NHTSA Complaint #10207290 — 2003 FORD FOCUS

AFTER FUELING, MY DAUGHTER TRIED TO START THE CAR (2003 FORD FOCUS WAGON), BUT THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. WE GOT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED IT, AND THE KEY CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED BY A LOCKSMITH. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR, PLUS THE TOWING, COST OVER $200.00. MEANWHILE MY DAUGHTER'S CAR WAS STUCK AT THE GAS PUMP, WHERE OTHER CUSTOMERS WANTED TO FUEL, BUT COULD NOT DO SO. I'M GLAD MY DAUGHTER HAD NOT RUN OVER A NAIL, LIKE I DID THE OTHER DAY, HAVING TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, AND THEN HAVE THIS PROBLEM OCCUR. DEPENDING ON WHERE THIS KIND OF THING HAPPENS, THIS COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. NOT ONLY WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT WITH THE PLACE THE VEHICLE IS STRANDED WHEN IT OCCURS. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT FORD HAS KNOWN FOR QUITE SOME TIME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY REFUSE TO RECALL CARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, AND CONTINUE TO USE THIS DEFECTIVE PART IN THEIR FORD FOCUS VEHICLES. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I BOUGHT WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE, AND YET IT COVERS EVERYTHING BUT THE IGNITION SWITCH, IT SEEMS. UNLESS FORD DECIDES TO REIMBURSE ME, I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT. THIS IS THE FOURTH FORD FOCUS WE HAVE PURCHASED. IF I DON'T FIND SATISFACTION WITH THIS PROBLEM, IT WILL CERTAINLY BE THE LAST. ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, MY FOCUS HAS HAD SQUEALING BRAKES SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT, AND FORD HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR THIS, AS WELL, SAYING THAT IT'S "NORMAL." NO WAY THIS NOISE IS NORMAL. I'M FED UP WITH FORD AT THE MOMENT. *TR