NHTSA Complaint #10297242 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

I DROVE MY CAR (A 2002 FORD FOCUS) TO A RESTAURANT ON DEC. 28TH, 2009 AT 7:15 PM. WHEN I GOT BACK INTO MY CAR, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. I TURNED THE WHEEL TO RELEASE IT FROM THE "LOCKED" WHEEL POSITION, BUT THE KEY STILL WOULD NOT TURN. I WAITED IN MY CAR FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, THEN ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE KEY ONCE MORE IN THE IGNITION WITH THE SAME RESULTS. I WAS FORCED TO CALL A FRIEND AND WAIT IN MY CAR WITH NO HEAT. THE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AS I WAITED FOR NEARLY HALF AN HOUR TO BE PICKED UP, THEN DROPPED OFF AT HOME BY A COWORKER. HE WILL HAVE TO PICK ME UP FOR WORK TOMORROW AS ALL REPAIR FACILITIES ARE CLOSED FOR THE EVENING. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE ONCE I GOT HOME AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORDS AND SPECIFICALLY FORD FOCUS MODELS FROM 2000-2003 YET THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL POSTED AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS TO AN INFERIOR PART THAT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR