2000 FORD FOCUS Electrical Systemignition Problems

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. CAR UNABLE TO START. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER TO HAVE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED.

I HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH MY FORD FOCUS. THE INGINITON FROZE UP ON ME AND I COULDN'T GET THE KEY OUT. IT COST $500 TO GET IT FIXED,

THERE WAS NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE KEY AND THE IGNITION , THEN ON 5/4/05 THE KEY WENT INTO THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT TURN OR START THE CAR , I TRIED MY SECOND KEY AND THAT ALSO WOULD NOT TURN . I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER , TOTAL COST FOR REPAIR AND TOW WAS A WOOPING $350.00 .THE DEALER DID NOT SEEM SURPRISED THAT MY FORD FOCUS HAD THIS DEFECT , THE TOW DRIVER SAID IT IS COMMON TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH FOCUS AND I SPOKE TO A FEW LOCAL LOCKSMITHS AND THEY ALSO SAY IT IS COMMON FOR FOCUS . I SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ALSO ENDURED THIS HIGH EXPENSE FOR THE SAME REPAIR . IT DOES NOT SEEM FAIR THAT THERE IS A DEFECT AND FORD DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE , PLESE HELP...

FORD FOCUS 2000 IGNITION PROBLEMS. FIRST, THE KEY WOULD NOT INSERT FULLY INTO THE IGNITION AND WOULD GET STUCK PREVENTING IT TO TURN. WHEN THE MECHANIC SHOOK THE KEY AROUND A BIT IT WOULD LOOSEN UP AND WOULD THEN INSERT FULLY ALLOWING THE CAR TO BE STARTED. THAT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY SOLUTION. THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS WHEN THE KEY WOULD INSERT FULLY BUT WOULD NOT TURN THE IGNITION. AFTER HEARING THAT TWO OF MY FRIENDS WHO OWN FORD FOCUS' FROM THE SAME YEAR HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM, I BEGAN TO RESEARCH. I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, OR NORMAL "WEAR AND TEAR." THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITHIN VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. I FEEL THAT IT IS UNFAIR THAT THE CONSUMER MUST PAY FOR A PROBLEM THAT EXISTED WHEN THE CAR WAS ON THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. HAVING AN IGNITION...

FROZEN IGNITION LOCK, TUMBLERS FALL INTO LOCK SPACE AND PREVENT KEY FROM ENTERING. *AK

THE IGNITION LOCK SEIZED. CONSUMER PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THE FLOOR SHIFTS WAS STILL IN PARK. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. *AK *BF *NM

THE IGNITION LOCK IS HARD TO TURN AND HARD TO REMOVE THE KEY. YOU HAVE TO JIGGLE THE KEY TO GET IT TO WORK. IT HAS NEARLY LEFT ME STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES. I WAS QUOTED A PRICE TO FIX IT AT $300. I HAVE YET TO FIX IT DUE TO FINANCAL DIFFICULTIES.*AK

'RECALL CAMPAIGN' FORD FOCUS 2000, HAS HAD 6 RECALLS. *BF THE TUMBLER IN THE IGNITION FAILED. *JB

2000 FORD FOCUS - KEY WILL NOT GO INTO IGNITION AND START CAR

IGNITION IN 2000 FORD FOCUS HAS FAILED. WE STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH TURN THE KEY--WE OFTEN EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH TURNING THE KEY TO ON POSITION. THE PROBLEM HAS NOW PROGRESSED AND WE ARE UNABLE TO EVEN TURN THE CAR ON AT ALL. WE ARE TOLD THAT THE IGNITION WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WE CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND WE WERE TOLD BY THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURING MORE AND MORE, AND THEY HAVE ALREADY HAD SEVERAL CARS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL COME IN WITH THIS PROBLEM. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT IT WILL COST ALMOST $400.00 TO REPLACE THIS PART. I'VE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM, AND IT SEEMS THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE US WHO ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. I CONTACT FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE DIRECTLY AND THEY WERE OF NO ASSISTANCE.

FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCKS FAIL AT VERY HIGH RATES. OUR'S FAILED FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS WEEK, STRANDING US AND REQUIRING A TOW. OUR FORD DEALER AGAIN CHARGED US MORE THAN $300.*AK THE WEB IS FULL OF REPORTS OF THESE FAILURES. SEARCH GOOGLE: FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCK

THE IGNITION CYLINDER ON MY 2000 FORD FOCUS ZX3 IS A SOURCE OF CONSTANT HEADACHES. THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM TO ME...I'VE HAD MY IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED 4 TIMES IN 4 YEARS ON MY CAR. IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME PROBLEM, AND FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY WITH THIS PART....I AM NOT THE ONLY FOCUS OWNER WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS PART NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.*AK

VEHICLE: FORD FOCUS ZX3. MY: 2000, PURCHASED IN: SAN GABRIEL, CA CURRENTLY IN: DUBLIN, OH. EVENTS: I WENT TO MY CAR ONE EVENING, SAT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, PULLED MY KEY OUT AND IT WOULD NOT GO IN THE IGNITION CYLINDER. IT WAS IF SOMETHING WERE STUCK IN IT AND THE TIP OF THE KEY WAS THE ONLY PART THAT WOULD GO IN. NO AMOUNT OF PUSHING SEEMED TO HELP. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IN THE LOCKED POSITION AND I EVEN ATTEMPTED TO TURN IT TO SEE IF IT WOULD FREE WHATEVER WAS STOPPING THE KEY FROM GOING IN.*AK CONSEQUENCES: I WAS STRANDED. THE TIRES WERE TURNED TO THE LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. TO HAVE IT LOADED ONTO A FLATBED TOW TRUCK WAS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT CAUSING MORE DAMAGE TO THE BODY OF THE CAR OR WHEELS. IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR TO GET IT LOADED ON A...

WITHOUT WARNING OR PRIOR PROBLEMS AND WHILE PARKED, THE IGNITION AND STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE KEY NOR THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL ATTEMPTS TO DO SO FAILED. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THE OLD IGNITION WAS DRILLED AND A NEW ONE ISNTALLED. THE SERVICE MANAGER COMFIRMED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE FORD FOCUS.*AK

I PARKED MY CAR ONE NIGHT, NOTHING UNUSUAL, NO PREVIOUS DIFFICULTIES WITH THE IGNITION. THE NEXT DAY I GET IN AND CAN NOT INSERT KEY FULLY INTO THE IGNITION. AFTER JIGGLING IT AROUND, I COULD FINALLY FULLY INSERT KEY BUT AM UNABLE TO TURN IT TO START THE VEHICLE. *AK ALTHOUGH NO INJURY OCCURED, THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR (OVER $300 IN ADDITION TO THE TOWING FEES). I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE WEB AND IN MY DISCUSSION WITH OTHER FOCUS OWNERS; AND THINK FORD IS TO BLAME. I ONLY HAVE 2 KEYS ON MY KEY RING ALONG WITH THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY; THEREFORE, THIS WAS NOTHING I'VE DONE TO IMPAIR THE DAILY PERFORMANCE.

I WAS LEAVING WORK LATE THE OTHER NIGHT AND MY KEY WOULD NOT TURN OVER IN ORDER TO START MY CAR. I HAD A FRIEND PICK ME UP AND I CALLED A LOCKSMITH THE NEXT DAY. I HAD MY IGNITION REPLACED, THEN THREE DAYS LATER I COULD NOT TAKE MY KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I ONCE AGAIN CALLED THE LOCKSMITH HE CAME BACK OUT AND REPLACED MY IGNITION ONCE AGAIN, YET THE KEY GOT STUCK AGAIN. THE THIRD TIME I CALLED HIM HE TOLD ME THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH FOCOUS AND IT WAS GOING TO COST ME AN ADDITIONAL $250. TO FIX, ON TOP OF THE $190. I HAD ALREADY SPENT TO REPLACE THE IGNITION.*AK

MY 2000 FORD FOCUS WAS WORKING FINE. ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER PARKING THE CAR, I RETURNED TO THE CAR TO START IT UP, AND MY KEY, WHICH HAD JUST WORKED FINE, WOULD NOT START THE CAR. THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE IGNITION WERE LOCKED. MY KEY WOULD NO LONGER GO ALL THE WAY INTO THE IGNITION CYLINDER, WHICH SEEMED TO BE JAMMED IN SOME WAY. I CALLED AAA, WHO SAID THEY SEE THIS ALL THE TIME IN THE FORD FOCUS. THEY BANGED ON THE COLUMN TRYING TO RELEASE THE CYLINDER, BUT TO NO AVAIL. STRANDED, I TOOK A $35 CAB RIDE HOME AND HAVE TO RETURN TODAY TO HAVE IT TOWED OFF A DOWNTOWN STREET TO THE DEALERS SERVICE CENTER, WHICH IS CLOSED ON SUNDAY AND HAS NO EMERGENCY NUMBER...I GUESS I JUST LEAVE IT THERE WITH THE HOPES THAT THEY WILL LOOK AT IT TOMORROW. I HAVE NO IDEA...

IGNITION RANDOMLY LOCKED UP. I HAD SOME PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING. AFTER I PARKED AND TURNED OFF THE CAR, REMOVED THE KEY, I COULD NO LONGER TURN THE IGNITION CYLINDER WITH THE KEY. HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION CYLINDER AND KEY FOR A COST OF $350. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR HAPPENINGS BY OTHER FOCUS OWNERS. ALSO RECEIVED ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE FROM TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND MECHANIC OF FREQUENCY OF THIS OCCURRING WITH FORD FOCUSES. *NM

KEY GOES IN IGNITION, BUT WON'T TURN. REQUIRES WIGGLING AND MULTIPLE TRIES TO GET CAR TO TURN OVER AND START. COMMON PROBLEM ON FORD FOCUSES. MAKING APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IGNITION REPLACED.

I PARKED MY CAR. UPON COMING BACK TO THE CAR THE KEY WOULD NOT WORK IN THE IGNITION AT ALL. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE TUMBLER MECHANISM FAILED AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT. MY CAR IS A STICK SHIFT, AND IF I STALLED THE CAR IN TRAFFIC AND THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED THAT TIME, I WOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.*AK

THIS COMPLAINT IS CONCERNING CLARIFICATION OF OUR PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA REGARDING THE 2000 FORD FOCUS : #10104088 AND #10107840. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MISINTERPRETATION OF DATA COLLECTED BY YOUR AGENCY AND POSTED FOR PUBLIC REVIEW. DEATHS ARE NOT POSTED, NOR ARE THEY INCLUDED AS INJURIES. THIS MISREPRESENTS THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT FAILURES REPORTED. *JB

IGNITION LOCK FAILURE ON MY 2000 FORD FOCUS. THIS I AM TOLD IS A MAJOR PROBLEM BY THE DEALER AND AAA. PLEASE HELP. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES. THANK YOU. *JB CINDY DROHAN

1- THIS SPECIFIC FAILURE, THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING TO IT, IT JUST HAPPENED. THE IGNITION SWITCH JUST LOCKED. PREVIOUSLY THERE WERE LITTLE EVENTS WITH THE CAR LEADING UP TO ITS FAILURE. 2- IT STALLED AND WOULDN'T START, FUEL WASN'T GETTING TO THE ENGINE AND WOULD LEAD TO POWER FAILURE. 3- AFTER REPEATED TRIPS TO THE GARAGE AND TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THEY DID REPLACE THE PLUGS AND WIRES AND FUEL PUMP AGAIN. NOW THE PROBLEM IS THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

(1) I PARKED MY 2000 FORD FOCUS ON A HILL WITH THE WHEELS TURNED (2) THE KEY IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN EVEN AFTER PLAYING AROUND WITH IT FOR 4 HOURS! I HAD TO LEAVE MY VEHICLE BEHIND. THERE WAS NO ADVANCE SIGNS THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR. WHILE THIS IS NOT A MOVING SAFETY ISSUE, THIS CAN BE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE IT CAN STRAND YOU WITHOUT ANY WARNING IN AN UNSAFE AREA. (I CARRY SPARE GAS, JUMPER CABLES, CAR JACKS, ANTIFREEZE, EXTRA OIL ETC.. I EVEN HAD ENOUGH TOOLS TO TAKE APART THE STEERING COLUMN AND TRY HOT WIRING THE CAR, BUT TO NO AVAIL.) THIS IS A SERIOUS MECHANICAL DEFECT. (3) I LATER BOUGHT AN OWNERS MANUAL TO TRY FIXING THE PROBLEM MYSELF. BUT THE FIRST STEP TO REMOVING THE BROKEN IGNITION CYLINDER IS TO TURN THE KEY!! A CATCH 22. *JB

ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO I PURCHASED A 2000 FORD FOCUS. THIS PAST WEEKEND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I COULDN'T EVEN GET THE KEY ALL THE WAY INTO THE IGNITION. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO START THE CAR TO NO AVAIL. I WENT ONLINE TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER TECHNIQUES I COULD TRY AND CAME ACROSS SEVERAL WEBSITES WITH DISGRUNTLED CONSUMERS WHO ARE ALSO OWNERS OF THE FORD FOCUS. THEY ALL ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND LOCKSMITH THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE TUMBLERS AND A FAILED CYLINDER DUE TO FORD. APPARENTLY FORD USED A SUBSTANDARD MANUFACTURED CYLINDER WHICH RAPIDLY DETERIORATES WITH USE AND EVENTUALLY FRACTURES THUS LOCKING THE WHEEL. I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE REPAIR WOULD BE CLOSE TO $400 SO I OPTED INSTEAD TO HAVE A LOCKSMITH COME OUT. THAT COST ME $60. I'M TOLD...

STEERING WHEEL IGNITION LOCKS AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN AND START THE CAR. *AK

KEY WILL NOT TURN THE INGINTION SWITCH ON, AND SOMETIMES CAN BARELY BE REMOVED FROM SWITCH.*AK

THERE IS NO EVENT LEADING UP TO FAILURE THAT WAS RECOGNIZABLE. WHEN YOU PUT KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT SEIZES AND WILL NOT TURN TO START THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE NOW!! IN A YEAR AND A HALF. THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED WAS 6-27-03 AND I HAD IT FIXED. THE TUMBLER AND IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED. I THOUGHT IT MAY BE A ONE OFF--I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM THE DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, THIS HAS NOW OCCURED AGAIN 1-25-05 AND I WILL NOW HAVE TO PAY AGAIN FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED ONCE--NEVERMIND TWICE! I CALLED FORD AND THEY WERE VERY UNINTERESTED AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL--BUT I BET THERE ARE OTHER WITH THIS PROBLEM. IT MEAN IS TAKES 2 WEEKS TO ORDER THE PARTS AND FIX SO IT IS A HUGH INCONVENIENCE BECAUSE I HAVE A SMALL CHILD AND AM...

AT 9:00 AM MY WIFE DROVE TO WORK AND PARKED HER CAR IN THE EMPLOYEE PARKING LOT. AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM WHEN SHE WAS LEAVING THE OFFICE, SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE KEY TO GO INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH. SHE WAS STRANDED. WHEN I ARRIVED AT HER OFFICE ABOUT 6:45 PM, I TRIED BUT WAS ALSO UNABLE TO GET THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. ON 1/22/05 8:00 AM I CALLED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO SAID TO TRY SOME WD-40. IF THAT DOESN'T WORK WE WOULD HAVE TO TOW IT IN TO LET THEM TAKE A LOOK. TRIED WD-40, DIDN'T WORK, HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO FORD DEALER AT 9:45 AM SAME DAY. WHILE AT THE DEALER, I ASKED SERVICE MGR IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM - HE SAID IT HAPPENS ONCE IN A WHILE AND IT IS USUALLY CAUSED BY HAVING TOO MANY KEYS ON THE KEY...

THE IGNITION CYLINDER ON MY 2000 FORD FOCUS HAS LOCKED UP SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NOW IT IS COMPLETELY GONE. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN FOR ANYTHING. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT FORD WILL CHARGE AROUND $450 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MANY FOCUS OWNERS. THE CAR HAS DONE THIS BEFORE BUT IT JUST DID IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS LAST NIGHT, LEAVING MY HUSBAND STRANDED. FORD HAS CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM ON THE 2005 MODELS BUT WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF US! MY HUSBAND WAS LATE FOR WORK BECAUSE OF IT AND I MYSELF HAD TO LEAVE WORK TO GO PICK HIM UP.

THE IGNITION IN MY 2000 FORD FOCUS HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS HAPPENING, ONE DAY I GOT IN MY CAR, DROVE THE COFFEE SHOP CAME OUT AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME, SIX MONTHS LATER THE SAME THING AND ABOUT SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT. THE FOURTH TIME THIS HAPPENED I RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY KEY THIS TIME NOT THE IGNITION. *NM

2000 FORD FOCUS, LOCKED IGNITION. KEY WON'T GO IN AND WON'T TURN. MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR. *JB

WENT TO START MY 2000 FORD FOCUS AFTER LEAVING STORE AND IGNITION TUMBLE WOULD NOT TURN. HAS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE. NOW EVERYTIME I GO TO START MY VEHICLE I HAVE TO HIT THE KEY HARD INTO THE IGNITION FOR AS MANY TIMES AS IT TAKES TO START. BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO MY FORD DEALER. NOW IT'S GOING TO CAST ME OVER $300 TO REPLACED THIS PART AND THAT THEY SAY FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT RECALL THIS PART. I SPOKE TO SERVICE REPS, MANAGERS AND TECH'S. THEY ALL SAY THE SAME....FORD KNOWS BUT WONT RECALL IT! SO ON TOP OF MY CAR PAYMENT I GET TO PAY MORE THAN MY MONTHLY PAYMENT TO FIX A PART THAT FORD ACKNOWLEDGES AS DEFECTIVE. EXCELLENT SERVICES AND CARE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS. THEN AGAIN I AM ONLY AN AVERAGE PERSON NOT A MULI-MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY. *JB

IGNITION LOCKED UP, WILL NOT TURN. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN IGNITION PROBLEM. VEHICLE WILL NOT START DUE TO DEFECTIVE IGNITION CYLINDER.*AK

THE IGNITION ON MY 2000 FORD FOCUS ZX3 WILL NOT TURN. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. A FORD TECHNICIAN SAID TO LIGHTLY TAP THE KEY THEN TRY TURNING THE IGNITION. THIS METHOD HAS SEEMED TO WORK. HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN HAVING TO TAP HARDER AND HARDER TO THE POINT OF HURTING MY HAND FROM HITTING IT SO HARD. I'VE READ SEVERAL FORD INTERNET FORUMS WHERE OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS IGNITIONS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL.*JB

IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN, WHEN ATTEMPING TO START THE VEHICLE. REPLACED IGNITION LOCK AND CYLINDER. R/R FUEL DELIVERY MODULE. *BF *TC

IGNITION KEY WONT WORK IN THE CAR IT WONT TURN. MY 19 YEAR DAUGHTER WAS LEAVING WORK WHEN SHE WENT TO START THE CAR IT WOULDN'T WORK. IT WAS DARK AND NOT A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL PROBABLY WITH THE FORD FOCUS IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY FORD AND FIXED NOW! (2000 FORD FOCUS). *NM

AFTER STOPPING AT A LOCAL SAFEWAY SUPERMARKET I WENT TO MY CAR AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE MY WHEEL WAS LOCKED SO I ATTEMPTED TO PULL ON THE WHEEL WHILE TURNING THE KEY BUT HAD NO LUCK. I TRIED THIS FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE GIVING UP. I CONTACTED AAA ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 26 AND WAS TOLD A LOCKSMITH WILL BE OUT TO UNLOCK MY WHEEL. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM AAA EXPLAINING TO ME THAT THEY FELT A LOCKSMITH WOULD DO NO GOOD WITH MY VEHICLE SINCE I OWN A 2000 FORD FOCUS AND IN AAA'S EXPERIENCE MY PARTICULAR PROBLEM IS A COMMON DEFECT AND I SHOULD HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALER BECAUSE MY IGNITION WILL MOST LIKELY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACT MY LOCAL DEALER MONDAY THE 27 AND WAS TOLD THAT...

THE KEY TO MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO USE IN MY IGNITION OVER THE PAST YEAR. AT TIMES IT WOULD TAKE UP TO 2 HOURS TO GET THE KEY TO WORK AND THE IGNITION STARTED. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WERE STRANDED WITH NO WAY OF GETTING HOME. FINALLY, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND A LENGTHY AMOUNT OF TIME LATER, SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY TURNED AND THE CAR STARTED. THE IGNITION CYLINDER IN MY VEHICLE IS NOW COMPLETELY BROKEN (OR SOMETHING SIMILAR). I AM UNABLE TO USE MY VEHICLE AT ALL NOW. AFTER TWO DAYS OF ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE KEY, IT HAS FAILED. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED YET, BUT I AM AWARE THAT A NEW IGNITION CYLINDER WILL NEED TO BE INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE. THIS WILL CONSIST OF TOWING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THERE IS...

IGNITION WILL NOT TURN. ONE MINUTE IT WAS WORKING FINE, AND THE NEXT, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. ALSO, ONE MINUTE MY AUTOMATIC LOCKS WILL WORK, THEN MY CAR TOTALLY UN-PROGRAMMED ITSELF. *JB

2000 FORD FOCUS HAS A DEFECTIVE IGNITION. THE CAR WILL LOCK UP AT ANY TIME. PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED TWICE IN MY CAR, NOW THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. *JB

RECALL 03V482000 CONCERNING INTERMITTENT STALLING. MANUFACTURER IS NOT ALLOWING THE DEALER TO HONOR THIS RECALL BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS A BRANDED TITLE.*AK

THE KEY WOULD TURN TO THE OFF POSITION AND THE CAR WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER, BUT SINCE IT WAS FIXED IN FEBRUARY OF 2004 IT HAS SINCE DONE THE SAME THINGS 2 MORE TIMES. THESE 2 TIMES, HOWEVER, THE CAR WOULD TURN OFF, BUT I COULDN'T GET THE KEY TO GO TO THE OFF POSITION AND I COULDN'T GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP 2 TIMES AFTER THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER (ONCE IN NOVEMBER 2004 AND ONCE IN DECEMBER 2004). THEY SAID THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WON'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHEN I HAVE IT AT THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER I DRIVE IT THERE THE KEY COMES OUT OF THE IGNITION. IT WAS FINE ALL SUMMER, AND IT SEEMS TO JUST DO THIS IN COLD WEATHER. HOWEVER, I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THAT MY RADIO IS STAYING...

I HAVE A 2000 FORD FOCUS AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING TERRIBLE PROBLEMS WITH MY IGNITION. SEVERAL DOZEN TIMES I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO START MY CAR OR IT HAS TAKEN ME A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO START THE CAR. I TOLD MY LOCAL FORD DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND SAID IT WOULD COST ABOUT $300 TO FIX THE IGNITION. HOWEVER, HE TOLD ME THAT I WAS THE FOURTH PERSON THAT HAD CALLED HIM THAT VERY SPECIFIC DAY REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER FOCUS'. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE POSTING COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND I THINK IT IS ABOUT TIME FOR A RECALL. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE DASH LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER THEN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY WHILE IN GEAR. *NM CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V411000. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE POWER CABLE TO THE BATTERY WAS THE RESULT OF THE PROBLEM. CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 02V288000. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COULD EXPLODE. THE WARRANTY COMPANY TURNED THE CONSUMER DOWN STATING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT PART OF THE WARRANTY. THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE VEHICLES IGNITION AND WOULD NOT COME OUT. THE DOORS WOULD NOT CLOSE PROPERLY AND REMAINED OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN GEAR. WHEN THE TIRE WAS REMOVED THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE WHEEL WAS MISSING A LUG NUT. CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V303000 THE AIR VENT DID NOT STAY OPEN WHEN THE A/C WAS ON HIGH. THE BRAKES HOWLED LIKE A WOUNDED DOG FROM...

THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. IGNITION HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT HAS HAPPENED, AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED EACH TIME.*AK

ONCE I PLACE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION OF MY 2000 FORD FOCUS ZTS IT DOESN'T ALWAYS TURN. I HAVE TO PLAY AROUND WITH IT FOR A MINUTE OR TWO BEFORE I GET IT TO TURN OVER AND START MY CAR. I FEAR SOON THAT IT WON'T WORK AT ALL AND I'LL BE STUCK SOME PLACE. I'VE KNOWN OF MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR FOCUS'S. PEOPLE HAVE HAD A DEALERSHIP FIX IT, ONLY TO HAVE IT START DOING IT AGAIN WITH IN A MONTH LATER AND SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS LESS.*AK

I BROUGHT MY 2000 FOCUS BRAND NEW. YESTERDAY, WENT TO A MEETING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY. I WAS THE LAST TO LEAVE AND MY KEY WOULD ONLY GO HALF WAY INTO THE IGNITION. NO MATTER OF WIGGLING WOULD GET IT TO BUDGE. I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK AND TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION: TOTAL COST 394.41 WITH TOWING. LEARNED FROM A FRIEND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A TECHICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS FOR YEARS. OF COURSE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRENTY. BUT I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH FORD AND ASKING FOR A "GOOD WILL' REMBURSMENT TO COVER COSTS. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE SENT TO THE MAJOR NETWORKS FOR INVESTIGATION. *AK

MY IGNITION LOCKED LEAVING ME STRANDED. I HAVE TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. UPON LOOKING THROUGH WEBSITES (WWW.EDMUNDS.COM, WWW.AUTOWHIZ.COM), I SEE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THERE WERE OVER 200 RESPONSES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. SOMEONE FROM A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP TRIED TO GET THE KEY TO TURN AND COULD NOT. HE SAID HE HAD WORKED FOR FORD FOR 38 YEARS AND BELIEVED THAT THE CYLINDER WAS THE PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN A NUMBER OF EARLY FORD FOCUSES (MINE IS 2000) HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE FOCUS. THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 12 RECALLS ON THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIPS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT UNCOOPERATIVE. I'VE FOUND THAT DEALERS DO NOT WANT TO HONOR THE RECALLS, ESPECIALLY IF A RENTAL CAR COMES WITH IT. THEY DID NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS RECALLED UNLESS...