2012 Ford Fusion Steering
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND A LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH AND 2 MESSAGES APPEARED ON DASH - SERVICE ADVANCETRAC AND POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. IT BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL MILES AS I WAS IN A CARPOOL LANE AND UNABLE TO PULL OVER ANYWHERE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE I WAS TURNING I WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT CLEARED THE MESSAGES AND THE STEERING FUNCTIONED CORRECTLY AGAIN, HOWEVER THIS IS THE 4TH TIME IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS WE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE. WE TOOK OUR CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRATION AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO ERROR CODE SHOWING UP. *TR
WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT 25 TO 30 MPH ON URBAN STREET, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST STOPPED FUNCTIONING AS I ENTERED A RIGHT HAND CURVE, APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AFTER A LEFT TURN. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN OPERATION FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES IN STOP AND GO CITY TRAFFIC. TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75 DEGREES, CLEAR AND SUNNY. THE "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC" WARNING MESSAGE CAME UP, ALONG WITH AN INDICATOR ON THE INST. CLUSTER. VERY HAZARDOUS AND COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL. ENGINE RESTART CLEARED THE ERROR MESSAGE AND VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTION. *TR
MY WIFE WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE THE HOUSE AND DROP THE KIDS OFF AT DAYCARE AND THEN GO TO WORK. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON HER BEFORE AND I TOLD HER TO TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON. LAST TIME IT WORKED TO RESET THE POWER STEERING, BUT THIS TIME AFTER ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON 5 TIMES THE POWER STEERING IS STILL OUT. THE SCARIEST PART IS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING WITH THE KIDS AND TRYING TO MAKE A TURN? *TR
WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 20 MPH, I SLOWED DOWN TO PULL UP NEXT TO MY MAILBOX WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED, NEARLY CAUSING ME TO HIT THE MAILBOX. THE CAR WARNING LIGHT AND DINGING SOUND WENT OFF AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY SAID "POWER STEERING FAILURE" THEN CHANGED TO "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC." TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER THE NEXT DAY, WAS TOLD SOME KIND OF GEARBOX FAILED IN THE POWER STEERING AND IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
LOST POWER STEERING WITH NO WARNING. FORTUNATELY, I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT. COULD PROCEED AHEAD, BUT COULD NOT MAKE LEFT TURN WITHOUT GREAT EFFORT. HAD TO BE TOWED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000. *TR
MY FIRST INCIDENT WAS DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE APPEARED WITH A STRANGE BEEPING NOISE FOLLOWED BY AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN I TURNED OFF MY CAR AND GOT IT BACK ON, THE POWER STEERING WAS BACK TO ITS NORMAL LEVELS. LATER THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR WAS IN MOVEMENT OVER 30MPH WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE HIGHWAY AND THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE CAME ON AGAIN MAKING MY CAR TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE CAUSING ME TO ALMOST CRASH. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR OUT OF THE HIGH WAY IN ORDER TO HAVE THE STEERING LEVELS BACK BY TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. TODAY I TOOK MY CAR TO THE FORD SERVICE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS IN ORDER TO GET MY CAR CHECKED BUT THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT THIS INCIDENT FOR WHAT SUGGESTED ME TO CONTACT ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE DURING THE NEXT INCIDENT AND HAVE THEM TAKE IN MY CAR TO THERE SERVICE TO FIX IT AT THE MOMENT. I MENTIONED THAT IF THAT WAS TO BE DONE MY CAR WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO BE TURNED OFF AND ON IN THE PROCESS CAUSING THE ISSUE TO MOMENTARILY DISAPPEAR FOR WHAT HE WOULD STILL NOT BE ABLE TO WITNESS THE INCIDENT AS HE REQUEST, JUST LIKE TODAY. HE REFUSED TO MAKE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS INDICATING THAT WAS THE BEST THING HE COULD DO. *TR
WHILE TURNING A CORNER THE "POWER STEERING FAILURE" MESSAGE APPEARED AND POWER STEERING WAS LOST. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO WARNING AND IS VERY UNSAFE. THIS CONDITION WARRANTS A RECALL FROM FORD AS IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. MAKE A RECALL HAPPEN AS THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED! *TR
DRIVING ALONG DOING AROUND 35MPH, POWER STEERING FAILURE...DASHBOARD READ SERVICE ADVANCETRAC? TOOK IT TO HALL FORD, REPLACING STEERING GEAR...NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS. *TR
DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING LOT STEERING WITHOUT WARNING BECAME EXTREMELY HEAVY AND EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER ALMOST RESULTING IN A HEAD ON CRASH. "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" LIGHT CAME ON. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT. THE STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LIVERMORE CA FORD DEALER. THEY SAID THEY FOUND THE FAULT CODES BUT COULD NOT VERIFY ANYTHING WAS WRONG OR DUPLICATE THE EVENT. SO THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T FIX ANYTHING PER FORD'S INSTRUCTIONS. I GOOGLED THE ISSUE AND TONS OF COMPLAINTS CAME UP ON EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. MANY HAD THE ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM REPLACED. DEALERSHIP IGNORED THIS WHEN I SENT IT TO THEM. *TR
EARLY PART OF THE YEAR (2013) THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC LIGHT WILL COME ON AND OFF I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND HE STATED THAT IT WAS THE STABILITY IN THE VEHICLE AND ALSO IT WASN'T NOTHING TO BE ALARMED ABOUT UNLESS THE LIGHT JUST COME ON AND STAY ON . FINALLY IT CAME ON AND WOULDN'T GO OFF I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $ 240 TO REPAIR THE CAR AND I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE PARTS COME IN BY THAT TIME COME TO FIND OUT THEY WAS WILL TO PAY THE $240. I PICKED THE CAR UP THE SAME DAY WHICH WAS THE FIRST DAY THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED SAME PROBLEMS TOOK THE CAR BACK ON THAT MONDAY THEY SO CALLED FIXED THE VEHICLE IT SEEM TO BE OKAY DROVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 DAYS THE SAME SERVICE ADVANCTRAC LIGHT CAME BACK ON NEXT SERVICE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT 15 MINS LATER THE SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW LIGHT CAME ON LOST ALL POWER AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE HAD THE CAR TOWED BACKED TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CHECK THE CAR AND QUOTED ME A JOB FOR $ 2,658.12 WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY. *TR
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND AS I STARTED TO DRIVE IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT WARNING APPEARED ON THE DASH. I CONSULTED THE OWNER'S GUIDE WHICH GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN THE MOTOR OFF AND BACK ON AFTER 10 SECONDS. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON, THE WARNING WAS OFF AND THE STEERING ISSUE WAS GONE. HOWEVER, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM (*WITH THE DASH WARNING) ABOUT 2 HOURS LATER WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN. *TR
WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND BRAKING WHEN DUMMY LIGHT CAME ON I COULD NOT MAKE THE TURN LOCKED UP AND HAD TO TURN FORCEFULLY TO GET OUT OF INTERSECTION GOOD THING NO CARS WERE COMING THE OTHER WAY. *TR
GOT INTO THE CAR. STARTED IT AND THE POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK. DROVE IT SEVEN MILES HOME NOT WORKING. STARTED IT UP THE NEXT DAY AND IT WAS WORKING. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING UP A PARKING RAMP WHAT THE POWER STEERING GAVE OUT AND A DEFAULT SHOWED UP ON THE DASHBOARD. I HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED 2 WEEKS AGO. THIS IS THE FIRST INCIDENT. *TR
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME MY POWER STEERING HAS JUST RANDOMLY GONE OUT OF OUR RENTAL 2012 FORD FUSION. THE FIRST TIME, I WAS TRAVELING AT 25 MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN. SECOND WE WERE DRIVING 50 MILES AN HOUR CHANGING LANES. THIS MORNING ABOUT A QUARTER A MILE FROM OUR HOME SHE LOST POWER STEERING AND HIT THE CURVE RESULTED IN A BLOWN FRONT TIRE. WHAT A DANGEROUS CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING RACK WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE 38,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO STICK. AS TIME PROGRESSED THE VEHICLE PERFORMED IN A MANNER REMINISCENT OF HAVING A FLAT TIRE AND THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO CHECK THE TIRES BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE AND SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE POWER STEERING QUIT AND A WARNING DASH LIGHT TURNED ON. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING. SHE DROVE THE CAR TO A FRIENDS HOUSE AND CALLED ME. I TOLD HER TO COME HOME AND HAVE HER BOY FRIEND DRIVE THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED THE FAILURE CLEARED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THE CAR DROVE FINE. AFTER THE DEALER INSPECTION, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR NEEDED A NEW RACK AND PINION AT A COST OF $2400. IF THE RACK AND PINION ARE BAD, WHY WOULD THE CODE CLEAR? SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. UPON RESTARTING, THE POWER STEERING RESUMED IN NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE REACHING THE DRIVER'S DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME MY POWER STEERING HAS JUST RANDOMLY GONE OUT OF MY 2012 FORD FUSION. THE FIRST TIME, I WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH ON A FREEWAY. YESTERDAY, I WAS STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT. BOTH TIMES MY HUD WARNS ME THAT "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT", SERVICE ADVANCETRAX" OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES... AND EACH TIME MY STEERING WILL BECOMES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. THE ISSUES IS SOLVED IF I TURN OFF MY CAR AND TURN IT ON A FEW TIMES. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE DIES FROM THIS POWER STEERING FAILURE. *TR
UPON STARTING THE CAR THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT TURN THE WHEELS ON THE CAR. ON THE ODOMETER IT READ POWER STEERING FAULT..... AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WORKED. HOW DO YOU RESTART A CAR THAT'S MOVING? *TR
DROVE HOME NORMALLY AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. WENT TO RESTART THE CAR AND THE CARE INDICATED A "POWER STEERING FAILURE - SERVICE ADVANCE TRAK" MESSAGE. SHUTTING OFF AND RESTARTING THE CAR DID NOT CHANGE THE RESULT. CAR HAD NO POWER STEERING. DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE STEERING RACK NEEDED REPLACED. $1900.00 WARRANTY REPAIR. *JB
MY 2012 FORD FUSION SEL/3.0L V6 WAS BEING DRIVEN ON BUSY HIGHWAY AT 55+ MPH. POWER STEERING FAULT/SERVICE AUTOTRAC WARNING CAME ON SUDDENLY. POWER STEERING FAILED; DRIVER HAD VERY DIFFICULT TIME CONTROLLING CAR ON HIGHWAY. STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR REMAINDER OF DRIVE. AFTER IT WAS SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON, FAULT CLEARED, WARNING LIGHT WAS GONE, AND STEERING WAS FINE. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES WITH NO ISSUES. NEXT TIME CAR WAS TURNED ON AND PUT INTO GEAR, FAULT CAME BACK. SHUT OFF, TURNED BACK ON, IT CLEARED AGAIN. $1600+ QUOTED TO FIX ISSUE WITH STEERING GEAR. CAR HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT. *JB
POWER STEERING SERVICE TRACK LIGHT CAME ON DURING CAR START UP AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED AND THE SERVICE LIGHT WENT OFF. I LOOKED TO CHECK THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND FOUND THE SYSTEM IS ELECTRONIC. THIS PROBLEM REPEATED ABOUT EVERY 2 WEEKS DURING STARTUP AND WAS RESOLVED SIMILARLY. ON AUGUST 23, 2013 THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN BUT RESTARTING DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. NO OTHER PROBLEMS OTHER THAN LOW AIR PRESSURE SERVICE LIGHT. *JB
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Quick Summary
The 2012 Ford Fusion has 1,246 Steering complaints on file. 21 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.