NHTSA Complaint #10082979 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

I HAVE 46,000 MILES ON MY FOCUS AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WILL LET ME INSERT THE KEY BUT WILL NOT LET TURN THE IGNITION ON, I HAVE PERSONALLY READ HUNDREDS OF FORUMS POSTS WITH THIS PROBLEM OCCURING..... I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY $300+ TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. THE EXTREMLY BAD PART IS THAT MY WIFE WAS TRYING TO START THE CAR UP AT THE TIME.... SHE HAD NOTICED SOMEONE FOLLOWING HER TO THE CAR AND WHEN SHE GOT IN THE CAR AND LOCKED THE DOOR BEHIND HER, HE STARTED TRYING TO BREAK IN, AND LONE AND BEHOLD SHE TRIED TO START THE CAR BUT THE IGNTION WOULD NOT TURN. THANKFULLY I WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS AWAY AND SHE CALLED ME IN A PANIC, WHEN I ARRIVED TO WHERE SHE WAS I SEEN THE MAN TRYING TO GET IN THE CAR, HE SEEN ME COMING UP TO THE ONLY CAR IN THE PARKING LOT (MY FOCUS) AND STARTED RUNNING HE JUMPED OVER A FENCE AND I COULD NOT CATCH HIM...... WHATS TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN? I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS POSTS ON FORUMS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN THEIR CAR IN HAD THE IGNITION "FIXED" ONLY FOR THEM TO COME ACROSS THIS PROBLEM AGAIN. I CANNOT KEEP MY FAMILY SAFE ALL THE TIME. I GUESS I JUST NEED TO TRADE MY FOCUS IN FOR A RELIABLE VEHICLE! *AK