2001 FORD FOCUS Electrical Systemignition Problems

THE KEY ONCE INSERTED IN THE IGNITION WILL NOT START MY CAR (2001 FORD FOCUS). *TR

MY KEY WILL GO INTO THE IGNITION OF MY FORD FOCUS, HOWEVER THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINS LOCKED AND THE KEY WILL NOT TURN AT ALL. EVEN AFTER "JIGGLING" THE STEERING WHEEL, I CAN'T TURN THE KEY AT ALL. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS FOR SOME REASON THE KEY CAN TURN. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL DIFFERENT "TESTS" TO SEE IF PERHAPS PARKING STRAIGHT ON,ETC WILL ALLOW ME TO START MY CAR HOWEVER THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON TO IT. THIS PROBLEM LEAVES ME QUITE FRUSTRATED, POSSIBLY STRANDED, AND POSSIBLY IN DANGER AS I CAN'T START THE CAR WHEN I NEED TO. IT HAS BEEN A COUPLE DAYS AND I THOUGHT I WAS GOING CRAZY SO I HAVE NOT DONE ANY REPAIRS YET. BUT AFTER READING THAT THIS IS A PROMINENT PROBLEM, LOOKS LIKE I WILL HAVE TO FIX IT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ANYWHERE FOR FEAR THAT MY CAR WILL...

LOCK CYLINDER LOCKED. *TR

THE IGNITION WILL NOT TURN TO THE "ON" POSITION, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS TRIED. THE CYLINDER APPARENTLY IS STUCK, AND THE CAR WILL THEREFORE NOT START. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS AND LIKE OTHER COMPLAINTS MY IGNITION ALSO JAMMED UP, AND LEFT ME DOWN AND HAD TO FIND A WAY GET HOME FROM MY JOB ,AND COST ME $ 240.00 FOR A LOCKSMITH THE NEXT DAY. I THINK FORD SHOULD TAKE ACTION AND RECALL THIS VEHICLE, AND REPAY ALL THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM. GC *TR

ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO I WENT TO PUT KEY IN IGNITION AND I STRUGGLED FOR AN HOUR OR MORE TO GET IT TO TURN. VERY FRUSTRATED AT THAT POINT THAT I FINALLY HAVE RESIDED TO KEEPING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, WHICH IS NOT A GOOD IDEA,BUT AFRAID OF BEING STRANDED SOMEWHERE. *TR

RECENTLY THE IGNITION LOCK ON MY FORD FOCUS JAMS UP. I PLACE THE KEY IN THE LOCK, WHICH IS A BIT STICKY, AND THEN THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. AFTER 15-30 MINUTES OF TRYING TO TURN IT, IT WILL START, OTHER TIMES NO. WE ARE STILL RESEARCHING ON THE WEB HOW TO REPLACE THIS PART. *TR

AS THE OWNER OF A FORD FOCUS 2001 - I ATTEMPTED TO START MY CAR AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT - HAD TO BE TOWED. THE PROBLEM IS CHRONIC IN FORD FOCUS - YET FORD IS NOT RECALLING OR ATTEMPTING TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS IN ANY WAY TO REMEDY THE FLAW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER ADDING FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 15, 2003 AND RECURRED APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS AGO. THE IGNITION LOCK ASSEMBLY SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS $433 AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE; HOWEVER, THE FIRST REPAIR WAS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE IGNITION SWITCH SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER THREE YEARS. THE FORD MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,474 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,732.

I BOUGHT MY 2001 FORD FOCUS IN APRIL 2007 FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. ONE DAY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I WENT INTO A STORE AND WHEN I CAME OUT MY KEY WOULD NOT GO INTO THE IGNITION AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. FORTUNATELY I GRABBED A PASSERBY TO HELP ME AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR. THEN A FEW DAYS AGO I GOT HOME FROM WORK ONE NIGHT, PARKED MY CAR, AND WENT INSIDE. NEXT MORNING WHEN I TRIED TO LEAVE FOR WORK THE KEY WOULD NOT GO INTO THE IGNITION AND THE WHEEL WAS LOCKED AGAIN. AFTER AN HOUR OF TRYING TO GET THE KEY IN, I HAD TO CALL A MECHANIC TO TOW THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND GET IT REPAIRED. IT COST ME $400. *TR

IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP BEYOND A MERE STEERING LOCKUP AND COULD NOT BE STARTED. I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE HAS 84K MILES. I HOPE I WON'T BE PAYING FOR A REPAIR THAT IS LIKELY TO BREAK AGAIN SOON. *JB

I OWN A 2001 FORD FOCUS AND WITHIN THE LAST MONTH IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS DUE TO A SUBSTANDARD/DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH CYLINDER. I ALSO FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM, QUITE THE CONTRARY; THERE ARE SEVERAL CAR FORUMS THAT HAVE COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE. FOR EXAMPLE, HERE IS ONE AT CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_FOCUS_IGNITION.HTML I ACCEPT THE FACT THAT CAR OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN MAINTENANCE BUT AN IGNITION CYLINDER SHOULD NOT BE GOING BAD IN A 6 YEAR OLD CAR. FURTHERMORE, I HAVE READ SEVERAL FORD FOCUS OWNERS SAY THAT THEY HAVE HAD THIS REPAIR DONE MORE THAN ONCE. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT; I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP PAYING OUT $500 TO GET THIS FIXED. PLEASE DO THE RESPONSIBLE THING AND RECALL THIS PART AND REPLACE...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION LOCKED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. SHE HAD TO STRIKE THE TIP OF THE KEY WHILE IT WAS STILL IN THE IGNITION FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE STARTED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2006, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED IN AUGUST OF 2007. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,834 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

COULD NOT INSERT MY KEY INTO THE IGNITION. IT WOULD ONLY GO HALFWAY IN. I WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT AND HAD TO CALL A FRIEND TO PICK ME UP. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALER WHERE THEY DRILLED THE LOCK OUT AND REPLACED WITH NEW CYLINDER. THE OLD PART WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THE DRILLING. *JB

IT HAD BECOME HARDER AND HARDER OVER THE COURSE OF A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO TURN THE KEY IN MY IGNITION. THEN ONE NIGHT AFTER WORK, I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. I CONTACTED AAA, AND THEY SENT OUT A LOCKSMITH THE NEXT DAY. THE LOCKSMITH HAD TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE IGNITION BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO HIM, CERTAIN PIECES WERE BROKEN. *JB

IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER FAILED, PREVENTING CAR FROM STARTING. KEY WOULD GO INTO IGNITION BUT WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS STRANDED IN PARKING GARAGE UNTIL A TOW TRUCK THAT COULD REACH IT WAS LOCATED. IGNITION CYLINDER REBUILT, NEW KEYS CREATED, TOTAL COST $550. DEALER KEPT OLD PARTS. THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THE SAME PART. IT WAS FIRST REPLACED IN OCTOBER 2003. *JB

I OWN A 2001 FORD FOCUS SE AUTOMATIC: MY IGNITION LOCK AND THE STEERING WHEEL ARE JAMMED. IT IS A VERY RECENT DEVELOPMENT AND I AM FINDING OUT THAT I MAY HAVE TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT, WHICH I AM VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT SINCE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY A RECALL OF THE VEHICLE. I STILL HAVE NO IDEA HOW I AM GOING TO FIX IT AND I MIGHT HAVE TO END UP TOWING THE CAR WHICH WILL COST EVEN MORE AND I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THAT, BUT IF I LEAVE IT ON MY STREET THEN I WILL GET A PARKING TICKET. SHAME ON YOU FORD FOR NOT ISSUING A RECALL, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH MY FOCUS IS THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW BROKE IN 2005. THE MOTOR GOT JAMMED AND BROKE OR SOMETHING, BUT NOW MY...

I WAS OUT SHOPPING AT NIGHT IN A DARK PARKING LOT AND WHEN I WENT TO MY CAR THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN I WAS LEFT STRANDED FOR HOURS UNTIL A TOW COULD COME GET MY CAR THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IT WAS LOCKED. *NM

BOUGHT A 2001 FORD FOCUS (USED) FROM A ORIVATE PARTY. THE PERSON I BOUGHT IT FROM HAD THE IGNITION CHANGED TWICE AND IT HAS LOCKED UP ON ME IN LESS THAN A YEAR. I BOUGHT A CYLINDER AND KEY SET FROM AUTO ZONE AND CHANGED IT OUT MYSELF, $90 LATER THE CAR WILL NOT START BECAUSE OF THE ANTI-THEFT IN CAR AND I REFUSE TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER (ARCENEAUX FORD). FORD SHOULD REPLACE THESE IGNITION CYLINDERS BECAUSE THEY ARE JUNK AND SEEM TO OCCUR OFTEN. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER SWITCH HAS SEIZED. HE COULD NOT PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE CONTACT HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE HAS 40,000 MILES. THE CONTACT HAS NOT CONTACTED A REPAIR SHOP. HE WAS GOING TO CONTACT A LOCKSMITH. THE VEHICLE WAS OPERABLE ON 1/3/06. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS. *AK

THE IGNITION ON MY 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 HAS LOCKED UP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO START THE CAR, AS THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE LOCK. EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST, I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO START THE CAR BY JIGGLING THE KEY IN THE LOCK FOR UP TO TEN MINUTES. THIS TIME, HOWEVER, AFTER JIGGLING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION FOR A FULL FORTY-FIVE MINUTES, THERE WAS STILL NO GIVE IN THE IGNITION. I TRIED TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO EITHER SIDE AS HARD AS I COULD WHILE TURNING THE KEY, AND IT DID NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AFTER FINALLY GIVING UP, I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOME ADVICE ONLINE, AND I SAW RIGHT AWAY THAT HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR CARS. EACH TIME, IT TAKES...

IGNITION CYLINDER LOCKED UP AND I COULDN'T GET THE KEY IN. HAD TO HAVE IT DRILLED OUT AND REPLACED - $300. *JB

WENT TO LEAVE WORK ONE EVENING, PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO CALL MY HUSBAND TO PICK ME UP. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY INSTALLED NEW IGNITION TUMBLER. SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH, THE DEALERSHIP PAID HALF OF THE BILL. *JB

I TRIED TO START MY CAR AND THE KEY SEEMED "STUCK". I TRIED EVERYTHING TO TURN IT TO NO AVAIL. CALLED A LOCKSMITH AND HE SAID IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS, AND THAT HE RESPONDS TO CALLS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ALL THE TIME. THE KEY IGNITION CYLINDER JUST BREAKS ON THESE CARS. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THIS AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THE PART FROM FORD IS SUBSTANDARD AND THAT IS WHY IT BREAKS ALL THE TIME. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED! WHAT IS THE POINT OF A CAR IF YOU CANNOT START IT DUE TO A MECHANISM CONSTANTLY BREAKING? WHAT IF I WERE IN A BAD AREA OF TOWN, WHAT IF I REALLY REALLY NEEDED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY BUT COULDN'T DUE TO A FAULTY PART THAT IS A KNOWN ISSUE!? *NM

2001 FORD FOCUS. KEY WILL NOT TURN TRIED BOTH KEYS W/O HELP HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE AND NOW WILL NOT WORK. THIS IS THE CAR MY DAUGHTER TAKES TO COLLEGE AND LUCKY IT WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY NOT WITH HER ON A DARK CAMPUS ALL ALONE. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS AND IN 2005 I HAD TO REPLACE MY IGNITION CYLINDER. THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL. I BOUGHT THE CYLINDER FROM FORD AND REPLACED IT MYSELF. NOW, A YEAR LATER, I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. MY KEY WILL NOT TURN THE IGNITION. I HAVE TRIED TROUBLESHOOTING BUT NOTHING HAS IMPROVED. I HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER CYLINDER AGAIN. *NM

KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. EVENTUALLY AFTER A HALF HOUR OF TRYING, THE CAR TURNED OVER AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I TOLD THEM I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY IGNITION, AND THEY ASKED ME IF MY CAR WAS A FOCUS. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE FORD FOCUS. THE TUMBLER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS SE WAGON. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO REPLACE AN IGNITION IN A 5 YEAR OLD CAR? I HAD A 10 YEAR OLD CAR WITHOUT ANY IGNITION PROBLEMS EVER. *NM

2001 FORD FOCUS IGNITION CYLINDER LOCKS UP 10/10/2006 CAR IS STRANDED OVERNIGHT IN A PARKING LOT IN AN UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOOD LOCK CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $300 PLUS TOW FEES. *JB

FOR A WEEK I WAS HAVING TROUBLE TURNING MY KEY IN THE IGNITION OF MY 2001 FORD FOCUS. THEN ONE MORNING I COULD NOT TURN MY KEY AT ALL. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THE FORD FOCUS. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION CYLINDER AT MY COST. I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, FORD WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT IS, ACCORDING TO THEM, NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THIS PROBLEM CAN LEAVE SOMEONE STRANDED ANYWHERE WITH NO WARNING.*JB

I HAD TAKEN MY GRAND-DAUGHTER TO THE DENTIST AND WHEN WE CAME OUT THE KEY IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP. I SPENT THE MOST OF THE MORNING TRYING TO GET IT TO TURN ONE MORE TIME SO THAT I COULD TAKE IT TO FORD TOWN TO GET IT FIXED. I KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER HAS A 2004 FORD FOCUS AND HERS HAD JUST LOCKED UP ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE AND SHE NEVER DID GET IT TO TURN OVER, SHE HAD TO HAVE HER CAR TOWED AND THE IGNITION CYLINDER DRILLED OUT, FINALLY WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT TO TURN OVER ONE MORE TIME AND THE MAN AT FORD TOWN TOLD ME TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE NEXT DAY THEY WOULD TRY AND WORK MY CAR IN TO HAVE IT FIXED. I TOOK IT TO FORD TOWN...

IGNITION LOCK, COULD NOT TURN KEY. *JB

CAR WON'T START. KEY WILL NOT ENTER IGNITION. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. *NM

*THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE!* WHEN LEAVING WORK MY CAR WOULD NOT START, THE STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND ACCESSORIES WOULD NOT COME ON...I WENT INSIDE FOR 10 MIN TO TRY TO ARRANGE A RIDE HOME...WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE CAR I DECIDED TO TRY ONE LAST TIME AND THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP NO PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING HOME (AT ABOUT 8.30PM LOCAL TIME...FULLY DARK OUTSIDE) AT APPROX. 50 MPH THE CAR DIED INCLUDING MOST ACCESSORIES, MOST NOTABLY, THE HEADLIGHTS. WHEN I TRIED TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THIS ALL HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY, I WAS BRAKING AND THERE SEEMED TO BE SOME POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKES BUT NOT FULL BRAKING POWER. I WAS HEADED STRAIGHT AT A LARGE TREE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY CAME TO LIFE AGAIN AND I MANAGED TO JUST MISS IT. I LIMPED THE CAR ABOUT...

2001 FORD FOCUS, 6 YRS OLD, ONLY 38K MILES. IGNITION CYLINDER LOCKED UP AND I WAS UNABLE TO INSERT KEY MORE THAN HALFWAY. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER ($75), WHO REPLACED CYLINDER FOR $350. DEALER REPORTS THEY STILL SEE THIS REPAIR ABOUT ONCE A MONTH ON THE 2000, 2001 MODELS. *JB

MY IGNITION WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING. I GUESS THE IGNITION CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *NM

I OWN A FORD FOCUS ZX3 (2001). I SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS EVERYONE ELSE WITH MY CAR. MY IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN AND I WAS LEFT STRANDED. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ABOUT THE ISSUE, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT EVERY OTHER FOCUS OWNER HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM IS PURCHASING A NEW IGNITION CYLINDER (~$400). FORD NEED TO ADMIT TO A FAULTY PART AND LOW QUALITY OF MATERIALS. PLEASE HELP THIS BE AN OFFICIAL RECALL. THANK YOU. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCKED COMPLETELY, AND WOULD NOT MOVE. THE KEY WAS ALSO NOT ABLE TO BE INSERTED ALL THE WAY IN TO THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE STARTED, AND NO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DRILLED OUT THE IGNITION CYLINDER, AND REPLACED THE CYLINDER AND IGNITION SWITCH. THE DEALER CITED A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

MY IGNITION LOCKS UP AND I AM UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES NOW AND EACH TIME I HAVE TO HAVE THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED COSTING ME AROUND $400.00 EACH TIME. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED AT ABOUT 16,000 MILES AND NOW I HAVE 85,000 MILES ON MY CAR. THERE IS NO SIGN WHEN AND WHERE IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, IT JUST DOES AND THEN IT LEAVES YOU STRANDED AND IN NEED OF A TOW TRUCK, WHICH IS MORE COST TO THE CONSUMER. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLES IGNITION SHUTS DOWN AND THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE SHUT OFF. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ONE TIME AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE.

WHEN TRYING TO PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION THE IGNITION LOCKS UP AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO ENTER OR WHILE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. BUT AFTER A WHILE, TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK THE IGNITION GIVES IN. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS. NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ANYWHERE BECAUSE THE KEY MAY NOT WORK. BOTH KEYS ARE DOING THE SAME THING. *JB

WENT OUT TO START CAR PARKED IN GARAGE AND IGNITION CYLINDER WOULD NOT TURN WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHERE HE REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE BUT THEY HAVE TOLD ME THEY ONLY REPLACE THESE TYPES OF PARTS ONCE UNDER RECALLS? *JB

INSERTED KEY IN IGNITION AND KEY REFUSES TO TURN. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *NM

WHEN WE PULLED UP AT THE STORE THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE; HOWEVER, WHEN WE TRIED TO LEAVE THE STORE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP AND WE COULD NOT START THE CAR. WE TRIED MANY DIFFERENT THINGS (AS IT SAYS IN THE MANUAL) INCLUDING THE MANUAL OVERRIDE ON THE BASE NEXT TO THE GEAR SHIFT AND CHECKING FOR BLOWN FUSES. WE ENDED UP HAVING TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO OUR HOME WHERE A LOCKSMITH CAME OUT AND REPLACED THE CYLINDER IN THE IGNITION. HE ALSO HAD TO RECODE THE KEYS SO THAT THEY WOULD WORK IN THE IGNITION. THE WORST PART WAS THAT WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN (NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO PRIOR PROBLEMS, ETC.) AND WE WERE STUCK OUT IN 98 DEGREE HEAT WITH OUR 2 SMALL CHILDREN!! *NM

THE IGNITION CYLINDER IS A KNOWN FAILURE IN THE 2000-01 FORD FOCUS. I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS PART. THE STEERING WHEEL AND IGNITION LOCK UP AND THE VEHICLE IS USELESS. THE WORN KEYS SEEM TO WORSEN THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A 12-18 MONTH LIFE SPAN ON THE PART AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF YOU WOULD GO TO AUTOMOTIVE TALKNET.COM AND CHOOSE THE TOPIC IGNITION CYLINDER ON THE FORD FOCUS YOU WILL SEE HOW MUCH OF A RECALL THIS SHOULD BE AND HOW WE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR ALL THE MONEY WE HAVE SPENT. *NM

FORD FOCUS 2001 IGNITION SWITCH JAMMED. DOES NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO BE STARTED. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS AND THE LOCAL FORD DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL AND IT WILL COST $450 FOR THE DEALER TO FIX THIS VERY OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE THE IGNITION LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING AND IGNITION LOCK ASSEMBLY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

SECOND TIME IGNITION CYLINDER IN 2001 FORD FOCUS HAS LOCKED UP. FIRST LEFT ME STRANDED AND HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED IN. TODAY, IGNITION HAS LOCKED UP AGAIN. DEALERSHIP DOESN'T KNOW IF THEY WILL PAY FOR IT, BUT THEY'D BETTER. HAVE SEEN THOUSANDS OF POST ABOUT THIS PROBLEM--WHY ISN'T FORD ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM???*JB

KEY WILL NOT GO BACK INTO THE IGNITION CYLINDER. *JB

IGNITION KEY DIFFICULT TO INSERT THEN IGNITION MECHANISM AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. *JB

WHEN I TRIED TO START MY FORD FOCUS 2001 ZX3 CAR AFTER LEAVING THE POST OFFICE, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. I EVENTUALLY FOUND A LOCKSMITH WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION LOCK KEY CYLINDER AT A COST TO ME OF $189.00. WHEN I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. THEY HAD NO RECORD OF RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE I FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME RESPONSE FROM FORD. I FEEL THAT AN INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE OPENED INTO THIS WITH ACTION ALONG THE LINES OF CUSTOMER REIMBURSEMENT FOR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES TO US. THIS IS AND HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS CARS. EVEN THE LOCKSMITH WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. FORD'S RESPONSE IS NO RESPONSE AND NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ONE. THANK YOU. *NM