2012 FORD FUSION Steering Problems

I am writing to formally report that the safety recall repair on my 2012 Ford Fusion has failed to resolve the dangerous loss of power steering. My vehicle underwent the 15S18 recall update only at Tom's Ford back in 2015. On January 20 2026, the steering failed again while driving, creating an immediate safety risk. The dealer has failed to provide a permanent remedy at Jim Hudson Ford in Lexington SC. As safety recalls do not expire, I request a permanent fix of the steering gear replacement within 14 days of this letter, per NHTSA guidelines. If this is not resolved, I will pursue further legal action.

I am writing to formally file a complaint and request resolution regarding a serious safety issue involving my 2012 Ford Fusion SEL (VIN: [XXX] ). I have been a loyal Ford customer for over 20 years and have owned only Ford vehicles. Unfortunately, my recent experience with Ford Customer Care and my local dealership has been extremely disappointing and concerning. A few weeks ago, my 2012 Ford Fusion suddenly lost power steering while my young son was driving home from school. This created a terrifying and dangerous situation that could have resulted in a serious accident or injury. Thankfully, he was able to safely pull over, and no one was hurt. However, this was clearly a major safety failure. After this incident, I contacted Ford Customer Care and my local Ford dealership to seek assistance. I was informed that the Customer Satisfaction Program related to the EPAS steering system had...

My vehicle all of a sudden showed a "power steering assist fault," luckily it was parked. This is a problem with the 2012 Ford Fusion and I called Koon's Ford in Baltimore to see if this would be covered since my vehicle has never had steering issues before. They said yes, but after a couple days they called to tell me that Ford denied the claim since it is outside of the ten year warranty window. My car does not have a lot of miles for being over ten years old. I understand the warranty is in place for a reason but this is a dangerous manufacturer issue. I could have gotten seriously hurt if it happened on the road so it is upsetting to hear that Ford refuses to cover it. I will try to call customer relations to see if there could be another verdict. It is concerning...

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the message "Electric Steering Fault" was displayed. While driving out of the driveway, the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn, causing the vehicle to drive across two lanes of traffic. The vehicle was driven to the local deale,r who diagnosed that the steering gear was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (STEERING); and was no longer eligible for a related Customer Satisfaction Program to address the steering failure. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 170,000.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Power Steering How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The likelihood of accidents when traveling at lower speeds is increased. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the Ford dealership reproduced the issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? UNKNOWN Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, the message appeared only when the power steering stopped functioning.

I recently started to experience hard steering while in transit the power assist light came on and so does the advanced track warning light. I discovered there was a recall so I took it in to the Ford dealership, which was JC Lewis Ford in Savannah, Georgia, but the technician told me that there were too many miles and after 150,000 miles, the recall was null and void

UNKNOWN. I have no power steering. I have contacted Ford and they were supposed to fix my car for free which they did not because it was up for recall.

My car lost my electric power steering on November 15, 2025. Ford has a Safety Satisfaction Program15V340000 for this vehicle. The Dealership refuses to honor the program since it has over 150,000 miles on it. Reading through the paper work for the program 15v340000 I never noticed a mileage exclusion. Any help on this issue would greatly be appreciated.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the messages "Service Power Steering Assist Fault" and "Advancetrac" were displayed, and the steering wheel suddenly became very difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the contact related the failure to the recall. The failure mileage was 150,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the “Service Advancetrac” and “Service Power Steering Now" messages were displayed. The contact stated that the traction control warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the residence, and the vehicle was shifted into reverse(R), and the steering wheel became firm. The contact stated that when the vehicle was shifted into drive(D), the steering wheel remained firm. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the power steering control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle on two occasions, the "Power Steering Assist Fault" message was displayed on the instrument panel, and excessive force was required to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a defective electric rack and pinion. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH in the snow, the message "Service Power Steering" was displayed, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle became difficult to maneuver, and the contact had to use force to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact's stepfather used a handheld scanner to diagnose the vehicle and retrieved DTC: C1963-20 and C1511. The vehicle remained at the residence. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

The power steering of the vehicle was lost along with illumination of “power steering sensor assist fault” and “service advance trac.” The difficulty of steering made it very dangerous on the road. The problem has been diagnosed and confirmed as code 15N01 (formerly safety recall 15S18). The 15N01 is an extended program under safety recall 15N01. I am issuing this complaint as the 15N01 program has an expiration of 150,000 miles and/or date of 10 years since purchase. My car had the original safety recall 15S18 done in 2015 but now is not qualified for the steering gear (15N01). This shows that this program shouldn’t have any limits as these steering gears were shown defective from the factory. Safety recalls never die and what they did as a quick fix for those cars in 2015 that were not showing those DTC’s was not an adequate repair . They should have...

Warning light on dash indicating "Service Power Steering Now" suddenly while driving car. Nearly complete loss of steering.

Power steering has recently failed. Vehicle unsafe to drive (had to cancel recall appointment to replace air bags). Found an old Ford Steering Technical Bulletin 15S18-S3 for this issue. Never received a recall notice & would never have known of the recall until the issue affected me. This seems to be a safety bulletin. Am I able to get this repaired by Ford on their dime? They are telling me no.

Purchased in October of 2024,12 Ford Fusion steering failure. Vehicle suddenly became difficult to steer. Issues match 15N01 recall by Ford. Car has under 60,000 miles and Ford refuses to repair. After stating that it should be covered under the recall. Definitely a safety concern. Now stating it was not an actual "recall" now listed as a customer satisfaction program instead of a recall.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 50 MPH, the steering wheel locked up. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and restarted; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the steering gear and power steering control module needed to be reprogrammed or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on the inspection notice, she observed NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 197,150.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the contact had to drive the vehicle in manual steering mode. The failure had occurred three times. The contact became aware that the vehicle was previously included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering), and the previous owner had taken the vehicle to be repaired under the recall. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with Advancetrac failure, causing the steering wheel angle sensor to fail. The steering wheel angle sensor was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The mechanic reset the power steering function after each failure. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the power steering assist fault message was displayed. The power steering function was inoperable. The check engine warning light was illuminated due to a possible canister purge valve failure. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 165,461.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring an increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rack and pinion. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 126,000.

Subject: Concern Regarding Power Steering Failure and Recall Eligibility – 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid I own a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid, and recently ( around 2 weeks back) experienced a sudden failure of the power steering system. One morning, as I started the car in the parking lot to head to work, I noticed the power steering was not functioning. A warning light appeared indicating a problem with the power steering system. I contacted a mobile mechanic to inspect the issue. After examining the vehicle, he confirmed the power steering had failed and advised me to take the car to a dealership for repairs. I arranged for a towing service to transport my vehicle to Interstate Ford in Dacono, Colorado. The dealership diagnosed the issue as a failure in the power steering gear and estimated the repair cost to be approximately $3,500. Concerned about the nature of the failure, I...

I am filing a complaint regarding the ineffectiveness of Ford Recall 15S18 / NHTSA 15V-340 on my 2012 Ford Fusion (VIN: [XXX] ). On [XXX], immediately after starting the vehicle (prior to moving), the Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system failed completely and a steering-assist warning illuminated. This occurred when a female driver attempted to operate the vehicle and could not drive it safely without power assist. Modern vehicles like the Fusion are not designed to be driven without EPAS, and as NHTSA has noted in prior recall actions, loss of assist requires significantly greater effort and poses a safety risk. Diagnostics showed U3000:49-08, confirming internal EPAS rack failure. The vehicle required full replacement of the steering rack at Lilliston Ford (Vineland, NJ), costing me $2,460.65 on July 18, 2025 (invoice attached). Following this repair, new diagnostic codes appeared (B10B9:14-08 and U0423:68-08), coinciding with complete A/C failure. These faults were...

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring an increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The service power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 151,000.

Ford’s official website shows that my 2012 Ford Fusion (VIN: [XXX] ) is covered under Customer Satisfaction Program 15N01 – EPAS Steering Efforts, with instructions to schedule free service with a dealer. However, my local dealer refused to honor it, stating it had expired. I never received any notification of this program, and it involves the steering assist system which is a serious safety issue. Please review this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My 2012 Ford Fusion (VIN: [XXX] ) was previously repaired under Recall 15S18 / Customer Satisfaction Program 15N01 for a steering assist failure in 2016 at 83,000 miles. In March 2022, at 143,000 miles, the same defect occurred again—power steering warning light came on and steering assist failed while driving. The issue was diagnosed by Gillis Auto Center and confirmed again by Mullinax Ford in 2025. Ford refused to cover the repair, citing expired coverage, despite both dealerships confirming it is the same failure addressed by the original recall. I believe this is a safety defect that was not permanently remedied by the original recall repair. I am requesting NHTSA to review whether other vehicles are also experiencing repeat failures. I have attached all documentation in my email to Ford and will provide it to NHTSA upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C....

Our power steering failed while driving and is extremely difficult to turn. It is dangerous. We looked up safety recalls and found Safety Recall 15S18 and 15N01 to repair the power steering due to a manufacturer defect. The dealer charged us $250 to "assess" the issue and then refused to recall the vehicle or make the repairs. It claimed that the car was too old and out of warranty. But this is not a warranty repair it is a safety recall issue for a defective power steering system. Our car has error codes U3000:49, U3000:72, and U3000:96. They are DTCs in the PSCM.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel became firm. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the power steering rack and the rack and pinion were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 117,888.

My power steering rack and pinion went out after the Ford recall being completed

My power steering went out while driving and then warning lights came on in dash. I have uploaded photos. I also have seen that there was a recall due to power steering issues with my year make and model in the past. Recall # NHTSA Campaign number 15V340000

Power steering first failed in March 2025 after longer than average driving (vacation). Unplugging the electronic power steering motor from the power supply / data cables resolved the loss of powering steering at that time. The power steering error and failure returned on [XXX] after average driving and upon restarting the vehicle. This time unplugging the power steering motor did not resolve the issue. The vehicle will be going for further diagnosis and repair this week. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I drove about 40 mins to a friends house. Got up the next day to leave and I started the car and the power steering assist fault warning light came on. Nothing led up to this incident. Just all of a sudden.

Back in 2022 my power steering went out while I was driving the lights service advancetac and power steering assist fault show up took it to Ford to tell me it was the rack and pinion I got it replaced 3 months ago I’m on the interstate trying to get off as an exit and it went out again with the same messages. This is really alarming And dangerous when is constantly keep happening during driving. Especially for the price at ford wants to constantly replace it for.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed, and the steering wheel seized. The contact waited for several minutes and then restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure had reoccurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the rack and pinion had failed and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the power steering system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 - 60 MPH, the AdvanceTrac and power steering systems became inoperable. The AdvanceTrac and power steering warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent certified mechanic, where an unknown diagnostic was made. The AdvanceTrac system was reset, and unknown power steering system repairs were performed; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic several times. The mechanic reset the AdvanceTrac system a second time. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall and the vehicle did not have warranty coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 29,104.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist was inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact stated that the power steering message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with DTC related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 15N01 (EPAS Steering Efforts). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no coverage for the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving on a main road at 55 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality with the message "Service Advanced Track Power Steering" displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the side of the road to restart the vehicle; however, the power steering function remained disabled. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 165,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the power steering failed to function as intended and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact called a friend to drive the vehicle to the residence. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that on another occasion, the steering wheel became difficult to turn while driving. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rack and pinon had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

My power steering went in my 2012 Ford Fusion. It was recalled years ago and now it has affected my car. I can’t drive it as it is very unsafe. I was told since it was under 150,000 miles it could be fixed but by someone else I was told it will not be fixed. I need some assistance.

Steering Issue

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the power steering assist became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle due to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message “Service Power Steering” was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, and the steering wheel seized. The message "Service Power Steering" was displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or inspected. The contact stated that another independent mechanic was scheduled to stop by the residence to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 122,234.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering gearbox had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "Service Power Steering" was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact's husband was able to drive the vehicle to the residence without power steering assist. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering control module (PSCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was covered under Ford Campaign Number: 15N01. The manufacturer attempted to contact the dealer on the contact's behalf; however, the dealer was unreachable. The dealer later informed the contact that Ford Campaign Number: 15N01 had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 206,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel started drifting and the contact was unable to keep steering wheel steady. The contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the steering wheel while turning the wheel in either direction. The contact stated that the "Service Power Steering Assist" and "Service Advancetrac" messages were displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the power steering module was electrical, and no repairs could be performed on the vehicle. Despite the failure, the contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence and contacted the manufacturer. The manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The contact was also provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure...

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 15V34000 (STEERING), 19V001000 (AIR BAGS), and 21V158000 (AIR BAGS); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not yet made aware of the issue. The contact stated whiling parking the vehicle the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn with the message "Service Power Steering" displayed. The cause of the failure was not determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 310,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 25-30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality while turning into the driveway. The contact was able to park the vehicle at the residence. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 ( Steering). The contact called the local dealer who confirmed there was no recall on the VIN. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer by the Ford mechanic and was diagnosed that the sensor or module to the power steering needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

The contact's stepdaughter owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his stepdaughter was driving approximately 20-30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that the failure had recurred on several occasions. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the power steering became functional for approximately 10 minutes. Additionally, the message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed on some occasions. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

When I turned my car on to leave for work it was beeping and the menu said power steering system faulty and loss of power steering/ it will also randomly loss power steering while driving down the road

Randomly at start up, it says "power steering assist fault" We took it to Ford and they couldn't recreate the problem because it was happening at random, and they said they couldn't fix it as it wasn't having the problem at the time. Now it's permanent, we have no power steering assist and is very unsafe for my mother to drive.