Focus power steering malfunction

[Elroy Blue]

Wife's 2011 mk3 1.6 petrol Focus has started showing an intermittent fault of 'power steering malfunction'. Occasionally she's lost power steering (fortunately when starting the car), but turning off and on again cures it. I had a look the other day and when starting it very briefly said 'low battery', but the steering fault wasn't present.

I've googled and it looks like the electronic steering module is a common fault. Repairs seem to suggest anything from changing the battery, a software update or the steering rack being replaced. However, there's people who have had the rack replaced and the fault has returned.
We're somewhat worried now as we don't fancy a big bill for the rack.

Is there anybody with knowledge of this fault who can give some advice

[Rat_Fink_67]

A code read will tell you much more. In my experience there is usually a U3000 dtc denoting internal failure of the power steering module. Unfortunately the module is integrated in to the rack. It needs to be a Ford specific code reader though, a generic OBDII reader won't show it.

[finlo]

Battery on the way out causes these kind of fault, so hopefully a relatively cheap/straight forward repair.

[Elroy Blue]

Cheers. The cars never shown an indications that the battery is knackered, but I'll test it and cross my fingers it is just that.

[Elroy Blue]

Looks like the battery has seen better days.

ECP are doing Bosch batteries for under £80. But for the same price the Ford dealer will supply a motorcraft one. Plus I won't need to mess around getting the radio code as we've lost ours.
So, any opinions regarding the quality of the two batteries.

[Elroy Blue]

Belay the last. I've just used a digital multimeter rather than the prehistoric one I used first time and it's showing 12.4 V, so the battery seems fine.

Can't understand why we get a 'low battery' warning on start up, which goes out immediately on start up and the car runs fine. We've not had a recurrence of the power steering issue for a while either. Very odd

[Rat_Fink_67]

Voltage isn't always a sign that a battery is healthy. A battery can show decent voltage but have very little current capacity. I'm a breakdown patrol and regularly see batteries that should be capable of 800CCA barely muster about 50, yet the voltage is 12+. Pop in to Halfords or somewhere like that and they'll do a proper Midtronics battery test for free usually.

[Flip Martian]

Just had the same on my 2011 Focus. Its been an intermittent fault for ages, cleared by turning over the ignition a 2nd time usually. Not this time. Been diagnosed by the AA guy sent out by Ford Assist and the guys at my local garage that it is a failure of the module - parts alone ultimately are just over a thousand. May need reprogramming by Ford once fitted too - should know more tomorrow. But really - ouch. Seems to be a fairly common fault on that year too. And no recall.

[Elroy Blue]

Ours has been ok since we charged the battery. It's one of those things that hangs ominously in the background though

[Flip Martian]

Elroy Blue said:

Ours has been ok since we charged the battery. It's one of those things that hangs ominously in the background though

That's good - sadly my battery is ok. I guess you have a warning now not to keep it too much longer, if you can afford to move it on.