2012 Ford F-150: Power steering goes out
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2012 F-150 report: power steering goes out. CarComplaints.com lists 17 owner complaints, average mileage 70,300 miles.
NHTSA has 197 owner complaints for the 2012 F-150 in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11670374 (filed 06/30/2025): “My truck started to skid as i was making a left turn. i wasn't going fast enough to skid. i then noticed the idiot light was on so i took it in for an estimate. i was told that the truck needed a power steering rack and the cost would be around $3000.00 …”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11616795 (filed 09/27/2024): “I started getting a notification on my dash about a issue with the charging system. i checked system and it is fine. now i am getting other lights on my dash and head lights flashing. come to find out, it's a bad body control module. i also have a steering iss…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: replace electronic power steering module (7 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Electric power steering faults typically need module diagnosis with a scan tool and calibration. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $2,410 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
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