NHTSA Complaint #10074455 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

SINCE AUGUST 2003, I HAVE EXPERIENCED IGNITION LOCK FIVE (5) TIMES WITH MY 2001 FORD FOCUS. FIRST TWO "REPAIRS" (8/03 AND 12/03) WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER. I NEVER SAW THE OLD PART. HOWEVER, WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SUBSEQUENT REPAIR TO THE SAME PROBLEM (2/04), I WAS TOLD THAT A PERMANENT REPAIR WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND WOULD COST ME $500+, BUT THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER COULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I GOT NO RESPONSE TO MY INQUIRY ABOUT WHY NO PERMANENT FIX HAD BEEN MADE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. I DIRECTED THEM TO PERFORM THE REPAIR I COULD AFFORD - THE CYLINDER. I NEVER SAW THE OLD PART THAT TIME EITHER. THE CAR WAS RE-KEYED AS WELL. THE IGNITION LOCKED AGAIN ON 5/20/04, AND AFTER I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY HAD REPLACED THE TUMBLERS AND RE-KEYED THE VEHICLE AT NO CHARGE. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT ANY SUBSEQUENT REPAIRS WOULD BE AT MY EXPENSE, AS THEY WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. THE IGNITION LOCKED AGAIN ON 5/25/04. *LA THE INITIAL REPAIR TO THIS PROBLEM WAS MADE UNDER WARRANTY. IT WAS NOT A PERMANENT REPAIR, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SERVICE BULLETINS AND A SIGNIFICANT RECORD OF COMPLAINTS ISSUED ON THIS SAME PROBLEM FROM EARLY 2001. AT NO POINT HAVE I RECEIVED A SATISFACTORY ANSWER, FROM THE DEALER OR FROM FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS, TO WHY THE PERMANENT REPAIR WAS NOT PERFORMED IN AUGUST 2003. I FEEL THAT THE DEALER MADE NO ATTEMPT TO EFFECT A REPAIR ON THIS PROBLEM WHILE IT WAS WARRANTED, BUT STALLED WITH TEMPORARY FIXES UNTIL THE MILEAGE/AGE OF THE VEHICLE WOULD REQUIRE ME TO PAY, BOTH FOR PARTS AND LABOR. AS IT NOW STANDS, I WILL BE TAKING MY VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR THE REPAIR AND A SECOND OPINION, AND HOPE I CAN GET MY MONEY BACK. I REFUSE TO PAY EVEN TEN CENTS FOR A REPAIR BY A SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS ALREADY FAILED TO MAKE THE SAME REPAIR FOUR TIMES!