NHTSA Complaint #10404857 — 2004 FORD FOCUS

THE KEY WOULD NO LONGER TURN IN THE IGNITION (BUT OPERATED DOOR AND HATCH WITHOUT DIFFICULTY), CREATING AN UNSAFE CONDITION IN WHICH THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN AND THE OWNER WAS STRANDED WITH AN INOPERABLE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP REQUIRED $400 FOR A REPLACEMENT IGNITION CYLINDER. THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH POOR QUALITY IGNITION CYLINDERS IN THIS MODEL YEAR AND THEY WERE SUBSEQUENTLY REDESIGNED BY FORD (PERFORM A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR "FORD FOCUS IGNITION CYLINDER" OR SEE THE DISCUSSION AT HTTP:FORUMS.FOCALJET.COMTEAM-TECH497529-NEW-IGNITION-CYLINDER-HELP.HTML). GIVEN THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT, THE ISSUE SHOULD BE COVERED BY A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OR RECALL INSTEAD OF REQUIRING A SIGNIFICANT OUT-OF-POCKET PAYMENT BY THE OWNER.