NHTSA Complaint #10104542 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

AFTER STOPPING AT A LOCAL SAFEWAY SUPERMARKET I WENT TO MY CAR AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE MY WHEEL WAS LOCKED SO I ATTEMPTED TO PULL ON THE WHEEL WHILE TURNING THE KEY BUT HAD NO LUCK. I TRIED THIS FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE GIVING UP. I CONTACTED AAA ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 AND WAS TOLD A LOCKSMITH WILL BE OUT TO UNLOCK MY WHEEL. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM AAA EXPLAINING TO ME THAT THEY FELT A LOCKSMITH WOULD DO NO GOOD WITH MY VEHICLE SINCE I OWN A 2000 FORD FOCUS AND IN AAA'S EXPERIENCE MY PARTICULAR PROBLEM IS A COMMON DEFECT AND I SHOULD HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALER BECAUSE MY IGNITION WILL MOST LIKELY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACT MY LOCAL DEALER MONDAY THE 27 AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY PERFORM THAT REPAIR ALL THE TIME, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL SO I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF OTHER 2000AND 2001 FORD FOCUS OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, EVEN SOME THAT HAD THE STEERING MECHANISM LOCK WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. I HAVE DECIDED TO HAVE MY OWN MECHANIC REPLACE THE IGNITION SYSTEM, BECAUSE DURRING RESEARCH I ALSO FOUND THAT THOSE THAT HAD THE IGNITION SYSTEM REPLACED AT A DEALER HAD A REACCURANCE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK