2018 Ford Focus Steering Problems

I was waiting to pull out of the parking lot after work making a left turn. When it was clear I accelerated but the car felt like it didn't want to turn, it just went straight, the wheel felt like it had locked up, it was super stiff. I almost hit parked cars and almost was hit by the oncoming traffic. I was able to stop before hitting the parked cars, put my emergency lights on, put the car in reverse and had to go incredible hulk mode on the steering wheel to turn it any kind of amount.. I managed to steer the car towards the curb and park. I was stuck on the side of the road for a bit looking up what it could be and I found that it was most likely the electronic power steering system going out. I also found that there was a recall on the 2018 Ford Focus already for that same issue NHTSA#15S18/15V340. I took it to the dealer and explained what happened, they looked at it and said it is the power steering and needs to be replaced but that it's not showing up as under recall for my VIN. I called Ford but they say my VIN is not effected as well. I don't understand how since the description in the recall is exactly what happened to me and the dealer is saying that is also the problem. The car is a 2018 and has 22k miles on it, used just for work commutes. It should not be having these issues. I have 3 payments left on this car and they now want $5k plus for repairs..

NHTSA ID

11673117

Incident

Jul 4, 2025

My vehicle was inspected in order to determine why my vehicle is stalling, jerking, not going into reverse and giving a warning message that the car is overheating. My spouse and I were told the transmission control module needs to be replaced. Upon reading about my car's maje and midel, I learned this is a problem with 2018 Ford cars. It stalls and almost cuts off in traffic which is very dangerous

NHTSA ID

11663139

Incident

May 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence and was then towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The repair was pending. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ID

11650495

Incident

Mar 21, 2025

Mileage

40,000 mi

My steering wheel got jammed in the middle of the road. Kt was just working fine and got stuck while I was driving. The ford dealer inspected the car and identified that my steering rack got cracked after the diagnosis. My car is driven just 40,000 miles

NHTSA ID

11650186

Incident

Mar 21, 2025

My vehicle seized up as I was driving it and I wrecked it aside a median. I had to tow it to the ford dealership for them to diagnose it as the recall stated. The recall wasn’t officially out yet, so I had to tow my vehicle back to my house. This happened in February 2024. I have received a new engine, but had to continue to make payments on a car that I was not able to drive and only received a rental within the past 6 weeks since I have paid for new brakes, new battery, new tires, and an alignment. None of these things were covered for the recall except the engine. The dealership clearly states that because my car has been sitting I have to purchase these other items. I have reached out to corporate and the dealership and haven’t gotten anywhere. I don’t know if even doing this will help, but I definitely feel taken advantage of. I think someone should reimburse me for tires and battery due to the extended time it sat. Heck, even the brakes too.

NHTSA ID

11632177

Incident

Feb 12, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering assist warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with electronic power steering assist module failure. The contact was informed that the electronic power steering assist module needed to be reset. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ID

11616510

Incident

Sep 25, 2023

Mileage

72,000 mi

Car shuddered horribly on interstate. RPMs revving up like crazy. Transmission struggling. This caused the car to slow down drastically in the middle of traffic, nearly causing myself a fatal accident amongst others around me. No warning indications, just Transmission Fault Service Now as soon as it happened. In the past this vehicle has had transmission issues fixed and replaced by Ford themselves, due to the same shuddering and stalling as listed above. All those times, no check engine light or warning lights. Care would accelerate/jerk/shudder badly. Making it unpredictable to drive.

NHTSA ID

11610557

Incident

Aug 23, 2024

The power steering went out when I was 50 miles from home. It was very difficult to steer and presented a safety hazard since the handling was compromised and it was nearly impossible to steer the car.

NHTSA ID

11591467

Incident

Jan 14, 2024

The steering rack on my 2018 Ford Focus failed completely as I was leaving the parking lot at work at the end of the day. This vehicle is currently having being repaired at the Ford dealer and is available for inspection. No injuries or accidents occured as a result of the power steering failure. I do believe my safety and that of other drivers was put at risk because of the inability to maneuver the car at low speed and in a high traffic situation. The dealership and an independent service center have diagnosed and confirmed the problem as steering gear failure. The vehicle has NOT been inspected by manufacturer, police, or the insurance company since there was not accident or collision. I did NOT receive any dash warning, messages or symptoms prior to the steering gear failure.

NHTSA ID

11588400

Incident

May 9, 2024

The purge valve has been an ongoing continuous problem since we bought the vehicle. I have fixed it multiple times. It’s caused the vehicle to stall after putting gas in the tank, and just recently stalled while driving, causing me to hit a curb leading to the passenger front tire popping, the rim being dented, the tire rod bent, alignment out of wack, and the valance ripped off. It also caused a dashboard light to pop up saying Hill Start is Not Available. I was in the car thankfully alone and not with my children. The windshield wipers are a fairly newer issue, they come on whenever they want with the switch being touch. But won’t come on when I try to do it myself. I had my mom take a photo of the steering wheel/road while I was driving to show the severity of the alignment needed, it’s causing extra wear and tear EXTREMELY fast on tires. Rainy season has begun and this is absolutely unsafe and not my responsibility.

NHTSA ID

11546145

Incident

Sep 8, 2023

While on interstate felt steering wander. Within minutes I received a warning that the steering had a fault and service required. Now the car say it has steering failure. The cost to repair has been estimated at $4000+. I am still purchasing this vehicle and the mileage it at 75,000. With how quickly I lost steering I would say less than 10 miles of first steering issue. I am grateful I was able to park the car to avoid an accident. I have not been able to use this vehicle since this incident. The front wheels are locked up and towing it was inconvenient. This is the second problem we have had with this model the first being a transmission issue.

NHTSA ID

11536251

Incident

Mar 13, 2023

I was driving on the thruway when my car came on with a warning that I have never received before. Stating that my transmission was overheating and that I need to stop for five mins to let the transmission cool down. As soon as that light came on the car stopped moving and I could not get off the road. There was no indicator before that the transmission was even having issues of any kind. I could have died that day because of the car. I have only owned the car two years and this is the problems that this car has.

NHTSA ID

11527290

Incident

Jun 1, 2023

My 2018 Ford Focus has a recall, it has been in the service center since November for non-repairable issues. Ford Motor company has lacked transparency and disclosures by lying about the recalls and defects as more than one the Ford certified dealership confirmed my emissions warranty and recall on parts but the manufacture continues to deny any sort of warranty and recall which is “VIN” specific but my engine and transmission falls under the classification of the recall “1.0L Fox GTDI engine and a 6-speed manual transmission.” Recall is for 2016-2018 and mine is a 2018. The condition and symptoms of just under 49k miles has these ongoing, Non-repairable issues as it’s since had its Clutch motor replaced, Transmission Control Module that was on a National back order because thousands of other vehicles identical to mine have the same issues but some do and some have “no recalls on their VINs” but after even this part was replaced, my vehicle still being in the service center, just like other past and pending lawsuits have stated - one part is replaced and the other malfunctions because now, after 5 months and four clear diagnostics - after the TCM was replaced, my vehicles Clutch Levers have malfunctioned all while still not operating the vehicle. The battery was also completely dead after being tested and fully replaced less than 3k miles ago. These Clutch Levers part is apparently not covered under any warranties and the manufacturer is not willing to pay for out of pocket expenses nor am I in the position to continue to invest in repairing, diagnosis, insurances, transportation, etc., but I don’t want to sell a vehicle that’s not safe to drive. I’d like some sort of an arbitration or buy-back option with the manufacturer but they’ve declined accountability because they’ve stated my VIN has no recall, and they’re administered from this department. I’ve filed several ongoing claims and I really hope this could be investigated internally as time is of the essence!

NHTSA ID

11510910

Incident

Mar 2, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was determined to be a fuel system failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA ID

11507207

Incident

Jan 15, 2023

Mileage

55,000 mi

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after the check engine light appeared on the instrument panel, the vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The contact also stated that the power steering assist intermittently failed to operate as needed with the steering assist fault message displayed. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA ID

11505983

Incident

Jul 1, 2022

Mileage

55,000 mi

On Saturday October 15, 2022 while driving my 2018 Ford Focus hatchback, the steering went out. I was able to avoid being hit by the car behind me by somehow managing to pull into a driveway. I had the car towed to my home and called my usual mechanic on Monday the 17th who told me that it could only be repaired at the dealership as it would require special calibration after the steering was fixed. I then had it towed to the closest Ford dealership to my home. I was informed the next day, the 18th, that the "steering gearbox had to be replaced which was caused by intermittent overheat internal to steering gear, internal fault has caused steering gear damage internally". I was informed parts, tax and shop fees would amount to 3500.00. They also said there was a back log on parts and they have no idea when it would be fixed. It has now been there 3 weeks and they still have no idea when the parts will come in. There was no warning lights or messages prior to the steering going out. If I had been on the highway, as I often am as I am a nurse who sees patients in their homes, I truly believe I might have been killed as it was incredibly hard to even pull the car over into the driveway when I was going 30 miles an hours, let alone if I had been going 60 mph on the highway. I am a caretaker for elderly family members and as I stated, am a nurse. I have not been able to work, nor have I been able to do my usual caretaking for my family members. The car is only 4 years old with low miles and having the steering go out without warning is completely unacceptable which is why I am filing a formal complaint.

NHTSA ID

11493081

Incident

Oct 15, 2022

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while her daughter was driving at approximately 40 MPH and attempting to change lanes, the steering wheel seized. The driver was unaware if any warning lights were illuminated. The driver started to depress the brake pedal and jerked the steering wheel until the steering wheel unlocked. The driver was able to continue driving to her residence. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, but the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA ID

11490953

Incident

Oct 17, 2022

Mileage

55,000 mi

Steering rack locked up while driving down the road out of nowhere

NHTSA ID

11481707

Incident

Aug 12, 2022

While driving on a very mountainous, winding road, the steering became stiff as I was in the middle of navigating a corner. For a few moments, the steering was completely unresponsive, before I was able to regain control with much force and effort. As I regained control of the vehicle, a warning light came on, which indicated: "System check, Steering Assist Fault, Service Required." I tried basic trouble shooting, but could not check the power steering fluid levels and the fuse that controls the system was in good working order. My normal mechanic stated that this must be serviced by Ford. The vehicle is putting out a code, but the mechanic and O'Reillys were not able to get the code to read. The loss of power steering assist, in the area I was in, nearly caused me to drive in to a creek. Unexpected loss of power steering caused me to Jam my wrist while trying to keep control of the vehicle. Iced the wrist but it is still sore. Seeking medical treatment in the AM Vehicle (less than 4 years old) has now had: 1) cannister purge valve issue resulting in an out of pocket fix (this car not covered under canister purge recall) 2) clutch forks and clutch assembly issues 3) power steering assist issues

NHTSA ID

11470928

Incident

Jun 24, 2022

I lost power steering while driving. The wheel is locked up and will not steer at all. I was placed in a dangerous situation that could have led to the harm of myself and others. There was not any warning lights or previous issues it just stopped working all together. I took the car to shop and the diagnostic said the steering angle sensor needed to be replaced it was and the issue was not fixed. The code still read internal steering module failure. Code: U3000-96

NHTSA ID

11446295

Incident

Dec 10, 2021

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering assist malfunctioned, and the steering wheel was very difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed that the steering gear was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle has been repaired. The local dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.

NHTSA ID

11443566

Incident

Oct 1, 2021

Mileage

25,000 mi

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the power steering malfunctioned 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 however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 30,000.

NHTSA ID

11420968

Incident

Nov 1, 2020

Mileage

30,000 mi

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING GARAGE WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO DRIVE THE CAR. THERE WAS NO MESSAGE OR ALERT ON THE VEHICLE DASH. I HAD TO WRESTLE THE STEERING WHEEL WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY TO GET THE CAR IN POSITION TO BE TOWED, AS THE VEHICLE WAS UNDRIVEABLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRIC ASSIST POWER STEERING RACK HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR ($2,840). IF THE STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE, AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED.

NHTSA ID

11406826

Incident

Mar 17, 2021

Mileage

27,680 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING RIGHT TURN, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO HIS DAUGHTER'S RESIDENCE WHERE HE REPLACED THE STEERING FUSE. THE CONTACT THEN DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND THE STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED WALT SWEENEY FORD (5400 GLENWAY AVE, CINCINNATI, OH 45238, (513) 922-4500) AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,100.

NHTSA ID

11396824

Incident

Feb 13, 2021

Mileage

50,100 mi

TL* THE CONTACT'S WIFE OWNS A 2018 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING CEASED WITH THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GARY YEOMANS FORD LINCOLN (1420 N TOMOKA FARMS RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32124) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE AND REPAIRED. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE STEERING CEASED WITH THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. GARY YEOMANS FORD WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS SUGGESTED TO REMOVE THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL FOR APPROXIMATELY TWENTY MINUTES AND THEN RECONNECT THE TERMINAL TO RESET THE SYSTEM. THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE FOLLOWED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE SAME DEALER HOWEVER, THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11331963

Incident

May 1, 2019