Issue ID | 958889 |
Internal NHTSA # | 10492146 |
Manufacurer | Ford Motor Company |
Brand | FORD |
Model | FOCUS |
Model Year | 2013 |
File date | 08/01/13 |
Component | STEERING |
Product type code | VEHICLE |
Description of the problem | Driving straight on the highway ~50mph the car seemed to be drifting to the right as though being blown by heavy winds, although there was little/no wind that day. I applied a typical, slight adjustment to the left but the steering wheel resisted my input, as though somebody was holding onto the steering wheel and applying pressure to the right, after a split second, the opposing pressure released and the wheel overcorrected to the left followed by the identical response when i attempted to correct back to the right. It continued to do this every mile or so, for approximately 9 miles, until i turned off the highway. At lower speeds (city driving) the steering is completely normal. The same thing has happened on three different stretches of highway in the jacksonville area. I have tried different lanes, checking the tire pressure, and i had the dealership check it but they could not duplicate the problem. Applying light/steady/even pressure in the direction of the desired correction, without applying pressure beyond the point where you feel the resistance seems to help prevent the overcorrection problem. On 9 jan, when crossing uneven lanes on the highway due to construction, the wheel pulled to the right more than you'd ever expect under these conditions and i ended up half way into the next lane. Luckily there were no cars in that lane otherwise it would have resulted in a collision without a doubt. That was followed by an overcorrection to the left, and again back to the right. I had to slow down below 40mph before the resistance in the steering eased up. This incident happened on a highway that i am very familiar with; i have traveled it without incident on my way home from work for the past 6 years, and i was prepared for the transition between the two uneven lanes. I have driven other vehicles with epas. This is not normal!! |
Vehicle Mileage at Failure | 60 |
Number of Occurences | 1 |
Source of the issue | NHTSA WEB SITE |
City and State | FLEMING ISLAND, FL |
VIN pattern | 1FADP3K27DLXXXXXX |
Was vehicle invloved in a crash? | N |
Was vehicle involved in a fire? | N |
Was incedent reported to police? | N |
Was medical attention required? | |
Was part original equipment? | |
No. of injured persons | 0 |
No. of fatalities | 0 |
Date of purchase | 29/06/24 |
Was original owner? | N |
Anti-lock brakes | N |
Cruise control | N |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Drive train type | |
Transmission type | |
Vehicle speed | 55 |
DoT tire identifier | |
Tire size | |
Location of tire code | |
Type of tire failure code | |
Was defective tire repaired? | |
Date of manufacture | |
Type of child seat code | |
Type of restraint | |
Dealer's name | |
Dealer's telephone number | |
Dealer's city | |
Dealer's state code | |
Dealer's ZIP code |