NHTSA Complaint #10816935 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

MY PROBLEM FIRST STARTED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP UPON START OF VEHICLE AT RANDOM TIMES. I COULD PUT THE VEHICLE IN FORWARD OR REVERSE AND DRIVE BUT THE WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN. I WOULD TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON TO GET THE WHEEL TO FINALLY START TURNING. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF THAT, I STARTED NOTICING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING AT HIGH SPEEDS. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY I WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING A STRAIGHT PATH. I WOULD HAVE TO CONSTANTLY MAKE MICRO ADJUSTMENTS TO CORRECT MY PATH. THEN I STARTED NOTICING THAT AT CERTAIN POINTS WHILE DRIVING 65+ MPH THAT MY WHEEL WOULD HAVE SPOTS THAT WERE DIFFICULT TO TURN. FOR EXAMPLE TO MERGE FROM LEFT LANE TO RIGHT LANE WOULD REQUIRE EXCESSIVE FORCE AND THEN WOULD GET EASY AGAIN. THIS IS NOT SAFE, IT WAS SNOWING OUT AND THE JOLT OF THE VEHICLE THAT RESULTS IN MY CORRECTIONS CAUSED ME TO SLIDE AND ALMOST LOOSE CONTROL AT TIMES. IF A WEAKER PERSON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THE STEERING ISSUES. I CANT TAKE THE CAR ON 55+ MPH ROADS ANYMORE BECAUSE THE STEERING IS SO BAD I AM CONSTANTLY CORRECTING AND FIGHTING THE POWER STEERING. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE FORD SHOP AND THEY SAID ITS A $1700 FIX WITH NO RECALL/WARRANTY FROM FORD. SEEMS LIKE THERE IS AN AWFUL LOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS STEERING SYSTEM THAT ALL SOUND THE SIMILAR. *JS