NHTSA Complaint #11011111 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

THE POWER STEERING ('EPAS' - ELECTRIC POWER-ASSISTED STEERING) SYSTEM FAILED IN MY 2012 FORD FOCUS ON 7/15/2016. THE POWER LOSS WAS INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED AT FIRST, RANDOMLY SHUTTING OFF UPON VEHICLE START-UP, OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE POWER STEERING EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCED FULL FAILURE ON JULY 15TH, 2016 AND REMAINS INOPERABLE TO THIS DAY, LEAVING ME TO DEAL WITH COMPLETE MANUAL STEERING ONLY. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, STEERING EFFORT HAS INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY DURING STATIONARY AND LOW SPEED MANEUVERING. IT ALSO MAKES CONTROLLING THE STEERING WHEEL AND VEHICLE UNDER BUMPY ROAD CONDITIONS TROUBLESOME AT ALL SPEEDS, AS WELL AS AVOIDING LANE DRIFT AT ALL SPEEDS. THE MOST CONCERNING RESULT OF THIS POWER STEERING FAILURE IS DEALING WITH BUMPY ROAD CONDITIONS, INCLUDING POTHOLES, WHICH CAN JERK THE STEERING WHEEL FROM MY GRIP AT TIMES AND VEER THE VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER LANE, OR WORSE, AN OPPOSING LANE OF TRAFFIC. THIS HAS AT TIMES CAUSED MILD INJURY TO MY WRISTS AND OCCASIONALLY STRAIN IN MY ELBOWS WHEN DEALING WITH SUDDEN JERKS AS WELL AS THE IMMENSE EFFORT REQUIRED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IN STATIONARY OR LOW-SPEED MANEUVERING SITUATIONS. I AM A HEALTHY AND PHYSICALLY FIT YOUNG MAN, & EVEN I HAVE TROUBLE DEALING WITH THE STEERING WHEEL IN THESE SITUATIONS. DUE TO THE ENORMOUS COST OF REPAIR, WHICH CAN COST UPWARDS OF $2000, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO AFFORD REPAIR THE STEERING, WHICH HAS BEEN INOPERABLE FOR OVER A YEAR. THE NHTSA HAS ALREADY RECALLED THE 2011-13 FORD TAURUS AND FLEX, 2011-13 LINCOLN MKS AND MKT, 2011-12 FORD FUSION AND LINCOLN MKZ, AND 2011 MERCURY MILAN FOR THE SAME EPAS STEERING FAILURE, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE FOCUS YET. I WORRY THIS ISSUE WILL POTENTIALLY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO ME OR MY LOVED ONES.