NHTSA Complaint #10106164 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

WHILE LEAVING WORK A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, MY 2000 FORD FOCUS' KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION. UPON INSERTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, I COULD NEITHER GET IT TO TURN IN THE CYLINDER NOR REMOVE IT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO AIRPORT MARINA FORD IN LOS ANGELES AND REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE, AS IT WAS STILL COVERED UNDER IT'S STANDARD 3 YEAR/30,000 MILE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY. (UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE LOST MY SERVICE PAPERWORK DURING A RECENT MOVE. I WILL ATTEMPT TO RETRIEVE THE INFORMATION FROM EITHER AIRPORT MARINA FORD OR FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO CONFIRM THE DATE, WORK PERFORMED AND THE MILEAGE OF MY CAR AT THE TIME.) MY CAR HAD NOT GIVEN ANY INDICATION OF POSSIBLE FAILURE PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. ON JANUARY 6, 2005, WHILE ON AN ERRAND FOR WORK, THE IGNITION CYLINDER BECAME STUCK. THIS TIME, I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY AND REINSERT FREELY BUT COULD NOT TURN THE KEY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SOPP FORD IN LOS ANGELES AND REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE. THE OLD IGNITION CYLINDER WAS REMOVED AND A NEW CYLINDER WAS INSTALLED. I ALSO RECEIVED A NEW KEY AND WAS ADVISED NOT TO USE THE OLD ONE. PARTS AND LABOR RESULTED IN A BILL FOR $400.39. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE TO FIND OUT IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT AND TO FIND OUT IF I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR ANY REMUNERATION. THE OPERATOR TOOK MY INFORMATION, TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT (WHICH THEY OFFICIALLY DO NOT RECOGNIZE) AND INFORMED ME THAT I MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR REMUNERATION IF A RECALL WAS ISSUED AT A LATER DATE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT REPAIRS PROVIDED BY FORD ARE WARRANTIED FOR EITHER 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES. I DID NOT ASK FOR NOR WAS GIVEN THE OLD IGNITION CYLINDER DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PROCESS OF REMOVING IT REQUIRED DRILLING IT OUT; THERE WAS NOT MUCH LEFT OF THE OLD CYLINDER EXCEPT FOR SOME METAL FILINGS. I LOST A DAY'S WAGE AS A RESULT OF NOT HAVING TRANSPORTATION.*AK