Hi I'm new to the forum I've signed up to help others with the same problem as what I had experienced with the" steering malfunction service required" message. What I did to solve this problem on my focus 2011 hatchback was firstly to replace the battery for an original ford battery specific to the model. 

Secondly the cable from the battery that is connected to the body of the car needs to be removed so the area of contact is sanded down to show the metal(no paint where the cable is touching the body) and then reconnect the wire. 

Thirdly I had a software update on the car at Ford and ever since these 3 steps I have successfully solved this problem and is been 4 months so far so good!I hope I can help others with this issue and save you hundreds in garage bills. Let me know how you get on!

Hi i have the same problem( steering assist malfunction service) with my ford focus 2013 hatchback,while i was driving to Cape Town on N2 the  date  was 22 January 2019 but im still waiting ford dealer in Cape town to call me 

Hi Mr Nxusani.

Was the "steering assist malfunction" problem solved and how was it solved? I had the same problem yesterday while driving on the N2 in Durban and all dealers are closed for Christmas.

Thanks

Andiswa

On 1/28/2019 at 9:11 AM, Mr Nxusani said:

Hi i have the same problem( steering assist malfunction service) with my ford focus 2013 hatchback,while i was driving to Cape Town on N2 the  date  was 22 January 2019 but im still waiting ford dealer in Cape town to call me 

Hello

Was the problem solved? The same "steering assist malfunction service required" error came up while on the N2 in Durban yesterday. Im waiting for dealers to open after Christmas.

 

 

Steering rack problems are well known on the Focus MK3/MK3.5.

A low battery voltage is known to be one of the causes of the "Steering Assist Malfunction Service Required" warning message. When the battery voltage is low during starting of the engine the amount of current consumed by the starter motor creates a severe power dip. When the voltage drops below a certain threshold the PSCM (Power Steering Control Module) that is integrated into the steering rack will detect the power dip and reboot. This will cause a DTC code and the "Steering Assist Malfunction Service Required" warning message being generated and during the reboot of the PSCM the power steering is inoperative.

Ford released several software updates to improve this problem Years ago. However because of the policy to only update vehicle software in case of problems or on request (paid) most cars dos still have the outdated original software. The improved software versions basically delay the booting of the PSCM until the engine is running.

Even if the PSCM has the latest software a bad battery however can still result in a power dip that causes the PSCM to detect a power dip and reboot. I have seen before that on a vehicle with a bad battery powering on larger power consuming options (heated front/rear screens, heated seats, PTC heater, etc.) or even switching on the lights when the engine is running causes a power dip large enough to cause the PSCM to reboot and cause a DTC code and the "Steering Assist Malfunction Service Required" warning message.

In case of the "Steering Assist Malfunction Service Required" warning message the battery condition and SOC (State Of Charge) should be checked first. In case the SOC is low but the battery condition is still sufficient the battery should be charged using a suitable battery charger and the BMS (Battery Monitoring System) needs to be reset. In case the battery condition is insufficient the battery must be replaced with the correct type and capacity battery and the BMS needs to be reset.

In case both the battery condition and SOC are sufficient and the "Steering Assist Malfunction Service Required" warning message is still present further diagnostics should be performed. In this case the PSCM usually shows several communication related DTC codes. In this case the PSCM must be considered defective and the steering rack needs to be replaced.

 

 

 

 

Hi all, I've just bought a 2011 Ford Focus LW (mk3) and it has the Steering rack issue ("Steering Assist Malfunction" permanently).

Before buying a new rack, I'd be keen to try the software update.

Can only a Ford Service centre to the software update? Or can I go to a regular mechanic for it?

 

Also, I was told by a power steering remanufacturer that the software is what causes the rack to break. Is there much merit to that?

 

If the software update does not fit my rack, the most affordable option is for me to get a rack from a wrecker, which I'd get updated to the latest software. Is that a decent approach?

 

Thanks