NHTSA Complaint #10147884 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

IGNITION CYLINDER FROZE ON 2000 FORD FOCUS SE REQUIRING CAR TO BE TOWED TO DEALER TO HAVE LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED AS THE KEY COULD NOT BE INSERTED INTO THE LOCK. THIS WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY AT THE TIME. IN DECEMBER 2005, IGNITION WOULD PERIODICALLY FREEZE WITH KEY INSERTED REQUIRING SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO TURN THE KEY TO START THE CAR. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON JANUARY 17, 2006 AND CYLINDER HAS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AT A COST OF $453 SINCE THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. I'VE NOTED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT OTHER FORD FOCUS OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN NOTE THE COMPLAINT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE LOCK FAILS WHEN THE CAR IS NEEDED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. SINCE THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM, WHY HAS FORD NOT BEEN REQUIRED TO FIX THE PROBLEM? *NM