NHTSA Complaint #10293151 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON MY WIFE, DAUGHTER AND I WERE ON OUR WAY TO MY WIFE'S SISTER HOUSE. EARLIER THAT MORNING I WENT OUT AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TRIED TO TURN BUT IT WOULDN'T TURN. I TRIED TURNING 8 DIFFERENT TIMES WITH 2 DIFFERENT ORIGINAL KEYS THAT CAME WITH CAR BUT STILL WOULDN'T TURN. FINALLY ON THE 9TH TRY IT TURNED RIGHT ON. WE WENT HER HOUSE FOR DINNER BUT I HAD TO LEAVE AFTER GETTING THERE BECAUSE I FORGOT THE DESSERT AT HOME. I GOT INTO THE CAR TURNED IT ON NO PROBLEM, GOT HOME WENT INSIDE CAME BACK OUT TURNED ON THE CAR NO PROBLEM, WENT BACK TO SISTER IN LAW HOUSE WAS THERE ABOUT 3 HOURS WENT TO LEAVE WILL NOT TURN. TRIED AND TRIED FOR ABOUT A HOUR TURNING BEFORE GIVING UP. SISTER IN LAW HAS NO CAR AND LIVED TO FAR AWAY FROM MY HOME TO WALK ESPECIALLY WITH A YOUNG CHILD. SO WE HAD TO CALL AROUND FOR A RIDE. FINALLY RETURNED HOME ALMOST 3 HOURS AFTER WE FIRST TRIED TO LEAVE. NOW WE ARE DOWN TO ONE CAR WHEN WE NEED TWO FOR BOTH OF US TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. I HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHING FIXED ON IT YET. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THERE'S TWO CHOICES I HAVE ONE IS TO TAKE IT TO THE FORD DEALER AND PAY $500.00 OR MORE FOR A NEW IGNITION JUST FOR IT TO POSSIBLY HAVE THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE FORD HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION YET OR TWO PAY $150.00 OR MORE FOR A LOCKSMITH TO COME AND FIX IT, WITH CONSEQUENCES UNKNOWN. SO AT THE MOMENT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I COULD PAY FOR A NEW ONE BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE IF THE PROBLEM WITH THE FORD IGNITION HASN'T BEEN FIXED BY FORD, ALL THAT DOES IS PUT OFF THE PROBLEM FOR A YEAR OR MAYBE A FEW YEARS JUST FOR THE SAME PROBLEM TO COME BACK. THE LOCKSMITH IS CHEAPER BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEM DOING SOMETHING TO THE IGNITION WOULD DAMAGE MY IGNITION OR MY SECURITY SYSTEM. I THINK IS WRONG FOR FORD TO DO NOTHING ABOUT A PROBLEM THEY KNEW ABOUT FOR YEARS. *TR