NHTSA Complaint #10378332 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

I BOUGHT A 2002 FORD FOZUS ZX3 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN THE FALL OF 2010. I FOUND MYSELF HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE IGNITION KEY NOT TURNING ONCE INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THIS OCCURRED QUITE FREQUENTLY (APPROXIMATELY ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS) AND I HAD TO PLAY WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE KEY FOR AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES EVERY TIME. I DID NOT CONSIDER IT TO BE A SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEM UNTIL LAST NIGHT. I WAS AT MY FRIEND'S APARTMENT AND AROUND 1:30 AM I DECIDED TO LEAVE. I GOT IN MY CAR, INSERTED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND COULD NOT TURN IT AT ALL AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I WAS IN MY FRIEND'S DRIVEWAY FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR, TRYING EVERYTHING I COULD POSSIBLY THINK OF TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK AND THE KEY TO TURN. I ENGAGED THE GEAR RELEASE AND MANUALLY PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, I BLEW ON THE IGNITION WITH MY HAND CUPPED OVER IT, AS I THOUGHT THIS ISSUE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER. I LOCKED AND UNLOCKED THE DOORS, BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN A SAFETY FEATURE. AFTER A HALF HOUR OF EFFORT WITH NO RESULTS I HAD TO CALL MY PARENTS AND ASK THEM TO COME PICK ME UP, BOTH OF THEM HAD TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND MY 62 YEAR OLD FATHER HAD TO GET OUT OF BED, AND COME GET ME AT 2 IN THE MORNING IN THE MIDDLE OF JAN. I WAS TEN MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE, BUT EVERY OTHER TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED I'VE BEEN APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE OR MORE. THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT AND CAUSE FOR CONCERN, ESPECIALLY SINCE MY FAMILY AND I HAVE GROWN TO TRUST AND DEPEND ON FORD VEHICLES. MY OLDEST BROTHER'S FIRST CAR WAS A MUSTANG, MY OTHER BROTHER'S FIRST CAR WAS A THUNDERBIRD AND HE NOW DRIVES AND ESCAPE. MY FATHER CURRENTLY DRIVES A RANGER, MY MOTHER'S LAST VEHICLE WAS A WINDSTAR, AND MY FIRST CAR WAS AN EXPLORER. IT SERVED ME WELL AND WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY ANOTHER FORD I DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK TWICE, BUT THIS LATEST EXPERIENCE HAS MADE ME SERIOUSLY SECOND GUESS WHAT I HAD THOUGHT TO BE AN AMERICAN NAME I COULD TRUST. *LN