NHTSA Complaint #10029008 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

WHEN I PARKED MY VEHICLE TO GET GAS AND THE PUMP WASN'T WORKING I PROCEED TO INSERT MY KEY TO MOVED VEHICLE TO ANOTHER PUMP BUT THE KEY WOULDN'T GO IN. I CALLED MY WIFE TO VERIFY IF SHE CAN BRING THE SPARE KEY TO TRY TO START THE CAR WITH IT; HER KEY WOULDN'T GO IN EITHER. I PROCEEDED TO CALL THE CUST. SERV. DEPT. AT FORD MOTOR CREDIT AND INFORMED THE PROBLEM; THEY ASKED TO TRY AGAIN TO INSERTED THE KEYS AND HAD NO RESULTS. WE HAVE NO PREVIOUS WARNINGS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THEN TOLD ME WE ARE TO CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TOWED THE VEHICLE; AT FIRST HE EXPRESS WE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AND THEN HE CONFIRMED THAT I HAVE EXTENDED GUARANTEE AND THAT TOWING WAS COVERED BUT THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION WASN'T COVERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP CLOSER TO MY AREA. AFTER THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT DELAND FORD CHECK THE VEHICLE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE COST OF REPAIRS WILL BE 350.00 FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACEMENT. I INDICATED THAT AT THIS MOMENT I COULDN'T COME UP WITH THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT HAVING MY EXTENDED WARRANTY THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT WILL BE COVERED. THEY INDICATED THAT IS NOT COVERED AND THEY SUGGESTED FOR ME TO APPLY FOR A LINE OF CREDIT TO SEE IF I WAS APPROVED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I SAID WILL NOT APPLY FOR THE CREDIT AND LEFT THE CAR THERE TO SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A SATISFYING AGREEMENT. AT THIS MOMENT I HAVE NOT HAVE ANY OTHER COMMUNICATION WITHE THE SERVICE DEPT. OR THE FORD MOTOR CREDIT OFFICE; I THINK THAT AFTER INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME MATTER AND THE SAME RESULTS THE MOST GET INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CUSTOMER. IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A RECALL ITEM; FORD SHOULD BE MORE RECEPTABLE TO THE COMPLAINTS AND ALREADY MAKE A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. AFTER SEARCHING, I HAVE FOUND ALMOST A 100 COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME REASON, AND UNFORTUNATELY NONE HAS A GOOD TURN BACK. MY VEHICLE STILL AT THE DELAND FORD SERVICE AREA.*AK