NHTSA Complaint #10340748 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

MY 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKING AND THE KEY REFUSING TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. I HAVE USUALLY BEEN ABLE TO GET IT TO RELEASE AFTER A FEW TRIES. RECENTLY, IT'S GOTTEN WORSE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE KEY TO TURN FOR A FEW MINUTES, LEAVING ME WITH FEARS OF BEING STRANDED. UNFORTUNATELY, MY LUCK RAN OUT YESTERDAY. I TRIED BOTH KEYS, I TRIED JUST LETTING IT SIT, I TRIED TAPPING THE KEYS LIGHTLY WITH A HAMMER, AS DID THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR. NOW I'M OUT $125 FOR THE TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP, $500 FOR A NEW IGNITION LOCK, AND $180 FOR TWO NEW KEYS, BECAUSE OF THE WEAR ON THE OLD KEYS. I AM SHOCKED BOTH AT THE PRICE, AND AT HOW FREQUENTLY THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN. I HAVE BEEN A PROUD FORD FOCUS OWNER FOR 9 YEARS, BUT THE ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR MAKE ME LEERY ABOUT EVER BUYING FORD AGAIN. *TR