NHTSA Complaint #10127132 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

HI, ON SATURDAY EVENING (JUNE 18, 2005) I DROVE MY 2000 FORD FOCUS ZTS TO EDGERTON CONFORT INN IN WISCONSIN WITH MY WIFE AND 6 MONTHS OLD CHILD WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. ON FATHER'S DAY MORNING (JUNE 19, 2005) READY TO ENJOY BREAKFAST WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN ON THE CAR. THE IGNITION KEY WOULD ONLY GO IN HALF-WAY AND WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING PLUS STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AS WELL, EVENTHOUTH I DIDN'T LOCK IT THE NIGHT BEFORE. I SPENT ABOUT AN HOUR WITH FRIENDS TRYING DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO RELEASE THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE CLOSEST TOWN I COULD FIND A FORD SERVICE CENTER WAS IN JANESVILLE, WI AND ON A SUNDAY (FATHER'S DAY) I COULDN'T RESOLVE MUCH. I HAD TO SPENT ANOTHER EXTRA NIGHT IN THE HOTEL TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THE NEXT DAY. NOT A FUN THING WHEN YOU HAVE A YOUNG CHILD WITH YOU AND NOT ABLE TO DO MUCH WITHOUT A CAR. ON MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2005, I GOT IN CONTACT WITH GORDIE BOUCHER FORD SERVICE CENTER TO ARRANGE TOWING SERVICE. THAT COST ME $73.50 TO GET MY CAR FROM THE HOTEL PARKING LOT TO THE SERVICE CENTER. AT THE SERVICE CENTER I WAS TOLD THAT MY PROBLEM WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY THEM, THAT IT WASN'T THE 1ST. TIME THEY SEE IT HAPPEND TO FOCUS CARS AND THAT WILL COST ME 3 HOURS OF LABOR + PART. (LABOR: 279.83; PART: 98.47 = $378.30+TAX) HOTEL/TOWING/FORD SERVICE TOTAL WAS CLOSE TO $500 THE DAMAGED PART WAS THE IGNITION TUMBLER WHICH THEY HAD TO DRILL OUT, REKEY THE NEW TUMBLER AND REPLACE IT. OLD PARTS STAYED AT SERVICE CENTER. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM AND I WOULD LIKE TO VOICE MY COMPLAINT WITH YOU BECAUSE THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE BY A RECALL FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. ALSO, YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT THIS FROM OTHER OWNERS ON EDMUND'S WEBSITE: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/[email protected]@.EEA50DC/0 PLEASE ADVICE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROVING THIS VENUE TO US, CONSUMERS. FROM ILLINOIS, EDGARDO MUNOZ