2000 FORD FOCUS Steeringcolumn Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT COULD PHYSICALLY MOVE THE STEERING COLUMN UP AND DOWN THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE AND WAS TIGHTENED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC'S SHOP. MOST RECENTLY, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FORD DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY FAILURES, BUT AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC. FORD INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD FOR THEM TO ASSIST, DESPITE ITS LOW MILEAGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000.

1. THERE WERE TWO INSTANCES OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS WHERE MY CAR WOULDN'T START INITIALLY AND IT TOOK 15 MINUTES TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO TURN THE KEY. 2. I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TO FILL UP MY CAR WHICH IS A 2000 FORD FOCUS ZX3. I HAD MAY 7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WITH ME AND WHEN WE WENT TO LEAVE MY IGNITION LOCKED UP. AFTER AN HOUR I HAD TO CALL SOMEONE TO COME GET MY DAUGHTER AS IT WAS 9PM AND SHE HAD SCHOOL IN THE MORNING. I HAD SOMEONE ELSE COME BY TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIX IT BUT THAT WAS TO NO AVAIL. FINALLY AFTER ABOUT 3 HOURS TOTAL I HAD TO CALL A FOR A TOW BACK TO MY HOUSE AS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP AND I COULD NOT EVEN ROLL THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY BECAUSE I COULDN'T...

CRACKED IGNITION. JAMMED STEERING COLUMN. BOTH WERE REPLACED. OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. *TR

STEERING WHEEL NUT CAME OUT OF STEERING WHEEL WHEN WIFE WAS DRIVING 10 MPH AND TRIED TO MAKE A TURN. BECAUSE CONTACT DIDN'T HAVE WARRANTY FOR PART, HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS, AND WANTS TO KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING HE SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR. CONTACT WANTS TO KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED, KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. *JB

STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTMENT IS FAILING, DIFFICULT FOR ADJUSTING LEVER TO STAY IN LOCKED POSITION, SOMETIMES DISENGAGING WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. DEALER SAYS THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1000, BECAUSE INDIVIDUAL PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. FORD HAS NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY SECRET WARRANTIES THAT APPLY. *NM

CAR WORKED FINE THROUGH THE DAY; PUT KEY INTO IGNITION AND IT WON'T TURN. (SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR FORD FOCUS CARS...(THAT'S WHAT AAA TOLD ME AND IT'S VERIFIED IN LETTERS ON INTERNET.

WITHOUT WARNING THE IGNITION LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN. TOW TRUCK FEE $75 ,FORD REPAIR BILL $406.41. I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED IN 2001. I HAVE TALKED TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THIS PART HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. HOWEVER FORD WILL NOT COVER THE PARTS FAILURE BECAUSE IT OCCURED WITH A DIFFERENT OWNER.

BOUGHT VEHICLE WITH A BAD FUEL PUMP. DEALER REPLACED IT IN JULY 2003. STEERING COLUMN WOULD NOT WORK, AND DEALER REPLACED IT ON MARCH 19 2205. MIDDLE OF APRIL 2005 STEERING COLUMN FAILED AGAIN. WILL NOT REPLACE IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO , THE HATCHBACK DOOR LATCHES ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY *AK

I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION IN MY 2000 FORD FOCUS ZX3 NOT TURNING OVER, APPRENTLY AFTER RESEARCH AND 300.00 LATER, IT IS A DEFECT IN THE TUMBLER.*AK

FATALITY VEHICLE FIRE, DEC. 8 2004. MY HUSBAND IS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2000 FORD FOCUS, SUBJECT TO NUMEROUS SERVICE VISITS TO BILL BROWN FORD, LIVONIA MI FOR: IGNITION, STEERING COLUMN, WHEEL BEARING, BRAKE, REAR WINDOW CONTROL, SEAT BELT &TRUNK LATCHES, OVERHEAD LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT. THE VACUUM LINE & FUEL PUMP & VALVE ASSEMBLY WERE REPLACED 2/03, FOLLOWED BY STALLING. IN 6/03, A/C COMPRESSOR & MANIFOLD LINE REPLACED. FUEL LINE & PUMP FAILURE IN 8/03, RESULTED IN GASOLINE SPILL ON RESIDENTIAL STREET MINUTES AFTER PARKING. BOGGING FOLLOWED REPAIRS, PCM REPROGRAMMED & LEAKING PVC TUBE REPLACED 1/04. FUEL PUMP AGAIN REPLACED. IN 8/04, OUR 24 YEAR OLD SON TOOK OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEMATIC CAR. WE ARE UNCERTAIN AS TO WHETHER VEHICLE MALFUNCTION CAUSED A 35 MPH COLLISION WITH A FIRE HYDRANT. AN IMMEDIATE ENGINE EXPLOSION AND FUEL FED FIRE TRAPPED MY SON AND HIS PASSENGER. DESCRIBED BY POLICE AS...

FORD FOCUS 2000 STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP... KEY WILL NOT TURN, STERRING COLUMN IS LOCKED UP TIGHT AND THE CAR IS NOT ABLE TO START. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FIVE TIMES. I HAVE MANAGED TO START IT WITH MUCH FRUSTRATION AND TIME SPENT. NOW I CAN NOT GET IT GOING AT ALL.

I AM OUT-OF-STATE IN A LARGE CITY AND YESTERDAY MY KEY WOULD GO INTO THE IGNITION, BUT WOULD NOT TURN. I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR OVERNIGHT IN A FAIRLY BAD NEIGHBORHOOD. I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF REPORTS ON THIS SITE ABOUT THE SAME THING GOING WRONG IN THE FOCUS. I AM HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP TODAY AND WILL HAVE TO PAY A HOLIDAY FEE BECAUSE TODAY IS A HOLIDAY AND IN THE MEAN TIME HAVE NO FORM OF TRANSPORTATION. I WILL HAVE TO RENT A CAR TOMORROW (THE RENTAL CAR PLACES ARE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY). I JUST WENT ON A 4,000 MILE TRIP, SOME OF WHICH WENT THROUGH VERY DESOLATE PARTS OF NEVADA--WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED THEN??? I HAD NO CELL RECEPTION IN MOST OF THAT AREA. IF FORD DOESN'T THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEY ARE WRONG....

IN MARCH 2002, MY 2000 FORD FOCUS LX HAD THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK UP AND THE IGNITION LOCK UP SO THAT I COULD NOT TURN THE KEY OR START MY CAR. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ENDED UP HAVING TO DRILL OUT THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER, REBUILD IT, AND REPLACE BROKEN STEERING COLUMN PARTS. NOW YESTERDAY, MAY 23, 2004, THE SAME THING OCCURRED - STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, KEY WOULD NOT TURN, CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO TOW IT AGAIN TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP, AND GET THE PARTS REPLACED AGAIN.*AK

STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND KEY WILL NOT TURN SO CAR WILL NOT START. AFTER DOING RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON AND MAY EVEN HAPPEN AGAIN AFTER BEING REPAIRED - TYPICAL COST IS $250 - 300. *AK.

RETURNED TO CAR AFTER 1 HOUR OF NOT DRIVING, THE KEY WOULD ONLY GO ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY INTO THE IGNITION. I TRIED ALL THREE KEYS THAT THE DEALER HAD GIVEN ME, AND NONE OF THEM WOULD GO INTO THE IGNITION. CALLED AAA, PAID $175 TO HAVE A LOCKSMITH REPLACE THE SPRINGS IN MY IGNITION WHERE THE KEY GOES, SAID THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN, AND IN THAT CASE, THE ENTIRE IGNITION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AAA COVERED $50 OF THE COST. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS? THIS IS NOT THE FIRST COMPLAINT OF THE SAME TYPE ON THIS SITE! WHAT IS FORD DOING TO HELP THIS? I REFUSE TO CONTINUE TO PAY $125 EVERY TIME MY KEY WON'T GO INTO THE IGNITION. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE HOME WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BUT WHAT IF I WASN'T?*AK

KEY WOULDN'T FIT IN THE IGNITION ONE AFTERNOON. TRIED ANOTHER KEY, SAME RESULT. I HEAR IT IS SOMETHING IN THE STEERING LOCK CYLINDER, POSSIBLY A TUMBLER. CALLED FORD, AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS YET, BUT PROBABLY SOON. COST ABOUT $150 PLUS A TOWING CHARGE. RATS. *AK

70,000 MILES AND IGNITION LOCK IS BROKEN, DROVE THE CAR IN THE MORNING, WENT OUT IN THE AFTERNOON, PUT KEY IN, WOULDN'T TURN..HAD TO BE TOWED AND REPLACED COSTING ME $250 CAUSE THEY STATE IT'S NOT A COVERED PART UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. ALSO, TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATED HE HAS TOWED HUNDREDS OF FORD WITH SAME PROBLEM, SOME EVEN WITH ONLY 400 MILES ON THEM * RIDICULOUS**AK

THE VEHICLE WAS PARK WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK UP AND WILL NOT UN LOCK THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING 40MPH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY WHILE BRAKING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: THE REPLACEMENT OF THE LEFT DASH BOARD CLUSTER (TEMPERATURE GAUGE INOP FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE), REATTACHMENT OF RUBBER SEAL AROUND DRIVER DOOR WINDOW, REATTACHMENT OF FUEL PUMP, REATTACHMENT OF HEADLINER IN REAR OF VEHICLE, UNCRIMPING OF FUEL LINE, LUBRICATION DRIVER DOOR HANDLE(STICKING), LUBRICATION OF CATCH ON REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR(HAD COME OPEN WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION), REPLACEMENT THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IN STEERING COLUMN-HAD TO BE TURNED OFF MANUALLY, PERSISTENT NOISES/VIBRATIONS IN THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE STARTING AT 36K MILES AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRES HAD TREAD THAT WAS TOO NARROW/WERE HIGH PERFORMANCE WHICH WASN'T NEEDED/WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE VIBRATION WAS CAUSED BY IMPROPER TIRE CARE AND TIRE CUPPING, THE LEFT REAR SHOCK NEEDED REPLACEMENT, AND THE RADIO GOES OUT-SOMETIMES GOES OUT WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED UP HIGH. SCC