2016 Ford Fusion
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 1,705 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 15 Fusion model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 61 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 32 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, manual transmissionJun 9, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Campaign 26V376000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraOct 13, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
Campaign 25V695000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchNov 17, 2023
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015 Fiesta, 2016 Fusion, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component inside the door latches may break, which can make it difficult to latch or possibly allow the doors to open while driving.
Vehicle doors opening unexpectedly while driving can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect the door latch date codes and if necessary, replace all four side door latches, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-177.
Campaign 23V775000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsMar 10, 2023
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.
Campaign 23V162000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl)Jun 10, 2022
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Campaign 22V413000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchMar 23, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fiesta, 2014-2016 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Ford will notify owners, and Ford or Lincoln dealers will replace the side door latches, free of charge. The recall began September 21, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15.
Campaign 20V177000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemAug 29, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.
Campaign 19V632000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, lever and linkage, floor shiftMay 13, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles equipped with 2.5 liter engines. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S16. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made. This recall is an expansion of 18V471.
Campaign 19V362000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, lever and linkage, floor shiftJul 16, 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S20. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.
Campaign 18V471000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, steering wheel/handle barMar 12, 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.
A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.
Campaign 18V167000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, frontDec 5, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured November 2, 2012, to July 31, 2014, and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 14, 2012, to July 31, 2014. In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pretensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail.
If the driver or front passenger seatbelt cables cannot properly restrain the front seat occupants, they would be at an increased risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable, free of charge. The recall began May 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S42.
Campaign 16V875000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, front, anchorageApr 27, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured from March 10, 2016, through March 16, 2016. The front driver seat track assembly's rear riser may have been improperly welded to the seat track rail, and as a result, the driver may not be adequately restrained in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 207, "Seating Systems" and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
An improperly welded driver seat riser may fail to adequately restrain the driver during crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford quarantined the affected vehicles at dealerships prior to their sale. Dealers will replace the front driver seat track rail, free of charge. The recall began on May 19, 2016. Ford's number for this recall is 16C05.
Campaign 16V250000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storageOct 1, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 13, 2015, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a fuel tank that may have insufficent wall thickness. As a result, the fuel tanks may crack in the event of a crash and thus the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
A fuel tank that cracks may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C11.
Campaign 15V618000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
1,705 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Apr 30, 2025
The rear camera change to black screen
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned on, the contact attempted to change the spark plug; however, the spark plug was stuck. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that there was a hairline fracture in the engine, and there was coolant intrusion into the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine, Apr 26, 2025
My 2016 Ford Fusion 1.5L EcoBoost has developed Fords known Coolant intrusion into the head gasket and block issue. I’m currently experiencing dangerous misfires, violent shaking, with EVAP/O2 codes (not sure if related). I got it towed and received diagnosis and the car will be needing a new engine. 124K miles on vehicle at the time. We demand immediate NHTSA investigation and a Ford recall.
Engine, Apr 21, 2025
Engine has total failure due to coolant in cylinder 2. Ford is horrible
Engine, Apr 21, 2025
My engine is misfiring and now i have to replace my engine.
Engine, Apr 16, 2025
I had an oil change and drove the car for a week no leaks in my driveway. Then a week later at 6am driving in traffic the red engine light comes on, the car slows down, I pull over and turn the car off. It would not turn back on. I had to have it towed and now I’m told I need an engine. How? The car has been maintained and I didn’t hit anything or run over anything. The oil pan is in tack. This could have been serious as I work over night.This needs to be a recall on the 2016 Ford Fusion Titanium AWD 2.0 eco boost.
Engine, Apr 16, 2025
Coolant leak caused head gasket and block damage. No warning lights ever on to indicate issue. Car simply wound not start one morning. Was towed and received diagnosis of needing new engine. 57K miles on vehicle.
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Apr 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion Energi. The contact stated while reversing at 5 MPH, the rearview camera failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated; however, there was a message displayed that the rearview camera would stop working while in reverse, and to please contact the dealer if the camera failed to operate as needed. The failure was intermittent. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the radio intermittently failed to operate as needed. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Electrical system, Structure, Apr 13, 2025
When key is in ignition and either In on position with engine off or In accessory state the dash starts to click and the hood then releases and opens Does not happen when key is not in the ignition and driver door is open or when car is running or when car is locked but does happen if key was just removed from ignition and door has not been opened yet There are not service lights on and all trunk buttons still work when pressed
Engine, Apr 12, 2025
FORD ALREADY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH ENGINES IN THE SE ECOBOOST,, THERE IS A MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 3.INSTEAD OF THEM RECALLING ALL OF THOSE ENGINES THEY ONLY RECALLED A FEW PUTTING EVERY ONE ELSE SAFTY AT RISK .PLEASE HAVE THEM RECALL MY ENGINE . THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES I HAVE BEEN CALLING THE LOCAL FORD SINCE LAST YEAR TO CHECK ON RECALLS FOR THIS ENGINE. I WAS TOLD THEY DIDNT HAVE RECALLS ONLY TO FIND OUT THEY DID HAVE SOME RECALLS ON THIESE ENGINES MY CAR STARTED OVERHEATING IN THE MEDIAN OF THE HIGHWAY I ALMOST CRASHED TRYING TO HURRY AND PULL OVER TO A SAFE PLACE. PLEASE DO A RECALL ON MY ENGINE
Engine, Apr 8, 2025
Coolant intrusion into cylinder 4. Engine light on. Reads Codes: p0304 and p0316. Recommended replacement of an entire short block. Common problem on their ecoboost engines. Officially diagnosed by Ford dealership on 04-08-2025.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Apr 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 80 MPH while driving. The vehicle started jerking and failed to exceed 60 MPH. The vehicle jerked and then failed to exceed 40 MPH. After refueling, the vehicle was slow to start. The contact had to pump the accelerator pedal for the vehicle to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who retrieved DTC: P02, P0087, P0131, P0302, and P1450. The mechanic informed the contact that the vehicle would not pass State inspection. The local dealer was contacted, who confirmed an unrepaired recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was unknown.
Power train, Apr 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the transmission was in park(P), but the vehicle rolled backward. The contact depressed the brake pedal, to stop the vehicle, but after releasing the brake pedal, the failure recurred. The contact depressed the brake pedal again and attempted to shift gear, but the transmission seized. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. A transmission message was displayed. The contact activated the parking brake and pressed the manual shift button from reverse(R) to drive(D) to move the vehicle. After shifting into park(P), the transmission seized again. A bystander helped to push the vehicle into a parking space and then activated the parking brake, preventing the vehicle from rolling. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V362000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
Latches/locks/linkages, Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the passenger’s side front door failed to latch closed securely. Additionally, the messages “Hood Ajar" and "Door Ajar" were displayed. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V775000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The manufacturer referred to contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, an abnormal sound was coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion into cylinder #2, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.
Engine, Mar 30, 2025
I take good care of the car, went in for a check up with engine light on, said I needed new spark plugs, they replaced those. Then it didn’t go off, so then brought it to a master mechanic and he said I have a coolant intrusion and need a new engine. This happened out of nowhere.
Engine, Mar 29, 2025
Car has white smoke coming from exhaust smells sweet. Coolant continues to be low, even after filling up check engine light for misfire. This is due to coolant intrusion common with the 1.5 L engines on the fusion. There was a recall for the 2017 but mines a 2016 and has the same issues. This is an ongoing issue with this car. There is a This is an ongoing issue with this car. There is a class action lawsuit and it’s been acknowledged by Ford that this is an issue
Steering, Electrical system, Mar 28, 2025
I have had road salt contamination with the electrical wiring to the power steering causing the wires to become brittle and break causing a power steering failure in a right curve which caused the steering wheel to jerk the car to the left nearly causing a collision. The power steering failed again due to high friction inside steering gear and has a broken bolt on the EPAS motor to the steering gear.
Power train, Mar 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that his wife informed him that upon starting the vehicle and attempting to shift to drive(D), the gear shifter was stuck in park(P). The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the shifter cable bushing was missing. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V362000 (Power Train); however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the shifter cable bushing had rotted away. The dealer recommended the shifter cable bushing be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was concerned that the repair was temporary because the dealer repaired the vehicle with the same part. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 145,068.
Engine, Mar 27, 2025
The car apparently leaked coolant into the engine was given an estimate of $9425.09 to replace the long block assembly. Apparently this is a no issue from Ford Motor Company. I did write a letter to Ford as well as spoke to someone on the phone. He acknowledged that this was unknown issue and that they were in no position to do anything financially to help.
Steering, Mar 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, and the power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Power train, Mar 25, 2025
I was sitting at a red light and thought I felt my car very lightly shift out of gear. The light changed, I took my foot off of the break and pressed on gas car revved slightly but didn’t move. I placed it in park went back through the gears to drive pressed on the gas and the vehicle went into limp mode was able to pull over to the side of the road. Vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who advised I need a new transmission. There were no warning indicators no messages NOTHING!
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Mar 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was heavy white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where a code reader retrieved information for a defect with the EVAP system. The EVAP system was replaced by another independent mechanic; however, the check engine warning light returned several months after the repair. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic, where it was discovered that coolant was leaking into the spark plugs. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 22, 2025
Our 1.5 EcoBoost engine overheated on 3/20/25, my daughter was driving and the vehicle started shaking and it slowed way down, for a moment she feared for her life, she said it had a message and the check engine symbol was illuminated and the vehicle would not accelerate, when she got it was leaking coolant and white smoke, I took my OBDII scanner, one code was P1299 Cylinder Over temp Protection Active, it now emits white smoke and overheats and looses fluid. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 1.5L EcoBoost - Low Coolant, White Exhaust Smoke And/Or Illuminated MIL - Built On Or Before 10-Jun-2019 20- 2100 01 April 2020 This bulletin supersedes 19-2375. Reason for update: Replace Awareness/Interim Message Model: Ford 2014-2019 Fusion Engine: 1.5L EcoBoost 2017-2019 Escape Engine: 1.5L EcoBoost Summary This article supersedes TSB 19-2375 to update the Service Procedure and Parts List. Issue: Some 2014-2019 Fusion vehicles built on or before 10-Jun-2019 and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles built on or before 08-Apr-2019 equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with only diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. To resolve the condition, follow the Service Procedure to replace the short block and head gasket. Action: Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition on vehicles that meet all of the following criteria: • One of the following vehicles: - 2014-2019 Fusion built on or before 10-Jun-2019 - 2017-2019 Escape built on or before 08-Apr-2019 • 1.5L EcoBoost engine • At least one of the following conditions: - Low coolant level - White exhaust smoke - Runs rough condition with or without an illuminated MIL with only DTCs P0300, P0301- P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in PCM
Steering, Mar 20, 2025
The power steering failed suddenly while driving. The vehicle became nearly impossible to steer and control. Our safety and the safety of others vehicles or pedestrians was put at risk because the car could not be steered or controlled properly. The failure could have easily caused a serious and perhaps life threatening accident. Luckily, due to circumstances, we were able to pull over safely without causing an accident. It suddenly became extremely difficult to steer the car to a safe stop. No warning lamps were illuminated until the problem was actually happening. The warning lamps read "power steering assist fault; pull over safely immediately". The car was towed to a auto mechanic. The mechanic was able to "reset" the power steering but could not diagnose the problem. We then took the car to a Ford Dealer for further inspection. The Ford Dealer diagnosed the car and said it needs a new Power Steering Rack. We were told the original part is "failing" from the inside. The repair at the Ford Dealer is priced at $3170. The car is 9 years old and the mileage is approximately 80,000. For about two days before this incident we noticed that the steering occasionally felt slightly "jerky" while making turns but there was no warning lamps until the power steering completely failed.