NHTSA Complaint #10253447 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

IT WAS 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT IN FREEZING WEATHER WHEN I HAD GOTTEN INTO MY CAR THAT HAD BEEN SITTING ALL DAY.(WHICH I HAD STARTED WITH EASE 13 HOURS BEFORE) THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. I TRIED TURN THE KEY BACK AND FORTH FOR AN HOUR BEFORE MY BOYFRIEND'S MOM CAME TO PICK ME UP AT 1:00 IN THE MORNING. IF SHE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ME I WOULD HAVE HAD TO WALK 10 MILES IN DANGEROUS COLD TO GET HOME, BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY ON ME FOR A CAB. I PAID $450 TO TOW THE CAR 4 MILES TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP AND REPLACE THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THE PART IS UNDER A ONE YEAR WARRANTY. SINCE DECEMBER 20, 2008, MY IGNITION CYLINDER HAS NOT BEEN WORKING PROPERLY WITH MY KEY. I INSERT THE KEY AND I HAVE TO WIGGLE THE KEY TO TURN, INSERT, AND REMOVE IT FROM THE IGNITION. I WILL BE VISITING THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD IT REPLACED LAST YEAR THIS WEEK. AT LEAST THIS TIME IT SHOWED SIGNS OF MALFUNCTION PROBABILITY. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. IF SOMEONE IS DRIVING THE CAR AND IT STALLS ON A RAILROAD TRACK (OR ANY OTHER HAZARDOUS LOCATION) AND CANNOT RESTART OR MOVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE IGNITION WON'T TURN. THERE COULD BE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES FOR THE DRIVER, PASSENGERS, AND OTHERS CLOSE BY. *TR