NHTSA Complaint #10954570 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

IT USED TO BE THAT UPON STARTING MY CAR, A WARNING PROMPT READING "STEERING ASSIST MALFUNCTION" POPPED UP AND MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD BE VERY DIFFCULT TO TURN. USUALLY, I WOULD TURN OFF THE CAR, TURN IT BACK ON, AND VOILA--IT WOULD WORK FINE. BUT NOW, THE STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTION HAS DEVELOPED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WITH NO PATTER OR WARNING OF IT HAPPENING. AGAIN I WOULD TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT BACK ON ONCE I MERGED OUT FROM THE ROADS OF THE STREET OR FREEWAY. STEERING ALONE WAS REALLY DIFFICULT. NOW, MY CAR READS THE SAME MALFUNCTION PROMPT, AND MY NIFTY TRICK OF TURNING IT OFF AND BACK ON NO LONGER WORKS. THE ISSUE IS PERMANENT AS OF NOW. ALSO I HAVE LOTS OF VIDEOS DOCUMENTED ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON YOUTUBE.