NHTSA Complaint #10319862 — 2003 FORD FOCUS

THE IGNITION SWITCH (THAT IS, WHERE THE KEY GOES TO START THE CAR) WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS STUCK AND HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. THERE HAD BEEN NO WARNING, THAT IS, THE KEY WAS NEVER HARD TO TURN, I NEVER HAD TO JIGGLE THE STEERING COLUMN, OR ANYTHING LIKED THAT. I JUST PARKED THE CAR IN FRONT OF A STORE, AND FIVE MINTS LATER, WENT OUT AND FOUND OUT THEY KEY WOULD NOT TURN. (I COULD REMOVE AND RE-INSERT THE KEY, IT WOULD NOT TURN) . FURTHER MORE, THE DEALER AND AAA, OF COURSE, SAY TO TRY JIGGLING THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL THAT DID WAS LOCK THE FRONT WHEELS IN A TURNED POSITION AND MADE IT VERY HARD TO MOVE THE CAR GET IT TO A POSITION TO BE TOWED. HAVING THE WHEELS LOCK IN A TURNED POSITION, AS IS COMMON, COULD BE A HAZARD TOO. THE AAA GUY COULD NOT FREE (TURN) THE IGNITION SWITCH IT EITHER. I HAD FIRST CELL-PHONED CALLED THE DEALER, THEY HAD NO SUGGESTIONS. I SEE I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SO MANY OTHER 2003 FOCUSES HAVE REPORTED. THE DEALER GUESSED THAT THE CAUSE WAS THAT ONE OF THE PINS IN THE LOCK JUST SLIPPED OUT OF PLACE. THE FORD DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT WAS NOT CHEAP. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT, OR PART OF IT. *TR