NHTSA Complaint #10100616 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

I RECENTLY ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM WITH MY IGNITION. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO INSERT MY KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE KEY WOULD NOT INSERT ENTIRELY AND WOULD NOT TURN TO START THE CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY LOCKED WHILE IN PARK. INITIALLY, I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN "EASY FIX", SO I TRIED TO JERK THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE EXTREME LEFT OR RIGHT, BUT IT REFUSED TO COOPERATE. AFTER OVER AN HOUR OF ATTEMPTING TO INSERT MY KEY WITH FAILURE, I CALLED A LOCKSMITH. THE LOCKSMITH TOLD ME "THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN FORD FOCUSES". I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR MATTER. I'VE READ NUMEROUS STATEMENTS ONLINE FROM OTHER FORD FOCUS OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM (SEE HTTP://WWW.AUTOMOTIVEFORUMS.COM/T158426.HTML AND HTTP://WWW.TALKABOUTAUTOS.COM/GROUP/ALT.AUTOS.FORD.FOCUS/MESSAGES/27215.HTML). THE LOCKSMITH HAD TO UNINSTALL THE OLD INGNITION SWITCH AND RECODE AND INSTALL A NEW IGNITION SWITCH FOR $190. SINCE MY PURCHASE, FORD FOCUS HAS ISSUED THREE RECALLS (UPCOMING FOURTH RECALL) AND I'M SURPRISED THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ONE OF THEM WITH THE LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS. HOPEFULLY, FURTHER INVESTIGATION WILL TAKE PLACE TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM AND NOT LEAVE ANY FUTURE OWNERS STRANDED WHEN THEY ATTEMPT TO START THEIR CAR.*AK