2012 Ford Focus Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

923Steering complaints

24.6%Of all 3,756 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN1,384 · 36.8%

STEERING923 · 24.6%

ENGINE473 · 12.6%

Unspecified / other356 · 9.5%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM344 · 9.2%

Share of the 3,756 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Ford Focus overview page.

What owners report

“I HAD AN EARLIER COMPLAINT ON MY FIRST FOCUS PURCHASED IN MARCH 2012...INCIDENT DATE JUNE 27 2012...I LOST POWER STEERING ON 3 OCCASIONS...SERVICE WAS NOT…”NHTSA complaint 10468122 — filed 07/29/2012

“GOT THE CAR ON WEDNESDAY JULY 25TH AFTER A WEEK LONG WAIT FOR KEY....LONG STORY.....THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED 2 HOURS AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR…”NHTSA complaint 10467901 — filed 07/27/2012

“WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP, DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CAR WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE DASHBOARD DISPLAYED…”NHTSA complaint 10465739 — filed 07/15/2012

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Ford Focus have steering problems?

Steering is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Ford Focus: 923 of 3,756 complaints on file (24.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Ford Focus have in total?

3,756 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 107 involved a crash, 15 involved a fire, 88 reported injuries, and 5 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.