Steering Column Problems of Ford Focus - part 1

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering column became inoperable; however, the contact's son was able to safely drive the vehicle to his residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford Focus 🔎.

Power steering malfunction. Warning occurred each time car was turned on for the first time during the day, but would usually reset and turn off after restarting the car while stationary. This happened for about six months when the power steering completely went out. The mechanic had said this has been a frequent problem for Ford Focus' as the power steering column has a bad and unusual setup that causes the wiring to overheat and thus resulting in the power steering to not work.

See all problems of the 2012 Ford Focus 🔎.

Takata: the problem with the car is if you put gas in the car the car will not start you have to keep turning and pressing on the gas pedal until it register that there is gas in the car. The read will say 98 miles until you need gas but if you don�'t put gas in before then the car will shut off and that reads at about a quarter tank of gas. Then there�'s times I get into the car to go and the steering column will lock to where you can�'t even turn the wheel. I looked it up and I see there�'s been problem with the steering column plus it lites up in the car steering wheel default I called the Ford but there saying there is no recall on any of the two things I�'m talking about. It�'s not safe what if the wheel decides to lock while I am driving or the car shuts of because it read 98 miles before you need gas but that�'s not the case. I was driving out of my driveway and the wheel locked. With the gas was on the road and the car shut off luckily I was close to a gas station.

See all problems of the 2014 Ford Focus 🔎.

While I was driving the whole stearing column starts to vibrate then it tightens up and the light comes on saying stearing assist fault, service required. When this happens the stearing wheel locks up and you can't turn. I've had this happen three times, luckily not in a curve or at a higher rate of speed. I have to stop the car, turn it off and back on to reset. I know I will crash if I am going around a curve or driving on the interstate, with the car stearing locked. I currently have it at the Ford dealership for repair. The mechanic said it was not safe to drive.

For the past 6 months, every time I start up the car the steering column is almost locked. I start backing out and it loosens up. This morning I started my car up and it was locked again, but I got the message on the dash steering assist malfunction, and it never loosened up. I was a little nervous driving it ot work, but I had to get there. I have seen a lot of people with the same issue. This needs to get fixed.

Tl the contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving at a low speed, the steering column seized without warning. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 67,000.

Over the course of a year, an indicator warning message kept coming on about the power steering manual assist, which turns out to be a defect in the steering column. Turning the car on and off solved the issue at the beginning. But then while I was on the road in September of 2018, the light came on again and wouldn't go off. I had to have the car towed to a dealership and have the entire steering column replaced for $2,200. The cost was negligible to the risk�we who own these cars were risking our lives and the lives of people on the road. This is a safety issue and Ford ought to address the issue by fixing the problem for free.

Tl the contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. After starting the vehicle, the power steering malfunctioned and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. The power steering sensor also illuminated. In addition, while driving, the transmission malfunctioned and caused the vehicle to hesitate when accelerating. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer (coughlin Ford, 24001 u. S. Rt. 23 south, circleville OH) where it was diagnosed that both the transmission and steering column were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 106,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. While driving 25 mph, the steering wheel detached from the steering column. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was 96,000.

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Tl- the contact owns a 2004 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the steering column jammed. The failure occurred without warning. Day Ford located 2124 3696 william penn hwy, monroeville, PA was contacted however no further assistance was offered due to no recalls being attributed to the VIN. The manufacturer was notified however no further assistance was offered due to no recalls being attributed by the VIN. The contact was approximately 75,000. Kh.

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Tl- the contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while their wife was making a turn the vehicle's steering seized resulting in the vehicle veering off the road. The power steering assist fault warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle had yet to be towed or taken to the dealer. George waikem Ford located 4321 Lincoln way e, massillon, OH was called however they were informed the vehicle had no recalls. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however no further assistance was offered and they were referred to the NHTSA. The contacts wife hit the steering column and would be seeking medical attention due to her being eight months pregnant. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. Kh.

The metallic trim on the column is peeling, ever so slightly, but enough to have left my knuckles and fingers bloody and in pain on more than one occasion when I turn. I asked the Ford dealer for help, however, was told I need to spend $500 for a new console. This is a safety hazard I think Ford should fix. I really like my car, but I am not happy that my car is cutting me when I turn the wheel. I have to hold the steering wheel and I have to turn the wheel. I pray I don't get into a traffic accident because my fingers are being sliced while I turn. I first was cut in July, around the 4th and I wasn't sure how it happened. Then it happened again on September 15 and then September 26. Then again a few days ago. I have to be extremely cautious while my car is in motion.

Car started shifting funny so I took it to the Ford dealer they said something electronic on the transmission needed changed so they did something did not charge me for anything but it's still shifts differently they said it had to get used to the way I was driving one month later my steering unit went out I took it to the Ford dealer they put it on the machine the the person I talk to on the phone said it needed a whole new steering column and it was $2,100 and at that time they would readjust the module on the steering for free I said no I did not have $2,100 so I had to pay the $99 to have it put on the machine and when I got the paperwork it said nothing about a steering column it only said I declined module programming and that cost was $125 had I paid the 125 I would not have paid that had to pay the 99 dollars but there is nothing on here about a steering column I do know this is difficult for me to prove what he said to me but there is nothing on this paper saying anything about a steering column I do feel that this was a gimmick on this model because they have had so many problems my transmission is still shifting funny.

The steering wheel on my 2014 Ford Focus se came loose one morning. No indication of looseness in the weeks leading up. The steering wheel just became very wobbly and loose. The Ford dealership stated it was not covered under warranty and the comprehensive extended warranty wouldn't cover it either, the issue: a nut that holds the steering wheel to the steering column came loose. According to the technician, there was not much loctight on the bolt. $200 later I have the same nut tightened back down with newly added loctight. Fast forward and on 3/14/2018 Ford announced a recall affecting 1. 4 million Ford fusions that have this very same issue. Yet I have a Focus not a fusion. This issue is not seclusive to just the fusion line up and Ford needs to expand their recall to put the same fix in place for all affected models. Perhaps the loctight isn't enough and the Focus needs the new aggressive threaded bolt with the nylon nut.

I only bought the car last year. Now, I cannot hardly steer it. The steering wheel locks up. I have to fight to turn it. A few mechanics took a look at it, at a shop, and they said it was the steering column, that it is defective. There are other reports about Ford knowing there is an issue with the steering. I want a car that is safe. This car has had issues, continuously, since I bought it. Now, I am stuck with paying almost $400/month on a car that I cannot drive. This is not fair. Besides not fair, I do not want to end up dead, or any of my family members dead, because of a defect in the safety of the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while the vehicle was operated at normal speeds and it experienced a loss of power steering. The power steering warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle towed to chapman Ford where it was diagnosed the steering column needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was offered. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

Vehicle was stationary when I turned the car on. Steering column locked up and the car started beeping and presented the warning "system check steering assist fault service required. " this only happens when the vehicle is stationary and not in motion. In order to stop the above issue, I had to turn the car off and back on and then the steering would unlock.

Started my car this morning and immediately my "steering requires assist" alert came on and I found I had no power steering. My car showed no signs of any issue when I parked it last night 12/14/16 around 7pm but when I went to leave for work at 12/15/16 at 5:30am the alert came on. I had my car towed to the dealer and dealer has informed me that 1) a car with less than 70k needs the entire steering column replaced to the tune of $2000 and 2) that this failure is so commonplace they stock the steering assembly for this repair. I'm just thankful I wasn't commuting on the interstate when this occurred whereas many others were not.

Following my low tire pressure indicator coming on, I noticed the power steering issue as I was pulling into a parking spot, and my steering wheel made a squeaking or whining sound. Later, while driving on a city street, as I began to make a turn, my steering wheel started hesitating, and making a gear stripping noise; the steering column locked up and when I tried to turn the wheel it made a loud squeaking sound. Also, my transmission shutters whenever I accelerate and slow down. The transmission issue was initially repaired via a software update before the warranty expired, but it has since started to malfunction again.

Even after several repair attempts by Ford when turning the steering cracks and pops loudly, it sounds like something is about to break. This vehicle also has had 4 clutch assemblies installed and has a creaking sound in the drivers side door that (according to the dealer) is because there is a bad weld in a "support" column located behind the front fender.

The power steering went out on this vehicle along with the transmission. We lived in the desert at the time (phoenix metro/san antonio to be exact); yet when we took it in for work the mechanic had found extensive rust damage to everything. Paid out-of-pocket for a new steering column and rebuilt transmission. Now, something is wrong with the radiator compartment. I believe that somewhere there is damage because once we are done driving for a bit, the entire reservoir will leak out onto the ground.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Focus 🔎.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while making a turn, the steering malfunction warning light illuminated as the steering wheel became extremely difficult to maneuver. The contact mentioned that after turning off the vehicle and restarting it, the vehicle resumed to normal function. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the tcm needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired, however, failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who stated that the steering column might need to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 59,365.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving at approximately 30 mph, the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The contact was able to regain control. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the steering column assembly and the column steering cover were both replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 15,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 5 mph, the steering wheel seized and excessive force was required to maneuver the vehicle. The hydraulic steering warning indicator illuminated. The contact had to shut off the vehicle and restart it in order to stop the failure. The failure occurred multiple times. The dealer stated that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 78,500.

I noted that the vehicle was not "tracking" well on highways at the recommended cruising speed of 65 mph. The vehicle appears to "drift" from left to right within the lane in which we are travelling. This requires constant attention and concentration in controlling the position of the steering wheel in order to keep the car going in a straight line. It is less noticeable as the highway curves in either the right of left direction. One gets the impression that there is far too much "play" in the steering wheel/column relative to the front wheel drive train mechanism. In addition, the problem seems exaggerated during higher wind velocities. I asked my wife to drive the car and she too noticed the problem. I questioned the service manager at the dealership, at the time of my first scheduled service appointment, and asked if they could drive the car and "tighten" the steering wheel to reduce the "play" in it. He told me that the test drive was pretty normal, that there was no way to adjust the steering mechanism and that the "sport" set-up for this particular model results in that "feel" during driving. As an experienced driver of 56 years who has owned numerous automobiles, including some rather high end sport cars, this explanation made absolutely no sense what-so-ever. He offered me the opportunity to test drive a different vehicle of the same model type, but I declined as I saw no point to the exercise. I had seen an investigative report on the abc national news presented by brian ross relative to reported problems by others in this regard. Upon accessing this sight, I found that there are reports about this particular problem. My purpose in submitting this narrative is to place on the record a possible problem with this Ford product in the event that someone is injured as a result of the steering problem.

In August 2013 after owning car short time took to dealer and service manager drove it with us and said many people think there is an issue with shuddering and delayed acceleration but it's just the high performance transmission. . Not to worry. The car continually got worse over time and we got a recall notice and took in in oct 2014. They replaced the clutch and seals. May 5 the car got really back on long drive home from la. Overheated and then warning light came on. Turned car off and back on warning light went off and drove car home shuddering very bad and with extreme delayed acceleration. Had cars behind us on hills honking and almost rear ended us. . . Took car in may 15 they said it wasn't safe to drive and they had it for 2 months to fix clutch, seals and adaptive learning sensor, replaced tcm, electronics. 8/8/15 while on freeway steering assist fault notification - service required. Pulled off and when I tried to start car again I couldn't move the steering column. Called nearby Ford dealer and they said you can't drive it - safety issue. It is currently in the shop again. Having this happen on a freeway is terrifying - cars honking at you, trying to steer off, etc. This is a danger and Ford needs to take care of it instead of continuing to do temp fixes!!!!!.

Steering column locked up and will not allow key to turn in ignition, cannot get steering column to unlock no matter what is done.

See all problems of the 2000 Ford Focus 🔎.

The steering column locks. I have already had it fixed once before and now it has happened again.

2005 Ford Focus. Consumer states several problems with vehicle to include steering column and ignition switch the consumer stated the vehicle has a telescoping steering wheel and if pushed in all the way, it would cause the fuse for the ignition to blow out when the ignition was started. The ignition switch would not release the key when it was turned off. The consumer stated there is a flaw within the steering column.

See all problems of the 2005 Ford Focus 🔎.

I have had multiple incidents since I inherited the car from my father where the key sticks in the steering column and cannot be removed. It appears to be a yearly event where I need to take the car in to have the key removed from the steering column. I've owned many cars in my 50 years of driving and have never had a problem removing the key from the ignition in any of the others.

See all problems of the 2006 Ford Focus 🔎.

My 2001 Ford Focus zx3 has always had problems with the steering column locking and the key refusing to turn in the ignition. I have usually been able to get it to release after a few tries. Recently, it's gotten worse. I have had several incidents where I was not able to get the key to turn for a few minutes, leaving me with fears of being stranded. Unfortunately, my luck ran out yesterday. I tried both keys, I tried just letting it sit, I tried tapping the keys lightly with a hammer, as did the tow truck operator. Now I'm out $125 for the tow to the dealership, $500 for a new ignition lock, and $180 for two new keys, because of the wear on the old keys. I am shocked both at the price, and at how frequently this seems to happen. I have been a proud Ford Focus owner for 9 years, but the ongoing problems with this car make me leery about ever buying Ford again.

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The steering column locked. Dealer says the tumbler lock fell apart so a new lock and keys are necessary. Mid 400 dollar cost.

Key will not turn in 2003 Ford Focus. Dealership says it appears to be linkage in the steering column.

I have a 2003 Ford Focus and was stranded and had to have my car towed because the steering wheel locked and I couldn't get the key to turn over. The care repair cost was $551 and the ignition and starter cylinder inside of the steering column had to be replaced. I believe this is a manufacturing flaw and Ford motor CO. Should pay for the repairs as a recall problem. It's my understanding that many 2000-2003 Ford Focus models have this flaw.

The device in the steering wheel housing that cancels the turn signal has failed for the third time since I bought the car. The part is obviously defecting in design. This failure results in my reluctance to use the turn signals since I must turn them off manually after completing the turn. And not using turn signals compromises driving safety.