NHTSA Complaint #10462329 — 2002 FORD FOCUS

KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER. IGNITION KEY COULD BE INSERTED ALL THE WAY INTO THE LOCK CYLINDER, BUT KEY WOULD NOT TURN FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS TO EITHER ENGAGE THE STARTER OR TURN ON ACCESSORIES. TRIED MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL TO FREE UP THE CYLINDER AND MADE SURE THE CAR WAS IN PARK TO TRY AND TURN THE CYLINDER. NOTHING. WAS TOLD BY THE AAA MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH EARLY MODEL YEAR FORD FOCUSES. THE ISSUE, PER THE AAA TOW TRUCK OPERATOR COULD BE TEMPORARILY RESOLVED BY USING SOME WD40 ON THE KEY AND A COUPLE OF QUICK TAPS TO THE KEY WHILE IN THE LOCK CYLINDER. THIS FIX DID NOT WORK AT THIS TIME. HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER SINCE THIS WAS NOT A FIX I COULD MAKE ON MY OWN (I COULD REPLACE THE CYLINDER MYSELF, BUT THE CAR'S PASSIVE ALARM WOULD NEED TO BE RE-SET BY THE DEALER). RESULTING CHARGE WAS $378.50 FOR A PART I COULD HAVE FIXED FOR $60-70. MY LOCK CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE RE-KEYED BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. SAFETY ISSUE: COULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED. CAR FAILURE OCCURRED ON VERY COLD DAY. *JS