NHTSA Complaint #10373628 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

THE IGNITION WILL NOT TURN WITHOUT LARGE AMOUNTS OF SPRAY LUBRICANT AND PUMMELING THE KEY WHILE IN THE IGNITION TO CAUSE THE TUMBLERS IN THE CYLINDER TO FALL INTO PLACE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING, AND RIGHT NOW, DURING THESE EPIC BLIZZARDS WE ARE EXPERIENCING, IT HAS CAUSED ME TO BE IN DANGER. THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON AMONG OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. MANY PEOPLE HAVE DEVELOPED WAYS TO TEMPORARILY FIX IT SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY AVAILABLE FIX THIS UNEXPECTED SAFETY ISSUE, WHICH IS NOT PART OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE OF AN AUTOMOBILE.... WHILE OTHERS HAVE OPTED TO JUST GET THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHICH REPLACES THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY WITH THE SAME FAULTY PARTS, AND THEN CHARGES UP TO $500. THIS IGNITION NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY FORD, AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE WITH A RELIABLE IGNITION ASSEMBLY. THIS MORNING, AFTER HAVING TO FIND OTHER TRANSPORTATION TO WORK FOR TWO DAYS, I FINALLY DEDICATED THREE HOURS TO GETTING THE IGNITION TO TURN. I HAD TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE MY JOB BY BEING ABSENT OR TARDY. I AM IN AN INITIAL PROBATIONARY PERIOD AT MY JOB, AND I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT IF I HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO FIX FORD'S MISTAKES, I WOULD PROBABLY JUST GO AND BUY A DIFFERENT CAR ALTOGETHER. *TR