2002 Ford Focus Steering Problems
Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2002 Ford Focus, 6% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 44,586 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering wheel locked” (11% of reports).
- 53steering complaints
- 44,586median miles at failure
- 12mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 47%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering wheel locked: mentioned in 6 of 53 complaints (11%)
- Tie rod: mentioned in 5 of 53 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 25 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 53 complaints, 12 mention a crash, 7 an injury.
Ford Focus steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Focus | 30 | 4% | 47,500 |
| 2017 Focus | 20 | 2% | 61,800 |
| 2016 Focus | 45 | 4% | 48,000 |
| 2015 Focus | 93 | 9% | 61,610 |
| 2014 Focus | 221 | 8% | 51,000 |
| 2013 Focus | 273 | 13% | 74,000 |
| 2012 Focus | 927 | 25% | 78,000 |
| 2011 Focus | 10 | 9% | 40,000 |
| 2010 Focus | 13 | 5% | 58,000 |
| 2009 Focus | 9 | 4% | 6,500 |
| 2008 Focus | 12 | 5% | 23,000 |
| 2007 Focus | 13 | 3% | 59,360 |
| 2006 Focus | 5 | 2% | 47,073 |
| 2005 Focus | 18 | 4% | 60,133 |
| 2004 Focus | 29 | 7% | 54,111 |
| 2003 Focus | 73 | 7% | 70,500 |
| 2002 Focus | 53 | 6% | 44,586 |
| 2001 Focus | 86 | 5% | 41,000 |
| 2000 Focus | 168 | 5% | 61,574 |
| 1999 Focus | 1 | 9% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering for the 2002 Ford Focus. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Ok so i've had my ford focus for about 3 months now i fell in love with this little thing recently got struts changed in front and ball joints bushings and tires so i knew it would need an alignment so got that done now at speeds from 50-60 mph this car starts fishtailing out of control i dont have…
This is our first year driving this focus in the snow, we bought it in 2011. We had a snow fall on 11/1/2012 and we took the car out for a drive. Any speed above 35 mph and the rear of the car floats (wiggles) back and forth up to a foot. It is completely unstable on snow or ice. I did some…
The ignition on my 2002 ford focus will not work and my understanding that this is happening to many people also. This issue will leave you stranded and unable to leave your current destination. In the event of an emergency it is unreliable. I work for a fire and rescue agency which requires me to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Ford Focuss have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 53 owner complaints about steering for the 2002 Ford Focus (6% of the 939 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Ford Focus steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 44,586 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2002 Ford Focus?
The most frequent phrase is “steering wheel locked”, in 6 of 53 complaints, followed by “tie rod” (5).
Other 2002 Ford Focus problems
See all 2002 Ford Focus problems or steering problems across all Focus years.