U0131 on Ford: How to Diagnose & Fix

NHTSA recall 15V340 covers 2011-2012 Ford Fusion without the 3.5L engine (plus Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and 2011 Mercury Milan). A steering motor sensor fault can cause the electric power steering assist to shut down while driving. Owners notice heavier steering effort especially at low speeds, increasing crash risk. Dealers check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for DTCs; if any loss-of-assist codes are stored, the steering gear is replaced free. 2010 Fusions had the same parts but were not included in the recall; NHTSA closed its investigation without adding 2010 models. 2010 owners can see the same symptoms, but those cars are not covered by the recall.

On certain 2011-2013 Explorers built at Chicago Assembly from May 17, 2010 to February 28, 2012 (about 179,000 vehicles), the electric power steering can suddenly stop assisting. Inside the TRW-supplied steering gear, an intermittent electrical connection can drop the motor position sensor signal. Ford traced it to contamination of the ribbon cable's conformal coating or to misaligned ribbon cable pins in the steering motor. When the steering control module loses that signal, it sets a fault code and turns the assist off. The steering stays mechanically connected, so the vehicle can still be steered, but it takes much more effort, especially at parking-lot speeds. A chime sounds and a power steering fault message appears in the instrument cluster. NHTSA opened an investigation (PE12-017) after owner complaints of assist loss. Some owners reported that turning the engine off and back on restored the assist, but it often failed again. By April 2014 Ford knew of 15 low-speed crash allegations and two minor injury allegations. Ford fixed the parts problem at the supplier in late 2011. Owner reports show some gears failed even after the recall software update.

The 2010-2012 Ford Flex with the 3.5L EcoBoost and all 2013 Flex models use an electric power steering system that is prone to sudden failure, leaving the driver with extremely heavy steering that requires significant effort to turn. The power steering control module can overheat or fail internally, and the steering motor itself can burn out. The failure often occurs without warning, typically during low-speed maneuvers like parking lot turns.

The 2011-2016 F-150 uses a belt/column electric power-assist steering (EPAS) system that replaced the old hydraulic pump. Owners report the dash lighting up with a 'Power Steering Assist Fault — Service Now' or wrench warning, after which the assist cuts out and the wheel becomes very heavy, often at low speed in parking lots or during a turn. The failure is usually an intermittent electrical connection or a failed torque/steering-angle sensor or the EPAS motor buried in the rack, sometimes triggered by low battery voltage or a software calibration fault. While the F-150 was not part of Ford's large 2011-2013 sedan EPAS recall (423k Flex/Taurus/MKS), the truck shares the failure mode and it is heavily reported on owner forums.

The Transit Connect uses an electric power steering (EPAS) system that owners report failing, with reports ranging from under 20,000 to over 100,000 miles. Symptoms range from intermittent loss of power assist to complete failure requiring significant steering effort. The steering warning light illuminates and the system may enter a reduced-assist mode. Failures are more common in vehicles used for delivery routes with frequent low-speed turning.

The 2012 Mk3 Focus was the first Focus with a fully electric rack-mounted power steering assist (EPAS). The torque/position sensor and motor assembly inside the rack, and the power steering control module (PSCM) integrated with it, fail intermittently - often heat-soaked on long drives or hot days. The dash shows "Power Steering Assist Fault - Service Now", the wheel goes heavy with no warning, and steering no longer self-centers. Failures are frequently intermittent at first (assist returns after a key cycle) and then become permanent. Because the assist motor is integral to the rack, Ford's repair is a complete steering gear replacement. Unlike the Fusion/Taurus/Flex family, which got NHTSA recall 15V340 for the same motor-sensor defect, the Focus was never recalled despite hundreds of NHTSA complaints, and was instead the subject of a class-action suit covering 2012-2014 Focus and Focus Electric.