NHTSA Complaint #10340001 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

MY YEAR 2000 FORD FOCUS ZX3 HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME IGNITION ISSUES. I COULD PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY THE CASE IF THE WHEEL WAS LOCKED. USUALLY AFTER SOME JIGGLING OF THE KEY IT WOULD TURN AND I COULD START THE CAR. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS IN AUGUST OF 2004. IT BEGAN TO HAPPEN ABOUT TWICE A MONTH. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN FIX THE ISSUE, BY RE-MAKING THE KEY AND PROGRAMMING THE NOW THE KEY WON'T TURN AT ALL. IN SHOPPING AROUND DEALERSHIPS THEY BELIEVE THE PRICE WILL BE AROUND $300 IF THE CYLINDER IS NOT DAMAGED (BY THEIR OWN KEY?) FOR $500, PLUS THE COST TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO THEM SO THEY CAN PROGRAM THE KEY. A LOCAL LOCKSMITH HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE FORD FOCUS. IF SO, WHY HAS IT NOT BEEN RECALLED? *TR