NHTSA Complaint #10075062 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, BRAKE PETAL LOCKED, GEAR SHIFT LOCKED. CAR OUT OF WARRENTY. FORD EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE WON'T HELP BECAUSE OF EXPIRED WARRENTY. CALLED NEAREST FORD DEALERSHOP (TOM HOLZER), GAVE ME THE PHONE NUMBER OF THEIR "TOWING" PERSON, TRIED 12 TIMES, GOT VOICE MAIL, NO CALL WAS EVER RETURNED. (I WAS "STUCK" IN A BANK PARKING LOT.. AND THEY WERE READY TO CLOSE) THE BANK PERSONEL WERE KIND ENOUGH TO LET ME USE THEIR PHONE AND PROVIDED A PHONE BOOK, BESIDES EVERY MALE IN THE BUILDING INDIVIDUALLY TRIED ANYTHING THEY COULD THINK OF TO GET MY CAR TO START... WITH NO LUCK. AFTER CALLING @ 6 LOCK SMITHS WITH 24 HOUR EMERGENCY ROAD SERVIE, I FINALLY FOUND ONE THAT KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT... HE INFORMED ME THAT HE GETS A CALL ON THE SAME PROBLEM APPROX. ONCE A WEEK ON FORD FOCUS'S. EVEN HE CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A "RECALL" ON THIS DEFECTIVE PART?? HE ALSO TOLD ME WHAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD HAVE CHARGED ME TO REPLACE IT... @$550.00!! FORTUNATELY FOR ME THERE ARE STILL HONEST AND KIND PEOPLE AROUND, FORD DID "NOTHING" TO HELP ME!! I CAN'T IMAGINE I'M THE "ONLY" PERSON THAT HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, WHY HASN'T ANYTHING BEEN DONE ABOUT IT? WHEN THIS HAPPENS, YOU'RE DEFINATELY STRANDED!! *AK