[elwood125]

TSB
11-9-8 STEERING WANDER - BUILT ON OR BEFORE 8/1/2011

Publication Date: September 17, 2011

FORD: 2012 Focus


ISSUE:
Some 2012 Focus vehicles built on or before 8/1/2011 may exhibit a steering wander at highway speeds over 72 Km/h (45 MPH). Customers may indicate they have to frequently adjust the steering wheel slightly to maintain the direction of travel.

ACTION:
Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

Replace the Steering Gear. Refer to Workshop Manual, Section 211-00.

NOTE: FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDED TORQUE SEQUENCE AND TORQUE SPECIFICATION. IMPROPER TORQUE SEQUENCE MAY RESULT IN THE STEERING CONCERN REOCCURRING.



PART NUMBER PART NAME
W714807-S900 Bolt (3 Req)
BV6Z-3504-CE Steering Gear - With 18" Wheels
BV6Z-3504-DE Steering Gear - Without 18" Wheels
CV6Z-00812-A Sub Frame Bolt (2 Req)
W715491-S442 Control Arm Bolt (2 Req)
W520415-S442 Control Arm Nut (2 Req)
W520203-S442 Tie Rod Nut (2 Req)
W520113-S442 Stabilizer Bar Nut (2 Req)



WARRANTY STATUS:
Eligible Under Provisions Of New Vehicle Limited Warranty Coverage
IMPORTANT: Warranty coverage limits/policies are not altered by a TSB. Warranty coverage limits are determined by the identified causal part.

 

[PratoN]

TSB 11-9-8 STEERING WANDER - BUILT ON OR BEFORE 8/1/2011

Where can I find a list of these? I was told there was a TSB for reprogramming the ECU and TCU (I think) but I have no idea where to find a list of what applies to me.

 

[elwood125]

Where can I find a list of these? I was told there was a TSB for reprogramming the ECU and TCU (I think) but I have no idea where to find a list of what applies to me.

it just refers to the date your car was produced.

 

[feta_mgp]

TSB numbers are created by the date the TSB was created.. i.e. 11-9-8 is September 8th, 2011.

There should be a thread on here with a list of them, or you can ask your dealership for a list of them. I will be bringing my car in for this one as I normally do have to make slight steering adjustments on the highway. Thanks for the find!

 

[PratoN]

TSB numbers are created by the date the TSB was created.. i.e. 11-9-8 is September 8th, 2011.

There should be a thread on here with a list of them, or you can ask your dealership for a list of them. I will be bringing my car in for this one as I normally do have to make slight steering adjustments on the highway. Thanks for the find!

Are these all covered under the warranty?

 

[TehMark]

Are these all covered under the warranty?

Of course a defect is covered under your warranty

 

[theos2]

Are these all covered under the warranty?

The TSB will contain details regarding warranty coverage. AFAIK all of the TSBs to date for the 2012 Focus are covered under warranty.

 

[elwood125]

Tsb
11-9-8 steering wander - built on or before 8/1/2011

They knew early on there was an issue, so all vehicles built after this date should have the new level component installed.

 

[willcraft]

Wow, mine was built one day after. How lucky!

 

[PratoN]

Of course a defect is covered under your warranty

You'd be surprised... I've dealt with some shady dealers...

My car was built on [EDIT] 05/16/2011, so I should probably take 'er in.

 

[BetaDnB]

Do they send us this info in the mail or only if it's a recall?

 

[theos2]

Do they send us this info in the mail or only if it's a recall?

Only recalls get mailed to you. often they do not even know where to look up a TSB, or so they make it appear.

Dropped off my car last Friday, for a specific reason and gave them a specific TSB number that I wanted applied. Kept the car all day, and told me that TSB did not exist. I was able to get a hard copy from some contacts I have made, and dropped of a hard copy for them to read over the next couple of days before I go back.

A few things could of happened, all pretty pathetic for a very busy Ford service department.

The tech did not know how to look it up.
The info never got to the tech, and he was unaware of a TSB for this issue
They had better things to bill, and decided to not do the warranty work on my car because they had more profitable jobs on queue


After my last few trips to car dealers, I am really tempted to take over one of these dealerships from sales to service and show them how a good quality product can be sold and serviced and keep customers HAPPY!

 

[Elizabeth]

I am sorry to say i believe in if it ain't broke don't fix it.
So JUST BECAUSE a defect may possibly exist is not reason to take your car in and demand they fix it even if you don't really have the issue.
If you have a real issue with the steering, then yeah, get it fixed.
Just because you can't take your hands off the wheel and stay in a straight line is not a reason to try to get some parts replaced.
And no i am not a Ford stockholder...LOL
But fixing crap that is not broken is bad karma, and is gonna bite you in the a$$.
Why this rant? donno.. just felt like i needed to say it.
[poke] stop pokin' me!

 

[Mik Ohki]

I have noticed the mild wander on my car, so I will be bringing her in. Switching from ano old car to new car, I wasn't sure but the steering just felt off. Wasn't sure if is was the electric stearing or not but she definately has a very mild drift.

 

[theos2]

who is fixing stuff that is not broken? I don't see anyone on this thread requesting profilactic service. I am not sure who your post is addressed to.

My post is not even regarding the wandering steering TSB, but rather another TSB released last week related to the rough shifting in slow traffic and near stalls when coming to a stop quickly.

 

[PratoN]

who is fixing stuff that is not broken? I don't see anyone on this thread requesting profilactic service. I am not sure who your post is addressed to.

My post is not even regarding the wandering steering TSB, but rather another TSB released last week related to the rough shifting in slow traffic and near stalls when coming to a stop quickly.

It may have been me. I guess I won't take her in unless I notice some real pull. I think I have more issues with pull at lower speeds while braking / approaching stop lights with pot holes and stuff. Never anything ridiculous, though.

I will be needing the 11-9-5 TSB for the drivetrain, though.

 

[BetaDnB]

It may have been me. I guess I won't take her in unless I notice some real pull.

Don't wait for real pull. If you take your hands off the wheel and your car changes it's path after being on a certain path there's a problem. Not sure what Elizabeth is getting worked up about either.

 

[Mik Ohki]

Don't wait for real pull. If you take your hands off the wheel and your car changes it's path after being on a certain path there's a problem. Not sure what Elizabeth is getting worked up about either.

I have noticed that the car needs more minor steering adjustments on the highway than I would expect for a new car. I thought it was either just the electric steering, and alignment issue, or perhaps something to do with the torque vectoring, I dunno.

It does however seem to fit the bill for this TSB, and I am taking it into the shop on Wednesday anyways, in regards to leaking from the windshield in the rain. Probably just a bad seal or weather stripping.

At any rate I will see what they say.

 

[PratoN]

Don't wait for real pull. If you take your hands off the wheel and your car changes it's path after being on a certain path there's a problem. Not sure what Elizabeth is getting worked up about either.

Well, I think I might be missing the difference between a TSB and a recall. Is a TSB more of a mild annoyance or supposed to be preventative? I'm starting to think a recall is just a TSB that's made public after someone gets injured.

My dealer told me not to get the steering wheel gear fixed unless I was having a problem. Not sure if that's about saving money or not.

EDIT: Pretty much... http://brodylawoffice.com/what-is-a-technical-service-bulletin-tsb

 

[Strix]

Oh sheesh... legalese to the max! Oh wait.. it's not that bad, haha.

But this explains it much better, IMO: http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1h/bl608h.htm

Difference Between A Recall And A TSB

Q. What is the difference between a recall and a technical service bulletin? Does the dealer pay for the repairs in both cases?
Difference Between A Recall And A TSB

A. There are two types of motor vehicle recalls. The first is when a vehicle has a safety related defect as determined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA). This would be a Mandatory Recall. A Voluntary Recall is when the manufacturer recalls vehicles for a defect not necessarily related to safety. Any repairs made under a recall is paid for by the manufacturer.

A Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) is issued when a known problem or condition exists in a certain vehicle(s) and contains a repair for that problem. A TSB can also be issued to notify dealerships of diagnostic procedure changes, modified or improved parts or service manual revisions and updates.

TSBs are "Reimbursable within the provisions of the warranty". This means if the vehicle is within it's warranty period, repair as outlined by the TSB is paid for by the manufacturer. If the vehicle is out of warranty, the customer is responsible for the repairs.