2016 FORD FUSION Steering Problems

STEERING WHEEL ALMOST DETACHED FROM STEERING CULLUM. THERE IS A RECALL ALREADY ATTACHED TO OTHER 2016 FORD FUSIONS BUT NOT MY TRIM MODEL (2016 FORD FUSION ENERGY PLUG IN HYBRID). THE VEH IS NOT DRIVABLE

Transition light it pulls when put into gear and lost power when trying to accelerate when driving.

Lost power in the steering wheel. My safety and others is at risk because the steering wheel locks up completely at slow speeds and it's difficult to turn the steering wheel when turning a corner or trying to back up. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. The component has only been inspected by an independent service center. On 12/5/25 I received a warning on the dashboard, Steering Assist Fault. I drove to work and parked the car. When I got in the car around noon and proceeded to drive the steering wheel was really difficult to turn and I started seeing other notifications that flashed on the screen. As I drove the steering wheel because more difficult to turn. At low speed the steering wheel locked up and I managed to pull the car over to get out of traffic.

This is a notice for Ongoing consumer fraud and deceptive business practices that are negatively affecting the community and jeopardizing life and safety and through unsafe work practices that are negatively affecting the community’s safety and well being. When I returned to request official documentation of their unsafe work practices, I was lacked up by the employees and manager [XXX] , who thought it was hilarious that the wheel fell off my vehicle and then I could’ve been killed and The occurrence that happened to me is not a one time occurrence it is continuing to affect the community as a whole. This is a complaint regarding ongoing bad business practices that is not safe. would somebody please look into this and make sure that our community is safe and that unsafe work practices are corrected in the best interest and safety of the community in mind. 49 U.S.C. § 30101...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after her son started the vehicle, the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. 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 NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (STEERING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

Electric Power Steering Motor Attaching Bolts Corrode (NHTSA 19V-632, OEM 19S26): Corrosion of bolts in the electric power steering system can lead to loss of power steering assist in 2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles in certain states. Dealers will replace bolts and apply a sealant, or install a new steering gear.

purchased a used vehicle. At the time of purchase, there were no visible issues with the car. However, approximately 20 days later, a significant jerking and knocking problem related to the transmission appeared. Due to this issue, I stopped using the vehicle for a while. After consulting with a mechanic, I was informed that the transmission needs to be replaced. As of now, the car is struggling significantly to move. When I turn the ignition, the engine starts, but the vehicle does not move. If I turn the ignition off and restart it, it may move slightly after shaking the vehicle, but then it quickly stops and displays an error again. In this condition, the vehicle is not drivable. Unfortunately, the person I bought the car from refused to accept any responsibility or take the car back, despite my clear communication about the issue. Additionally, the following issues have also...

I purchased a 2016 Ford Fusion S new from the dealership in 2016. Earlier this year, multiple indicator lights turned on including "Service AdvanceTrac", ABS light, steering and hill assist lights. As time progressed, the Power Steering has become more of an issue to a point now that it is difficult to make tight turns going at low speed. I never received a recall notice, but when I did a search of the 2016 Ford Fusion S vehicle, there is an outstanding recall on similar models in 19V632000. The list of states include the state of Missouri which is where the vehicle was purchased from. At the time the recall notice was sent out (August 28, 2019), the vehicle would have been registered in Kansas. A search by the VIN number does not show a recall notice for it. Presently, the vehicle is registered in Iowa. I hope to get...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the assist fault error and an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with steering gear failure. The contact was informed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,263.

My car is a 2016 Ford fusion and it was working fine until February of 2025. There was a message that appeared on the dashboard as soon as I started the car. The message was “steering loss, stop safely” making it extremely difficult to turn. The steering can’t even turn left or right. It’s locked in place. I had to get it towed and now it’s undrivable. I can’t even get it fixed because my specific VIN # is not listed for a recall and I’m unsure what to do. I need help what can I do?

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the instrument cluster and the radio turned off unintendedly. The contact stated that the power train, hill assist, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was able to be restarted after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to two dealers; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (STEERING); however, the...

The ABS module is faulty and light will come on at random times and makes steering hard and braking on right side of vehicle is hard. I have taken it to Raceway Ford of Hartsville and they are having a hard time getting the part due to it being called obsolete but I think it needs to be on the recall list as well due to it being a safety concern on my vehicle.

I have never had this issue before with this car. I started the car up to go to the store and saw all these lights on my dash. I keep my car maintained well. Tires, oil, tune up etc… and when I saw the lights on the dash it said service advance trac and steering loss stop safely with 2 other icons above it. So I didn’t know what that was so I sent to get power fluid not knowing it wasn’t a reservoir. I know Ford had/has a recall on 2016 ford fusions model for THIS EXACT ISSUE! My steering cannot turn at all I need my car, PLEASE I am on disability and it’s not right that the recall won’t cover all ford of this model with this issue. I beg, I need my car fixed.

I have had road salt contamination with the electrical wiring to the power steering causing the wires to become brittle and break causing a power steering failure in a right curve which caused the steering wheel to jerk the car to the left nearly causing a collision. The power steering failed again due to high friction inside steering gear and has a broken bolt on the EPAS motor to the steering gear.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, and the power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

The power steering failed suddenly while driving. The vehicle became nearly impossible to steer and control. Our safety and the safety of others vehicles or pedestrians was put at risk because the car could not be steered or controlled properly. The failure could have easily caused a serious and perhaps life threatening accident. Luckily, due to circumstances, we were able to pull over safely without causing an accident. It suddenly became extremely difficult to steer the car to a safe stop. No warning lamps were illuminated until the problem was actually happening. The warning lamps read "power steering assist fault; pull over safely immediately". The car was towed to a auto mechanic. The mechanic was able to "reset" the power steering but could not diagnose the problem. We then took the car to a Ford Dealer for further inspection. The Ford Dealer diagnosed the car and said it needs a...

This incident is replicable. When driving in lower speed (parking) and moments after switching into a gear (drive or reverse) the power steering goes out. The dash flashes with 2 errors “service AndvanceTrac” and “Hill Assist” following dash lights illuminate: Airbags, ABS, & Traction control. Once the vehicle is turned off and then back on, the indicator lights go away and power steering works again. This vehicle was made at Flat Rock by FMC on 8/26/15 and was purchased & registered in the state of New York from 2015-2021 but Recall # 19S26 only refers to Vehicles made at Flat Rock between 8/21/13 - 6/14/15 (This vehicle was made 83 days later)

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at a slow speed, the steering wheel started to wobble with the "Power Steering Assist Fault Service Now" message displayed. The contact pulled into a parking lot and the “Loss of Power Steering - Pull Over to the Side of the Road for Safety" and "No ABS" messages were displayed. The contact attempted to read the safety manual but found no information about the failure. The contact called her husband who had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic later called the contact and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be serviced because no fault codes were found. The vehicle was later towed to a dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the message steering loss was displayed on the instrument panel and the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the failure was temporary. The vehicle then regained power steering functionality and the contact continued driving. The contact stated that the following morning while starting the vehicle, the failure recurred. The vehicle then became inoperable. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Electric rack and pinion steering failed while driving. It will not be available because the core need to be exchanged for the new part. I could not steer the car. I had no power to the steering. Luckily I could get it into my driveway before it completely locked up. Yes the garage I had it towed to had to push the car into the garage because it was not drivable. No one but the mechanic has inspected the part. I received a warning stating my power assist steering needed attention, and please drive slowly to a stop. I do not have any repair invoice because my vehicle is still being repaired The reason I am filing this complaint is that Ford has had problems with this steering component and was recalled in other Fusions but when contacting them, they said that mine was not covered under the recall for...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "Loss of Power Steering - Pull Over to the Side of the Road for Safety" was displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized, which prevented the contact from pulling to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence of a family member. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the power steering pump and the power steering harness had failed due to internal friction. The vehicle was then towed to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack had failed due to internal friction and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that after the steering rack replacement, that a four wheel alignment needed to be performed, and the TCM and the ECM needed to be...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel felt loosened. The contact stated that the steering wheel made it difficult to turn to the left or the right. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the power steering module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 142,178.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The Advance Trac warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an auto repair shop where it was diagnosed and determined that the rack and pinion steering system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that on two occasions while the vehicle was parked, the check engine, ABS, parking brake, traction on/off, and power train warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the steering wheel became firm. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the electronic power steering module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 165,000.

My 2016 Ford Fusion's power steering went out while driving, making it extremely difficult to turn effectively, especially at lower speeds. After the loss of power steering, the dashboard started showing warnings about "Hill Assist", "Powertrac" being unavailable and "Power steering loss - stop safely". The steering also feels "clunky" where the steering wheel jumps when turning. There are also clicks heard from near the engine compartment when turning. Now, the warnings on the dashboard display when first starting the car. I brought it to a Ford dealership who diagnosed the issue and determined that the steering gear needed to be replaced. They quoted $6000 to replace the entire power steering assembly. This issue seems to be part of Ford recall 19V632, however my VIN is not covered. I live in Minnesota and my car is in contact with road salt and other contaminants (especially in the winter) very often. There...

Loss of power steering and multiple codes light up on dash about an hour prior to loss. Experienced a slow escalation of having difficultly steering of approx 1-2 days where steering did not seem as responsive. Was able to return home, but upon restart i had no power steering steering and multiple diagnostics failure lights coming on [Steering Loss Stop Safety, Service Advance Trac, Hill Start assist not available]. This currently is in a state of not being able to drive. Losing power steering assist puts safety at jeopardy at any speed to not allow for any fine movement or directional control. If this happened at any rate of speed this is a concern. It being the weekend I will need to discuss with my local mechanic as well as local dealership on course of action. I have tried to restart several times with the warnings and still lack of...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and attempting to make a right turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact used excessive force to pull to the side of the road and allowed another individual more capable of maneuvering the vehicle without power steering functionality. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the Traction Control and Hill Assist Failure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 101,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the steering wheel was seized. The message “Steering Loss - Drive Safely” was displayed. The contact turned off the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact was notified of an unknown recall related to the steering. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 127,000.

Steering Wheel power steering no longer works. Can't turn the steering wheel. Became extremely difficult to turn before permanently parking. The 2016 Ford Fusion is currently at the dealership and they confirmed the issue. It's been inspected by a Ford Dealership Service Center. Yes, a light came on in the vehicle, but I do not remember which one. Nothing we did caused it to stop working. One day it just started jerking and catching while turning. Then it stopped working suddenly.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while pulling out of the driveway, he observed a popping noise emanating from the engine compartment and the power steering assist failure warning light illuminated. Additionally, the steering wheel became stiff and did not operate as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The steering wheel became wobbly and loose. Took it to the Whaling City Ford in New London CT. and they said that although this type of issue was the subject of a recall, this particular car/VIN was not part of that recall, and they would charge $60 just to diagnose the issue. Called Ford later in the day and they said the car had been repaired under the recall in 2018 and now it was not in warranty. Obviously the fix performed under the recall was not done properly, or it was otherwise ineffective. They refuse to fix it at their expense. I had it repaired elsewhere. at my own expense.

This problem randomly occurred. My steering wheel stopped working & it took a severe amount of force to control the steering wheel. No prior problems with the vehicle

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the steering wheel was very loose. The contact spoke with the dealer where and it was confirmed that the vehicle was included in two recalls not related to the steering. The dealer confirmed that the failure experienced was related to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V632000 (Steering) and 18V167000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recalls. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 143,910.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the traction control warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering gear had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering) however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered because the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Car initially showed a warning alert for failed traction control. Attempted to reset using steering wheel reset, failed. Tried backing car up and steering became extremely hard to do, requiring maximum effort to turn wheel. Steering power assist light lit up on dashboard. Parked car. Made appointment with Heritage Ford, South Burlington, VT. Upon subsequent investigation discovered that 2016 Fusion had been recalled #19V632000 but only when sold in Northern States where salt was being used or currently registered in (Vermont was included). I moved to Vermont to be with family in 2020. Failure occurred about [XXX]. 1). Had this failure occurred, while driving we could have had a fatal accident. 2). Shouldn’t there be provisions for folks who move into northern states originally identified or is Ford dictating these non recalled cars remain in non salt applying states for their life? Shouldn’t all cars have been recalled to prevent...

When I was backing out of my apartment complex and tried to turn left the car just stopped and when you turn the wheel it says service advance trac and hill Start car hasn’t been drove since last Friday

Steering fault indicator on dashboard and then steering loss displayed and now can not steer car

First of all steering wheel came loose from steering column luckily I was pulling into a parking spot due to steering wheel feeling very loose and the electric steering went out also this could have resulted in terrible accident as I was driving back from working offshore approximately 45 miles away. The dealership replaced the steering wheel due to a bolt which was a recall item after 3 weeks of sitting at the dealership but they told me the electric steering issue was not a recall item on my vehicle. They also said they fixed something with break system and something with transmission shift linkage which they did say were recall items. While the vehicle was getting steering wheel changed out they did something to the steering system which allowed the vehicle steering system to operate normal but two weeks later the steering went out again. I had seen online...

Date of first incident was Nov 19, 2023. I was driving home from taking my elderly mother to the doctor and my engine just shut off. I had plenty of gas, my oil and transmission had been changed, no warning lights came on my dash prior to the engine stopping. The only message I had on my car said the car is not in park. No one can seem to find out why. It has done this at a moderate rate of speed (45mph). My steering wheel locked and I can't steer the car giving me the option to get to a safe place on the road. I have to hit another vehicle or hit a pole. I have good insurance but I don't want to use it to fix body damage. I can't afford that with a 300 dollar car payment. My break sensor error light will come on...

On affected vehicles, the steering-wheel bolt may not maintain enough pressure, allowing it to loosen over time. As a result, the steering wheel may detach.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the steering wheel was not functioning properly and had become extremely loose. The contact briefly lost control of the vehicle, nearly causing a crash. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the retaining bolt was loose and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 110,000.

Was driving and my wheel was hard to turn the wheel. Had to get a tow truck to pull it to my house. No lights didn’t show on the board indicating that there were any issues but, I can’t and haven’t been able to drive my car since the wheel locked.

The steering wheel has became severely loose to the point of almost detached. Ford claims there is no recall on this part for this model, however I've read that many people have had this problem. It is a high safety concern.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH and attempting to turn to the right, the steering wheel tightened as if the power steering assist had failed. The failure occurred and then self-corrected intermittently. The failure had become persistent over time. There were no warning lights illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the power steering failed, and the steering rack needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was currently being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall on the VIN for the coverage of the repair. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.

This incident has happened to me more than once in the past few months. I am driving along the highway and all of a sudden I lose my power steering. The dashboard reads STEERING ASSIST FAULT. Service required. As well as Service Advance Trac. Safety issue because going at moderate speed to get onto highway and losing all power steering could cause me to go off road if in bad weather like rain or snow. In each situation all it took was me pulling off road and resetting the car by turning engine off and then turning it back on. I have take it to a Ford dealership near me and they ran a full diagnostics but couldnt find anything really wrong with it but it continues to happen at least once a month. Ive read similar incidents with Ford Fusion owners on Google and they werent sure as I...

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became loosened. The contact stated that the failure increased significantly, and the vehicle had become undriveable. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V167000 (Steering). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact the vehicle was not included in the recall. No further information was provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

I have an electric power, steering rack and assist and it failed on the way to Pennsylvania to visit my daughter and grandchildren. I had to drive an additional 42 miles with no power steering. There was a recall, supposedly completed for the bolts in the Assist, and I no longer have a warranty on this. it was fine until 5 hours into my trip.

Power steering fault

I was driving to a friends house when my car start to make a dinging sound, and on the dashboard it said that power steering was lost, and to pull over safely. When i tried to turn the car on and off again to see if it might have been a glitch, the wheel locked up and I couldn’t turn it, without almost breaking it. If i want going to my friends house when it happened, my car would have been in an accident on a highway going towards my house, possibly causing multiple injuries and accidents since it happened late in the afternoon almost night time. I went to have it looked at by a mechanic and they said it could possibly be the rack and pinion when they ran the codes. The only warning i got was that my car was saying that the hill assist parking was...

When driving straight the steering wheel was turned to the right, after I turned the steering wheel a couple of turns the steering wheel and the car was driving straight. the stirring wheel was wobbly. I took it to a dealer they tightened up the steering wheel. no warning signs