NHTSA Complaint #10112227 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

MY 2000 FORD FOCUS WAS WORKING FINE. ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER PARKING THE CAR, I RETURNED TO THE CAR TO START IT UP, AND MY KEY, WHICH HAD JUST WORKED FINE, WOULD NOT START THE CAR. THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE IGNITION WERE LOCKED. MY KEY WOULD NO LONGER GO ALL THE WAY INTO THE IGNITION CYLINDER, WHICH SEEMED TO BE JAMMED IN SOME WAY. I CALLED AAA, WHO SAID THEY SEE THIS ALL THE TIME IN THE FORD FOCUS. THEY BANGED ON THE COLUMN TRYING TO RELEASE THE CYLINDER, BUT TO NO AVAIL. STRANDED, I TOOK A $35 CAB RIDE HOME AND HAVE TO RETURN TODAY TO HAVE IT TOWED OFF A DOWNTOWN STREET TO THE DEALERS SERVICE CENTER, WHICH IS CLOSED ON SUNDAY AND HAS NO EMERGENCY NUMBER...I GUESS I JUST LEAVE IT THERE WITH THE HOPES THAT THEY WILL LOOK AT IT TOMORROW. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I'LL GET TO WORK TOMORROW, HOW LONG THIS WILL TAKE TO FIX, NOR HOW MUCH IT WILL COST--- BUT I'VE READ OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS THAT THIS HAPPENS REPEATEDLY WITH THE IGNITION CYLINDER DUE TO WEAK METALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THIS IS NOT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THIS IS A FAULTY PART AND SHOULD BE RECALLED! *JB