I have reported this problem before.. The lever for the engage/disengage for the tilt telescopic wheel is very hard for me to engage I'm 76 & it takes a lot of hand strength to move it up & down. I complained to the service person at the dealer about this but she claimed they couldn't touch that it's a safety issue; well I knew about the safety & I'm not asking to remove the lever just make it…
2016 Ford Fiesta steering problems
severe 7 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
7
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
1crash
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 7 steering complaints filed for the 2016 Ford Fiesta, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Now second occurrance of a problem with the power steering. Power assist fails on startup with car stationary and in motion. Both times the car had been parked in cold weather for a few hours. Unassisted steering is very high effort and renders the car almost unusable. The first time this occurred the dash warning light was on; dealer service follow-up had the car for four days but failed to…
Had steering trouble with your 2016 Ford Fiesta?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2016 Ford Fiesta?
It's a meaningful issue. 7 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 7 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 10,333 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Ford/Fiesta.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.