Owners of 2016 Ford Fusions consistently report power steering failures spanning mileage from 30,000 to 180,000 miles. The steering assist cuts out abruptly, sometimes without warning, making the wheel extremely stiff or completely locked. Dashboard lights flood in—Power Steering Assist Fault, Service AdvanceTrac, ABS, airbag warnings, hill assist, and lane-keeping alerts all fire at once. Many owners find the system temporarily recovers after turning the engine off and restarting it, but the underlying problem returns during the next hard turn or sustained drive.
Several owners report the failure occurs after 1–2 days of the steering feeling jerky or unresponsive. Some experience complete lockup at low speeds or during turns; others lose assist while at highway speeds, forcing them to manually steer with extreme force to reach safety. The cascading electrical warnings—unrelated systems flagging failures they didn't have—suggest a communication error originating in the steering control module rather than a purely mechanical problem.
Ford has issued multiple recalls (18V167000, 19V632000, 19S26) for steering on 2016 Fusions, but many owners find their VINs excluded despite living in covered states and having identical symptoms. Geographic coverage appears to be salt-exposure states, but owners who moved into those states after the initial recall date are often refused coverage. Dealers have consistently struggled to diagnose the issue on test drives, even when owners provide videos and photos documenting the failures.
Failure modes owners describe
Loss of power steering assist with warning lights
Power steering assist fails suddenly or intermittently while driving, typically accompanied by dashboard warnings including 'Power Steering Assist Fault,' 'Service AdvanceTrac,' 'Hill Start Assist Not Available,' 'Lane Keeping Malfunction,' and 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available.' Many owners report the failure recurs minutes after engine restart. Steering becomes extremely difficult or impossible to turn, especially at low speeds and during turns.
When: Occurs across broad mileage range from 30,000 to 180,000+ miles; some owners report initial symptoms as early as 30,000 miles, others at 70,000+; typically occurs while actively driving or attempting turns
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering assist suddenly fails or becomes extremely stiff; Steering wheel becomes tight, locked, or nearly impossible to turn; Dashboard warning: 'Power Steering Assist Fault' or 'Steering Loss - Pull Over Safely'; Traction control, ABS, and hill assist warnings illuminate; Multiple cascading system warnings appear (lane keeping, pre-collision assist unavailable); Failure is intermittent and temporarily resolved by engine restart; Steering occasionally feels 'jerky' or 'clunky' for 1-2 days before complete failure
Codes mentioned: C0031, U0401
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report replacement of steering rack assembly ($3,100–$6,000 quoted); some dealers blamed internal corrosion of steering bolts (salt-related); one owner had steering rack replaced but problem recurred within weeks; dealer later found the steering control module computer had not been reset after first repair, requiring line-by-line reset instead of standard reset procedure
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Multiple recalls issued (NHTSA 18V167000, 19V632000, 19S26) but coverage appears limited to specific geographic regions (northern salt-exposed states) and pre-existing VIN lists; many owners' VINs excluded from recalls despite identical symptoms; dealers initially refused to repair out-of-warranty vehicles; one dealer refused repair due to mileage overage despite this being a defect; Ford offered no assistance to owners not covered by recall
Steering wheel lockup with no warning
Steering wheel abruptly seizes or locks up with minimal or no advance warning, forcing drivers to exert extreme force to regain control. Owners report the wheel locks during turns, braking downhill, and normal highway driving. One incident involved the steering wheel becoming completely locked after the vehicle was parked, preventing any turning capability when restarted.
When: Can occur suddenly without prior symptoms; one case at 25 mph, others at highway speeds (65+ mph); some cases involve steering stiffness or jerking 1-2 days before complete lockup
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel suddenly becomes rigid and difficult or impossible to turn; No or delayed warning lights prior to failure; Requires excessive force to steer vehicle to safety; Steering wheel may be completely locked upon vehicle restart; Can occur while turning, at low speeds, or during highway driving
Repairs/costs cited: Power steering pump and harness failure diagnosed in one case; steering rack failure (internal friction) in others; one case required replacement of entire steering gear (quoted $6,000); another required steering rack replacement and TCM/ECM reprogramming; multiple cases where dealers could not diagnose the issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Limited recall coverage; manufacturer notified in multiple cases but provided no assistance; one owner told their VIN was not covered by recall despite identical symptoms to recalled vehicles
Multiple electrical system warnings cascading from steering fault
A single steering system failure triggers a cascade of unrelated system warnings (ABS, airbag, traction control, hill assist, rear parking sensors, lane keeping, pre-collision assist). Owners report that turning the vehicle off and back on clears the warnings temporarily, but the underlying steering problem persists. The pattern suggests a communication or electrical bus failure originating from the steering control module.
When: Occurs at various mileage points and driving conditions; warnings often appear after initial steering stiffness or jerking symptoms
Symptoms owners cite: Multiple unrelated warning lights illuminate simultaneously: ABS, airbag, hill assist, traction control, lane keeping, pre-collision assist, rear parking sensors; Warning messages scroll rapidly on dashboard; Forward collision warning disabled, adaptive cruise control unavailable; Turn signals may stop working; All warnings clear after engine restart, but return with next hard turn or sustained driving; Brake pedal sometimes vibrates as if losing pressure when warnings are active; ABS system pulses and clicks while braking without cause
Codes mentioned: C0031, U0401
Repairs/costs cited: One dealer found communication errors in the vehicle computer and cleared codes; no permanent fix identified; another dealer replaced ABS wheel speed sensor at driver front wheel but warnings persisted; steering control module computer reset completed line-by-line in one case after initial steering rack replacement failed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers unable to replicate issues on test drives despite owners documenting multiple videos and photos; one case flagged as high priority by Ford headquarters regional service manager; no recalls address the cascading electrical failures
Sudden unintended deceleration with steering lockup
Vehicle experiences abrupt deceleration from highway speeds (74 mph) down to 20 mph or complete stop in 5–10 seconds, coinciding with steering wheel tightening or lockup. Multiple safety systems become unavailable during the event. One owner identified the throttle body as the cause after online research and successful replacement.
When: Occurred at approximately 12,000 miles in one case; can occur on freeways at highway speed
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden deceleration from 70+ mph to 20 mph within 2–10 seconds; Steering wheel becomes tight and practically locked; Check engine light illuminates; Console screen activates with rapid cascading safety system warnings; Vehicle unable to accelerate past 20 mph after deceleration event; Multiple safety systems display as unavailable (adaptive cruise, forward collision warning, parking sensors, hill assistance)
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replacement resolved the issue in at least one case; owner paid out-of-pocket as Ford refused recall
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford refuses to issue recall despite owner discovering multiple online forums documenting this as a common issue for 2016 Fusion Energi vehicles after 12,000 miles
Power steering failure without power steering recall coverage
Owners experience power steering loss and are directed to recall #19V632000 (steering), but their VINs are not included in the recall despite registering in states identified as covered (Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Vermont). One owner notes the recall is geographic and tied to salt-exposure states but does not cover cars that moved into those states after the recall cutoff date.
When: Various mileages from 30,000 to 180,000 miles; issues may appear years after vehicle purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of power steering assist; Steering becomes extremely difficult or impossible to turn; Dashboard warnings: 'Power Steering Assist Fault,' 'Service AdvanceTrac,' 'Hill Start Assist Not Available'; Steering rack diagnosed as failed, requiring replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Steering rack replacement quoted at $3,100–$6,000; some owners unable to afford repairs
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Multiple owners told their VINs are not covered by recall 19V632000 despite identical symptoms to recalled vehicles; some later discovered recall 19V632000 is geographic (northern salt-exposed states only) and has a cutoff date; one owner found the recall applies to their state (Vermont) but the vehicle is exempted because they moved there after the initial recall notice; manufacturer provided no alternative remedy for non-covered VINs
Synthesized from 184 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.