NHTSA Complaint #10049403 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

ON OCT. 11, 2003, I DROVE TO MY SISTER'S PLACE OF BUSINESS TO PICK UP MY NIECE AND WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE CAR MY KEY WOULD NOT GO IN THE IGNITION. MY BROTHER IN LAW TRIED AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET IT IN HALF WAY BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. WE EVEN TRIED THE SPARE KEY AND IT DID NOT WORK. WE CALLED A FORD DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE WE COULD DO EXCEPT TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK IT. THE SERVICE REP. ASKED FOR THE YEAR AND MODEL OF THE CAR AND HE SAID HE HAD OTHER FORD CUSTOMERS COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS THE IGNITION CYLINDER. HE SAID IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST ABOUT $300.00. I ASKED IF FORD HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AND HE SAID NO. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER A FORD FOCUS OWNER WILL BE FACED WITH THIS PROBLEM AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL HAVE $300.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK