326 complaints reported

2013 Ford Fusion Steering

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
326
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Injuries
2

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Apr 2024

The steering wheel of this 2013 Ford Fusion SE, until now tightly connected to the rest of the steering system, has started wobbling. This problem has gradually been worsening over the past few days (as of today's date: 10/4/2025). If this problem is not addressed at some point by a mechanic, it appears that the steering wheel might eventually come loose and separate entirely from the steering column. This very same problem appears to have resulted in a recall and associated repairs by Ford Motor Company of many Ford Fusion sedans of model year 2014-2017. It may be that Ford Fusion sedans of the 2013 model year have the same or a similar problem that gave rise to the noted recall for 2014-2017 Ford Fusion sedans. If so, owners of 2013 Ford Fusion sedans could potentially benefit from a similar recall/repair.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2024
Mar 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the electric power steering function became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the failure was due to the rack and pinon. The repairs were made by the mechanic. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that there were no open recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 169,819. The VIN was not available.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2022
Feb 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while making a right or left turn, there was friction and a rubbing sound coming from the steering wheel. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the rack and pinion assembly needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle had been repaired under an unstated recall in 2015. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000. The contact has been experiencing a friction type noise when turning the wheel traveling slowly. The noise has gotten a little louder over the past few weeks but the noise isn't noticeable while traveling at faster speeds on the highway.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2024
Feb 2024

The steering wheel is beginning to come loose. It can be moved from side to side, up and down on the column. Each time I drive the car there is more movement.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2024
Jan 2024

I was driving my car when suddenly the steering went out which was dangerous for me and other drivers because I could not turn my steering wheel. I thought this was a recall that had been fixed but has not. Since this incident I have not had the car inspected yet. After I was able to get the car back to my garage…the message on my dash read “power steering fault”.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2024
Dec 2023

Power steering Fault lights and no steering. Steering wheel becomes very stiff.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2023
Nov 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the contact heard abnormal sounds and the steering wheel wobbled making it difficult to control the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle had been diagnosed by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the failure was due to faulty steering wheel bolts. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2023
Oct 2023

My daughter was on the way to work, in the middle of traffic going around another vehicle at the time and without any warning, the power steering just went out. It was as though the steering wheel locked up or there was no power steering capabilities whatsoever and she barely made it off of the roadway. This could have caused an accident and It scared her so bad that she was crying when she called me immediately after it happened. I didn’t know what to do so I told her to crank up, put the car in drive and see what it does. The steering was fully functional then so she drove on to work but was very nervous thinking it may happen again. I did read that there is a recall for this exact issue on particular models of Fusions but it does not include our model; therefore, I am submitting our complaint and requesting that the recall to be updated to include ALL models of 2013 Ford Fusions for the safety of ALL owners. Thank you!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2023
Oct 2023

I was driving down the road about to start slowing down at a stop sign, then my steering wheel started to shake and I got a warning on my dash that my power steering system needed assistance and my steering wheel now is very hard to turn. I had to drive it back home and it was very difficult to turn my wheel the whole way home. could have been in serious accident when wheel start to shake or if my wheel completely locked up. fortunately, I was not injured or in no accident.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2023
Oct 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while reversing the vehicle, the steering wheel disengaged. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2023
Sep 2023

COMPONENT FAILURE (ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MODULE). MY STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT, MADE A SCRATCHING NOISE. ALSO WHEN TURNING RIGHT AND LEFT, IT DROPPED AN INCH AND WHEN I TRIED RECOVERING IT WAS HARD TO CORRECT. IT WAS LIKE MANUAL STEERING OVER POWER STEERING. NO WARNING INDICATOR ON DASH EVER CAN ON. THIS ISSUE BEGAN RIGHT AFTER I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHEN THEY PERFORMED THE RECALL ON THE BRAKE HOSES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2023
Sep 2023 Crash

Sterling gear rack n pinion got very hard and the vehicle couldn't be controlled . Lost control and caused to crash

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2023
Sep 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle swayed left and right, and the steering wheel had limited maneuverability. The instrument panel displayed the warning message: steering system failure. The electronic power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the electronic power steering. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number 13V232000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 126,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2023
Sep 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was loose and wobbly, and not completely secured to the steering column. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 206,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2023
Sep 2023

The steering wheel of my 2013 Ford fusion is becoming loose. Apon looking up this issue I found that there is a recall on 2014-2018 Ford Fusions for this same issue. I am wondering if my vehicle can be included so that this safety issue can be fixed?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2023
Sep 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while his wife was driving 70 MPH, a warning message indicating power steering failure was displayed. The contact's wife veered to the side the road and attempted to activate the hazard lights however, the hazard lights were inoperable. The contact met his wife on the side of the road and towed the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering gear control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2021
Aug 2023

I was driving on 7/26/2023 and the power steering system malfunctioned, resulting in complete loss of power steering. I received a warning message: "Steering Assist Malfunction Service Required" I lost control of the vehicle momentarily until I realized I could still steer, but with great difficulty. I pulled over, turned off the car, restarted it and regained power steering for a few seconds before it failed again, giving the aforementioned warning message. From that point, power steering was completely lost and did not come back after stopping and restarting again. Fortunately, I was able to get my car home without incident but it was very difficult to steer and making tight turns was impossible. I took the vehicle to Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor, MI who told me, "The power steering rack has an internal failure that won't reset or clear." They indicated that the only way to restore the power steering is by replacing the electronic power steering rack. I was quoted $3950.80 for this and my car is currently undergoing repair because I need a mode of transportation. There is a known issue with the Ford Fusion (https://www.consumerreports.org/consumerist/ford-recalls-nearly-445k-vehicles-for-power-steering-failure-fuel-leak-issues/) and Ford has issued recalls for 2011 to 2013 model years. Mine is a 2013, but the specific model (Energi) is not covered. I experienced the same issue so Ford's recall should cover the Energi model and I should be reimbursed for the repair costs.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2023
Aug 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that an unknown warning light had appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was test driven and the fault codes were reset. Upon restart of the vehicle, the power steering assist message appeared on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and a dealer however, the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 163,233.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2023
Jul 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the power steering failed, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in either direction. During the failure, the messages "Service Power Steering'', "Hill Assist Not Available" and "Service Advance Track" were displayed. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 140,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2023
Jun 2023

My daughter in law just had her brakes serviced at Jack Demmer Ford and the next day the power steering suddenly failed while she was driving with my grand daughter in the back seat. She was unable to steer the car but did manage to stop safely. I understand the Electric Power Steering Assist (EPSA) failure is a very common problem on this vehicle and has been recalled on this model and year but not on her VIN. Now Ford says they cannot even look at the car for 3 weeks so she is driving my car while I will be driving hers with no power steering. I have owned and driven cars from 1966 to 2023 and never had power steering fail while the car was in motion. Older cars that never had power steering are still easy to steer and drive but the 2013 Fusion Hybrid is very difficult and almost impossible at lower speeds meaning she absolutely cannot drive the car. Amazing how she can get her car into the Ford dealership for brake maintenance but not for a immediate safety issue like not being able to steer.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2023
Apr 2023

Power Steering Assist Failure while driving. Problem is intermittent but persistent and can happen suddenly. It nearly caused me to go off the road when it happened while going around a curve. If it happens suddenly it is extremely hard to steer and could definitely end up in an accident. I have not had it inspected yet by a mechanic. No warning lights appeared before the failure but when it happened the message read "Power Steering Assist Failure"

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2023
Mar 2023

The power steering failed on the highway. The Ford dealer quoted $3,000 to repair the power steering.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2023
Mar 2023

On December 2,2023, I was driving my 2013 ford fusion down the road and all of a sudden a warning came up that Steering Assist fault and required service. I was going about 40mph there was no warning at all. I could have bee. Seriously hurt. Upon research there have been others that have this problem. When check my model is not on the recall list. Why is this?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2023
Mar 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the message "EPS Warning System" was displayed, and the vehicle suddenly lost power steering assist functionality, causing the steering wheel to become very difficult to steer. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the steering wheel responded as needed. However, upon starting the vehicle the following day, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the electric power steering (EPS) system. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign number: 15V250000 (Steering). The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 111,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2023
Mar 2023

My vehicle steering has failed/is failing. While driving I had intermittent loss of power steering and a knocking noise when turning the wheel in any direction which has been confirmed by my local ford dealer. They have stated that the electric rack and pinion is the issue. I didn’t receive any notification on my dashboard. It seems this is an ongoing problem with my year vehicle in other states.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD FUSION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2023

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Ford Fusion has 326 Steering complaints on file. 5 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.