fail (it happen too often drivind in the city), after i paid $ 2,200 to the dealership to get it fixed ( they changed clutchs and computer module). The steering wheels started to fail, it suddenly gets too hard to turn, then it gets normal and then fails again. Just when…
ODI 11180426
Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford focus. While exiting a parking space, the steering wheel seized and the power steering warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was powered off and restarted, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was driven without power steering ability to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was…
ODI 11173105