NHTSA Complaint #10295886 — 2003 FORD FOCUS

I WAS PREPARING TO RUN SOME ERRANDS ON A SATURDAY, BUT WHEN I WENT OUT TO START MY CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND I COULD NOT GET THE KEY TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. AFTER AROUND 15 MINUTES OF WORKING THE STEERING WHEEL I WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY TO TURN SO I COULD START THE CAR. THIS KEPT HAPPENING ALL DAY OFF AND ON, UNTIL FINALLY THE NEXT DAY I WAS OUT AT THE GROCERY STORE WITH MY MOTHER AND WHEN WE WENT TO GO HOME, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN NO MATTER HOW MUCH I MOVED THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER SPENDING AN HOUR AND A HALF TRYING EVERYTHING I COULD TO START THE CAR, I FINALLY HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK DRIVER WHO WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR. THE NEXT MORNING THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND I HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE HELP ME GET IT TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW KEY CYLINDER AND NEW KEYS (WHICH HAVE TO BE PROGRAMMED BECAUSE THE KEYS ARE CODED) WHICH WOULD COST OVER $300. SINCE THIS JUST HAPPENED OUT OF THE BLUE WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND CAN CAUSE ME TO BE STRANDED BY NOT BEING ABLE TO START MY CAR, I THINK THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I TRIED CONTACTING FORD DIRECTLY, BUT WAS BASICALLY TOLD THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THIS, IT SEEMS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUS (I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS ZX5) AND I BELIEVE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *TR