This message means that one of the power steering components is broken in your Ford Fusion. Whenever you see the “Steering Loss, Stop Safely” message, you should actually stop your vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible because, in a couple of moments, you are going to lose the ability to turn the steering wheel.
What’s the reason behind the “Steering Loss” message in your Ford Fusion?
All second-generation Ford Fusion models have electric power-assisted steering (EPAS). Pre-2011 Fusions still have hydraulic steering assist, so those older ones will obviously show fewer problems with the steering system. Electric power steering in the Fusion is said by mechanics to be pretty faulty and not reliable.
While in most cases when it malfunctions you will see the “Power Steering Fault, Service Now” message, sometimes the situation goes even worse and the Fusion says to you “Steering Loss, Stop Safely”. It’s quite natural to start panicking when you see it, but I hope you parked your car safely and are now reading this article.
So, here’s what may have happened with your Fusion:
- this message usually tells you about a fatal problem in the electric power steering that requires immediate reaction;
- also, when the “Steering Loss” message appears on the dash of your Fusion, you will notice that the steering assist is not working or gradually dying;
- one of the reasons is that one of the numerous sensors sends bad readings to the control unit and the system turns off automatically;
- the system doesn’t have a pump or fluids, so checking this is not an option in your second-gen Fusion;
- the steering assist may have lost power due to wiring problems, one wire may have lost connection or been damaged;
- software issues are another culprit that you need to check before investing in any repairs, Fusion’s software is not the most reliable system in the automotive world.
Of course, one of the possible reasons is the issue with the steering assist unit itself. But I should say that this assist in Ford Fusions usually works fine and go well over 200,000 miles. So, it’s worth checking the assist itself if you’ve already checked all other possible issues and understand that the problem is not caused by them.
Registering the symptoms for better diagnosis
To understand what’s happening with your electric power steering assist, you need to notice what’s going on with the car. In most cases, after you see this message, you will immediately feel that the steering has become much tougher. You still can turn the wheel but now you need much more effort for this.
After you stop the car, turn the engine off, and then turn it on again, most likely, your steering wheel will be totally blocked and you will not be able to turn it at all.
Here’s what you may notice:
- Is the problem spontaneous or has there been a problem with steering before?
- Can you still turn the steering wheel after you turn the engine off and then on?
- Can you turn the steering wheel after you stop your vehicle?
- Is it at all possible to maneuver on the road once you see this error message?
- Are there any other messages that follow the “Steering Loss” warning?
This may be a mechanical damage of some components in that case only if the problem has been gradually developing. But if your Fusion just lost the power steering assistance when you were happily driving, the problem should be with one of the electronic modules.
Once you’ve answered all of these questions, you will be able to explain to your mechanic what exactly happened to your car. It will reduce the amount of time the specialist will spend on diagnosing. In the end, you will pay less for labor.
Why are Fusion power steering assists so faulty?
Before we continue, you should know that in 2015, Ford recalled about half a million cars in the USA due to potential electric power steering loss. Also, this was not the only recall caused by this system. Overall, more than a million cars are subjected to a recall and, in some cases, you may even repair your Ford for free in the dealership.
So, Ford agrees that there are some faulty parts in the steering assist. And it’s not only about Fusion. Lots of other models can be affected by the same problem.
Here are the key reasons why your steering assist may fail, according to Ford:
- faulty sensors in the steering rack – they are located poorly and may be damaged by water or mud from the road;
- connections between the steering assist and the rack – again, the location is not very good and the connections may corrode or just be damaged;
- bad connections in the steering column – Ford probably has more problems with the steering column design than any other brand in the world;
- issues with sensor readings and their interpretation in the control modules – once something goes wrong, the system will turn off.
So, the most common problems are with the sensors and connections. Well, Ford and electrical problems are married forever, and the more technological the car, the worse the electrical issues. But repairing the steering assist, in most cases, is not the most complicated task. You will just need to locate the certain sensor or connection that malfunctions.
Ho to find the reason for Ford electric steering power assist fault?
If you got the “Steering Loss, Stop Safely” message in your Fusion, the first diagnostic tool you use should be the scanner. Of course, it’s better to use the official Ford scanner in the dealership or in the specialized repair shop. But even a cheap ELM scanner will work, in this case.
You need to scan the ECU and find the code that triggered this nasty massage in your car. For this just do the following:
- connect your scanner to the OBD 2 port in your Fusion (on the right side of the dash);
- turn on the ignition or turn on the engine and enter the scanner’s software;
- find current codes and write them down to investigate later;
- then, if possible, go to the Steering System section and see if there are some more codes;
- investigate the codes online and see in high-authority sources what these codes mean;
- this can help you quickly locate the certain sensor that malfunctions.
After that, you need to locate the needed sensor or connection. For this, you can consult a mechanic or again go online and use Ford forums. Locate the sensor and see if you can replace it on your own. Usually, OEM sensors are not really expensive. The most expensive part is the labor and you can skip it if you do everything on your own.
I don’t recommend replacing the sensor on your own unless you have some experience and know how to do it. Better find a good mechanic who will do that for you for a little money.
After you replace the sensor, it may need a certain reset and recalibration. For this, just turn on the ignition, wait about 10 seconds, and then start the engine. If the recalibration didn’t go well, you may need a Ford scanner to reset the new sensor. For this, better go to the dealership.
Remember that even OEM parts are sometimes faulty, so if nothing works well, you may also want to try another sensor.
Can you still drive when you see “Steering Loss, Stop Safely”?
Whenever your Fusion says “Stop”, you should stop. All error messages that have this word in them, are important to follow and not ignore. Otherwise, you may get into an accident just when you can’t turn the steering wheel.
If the Fusion says that you are going to lose the steering power assist, after some time you will not be able to control your car. The steering wheel will become so tough that the Fusion will only go straightforward.
So, no, driving with the “Steering Loss, Stop Safely” message in your Fusion is obviously not the best strategy. Just quickly find a safe and legal place to park your car and try to understand what you should do next. In some cases, you may even want to call a tow truck and have your Fusion towed to the dealership for diagnosis and repair.