2013 Ford Focus Steering Problems

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

268Steering complaints

12.7%Of all 2,103 complaints

#3Most-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 TRAIN1,050 · 49.9%

ENGINE341 · 16.2%

STEERING268 · 12.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM264 · 12.6%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM206 · 9.8%

Share of the 2,103 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2013 Ford Focus overview page.

What owners report

“I WAS ON MY WAY BACK HOME FROM CHICAGO TO OHIO. ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE TRIP MY STEERING STARTED GETTING STIFF AND HARD TO…”NHTSA complaint 10533438 — filed 08/03/2013

“VEHICLE WONDERS OR DRIFTS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, SEEMS LIKE YOUR ALWAYS OVER CORRECTING THE STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE MAKES A ZIG ZAG MOTION ON CERTAIN ROAD…”NHTSA complaint 10523435 — filed 07/06/2013

“WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (55-65 MPH) FOR PERIODS OF TIME GREATER THAN 30 MINUTES, THE STEERING BEGINS TO BECOME JERKY AND STICKY. THE VEHICLE…”NHTSA complaint 10520422 — filed 06/18/2013

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

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Ford Focus have steering problems?

Steering is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2013 Ford Focus: 268 of 2,103 complaints on file (12.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2013 Ford Focus have in total?

2,103 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 49 involved a crash, 12 involved a fire, 28 reported injuries, and 3 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.