NHTSA Complaint #10283278 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

SUDDEN ONSET, GOT IN MY CAR, PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO START THE CAR NO MATTER WHAT I DID. RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM 1999 TO PRESENT, OWNERS ARE STRANDED IN DIFF. SITUATIONS, FREEZING COLD, EXTREME HEAT, WITH BABIES/CHILDREN, STRANDED WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE, YOUNG WOMEN (AS IN MY CASE), AT NIGHT, ETC. COST TO REPAIR UP TO $750. AM TRYING TO FIX IT ON MY OWN, CAN'T AFFORD A DEALER REPAIR! FORD IS AWARE THE PROBLEM IS WITH POOR QUALITY METAL USED TO MAKE THE PART. I WROTE TO FORD, THEY SAY BRING MY CAR IN TO "HAVE IT LOOKED AT" BUT QUALIFY, SAYING: IT IS NOT A WARRANTY REPAIR AND TO HAVE IT EXAMINED MAY COST ME. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE POSTED TEMPORARY AND LOWER COST FIXES ON-LINE AS FORD IS NOT WILLING TO DO A RECALL STATING IT IS "NOT A SAFETY ISSUE". THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF SOMEONE IS STRANDED IN EXTREME HEAT OR COLD OR A YOUNG WOMAN IS STRANDED BECAUSE A KEY WON'T WORK, WE ARE AT RISK AND UNSAFE. A YOUNG CHILD COULD DIE FROM EXPOSURE, BECOME SICK, A YOUNG WOMAN COULD BE RAPED OR KILLED. FORD IS RISKING OUR SAFETY AND IS AT FAULT PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THEY ARE AWARE THERE IS A PROBLEM AND CAN DO SOMETHING PROACTIVELY TO FIX THE SITUATION. THAT THIS DOCUMENTED SITUATION HAS GONE ON FOR YEARS IS OUTRAGEOUS. IT'S FRIGHTENING TO GET IN YOUR CAR AT NIGHT, NOT HAVE YOUR KEY WORK, NOT KNOW WHAT'S WRONG OR BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING! WHEN WE ARE STRANDED BECAUSE FORD WILLINGLY PUT SUBSTANDARD PARTS IN A VEHICLE, WE ARE UNSAFE. PRIOR TO OWNING THIS CAR I HAD A 1973 VW BUG, MY KEY ALWAYS WORKED WITH THE ORIGINAL PARTS. TO BE EXPECTED TO PAY UPWARDS OF $750 FOR A PART AND LABOR FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, THAT'S TIED TO SAFETY IS UNACCEPTABLE. OUR CARS ARE UNSAFE, RISKING DAMAGE WAITING FOR REPAIR DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY ARE STRANDED! MY SAFETY IS NOT IMPORTANT NOR AN ISSUE FOR FORD, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT MY CAR, MY TRUST WAS MISPLACED, MY CAR WAS NOT BUILT TOUGH. *TR