NHTSA Complaint #10167778 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

*THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE!* WHEN LEAVING WORK MY CAR WOULD NOT START, THE STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND ACCESSORIES WOULD NOT COME ON...I WENT INSIDE FOR 10 MIN TO TRY TO ARRANGE A RIDE HOME...WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE CAR I DECIDED TO TRY ONE LAST TIME AND THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP NO PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING HOME (AT ABOUT 8.30PM LOCAL TIME...FULLY DARK OUTSIDE) AT APPROX. 50 MPH THE CAR DIED INCLUDING MOST ACCESSORIES, MOST NOTABLY, THE HEADLIGHTS. WHEN I TRIED TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THIS ALL HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY, I WAS BRAKING AND THERE SEEMED TO BE SOME POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKES BUT NOT FULL BRAKING POWER. I WAS HEADED STRAIGHT AT A LARGE TREE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY CAME TO LIFE AGAIN AND I MANAGED TO JUST MISS IT. I LIMPED THE CAR ABOUT A 1/4 (AT 10 MPH) TO MY BROTHERS APARTMENT AND IT DIED 2X AGAIN ON THE WAY. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS TRYING TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM I DISCOVERED THAT WIGGLING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION INDUCES THE CAR TO DIE. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON A WIDE SCALE BASIS AND IT CONCERNS ME THAT A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. I WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO BE INJURED OR KILLED BY THIS PROBLEM AND MANY MANY PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF THIS RISK (AS WAS I UNTIL ONLY A FEW DAYS AGO). I HAVE FOUND NO WAY TO GET THE MATTER CORRECTED VIA THE MANUFACTURER AS THE CURRENT REPLACEMENT PART IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE ORIGINAL AND IS NOTED FOR SHORT LIFETIME AND FOR FAILING IN THE SAME MANNER. *NM