2016 Ford Focus Steering Problems
NHTSA lists 45 steering complaints for the 2016 Ford Focus, 4% of its 1,181 total complaints for that year. Owners most often report sudden power steering assist failure with a warning message, sometimes leading to a locked or hard-to-turn wheel. No related recall is listed in NHTSA data.
- Steering complaints
- 45
- 4% of 1,181
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 48,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical steering symptoms owners report
- Owners report a sudden 'steering assist fault' or 'steering failure' warning message appearing on the dashboard while driving.
- After the warning appears, the steering wheel becomes very hard to turn or locks up completely, sometimes while the vehicle is still moving.
- Some owners describe the steering wheel seizing during a low-speed turn, in one case resulting in a crash into a house.
- The fault sometimes occurs intermittently, disappearing after the car is restarted and then recurring later the same day.
- In at least one case the steering assist failure appeared together with other electrical warnings, including transmission failure and instrument cluster malfunctions.
- Median mileage at failure across steering complaints for this model year is 48,000 miles.
When 2016 Ford Focus steering complaints were filed
First complaint May 30, 2017, latest Apr 14, 2025.
Steering recalls for the 2016 Ford Focus
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Steering complaints by Focus model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the 2016 Ford Focus have steering problems?
- NHTSA has 45 steering complaints on file for the 2016 Ford Focus, about 4% of all complaints filed for that model year. Owners commonly report power steering assist faults that make the wheel hard to turn or cause it to lock up.
- Is there a recall for steering issues on the 2016 Ford Focus?
- No related recall is listed in the NHTSA data provided for steering on the 2016 Ford Focus.
- At what mileage do steering problems usually happen on the 2016 Ford Focus?
- The median mileage at failure for steering complaints on the 2016 Ford Focus is 48,000 miles.
- How does the 2016 Focus compare to other Focus years for steering complaints?
- The 2016 Focus has 45 steering complaints (4% share), lower than the 2012 Focus, which has 927 steering complaints making up 25% of that year's total complaints.
- Are the steering failures dangerous?
- NHTSA data tied to steering complaints for the 2016 Ford Focus includes 1 crash, 1 fire, and 2 injuries.