RoadVitals

2012 Ford Mustang Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
16
Latest Jun 5, 2019
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 469 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Steering
Filed Jun 5, 2019

COMPLETE EPAS FAILURE

NHTSA ID
11218066
Incident
May 29, 2019
Mileage
108,206 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 29, 2019

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING RACK FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE IN MOTION WITH NO NOTICE

NHTSA ID
11192483
Incident
Mar 29, 2019
Mileage
90,150 mi
Steering
Filed Dec 6, 2018

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN AT APPROXIMATLY THIRTY M.P.H. STEERING WENT TOTALLY AWAY MID CORNER CAUSING THE CAR TO DRIVE ON CENTER DIVIDER ON A BLIND CORNER FOR TWO SECONDS UNTIL EPAS KICKED BACK ON AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL BACK INTO MY LANE AND CONTINUE MAKING THE CORNER. THIS SEPOSEDLY AFTER PROGRAM UPDATE AND IN NORMAL STEERING MODE. I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO BLINK AND FORTUNATLY NO CAR WAS COMING THE OTHER DIRECTION.

NHTSA ID
11156687
Incident
Dec 2, 2018
Mileage
34,400 mi
Steering
Filed Nov 23, 2018

MY 2012 MUSTANG LOOSE POWER STEERING MAKING CONTROL VERY DIFFICULT. THIS IS COMMON ON MUSTANG INTERNET FORUMS. DEALER SAYS INTERNAL ELECTRONICS FAIL. WHILE MY CAR IS A 2012 IT ONLY HAS 3500 MILES. MINE IS STATIONARY AND THEN AFTER THE CAR COOLS DOWN.

NHTSA ID
11153377
Incident
Sep 15, 2018
Mileage
3,500 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 13, 2016

VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE ALSO MADE CLUNKING SOUNDS WHILE TURNING. HAD TO REPLACE EPAS STEERING ASSEMBLY AT MY OWN COST $1656. UNSAFE AND UNPROVEN DESIGN. ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS FOR EPAS ARE MOUNTED LOW SO ROAD GRIME/RAIN PENETRATE INTO THE CONNECTOR CAUSING MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ID
10895567
Incident
Jun 1, 2015
Mileage
41,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 25, 2016

ONE MORNING I STARTED UP THE MUSTANG IN THE GARAGE AND THE STEERING WHEEL DIDN'T WORK. I COULDN'T TURN IT IN EITHER DIRECTION. AND THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC LIGHT WAS ON. THANK GOODNESS THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LATER ON, THE STEERING WHEEL DID WORK AND THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC LIGHT WAS OFF. BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE IT SO I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING RACK HAD TO BE REPLACED (INTERNALLY FAILED EPAS STEERING RACK, CODE = U3000:49) FOR A COST OF $1,800. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW AND ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID
10838515
Incident
Sep 25, 2015
Mileage
10,363 mi
Steering
Filed Oct 2, 2015

I AM WRITING THIS BECAUSE IT IS RELATED TO SAFETY ISSUE AND FORD DOES NOT REPLY PROPERLY TO MY QUESTIONS. I AM ASKING IF MY 2012 MUSTANG STEERING MAKING LOUD NOISE CONSTANTLY DURING TURNING, IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE DRIVEN OR HAVE TO BE PARKED. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT STEERING WILL BE STUCK OR NOT WITH THE CURRENT ISSUE? IF THE STEERING IS STUCK DURING OPERATING, TERRIBLE ACCIDENT WILL BE HAPPEN. FORDS SHOULD HAVE A GOOD ADVICE ON THIS PROBLEM SINCE THEY MAKE THE CAR. I PAID THE DEALERSHIP $120 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM THAT THEY ALREADY KNOW. IN ADDITION, THEY CHARGE $1800 TO REPLACE THE STEERING UNIT. IT IS TOO MUCH FOR A CAR WITH 48,000 MILES. FORD RECALLS THE STEERING UNIT ON 2015 FORD MUSTANG, WHY NOT 2012 MODEL? APPARENTLY, SO MANY STEERING PROBLEMS WITH MUSTANG IN EARLY STATE, AND THEY ARE NOT CHEAP TO REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
10779399
Incident
Aug 1, 2015
Steering
Filed May 28, 2015

VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. SOMETHING SOUNDS LOOSE INSIDE STEERING GEAR.

NHTSA ID
10722076
Incident
May 14, 2015
Mileage
40,000 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 22, 2015

MY WIFE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH AND NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. SHE TURNED LEFT INTO THE FIRST PARKING LOT AVAILABLE. WHILE TURNING, SHE HEARD SOMETHING LOOSE AND RATTLING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. SHE THEN PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE. SHE SHOOK THE STEERING WHEEL SIDE TO SIDE AND A LARGE BROKEN BLACK BOLT FELL OUT. AFTER THAT SHE REALIZED THAT THE WHEEL WAS FREE AND FELL OFF INTO HER HANDS. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY SITTING AT A LOCAL FORD DEALER AND IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. I DID TAKE SEVERAL PICTURE OF THE BROKEN BOLT HEAD, STEERING WHEEL, AND STEERING COLUMN (WITH THE REMAINING BOLT). THIS CAR IS OWNED BY COUPLE WHO ARE IN THERE 60'S. WE PURCHASED IT NEW AND HAS NEVER BEEN RACED OR ABUSED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10712183
Incident
Apr 20, 2015
Mileage
48,000 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 27, 2015
Crash reported

FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT, MY STEERING WAS ACTING UP LIKE SMALL BUMPS WHEN I TURNED LEFT. THEN YESTERDAY, I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, DROVE UP MY STREET, TURNED LEFT AND ONCE I GOT UP TO SPEED THE EPAS JUST STOPPED WORKING. MY COMPUTER SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRONIC ASSIST POWER STEERING FAILURE. I COULDN'T CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND I ALMOST HIT A CHILD WALKING TO SCHOOL ON THE SIDEWALK. I TRIED ALL THE RESET STUFF FORD SAYS AND THAT DIDN'T WORK. I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE BASICALLY THE RUDEST SERVICE CENTER EVER. THEY REFUSED TO EVEN GIVE ME A LOANER CAR WHILE THEY FIXED IT, WHICH WOULD TAKE DAYS. SO I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP I USE AND THEY ARE WORKING ON IT NOW AND GAVE ME A LOANER CAR BEFORE I ASKED FOR ONE!!!! THIS THING BROKE 2000 MILES OUT OF THE WARRANTY AND I ALMOST KILLED A KID WALKING TO SCHOOL. I COMMUTE ON I-5 AT 70 MILES PER HOUR EVERYDAY AND NOW I'M WORRIED WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF IT SHUTS OFF GOING THAT SPEED. MY REPAIR BILL WILL BE AROUND $2,000.00 FOR A CAR WITH 38,000 MILES ON IT. MY NISSAN FRONTIER HAD 256,000 MILES AND HAD THE RADIATOR REPLACED!!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10702243
Incident
Mar 26, 2015
Mileage
38,232 mi
Steering
Filed Dec 5, 2014
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A LOUD METAL-ON-METAL GRINDING NOISE. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS PROGRESSING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BALL JOINT, BUSHINGS, SUSPENSION, SHOCKS AND BOTH CONTROL ARMS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE DAYS LATER. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CRASHING INTO A CURB. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT A FIELD ENGINEER WOULD FURTHER INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT WHEN THE CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED, THEY WERE NOT REPLACED WITH THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER PART BECAUSE THEY WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

NHTSA ID
10662418
Incident
Nov 10, 2014
Mileage
24,000 mi
Driver assistanceSteering
Filed Oct 9, 2014

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AS I WAS EXITING THE CAR POWERSTEERING GAVE OUT AND WAS LEFT WITH NO MANUBILITY. WAS ABLE TO POWER THRU AND GET TO THE DEALER RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF THE EXIT. DEALER SAID IT DID PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY BECAUSE TECHNICALLY IT DOES NOT MAKE THE CAR MOVE. BUT WITH OUT IT YOU CAN'T MOVE THE CAR NO POSSIBLE STEERING. DEALER SAID THEY HAD THE PART IN STOCK DUE TO OTHER 2012 MUSTANGS WITH SAME PROBLEM ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE FOCUS AND F150 HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AND HAVE BEEN CALLED BACK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10643469
Incident
Sep 16, 2014
Mileage
30,200 mi
BrakesFuel systemSteering
Filed Dec 31, 2013

WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR STARTED ACTING LIKE IT WAS RUNNING OUT OFF GAS. THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. WE NOW KNOW THE PROBLEM OCCURS ONLY WHEN SOMEONE SITS IN THE BACK SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER. WE HAVE DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES. SITTING IT THE BACK SEAT CAUSES SOMETHING TO SHORT OUT AND THE CAR DIES. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS IN REAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND WE ARE LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10558025
Incident
Dec 25, 2013
Mileage
37,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalOther / unspecified+1 more
Filed Dec 4, 2013

I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 FORD MUSTANG V6 PREMIUM ON THE MORNING OF 10\21\2013 WHEN FOR THE 4TH TIME THE ADVANCE TRACTION CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONED THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH AND I WAS UNABLE TO STEER MY CAR, BLOWER ON MY AIR CONDITIONER CAME ON BY ITS SELF FULL BLAST. WHILE I WAS TRYING TO GET CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE A EIGHTEEN WHEELER HAD TO GO OFF THE INTERSTATE INTO THE GRASS TO KEEP FROM RUNNING MY CAR OVER! THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 OTHER TIMES STARTING AT ABOUT 13000 MILES. THE PROBLEM IS ONLY GETTING WORSE!! I CARRIED IT TO THE SHOP WHEN IT FIRST STARTED HAVING THIS PROBLEM THEY TOLD ME THEN THAT THE CONTROL MODULE WAS UNDER NATIONAL BACK ORDER AT IT WAS GOING TO BE 6 TO 8 WEEKS BEFORE THEY WOULD HAVE TO PART IN FOR MY CAR. THE DEALER WAS TOLD BY TECH SUPPORT TO REPLACE MY 2012 PART WITH A 2013 PART??? THEY DID THAT EVEN THOUGH THE PART NUMBER WAS DIFFERENT. THE NEXT TIME I CARRIED THE CAR IN THE SHOP FOR THE TRACTION CONTROL THEY KEEP MY CAR AND DID NOTHING.THE THIRD TIME I CARRIED IT TO THE SHOP FOR THE SAME THING THE TECH CONNECTED TO THE CAR TO THE COMPUTER THE ALTERNATOR SENT CRAZY WAVES TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IT MESSED UP THE BATTERY THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY. AND EVEN WITH EVERYTHING THEY HAVE DONE THE CAR IS STILL UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THEY TELL ME TO TAKE THE CAR AND WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN THEY WILL CHECK IT AGAIN. NOW I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE HURT OR WORSE SOMEONE KILLED!!! PLEASE HELP!!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10554817
Incident
Oct 21, 2013
Mileage
35,130 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 27, 2013

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT. WHEN I WOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WOULD KEEP TURNING. A WEEK PREVIOUS, I HAD FOUND A BOLT ON MY FLOORBOARD AND I PUT IT IN MY CONSOLE. MY HUSBAND SAW IT, ASKED WHERE I HAD GOTTEN IT CAUSE IT HAD A RED TIGHT LOCK TOWARD THE TOP AND HE SAID WHERE EVER IT HAD FALLEN OUT FROM SHOULDN'T HAVE COME OUT. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD, I AM JUST THANKFUL I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND NOT ON A HWY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10532128
Incident
Jul 25, 2013
Mileage
49,000 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 15, 2012

DRIVING AND LOSS STEERING, SERVICE ADVANCETRAC LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER GOING TO THE DEALER THEY FOUND NOTHING AND SENT ME ON MY. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIME SINCE. I HAVE READ BLOGS AND OTHER OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. COULD BE DANGEROUS IF DRIVING AT A HIGHER SPEED AND THE LOSS OF STEERING OCCURS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10455297
Incident
Apr 11, 2012
Mileage
350 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .