Ford Focus Malfunction and Cover

rachcompacc0

Hi,

I hope this post is OK for this forum. Looking for advice.

We bought a 12 plate focus second hand from a local dealership in April 2013 with 1 year warranty. The car was previously owned by an employee of Ford and had a full service history.
Not long after we got the car, whilst driving I got an amber light warning with the message 'Power steering assist malfunction, consult handbook.' I turned the ignition off and back on and everything was fine and upon checking the handbook when the journey was complete, followed the instruction of calling the dealership who said that if I was concerned to drop the car in but didn't seem to make a big deal out of it.
I gave it a week and it didn't happen again so I stupidly didn't take it in.
The problem happened again a few months later whilst driving on the motorway but again, because it was OK as soon as I turned the car off and back on, I stupidly (again) thought nothing of it.
On the first year service, I mentioned it to the dealership but nothing was picked up, presumably because the malfunction didn't occur while it was in their care however after the service it happened more frequently so I took the car in.
They told me the steering rack needed replacing and as my car was now out of warranty, the cost would be £1,000 which sounds like a heck of an amount for a 3 year old car but they justified it by saying the part comes direct from Ford which I understand from follow up investigation to be true.
Due to this, we took it to another garage for a second opinion and they did something to the pumps which seemed to sort the problem until Christmas Eve when it started to malfunction every time we turned the ignition on.
Is there any goodwill gesture the garage could potentially offer me? I wouldn't normally have the inclination to ask but I'm 6 months pregnant so this will potentially shave 2 months off my maternity leave

Thanks

DUTR

I don't see how a goodwill gesture will resolve the symptoms.
Surely you want the car running as the designers had intended?

bigjl

If you reported the fault when the vehicle was under warranty then it should be covered by the warranty.

You need to speak to Ford Customer Services about this directly.

Though not sure what will happen with regards to the other garage having a poke around. Where they a Ford garage? Or just an independent garage?
If you look on EuroCarParts you will see 2 racks listed for a 2012 Focus.

The Electric one is £360 with a £180 refundable surcharge on top which you get back when you return your old rack.

Much better than a Ford part which is likely the same part but in a Ford box

It comes down to cost.

If Ford say they will pay half but a main dealer wants £1000 for a rack and £500 to fit then it will be £750 approx.

If you can get a rack from ECP for £360 and a local garage charges you £250 to fit it then you are financially better off without the Goodwill gesture.

But as I said before if you reported it then you should be covered.

Though it may be a case of your word against the dealers.

Which is why I advise friends and family to EMail the service department with any niggling problems that are intermittent just in case they need to rely on proving that the dealer was told.

shaun_from_Africa

There is one factor that could well have an effect either on the repair being carried out under warranty (as it was originally reported whilst the vehicle was covered) or as a goodwill gesture by Ford.

Due to this, we took it to another garage for a second opinion and they did something to the pumps which seemed to sort the problem until Christmas Eve when it started to malfunction every time we turned the ignition on.

Was it a Ford dealership that you took the car to for the second opinion?
If not, Ford may well refuse to do anything if it was not a Ford garage that carried out the work.

arcon5

My guess is they flushed the filter in the reservoir and possible renewed the fluid so get rid of any particles from the rack out of the system causing a restriction..............

Hoof_Hearted

I have never had a steering rack fail in many years of motoring. How does it fail? Can't be wear and tear.

arcon5

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

I have never had a steering rack fail in many years of motoring. How does it fail? Can't be wear and tear.

Seals can deteriate either allowing fluid to escape or dirt enter the system.

Filter in reservoir can become blocked. Usually where dirt enters the system.

A restriction can starve the rack, thus the worm drive gear grate.

The rack has moving parts. Anything with moving parts and a gear type setup will wear over time.

Albeit most racks fail due to external causes like dirt ingress or restiction, but they are mechanical components at the end of the day and can fail or come apart.

poppasmurf_bewdley

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

I have never had a steering rack fail in many years of motoring. How does it fail? Can't be wear and tear.

Failure of steering racks seems to be regularity on recent Ford models.

I had to have a replacement rack on my Mondeo Mk4 earlier this year at a cost of more than £1000. I know that many Mondeo's have suffered this problem.

rachcompacc0

Thank you for all the replies so far - much appreciated.
The garage reopens after Christmas tomorrow so hubby is going to call them to see how best to proceed.
The second garage I took it to is owned by a friend of my mums who offered to try and help - Arcon5s suggestion of what could've been done sounds similar but I'm honestly pretty hopeless in the automobile dept.

If we went for the ECP option and had someone fit it would this pose problems if we wanted to trade it in in the future?
I'm just flummoxed on how such a major problem can occur on a 3 year old model! Is this normal?

bigjl

It would not cause any problems as the part is new and almost certainly made by the Company that makes them for Ford.

I would still push for a Warranty repair as you informed them of the fault when the vehicle was under warranty.

I can guarantee that if this is a common failure Ford Customer Services will know about it.

If the new Focus has an electric power steering that is a negative for me in the future as I am a big fan of the Focus in all its guises.

But after 6 yrs with a mk3 Clio I can't say I am huge fan of electric power steering.