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 2017 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functionality returned. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The contact also stated the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed, and the front driver's side tire experienced a blowout. The high engine temperature and the TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while parked or while driving approximately 5 MPH, the power steering malfunction warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with power steering rack failure. The vehicle was then taken to a local independent mechanic and the failure was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 32,000.
On MANY multiple occasions the vehicle has undergone a transmission/clutch failure. The worst of which was when passing a vehicle on a busy section of interstate and the car effectively put itself in neutral, unable to accelerate, at which point the vehicle behind us had to swerve to not collide with us or cause an accident. After the third time bringing it back to the dealership for repairs, I looked into it. We have only been able to drive this car LITERALLY HALF of the time we've owned it, and poured thousands in repairs for obvious and negligent manufacturing defects that YOU KNOW ABOUT. This is a well known issue, and FAR FAR beyond the reasonable requirements for a recall. I am stuck with this vehicle and am mounting debt because I cannot afford another car. The NHTSA has outright failed in its duties to protect people from Fords clear fraud and negligence. …
2017 Ford Focus with only 6400 miles on it - Power steering without warning turned off, and the dash displayed a "Power Steering Assist Failure - Service Required" message. The steering was difficult to manage. Was in the neighborhood when this happened, so was able to get the vehicle back to the driveway however, if this occurred in an intersection, freeway, etc risk of an accident would have been high. There was no warning prior to this happening. Reading forums, this appears to be a common issue with Ford Focus's steering, so was very surprised not to see a recall already issued on this major safety concern.
I was driving home from my mother's home and the car swerved and was hard to keep control of. The next day I was headed to work and the warning came on that the transmission was too hot. I let it cool down for 15 minutes and the message said it was safe to drive, but the process repeated 4 times.i called for tow to the mechanic and he said it was a transmission control module. The part was on backorder for se eral weeks. When they tried to do the repair it did not work.
The vehicle shutters and has stalled while trying to cross an intersection, almost causing an accident while my children were in the car. It will shutter at take off from a complete stop and will randomly change gears while driving at a constant speed on a level road. When it stalls the wheel locks up as well preventing you from steering off the road and to safety
Power steering without warning turned off, and the dash displayed a "Power Steering Assist Failure - Service Required" message. The steering was difficult to manage and would not turn almost like it was locked. Was in the neighborhood when this happened, so was able to get the vehicle back to the driveway There was no warning prior to this happening.
The 2017 Ford Focus s with under 26,000 miles has a steering issue. The steering wheel gets stuck and is hard to steer, won't return to neutral position without being forced back, and is unstable at mid and high speeds. There is a sound that is starting to present itself, similar to a roofer hammering nails, that comes from the passenger side front wheel at lower speeds. First noticed the problem suddenly when pulling out from my street parking. The steering wheel was stuck in its neutral position, and steering hard to the left there was a pop when the steering wheel released from its neutral position. Prior to this event and subsequent steering issues, when exiting the highway at 15-25 miles per hour, there was a rolling and swirling sensation going into the turn, almost like something was not entirely connected in the front end of the vehicle. …
While driving my 2017 Ford Focus se, I received a message on the display indicating steering failure. The moment the message displayed, I lost steering immediately and the car pulled dramatically towards the right edge of the road. Up till this point, there was no indication of a steering issue. Thankfully, I was driving earlier in the morning on a rural roadway with a very little traffic and on a straight section of the road. It seems as though the system affected is the epas. After contacting my local dealership for repair it was mentioned that they had just replaced the same system in a similar vehicle. I also spoke with my local garage who contacted a different dealer that also indicated they have replaced this part on numerous vehicles (no specific number was given).
Steering complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2017 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the steering of the 2017 Ford Focus, 2% of the model year's 900 complaints. The component named most often is gear box (other than rack and pinion) (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Ford Focus steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2017 Ford Focus, though it has 10 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 2017 Ford Focus steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
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.