NHTSA Complaint #11142803 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

ON 9/25/18, AFTER DRIVING TWO HOURS AND THEN MAKING A BRIEF STOP, WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING WARNING: "STEERING ASSIST FAULT. SERVICE REQUIRED." WHEN I STARTED BACKING OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE, I DISCOVERED THE CAR HAD LOST POWER STEERING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON BUT RECEIVED THE SAME WARNING AND STILL HAD NO POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE TWO HOURS HOME VERY CAREFULLY BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS POSED A SAFETY RISK, ESPECIALLY IF IT HAD GONE OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING OR IF THERE WAS A NEED FOR ME TO MAKE A TURN QUICKLY. HERE ARE THE FACTS WE LEARNED FROM DOING SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND CONTACTING OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP: SEVERAL OTHER FORD FAMILY MODELS WITH SIMILAR YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR STEERING ASSIST ISSUES AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM WAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM WHICH COSTS OVER $2100. IN CONCLUSION, WHY AM I NOW $2100 POORER AFTER REPLACING POWER STEERING IN A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES WHEN CLEARLY THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH FORD'S POWER STEERING THAT SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL ON THE FOCUS AS WELL? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS COMPLAINT.