While Driving power steering failed, in addtion this complaint is noted on numerous Ford formums and websites for my year and model truck.
2012 Ford F-150: loss of power steering
76 of the 1,784 complaints about the 2012 Ford F-150 describe loss of power steering.
- owner complaints
- 76
- of this car's complaints
- 4%
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,800
- typical mileage
- 77,000
- recalls
- 0
Loss of power steering by model year
What owners say
The component involved is the Electronic Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system. It intermittently fails and returns unexpectedly, causing sudden changes in steering effort and jerking of the steering wheel. This creates a serious safety risk because vehicle control can change without warning, especially at highway speeds. The steering system (rack and pinion/EPAS assembly) has been replaced twice, but the issue persists. Replaced parts are not available for inspection. No manufacturer inspection has confirmed a permanent fix. This failure puts my safety and others at risk due to unpredictable steering behavior and potential loss of control. Other owners have reported similar EPAS failures, including sudden loss of steering assist, near-collision events, and accidents documented in public complaint records. The vehicle has received repeated repairs for this issue, including two rack and pinion replacements, without resolution. No police or insurance inspection has occurred. Warning symptoms include intermittent steering assist loss, sudden changes in steering resistance, and inconsistent steering feel. These occur without consistent warning, making the failure unpredictable and dangerous. This appears to be a recurring defect in the EPAS system that has not been reliably resolved through repair attempts or existing recall actions.
Vehicle: 2012 Ford F-150 Incident Description: While driving straight under normal conditions, the “Service Power Steering Service Now” warning message suddenly appeared on the dashboard, accompanied by an audible warning alarm. Immediately after this warning, the steering wheel became extremely stiff and difficult to turn, with a sudden loss of power steering assistance. This failure occurred At the time, traffic was heavy, making it very difficult and dangerous to safely maneuver the vehicle and pull over. The sudden loss of steering assistance created a serious safety risk for myself and other drivers and could have resulted in a crash. I was eventually able to pull over to a safe location, This appears to be a sudden steering system failure and represents a significant safety concern
I had several instances where my electronic power assist steering (EPAS) has failed resulting in advance trac and other errorson my information screen.This has resulted in effectively NO steering. Thank goodness I was in a parking lot or going slow otherwise may have resulted in severe injury or death. This appears to be a problem with my make and model of truck based on what I have read on the internet and my personal experiences. I am in shock that there has not been a proper recall as of this date. I am having dealer put in a second EPAS unit in less than 2 years and considerable cost to me.
This truck is a safety hazard! The waterpump had to be replaced due to overheating, plus numerous other engine issues. it only has 137,000 miles on it But the REAL safety hazard is the power steering goes out at random times. and when this happens the dash goes blank. This has happened 4 times and each time we were lucky it was not on a busy highway, and close to home. The mechanic did everything he knew to do, and when we got it back....It did it again!!! Now, supposedly it is fixed, and we drove it home with no issues.....but...again, they are random, and I am scared to drive the truck. Will it take someone getting killed for this recall to happen? I have seen numerous post about this happening to others. I live on a winding back road, and if the power steering went out, I dont think it would end well. We are thinking of selling it, but I cant in my heart sell it to someone knowing these issues, and if we trade at a dealership, they will find numerous problems and never give us what it is worth, even though these problems are not from neglect
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 17,362.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the steering wheel became firm. The "Power Steering Assist Failure" message was displayed. The contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle several times while driving to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V316000 (Steering). The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted that stated there was no recall on the VIN related to the failure. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 228,000.
Whilst driving, suddenly power steering assist fault light flashed on and steering became very difficult to turn. Was able to safely pull off the road. After several attempts, the fault cleared and steering was fully functional again. Had I been on interstate it most likely would have caused accident.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The restraint warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the steering gear assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 209,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality with the traction control warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that the power steering angle sensors were defective, and the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.
As your driving advance track failure light comes on and you lose power steering. Steering gets real tight and hard to turn. Almost got in a car accident but was able to turn the steering as hard as i could just to make the turn. Drive for a little while then all of a sudden power steering kicked back on. It happen every time i drive my truck.
Without warning, power steering went out. This truck has less than 17,000 miles on it and is kept spotless and well maintained, garage kept. Power steering came back but now we're worried it'll go out again without warning and under possibly much worse/dangerous conditions. Bringing it in for a diagnostic, but cost of a new rack is over 2000.00. And what assurance do we have that it will not happen again with the new rack? These electric racks are being recalled under other Ford vehicles, yet not the F150.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2012 Ford F-150 power steering loss
Is loss of power steering a common problem on the 2012 Ford F-150?
76 of 1,784 owner complaints about the 2012 Ford F-150 (4%) mention loss of power steering. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
How much does it cost to fix loss of power steering on the 2012 Ford F-150?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,800 (median of 12 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2012 Ford F-150?
There are 0 recalls and 2 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2012 Ford F-150
Loss of power 246Check engine light 196Stalling 100Won't shift 90Misfire 73Shudder 71Jerking 58Engine failure 47Airbag light 38Hesitation 31Grinding brakes 28Adaptive cruise 26Brake failure 26Harsh shifting 23Steering lock-up 22Fuel pump 20Won't start 18Fire or smoke 16Transmission failure 16Sudden acceleration 13No deployment 12Door locks 12Knocking 12Slipping 12Backup camera 11Overheating 11Spongy pedal 10Wipers 10ABS 9Sunroof shattered 9Tire blowout 8Steering noise 7Ball joint 6Fuel smell 6Headlights 5Water leak 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2012 Ford F-150?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history