NHTSA Complaint #10098205 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

LAST FRIDAY MY 2000 FORD FOCUS WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO FORCE THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. WHEN THE KEY FINALLY WENT INTO THE IGNITION IT WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME I HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY TO WORK AFTER AWHILE. *AKHOWEVER, AFTER 2 HOURS OF TRYING TO GET THE KEY TO TURN THIS TIME, I GAVE IN AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THEY ASKED ME IF I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL. UNTIL NOW I HAD NOT CHECK THIS. TO MY SURPRISE THE CAR WOULD NOT BUDGE OUT OF PARK. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. ON MONDAY, THE MECHANIC FOUND OUT THAT MY IGNITION SWITCH WAS BAD. FORD ARE SET UP SO THAT TO REMOVE THE IGNITION YOU MUST TURN TO KEY A QUARTER OF A TURN. SINCE MY KEY WOULD NOT BUDGE THEY HAD TO DRILL OUT MY IGNITION. SINCE THE NEW PART CAME FROM FORD MY MECHANIC SAID THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. I HAD TO PAY $299.00 TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. AFTER THIS I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE WITH MY MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I EVEN SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THE MECHANIC THERE TOLD ME HE HAS FIXED SEVERAL AND WAS SURPRISED IT HAD NOT BEEN RECALLED YET.