CarComplaints.com Notes: You should probably steer clear of the 2012 Focus. Otherwise, you might not be able to steer at all.
The 2012 is the first Focus to offer Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS). It's also the first year with massive power steering failure. These things are not mutually exclusive.
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, a green and red light flashed on the instrument panel. The vehicle's downhill indicator illuminated without being activated. The vehicle revved and shifted into neutral. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually returned to normal. Other times, the contact would have to turn off the vehicle and restart it a few times until it returned to normal. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 71,000.
Notice came up on dash monitor "steering assist malfunction-needs attention". after re-starting the car you could steer it, and took it to a Ford dealer and was told it needed a "steering rack" at a cost of $1600, not covered on the "drive train" warranty, even though I was told by the sales man from a different dealer where I bought the car, that a new steering rack had been installed at just over 3000 miles. The car now only has just over 45000 miles on it. Not happy! car was not moving when the initial "needs attention" message appeared, it was parked in a parking lot, and just started to go home from work.
I was driving to get on the freeway and as I tried to accelerate it would not go any higher in speed of 25mph and then it speeds up drastically. I parked it and later that day car would not start after 15 minutes car turned on without problems then I drove it home and parked it and doesn't turn on at all. Put in new battery but car still would not turn on on computer screen says to contact manufacture.
"driver assist fault" again. This is the 4th instance that is happened in 3 weeks - where my car suddenly powers off while I am behind the wheel. The last three times it happened while my car was in reverse motion. Today, it happened while I was in drive but stopped at a red light in downtown charlotte, nc. Someone had to help me push my car out of the middle of the road. Occurred on my way to work around 3:30 pm est.
I started my car this morning, put it in reverse and began to back out of my driveway when the car locked up and lost power. I could not steer or brake and the car continued rolling backwards until it hit my garage and stopped. The lights came on my dash read "(I) steering assist fault". I turned the car off and on several times before the lights went out, the steering wheel unlocked and I was able to depress the brake and gain full control of my car again. I took the car to my Ford dealer in kannapolis, nc (where I purchased the car) and they said the car would need to "duplicate the error" before they could diagnose it. I explained the car would have to be in motion for that to happen and I cannot stop the car if that happens again. I drive on the interstate and I am petrified this will happen while I am on the road and have no control over the car. The tech said there have been hundreds of complaints about the loss of steering power on these Ford, but that until Ford issues an official recall there is nothing they can do to fix it. It could be as simple as a software update.
- Concord, NC, USA
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Purchased 2012 Ford Focus used, 04-14-15. I test drove the car it jerked a little. The rep stated it was normal. The next 4 months it continued to jerk, skip, hesitate and just not move when you accelerated. In 08-2015 I rec'd a letter from Ford, my car needed a tcm-software update. 09-09-15 I took the vehicle back to the dealership it took an hour to re-program the tcm. The dealership handed a printed copy of the tcm characteristics. I continued to drive the car with the same issues hoping it would go away. 10-19-15 went back to the dealer to have the tcm re-programmed again. I called Ford to complain 10-19-15 and a case file was issued #[xxx]. I did not want to go back to the same dealership. 10-23-15 the car went to the 2nd dealership. Discovered the tcm had failed and had to be replaced., explaining to drive the car for a number of miles to correct itself. The drive had improved, but then started failing again. 03-16-16 I went back to the 2nd dealership, the tcm was replaced. Again the drive had slightly improved and had again failed. This time when the tcm failed, while driving on the highway the wipers came on without turning them on, even when the car was off. The next day the car wouldn't come on so I replaced the battery. Drove the car about 300 miles made a stop and it would not come back on. The car had to be towed and the local mechanic was able to get the car started again. Driving back home about 150 miles on highway all lights came on the dash, battery, fuel, trans, etc.. wipers came on, power steering was lost and engine shut off. Rolled to side of road. Sat 5 min, then started as if nothing happened!? we made it home. Car not starting. 12-06-16 towed to Ford. Tcm module crashed the computer operating system, replaced tcm and re-programmed system. 01-10-17 wipers still come on with engine off. W/return to Ford 01-17-17. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While backing out of a parking space, the steering wheel stiffened and failed. Also, the instrument panel lighting remained illuminated. The issue recurred multiple times. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
After we got the recall done on the car for the transmission module. The car has been having a popping and static noise coming from the radio and speakers when the car is on or shut off.
'my two sons were driving East on I-10, near schulenburg, tx, at the posted speed limit of 75 mph, when the vehicle engine and related components shutdown (no power steering, no engine, no nothing), without any prior notice. It is by the grace of god that they were not injured or killed by the 18 wheeler truck behind them when the vehicle engine failed. The vehicle was towed to a local Ford dealership, tommie vaughn Ford, who diagnose the culprit part to be a defective transmission control module. Ford has issued a field service action (number 14M02) regarding said part. However, Ford needs to recall all affected vehicles for this problem before someone is injured or killed.
Since purchasing my Focus in November of 2013, I have had several issues with what appears to be the transmission that have caused me to fear for my safety as they have resulted in multiple near-accidents. I had the car looked at within the first several months of ownership and nothing was found, I then took the car back in when symptoms persisted and got the clutch replaced within roughly a year of buying. The symptoms subsided for a while, but have returned and are still an issue to date. Issues are detailed below: The car often chugs when in motion, especially during acceleration from a stopped position. There have been numerous occasions where the vehicle will intermittently and unpredictably refuse to accelerate in a normal fashion. This happens both while moving around 20-40mph and also when coming from a stopped position - say waiting at a red light or when waiting to turn left at a busy city intersection. This is terrifying as I never know when the car will accelerate normally and when it will not - at least twice in recent history I have attempted to make a left turn from a stopped position, had plenty of time to get through the intersection, but the car struggled and finally made it through too close for comfort. Other times, the rpms seem to rev up for no reason, and the car accelerates very quickly though the pressure on the pedal has not changed. Though the has happened with less frequency, it is almost more frightening as I feel like I am not in control of the vehicles speed while in traffic. Typically this happens when coming from a stopped position as well. Additional issues I've had include it rolling backward on small inclines - sometimes when brake pedal is sufficiently depressed and even momentarily when in drive and gas pedal depressed.
Takata recall. The car will die in the middle of driving. Doesn't matter the speed you are going the lights on the dashboard will light up and you cant accelerate or decelerate the car will just die.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact noticed a strong hesitation and delay upon applying the accelerator pedal. The contact had to apply force to the accelerator pedal to increase speed. A mechanic inspected the vehicle, but was unable to replicate or diagnose the failure. The mechanic recommended that the vehicle be taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 10 mph, the instrument panel lights failed to illuminate and the radio failed to operate without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that a software update was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. Eventually, the instrument panel lighting illuminated again. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the front windshield wipers operated independently. When the front windshield wipers were activated, the wipers failed to operate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the wiper switch and steering angle sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. It was later diagnosed that the main computer system failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving at any speed, there was a loud booming sound coming from the stereo module intermittently and without warning. The failure occurred even when the power was turned off. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who diagnosed that the entire stereo module needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
At 58,000. Horn started to work intermittent, now it does not work at all. What next? already had work done on tranny. Every thing seems to be computer related. It also surges at start up at stop.
Recently I've had an issue with the starter. The dash stated the car battery was low, I have the car taken to a local mechanic where the battery is testing that it is good. The car will start in the mornings after resting and I don't drive as much as just to be safe while I try to figure out what's going on with this car. I've had this car fixed three times in the past year, once for the customer survey satisfaction (not a recall Ford told me) to have the transmission fixed, another to have the steering module replaced and a third time to have the clutches replaced and that was done by a dealership to stop the lurching and jerking that the car does. I'm amazed at the callousness of a company that completely ignores the pleas of people who have almost crashed in their vehicles! no regard for their consumers what so ever!! I promise this will be the first & last Ford vehicle that I ever buy.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 35 mph, the steering assist module warning indicator illuminated and the steering wheel seized. The contact had to turn the ignition switch off and on to be able to resume driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. In addition, while exiting the driveway, the vehicle jerked and lost power. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 87,025.
Power steering failure- started with everyonce in a while id get the error notice of power steering failure so I would turn off the car start it back up and fine, it started to happen more frequently to the imbarrassing point of having to turn on and off the car 5-10 times just to have power steering, then I got a letter to update my car's software to help fix the power steering issue, I got the software update and 3 months later total failure, I now have zero power steering and now Ford wants me to pay $2200 to fix it, when it failed I almost crashed into another car with my kids in my car on the freeway, needless to say we are greatful to be alive, sad thing is all other models from 2011-2012 with the same exact power steering system get a recall why not the Focus? I wish I would have known before I would have never bought the car, Ford is a scam and doesnt back up its product, the power steering is broke because of their defective product
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Burgettstown, PA, USA