Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to turn the steering wheel, the steering wheel was sticking and jerked abnormally, making it more difficult to maneuver the vehicle. The contact experienced resistance while turning the steering wheel to the left or the right. The contact stated that there was a rubbing, grinding, and scratching sound coming from the steering wheel. The contact stated that the jerking had gotten progressively worse and occurred while accelerating from being idle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the steering gear and rack and pinion had failed. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V514000 (Steering); that was related to the 2014 model vehicles. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. …
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. Four years ago, the contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, excessive force was needed to steer his vehicle without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the rack and pinion were replaced. Recently, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal creaking noise would emit from the power steering without warning. The vehicle was towed to Woody Sander Ford (235 W Mitchell Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45232) and he was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that there were no recalls on the vehicle; the contact was then referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the steering wheel seized momentarily, due to a sudden loss of power steering functionality, causing the vehicle to cross over to the other side of the road, eventually stopping in a patch of grass on the side of the road. The contact continued to drive the vehicle with manual steering. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that the VIN was not under recall for the steering. The contact used a diagnostic tool and retrieved a power steering fault code. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 64,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormal sound while turning the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed rack and pinion. The contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized. The contact stated that the failure occurred during freezing temperature; however, after approximately 45 minutes, the vehicle warmed up and regained power steering functionality. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with steering rack failure. The mechanic informed the contact that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the steering box started making a grinding sound. The vehicle became difficult to steer. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated he was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer and it was diagnosed with the steering box needing to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The failure mileage was 72,254.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the power steering assist failed, and the steering wheel locked up. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with electric power steering module failure. The electric power steering module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
The steering assist on on our 2015 Ford Focus failed at 35,000 miles as I was backing out of the driveway. The steering fault was indicated on the dashboard and the car became very difficult to steer. Had I been driving on the street or expressway this very well could have resulted in a serious or even fatal accident. I checked with the dealer to see if a Ford safety recall had been issued. There was no safety recall on this year Focus. Sure seems like Ford should issue a safety recall regarding this issue since there is one for the 2014 Ford Focus and other Ford cars. It is the same steering assist unit. The car was undrivable, of course, and the local authorized Ford dealer charged me $2,470 to replace the steering gear. It was in the shop for more than a week. My wife and I are retired on a fixed income and an unexpected $2,470 expense is devastating to us. …
I have discovered this is a very common problem and should be recalled immediately. I bought this ford focus with 50k miles on it and the electrical power steering unit went out within 4 months. i have been driving it this way for 7 months. due to lack of grease or perhaps even lack of an engineered gasket, I believe water has gotten into my system and fried the electronics. this seems to be the most common problem with these electric power steering racks. i see several other models of this car recalled for this problem, why not mine? I'm already overpaying I shouldn't have to pay $1600 to fix this issue. I believe an immediate recall is in order based on how many thousands of people have the same problem as me and are out here driving without power steering.
Steering complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2015 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 93 complaints about the steering of the 2015 Ford Focus, 9% of the model year's 1,022 complaints. The component named most often is electric power assist system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Ford Focus steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2015 Ford Focus, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2015 Ford Focus steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.