NHTSA Complaint #10141610 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

I WENT TO A STORE AND TURNED MY CAR OFF, THE SAME WAY THAT I ALWAYS DO. ONCE RETURNING AND TRYING TO START THE CAR, THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. THE KEY WOULD GO IN ALL THE WAY, BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NORMALLY IT WILL START AFTER MESSING WITH IT FOR A FEW MINUTES. THIS TIME I SAT THERE FOR AN HOUR TRYING TO GET IT TO WORK, TO NO AVAIL. I CALLED MY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, AND HAD IT TOWED HOME. I WAS TOLD BOTH BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY, AND THE TOWING COMPANY, THAT IT IS A REPEATED ISSUE WITH THE FOCUS. THE TOWING COMPANY SAID THE ONLY TIME HE HAS HAD TO EVER TOW A FOCUS IS WHEN IT HAS BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, OR IF THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE NOTICED MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE THROUGH NHTSA, AND FEEL SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL MECHANICS AND LOCK SMITHS, AND I AM TOLD BY ALL THAT I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY THE HIGH PRICE TO HAVE A DEALER FIX AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED A LONG TIME AGO ON ALL THE CAR'S MADE THAT YEAR. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM, AND NOT JUST ONCE BUT REPEATEDLY. *JB