NHTSA Complaint #10282349 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

IN MY 2000 FORD FOCUS SE WAGON THE KEY IN MY IGNITION REFUSES TO ALLOW ME TO REMOVE THE KEY AND THEN RE-INSERT THE KEY TO START THE ENGINE. I AM ABLE TO PUT THE KEY IN THE LOCK BUT NOT TURN IT. IT HAS HAPPEN NUMEROUS TIMES A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING THE WINTER AFTER I HAD WENT TO TOWN TO GET SUPPLIES. IT USUALLY TAKES 1 TO 2 HOURS TO GET IT WIGGLED ENOUGH TO LET THE KEY TURN TO THE AUX, AND START POSITIONS. IT SEAMS THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY $400 TO $500 TO GET IT REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FIRST FAILURE IT SIMPLY REFUSED TO LET ME TURN THE IGNITION AFTER I INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. THIS LAST TIME AFTER 4 HOURS OF WORKING WITH IT AND HAVING A LOCKSMITH COME OUT AND DETERMINE IF IT COULD BE FIXED HE SAID IT WOULD NEED TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED. *TR