NHTSA Complaint #10186066 — 2003 FORD FOCUS

A FORD FOCUS WAGON 2003. WHEN I TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE THE IGNITION SWITCH CYLINDER LOCKEDE, WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN WHEN INSERTED IN THE LOCK & ICOULD NOT TURN ON THE CAR. THE VEHICLEWAS JUST OVER THREE YEARS OLD. *AK THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TWO DAYS IN A ROW. CALLED FORD & THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL. I SEARCHED GOOGLE FOR ''FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCKS''. PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING RESULTS COPIED FROM THIS GOOGLE SEARCH ''RESULTS 1 - 10 OF ABOUT 455,000 FOR FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCKS . (0.39 SECONDS)''. I WAS CONCERNED THAT A FAULTY IGNITION WOULD BE USED IF FORD REPLACED IT SO I CALLED A LOCAL LOCKSMITH. THE OWNER WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM & HAS REPLACED A NUMBER OF FORD VEHICLE IGNITION LOCKS. I HAD THE LOCKSMITH REPLACED MY FOCUS IGNITION. THE COST WAS $240.75. I AM 59 YEARS OLD. MY FAMILY HAS OWNED NUMEROUS CARS & TRUCKS. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE AN IGNITION KEY SWITCH IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE ESPECIALLY ONE JUST OVER THREE YEARS OLD. IRONICALLY TO ADD TO MY FRUSTRATION, I JUST PAID OFF THE 36 MONTH CAR LOAN ON THIS FOCUS. ALSO, SENT A LETTER TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM TO ATTN: ALAN MULALLY, PRESIDENT & CEO PLUS CC'ED TO WILLIAM CLAY FORD, JR., EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN & NHTSA HEADQUARTERS, 400 SEVENTH STREET, SW, WASHINGTON, DC 20590 (SENDING VIA MAIL & EMAIL TO NHTSA)