2012 Ford Fusion complaints

The power steering will go out and will make the wheel lock up

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the steering wheel became very difficult to turn while following a curve in the road. The contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated the power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had recently become a persistent failure. The contact stated that she was afraid to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that an independent mechanic arrived at the residence to diagnose the vehicle. The mechanic determined that the power steering assist had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 191,000.

Problem: Electric Steering Rack. In the past few months when first starting car, sometimes steering wheel will not move for several seconds (1 -2) then steering frees up, but lately it is getting worse, sometime having to turn car off and restart. Also, one time dash indicator saying, "Steering Assist Failure". Checking on recalls for this problem, a number of Ford models has had recalls on this electric steer issue but not this particular vehicle. This seems like a very dangerous issue and we are afraid to drive it, but Ford won't do anything about it. The wrecking yards say that there is high demand for used electric steering racks which indicates this is a common problem. This car has only 70K miles on it. Est cost to repair $2,200 to replace steering rack.

I was driving down the highway, and out of no where my powersteering shut off, we almost wrecked with my 2 kids and wife In the car. I had a message pop up on the dash saying “service powersteering now” “service advancetrac”. We pulled over, I tried disconnecting the battery hoping the issues was electrical. It didn’t help. I checked every fuse both under the dash and under the hood, all were good. I got to doing some research, turns out there was a recall on 2012 ford fusions without the 3.5L (mine is the 2.5L) for this exact issue. The Electric Powersteering has issues that could cause severe accidents. I reached out to Ford about the issue, and I was told the recall didn’t apply to my vehicle. Even though I do in fact own a 2012 ford fusion with the 2.5L engine, and I’m having the same dangerous issue that was replaced in other vehicles like mine. The recall I found doing research is (NHTSA Recall ID: 15V340000)

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon his son starting the vehicle, he became aware that the vehicle was difficult to maneuver. The electronic stability control warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the steering column and rack and pinion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 115,250.

This is a second failure of the steering rack on this vehicle after being replaced at a Ford dealer eleven months ago. Just like the first failure the vehicle is difficult to control and requires significant effort to steer. Dashboard message indicates power steering not working. This is clearly a safety issue resulting from a poor steering rack design. Winter driving with this vehicle will be very risky.

Leaving the gas station that is less than 1 mile from my home, the dash of my Fusion alerted me saying "SERVICE STEERING NOW". The car then lost all power steering capabilities in the middle of the road, making steering nearly obsolete and hazardous. After briefly searching the web, I found hundreds of complaints relating to this issue. NHTSA has a recall for this Electric-Steering component on this exact make and model of vehicle, specs and all. After contacting Ford, they said my vehicle was in fact NOT under recall and I would have to pay out of pocket upwards of $4,000. Keep in mind KBB is valued around $3,450. But how is my 2012, 2WD, 2.5L, 4Cyl. Ford Fusion not included in the recall? It is still equipped with the very first Electric-Power Steering technology the other Fusions have recalls for? I mean it even has the exact same same Electric-Power Steering failure as the recalled ones. Very unhappy Ford customer right now, I don't understand how my particular VIN made it out without making the recall list. Especially given the same parts were mass produced, and were installed on my vehicle. Hoping to get this particular car added to the recall list, as it has been recalled multiple times already for air bag issues, same as the Fusions with Power Steering issues that ARE included in the recall case.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the dealer and manufacturer denied the recall work stating the vehicle had exceeded the 10-year warranty period. The contact stated that the manufacturer performed the air bag recalls. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the power steering assist warning light illuminated. The contact pulled off the roadway and the steering wheel become very stiff, requiring extra effort to turn the steering wheel. The vehicle was turned off and restarted; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was driven to the dealer and the contact was informed that NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V001000 (Air Bags) and 21V158000 (Air Bags) recall repairs would be performed; however, 15V34000 (Steering) recall repair would not be performed. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The same power steering issue that was recalled for many 2012 ford fusions happened to my car. The power steering system fault notification would flash on the dashboard and the advanced traction control light would also flash. The dealership stated that my car was not covered under that known recall because my VIN number was not included. I find it very hard to believe that they would not cover this known issue. The same gear that went bad with that original 2015 recall (that my car was not covered under) failed in my car and I lost power steering and the wheels essentially locked into straight ahead. The traction control system also engaged making it very very very difficult to turn the wheel even a few degrees right or left. The pinion gear failed and the computer in the car caused even further issues with steering.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering function was inoperable. The service engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with power steering gear failure. The contact was informed that the power steering gear electrical system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to contact the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 95,530.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, he noticed that the steering wheel was not operating as needed. The contact stated that as he slowed down, the steering wheel became significantly difficult to steer. The steering failure warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road, where he inspected the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving by using physical strength to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering gear assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, and the power steering control module (PSCM) was reprogrammed. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at high speeds the vehicle shut off, restarted, and shut off again. The contact was able to drive, but the vehicle shut off. The power steering assist fault warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the warranty had expired. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 80 MPH, the steering wheel seized on several occasions. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that on three separate occasions the power steering failed to operate as needed while driving. After the first failure the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, a year later, the failure occurred. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where the steering column was repaired out of pocket. Recently, the contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the "Service Power Steering" message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact was able to drive the vehicle home where the vehicle remained in her possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. The contact stated the power steering issue was due to the rack & pinion and having a mechanic fix the problem again, out of pocket, as the warranty for the power steering recall performed in 2017 has somehow expired, according to Ford.

AIR BAG LIGHT RECALL

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that on two separate occasions, the steering locked up with the power steering malfunction message displayed. After the second failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer confirmed that the power steering had failed and needed to be repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.

Pulled out of a side street Taylor onto a main highway 39 beach Blvd and car jolted and didn’t have much go. Seemed sluggish. Transmission mount bolt had snapped off and I could have been in a major accident because I had oncoming traffic coming at me when I merged into the street and lost power because of the incident.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The "Service Power Steering" message was displayed. The contact coasted into a gas station and parked the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 162,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the steering wheel was significantly difficult to turn. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact was able to drive back to the nearby residence by using physical strength to steer the vehicle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 235,440.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in park, the vehicle rolled backwards. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact activated the parking brake, and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the shift cable needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contact. The failure mileage was 113,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the "Service Power Steering Now” message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 125,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at approximately 5 MPH, the power steering failed, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V34000 (Steering). The failure mileage was 127,541.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 63,418.

It is hard for me to steer my steering wheel. It keeps saying service power steering. This is dangerous.

When I took the car in for "the Works" they did not rotate the tires as the 'lug nuts were swollen and would not come off.' I percieve this as a safety issue if I have tire issues on the road. There was no incident- just a precautionary report.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she stopped and parked the vehicle at the local grocery store. The contact stated that when his wife restarted the vehicle and shifted into drive, she became aware that the vehicle had lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that his wife shifted the gear shifter back into park and turned off the vehicle; however, when the vehicle was restarted and shifted into drive, the power steering was operable. The contact's wife was able to safely drive the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer informed the contact that the power steering control module would be reprogrammed to resolve the failure; however, there was no guarantee that the failure would be fixed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

+Consistent with Safety Recall 15S18 and program code 15N01 - Integrated Controller for the Power Steering Gear failed. This caused power steering assist and traction control to be inoperative. The problem started intermittently at about 93,000 miles and 11 years of age - but then became constant by 95,600 miles. +The problem made the steering wheel very difficult to turn. Vehicle was unsafe to drive, particularly at lower speeds or with a driver of average upper body strength. It would have been very difficult to steer away from a pedestrian, animal, vehicle, or obstacle - had one suddenly moved into the path of the vehicle. This increased the chance of death/injury and/or property damage when operating the vehicle. +Noted Safety Recall only provided limited extended warranty coverage - which had expired (due to age, but not miles). +Repair was exceptionally expensive due to the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) being integrated with the Steering Gear, and the Steering Gear being integrated with the entire rack and pinion assembly. Diagnostic and Repair total was $2,690.15. I considered taking the risk vs. repairing the vehicle due to the high cost. +Vehicle was diagnosed and serviced at a Ford Dealer and Independent Repair Shop. Representatives at both shops mentioned that this is a very common problem with this vehicle. The Dealer escalated to Ford Corporate to obtain an extension of the Safety Recall coverage, but was denied. I did the same and was also denied. Vehicle

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became stiff and difficult while maneuvering the vehicle. The contact’s son veered to the side road and notified him. The contact was able to safely navigate the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering gear failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not yet been repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the Warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Power steering assist fault would flash, steering locked up. Every few weeks for past couple years. Started grinding hard to turn Service power steering now light, steering completely locked. Almost wrecked numerous times. Started in 2021. Ford claimed they had no idea why. No check engine light ever. Finally locked up completely in July this year.car has maybe 127000 miles.

While driving the vehicle the power steering suddenly stopped working. There was no warning or indication of an issue with the power steering. This happened while traveling at 45-50 MPH so was able to safely maneuver the vehicle to a safe area. Searched on Ford website for recalls and there is an EPAS repair for the steering. I brought the vehicle to the dealership for the repair, but was informed the repair has expired and they will not repair it.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, upon start-up, the steering wheel became firm and difficult to maneuver. The contact stated that the “Power Steering Service Now” message was displayed on the instrument panel. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was previously covered under the Customer Satisfaction Program: 13N03 and advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 205,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist fault message was displayed and the steering wheel was stiff and dificultt to turn.The vehicle was taken to a repair shop where it was diagnosed that the power steering control module (PSCM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. I was told that th There was a recall on power-steering for 2012 Ford Fusions, but my VIN has not been included, which was confirmed after a call to FORD. Also they told me Is not covered under the extended warranty coverage since It Is a 2012 modelo however the mileage on my car Is 117307

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while making a turn from a complete stop at the traffic light, the steering wheel was stiff and difficult to turn. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering control module (PSCM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the steering wheel seized and became inoperable. The contact shifted into neutral (N) and veered to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering column had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V3400 (Steering); however, the contact was informed by the dealer and the manufacturer that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the message "Service Power Steering Now" was displayed. The contact stated that upon driving into a parking lot, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact used physical force to drive into a parking space. The contact turned off the vehicle and disconnected the battery; however, the failure persisted after the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her father was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. Additionally, the power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the power steering control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Power steering turns off when you go above a certain speed and the service advance power steering comes on.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to steer the vehicle off the highway and became aware that the vehicle had lost power steering functionality. The contact pulled of the roadway and shifted to park(P). The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to regain power steering functionality. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact reported that in January 2022 he had a Power Steering Control Module software update performed through NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) by a local dealer. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 155,713.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the service advance-trac and power steering assist messages were displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.

Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The steering has been locking up for 3 years on and off, a few times a month. I would get a 'power steering assist fault message and had to turn off the ignition while driving almost wreaking. Now it's locked up and says 'service power steering now.'

I got in my car one morning and started it and tried to pull off. My tires would not turn and I saw that the "service power steering now" and "airbag" message on my dashboard.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a grinding sound in the steering wheel while making a left or right turn. The service power steering assist fault warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. The contact then stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact then stated that the “Service Power Steering Assist Now” warning light illuminated and remained illuminated, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

The power-steering failed, and it is available for inspection upon request. Without power-steering my reaction time decreased and I was unable to properly steer my car, which is a safety risk for myself and others. The vehicle has not yet been inspected. There was a recall on power-steering for 2012 Ford Fusions, but my VIN has not been included, which was confirmed after a call to FORD. Yes, they appeared the day of the incident, and a picture of message is attached below of what appears on the dashboard.

The contact's mother owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The check engine and power steering warning lights were illuminated. The contact used an ODB reader and determined that the power steering module was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and it was determined that the Electric power assisted steering (EPAS) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

My 2012 Ford Fusion power steering was recalled back in 2015 and was repaired with no charge . The power steering has again lost power steering for the 4th time. The experience has been frustrating ! In the past, if I turned the car off and back on the power steering would be restored. Well now it’s not coming back at all! Is there another recall on the power steering, that I don’t know about ? Thank you

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the battery was replaced; however, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering warning light illuminated. Additionally, the steering wheel became firm, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact about NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 238,000.

Power steering locked up on the vehicle, fixed with key cycle

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 20 MPH, the "Service Power Steering" message was displayed, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the failure reoccurred. The failure mileage was 160,000.

We had to take our 2012 Ford Fusion on vacation from Kansas to Florida from May 26 to June 2, 2023. As we were preparing to drive the 1016 miles home, we suddenly had no power steering and the display in the car display read, "Service Power Steering Now". After checking that it wouldn't cause any problems to drive, we drove it home without power steering. After doing some research online, I found that there was a recall for the power steering, but my car wasn't covered. Today I contacted my local Ford dealership (Laird Noller Ford of Topeka, KS and spoke with Joaquin) who confirmed my car wasn't covered. They recommended I contact Ford Motor Company, which I did. The girl I spoke with just told me to get the car repaired and they would reimburse me should they ever institute a recall. With the car beign a 2012 and only having 124,000 miles, I feel this should not be happening and that Ford Motor Company should do a better job at taking care of customer concerns; particularly when it's a safety issue such as this.