NHTSA Complaint #10028419 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

PURCHASED 2002 FORD FOCUS 4 DR SEDAN, TOOK DELIVERY 9/28/02. ABOUT 1-2 WKS LATER, TRIED TO START CAR, IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN OVER. CALLED FORD ASSISTANCE TOLL-FREE #, THEY ADVISED WIGGLING THE WHEEL WHILE TURNING THE KEY. THEY SAY IGNITION KEY SOMETIMES WILL NOT TURN WHEN WHEELS ARE TURNED OR PARKED UP NEXT TO A CURB. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES SINCE, NOT ALL UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES. TODAY, 7/16/03, WITH JUST OVER 19,000 MILES ON IT, I BROUGHT IT INTO DON HIND'S FORD DEALERSHIP IN FISHERS, IN, WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. THEY HAVE PUT A NEW CYLINDER LOCK IN THERE, PER KIP JACOBS OF DON HINDS FORD. MR. JACOBS DID TRY TO GET ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG ALL CARS. I INFORMED HIM I'VE BEEN DRIVING 33 YEARS, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR DO THIS. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. I RARELY LOAN MY CAR, NOR IS IT DRIVEN BY ANYONE ELSE. NEVERTHELESS, SHOULD I DO SO, AND FORGET TO WARN THEM OF THIS PECULIARITY IN ADVANCE, THEY MAY HAVE AN URGENT NEED TO START THE CAR, AND BE UNABLE TO DO SO. (LIKE, "MY BABY CAN'T BREATH! LET'S GET HER TO THE HOSPITAL FAST!") OR IF I SELL IT TO SOMEONE ELSE, IF THEY AREN'T AWARE OF THIS IDIOSYNCRASY, AND DON'T KNOW THE FORD TOLL-FREE ASSISTANCE #, THEY MAY BE STRANDED UNTIL THEY CAN FIND A WAY TO GET HELP. I WANTED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES AND FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION PURPOSES.*AK