I bought a 2012 Ford Focus Hatchback in Minnesota in June. The test drive was great (only 3 to 4 miles). When driving the car home (which is about 60 miles from the dealer), after 25 miles or so, the steering seemed to stiffen up and I found myself kind of zig-zaging within the lane (new cement freeway less than one year old). Thought maybe I was not used to the new car, or maybe it was the road? Since then, I payed close attention to the steering. I don't know what causes the steering to stiffen and free up at times. For now it seems to happen only at crusing speed (60-65) after some distance...and the distance seems to vary. So I decided after several hundred miles it wasn't the road or my ability to drive, it was the steering in the car that was the problem. I brought the car back to the dealer to be fixed and they said it drove fine. I asked them how far they drove it, and they said less than 10 miles. I asked them if they would drive it 20 to 30 miles on the freeway. They did, and found the car to be doing what I said it was doing with the steering getting stiff and then free. But they said nothing could be done about it. I am wondering how the car is going to act on ice this winter driving down the freeway. Anyone else hear about, or having this steering problem?