2001 FORD FOCUS Electrical Systemignition Problems

IGNITION CYLINDER ISSUE. 2ND OCCURRENCE KEY WILL NOT TURN AND WHEEL IS LOCKED. WIDESPREAD PROBLEM ON YEAR 2000 AND UP FORD FOCUS. NOT COVER BY THE B.S. EXTENDED WARRANTY. STILL NO RECALL. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THIS OCCURRED A SECOND TIME 30,000 MILES LATER AND THE SAME COMPONENT WAS REPLACED.

2001 FORD FOCUS. KEY HAS BEEN HARD TO TURN IN THE IGNITION SINCE I BOUGHT IT. NOW I CAN'T TURN IT AND THE CAR HAS TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE WRECKER DRIVER AND THE SERVICE PERSON AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE WRECKER DRIVER TOLD ME THAT THEY TOW IN APPROX. 10 FOCUS' A WEEK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

MY MOTHERS 2001 FORD FOCUS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH IT LOCKING UP. AFTER CHECKING THE WEB I FOUND THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE FORD FOCUS BUT FORD DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK SO. I NOW HAD TO BUY THE PART AND FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO INSTALL BECAUSE IT WOULD BE 3 WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD FIT ME IN AT A PRICE TAG I WAS TOLD OF $550.00 TO HAVE IT FIXED WHICH IS A RIP OFF ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS HAPPENING TO A NUMBER OF OTHER OWNERS OF FORD FOCUS'. IT SEEMS TO ME FORD DOESN'T WANT TO OWN UP TO THE DEFECT SINCE IT'S NOT A SAFETY CONCERN TO THEM. *JB

I HAVE OWNED A 2001 FORD FOCUS FOR THE PAST 4 PLUS YEARS. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW AND TODAY THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY BROKE. I LOOKED THIS UP ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. FOR A FACT THE PARTS PERSON AT BAYTOWN FORD EVEN STATED THAT THIS HAPPENS A LOT ON THE FOCUS AND THAT THE NEW PARTS HAVE BEEN FIXED. IT WILL COST BETWEEN 300 AND 600 DOLLARS TO GET THIS FIXED. I BROUGHT THIS CAR FOR THE SECURITY AND SAFETY IT OFFERED NOW BECAUSE FORD USED BAD PARTS I AM HAVING TO SUFFER. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION LOCKED UP WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE DUE TO THE EXPENSE. *AK

THE IGNITION ON THE FORD FOCUS 2001 LX KEEPS "STICKING". THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN LESS THAN TWO YEARS. THE IGNITION WILL NOT MOVE GIVING THE APPEARANCE OF THE STEERING WHEEL BEING LOCKED BUT THE STEERING WHEEL STILL MOVES, ITS THE IGNITION THAT WON'T ELIMINATE IT BEING LOCKING PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD THE IGNITION REPLACED TWICE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME DUE TO THIS PROBLEM.*JB

I OWN A 2001 FORD FOCUS. ON OCTOBER 31, 2005, I NOTICED THAT MY CAR KEY WOULD NOT FIT INTO MY IGNITION ALL THE WAY AND MY KEY WOULD NOT TURN. MY STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO LOCKED IN PLACE. THERE WERE NO PRECEDING SYMPTOMS TO WARN ME OF THIS FAILURE. I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD COMPANY, WHICH EXPECTS ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND TOWING. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH FOCUS OWNERS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE, ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS, IF YOU CAN. IT IS A SERIOUS INCONVENIENCE, TIME WISE AND FINANCIALLY. *JB

POORLY DESIGNED IGNITION CYLINDERS. THIS CAUSES THE TUMBLERS TO FAIL RESULTING IN A LOCK-UP OF THE IGNITION. THE OWNER CANNOT TURN THE KEY TO START THE CAR AND AS A RESULT, HAS TO BE TOWED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDERS IN THE 2000 AND 2001 FOCUS WERE THE EUROPEAN DESIGN. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY CYLINDER TWICE. ONCE IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, THE SECOND TIME IT WAS NOT AND I HAD TO PAY $200. THERE ARE OTHER FOCUS OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. SEE THE WEBSITES BELOW. HTTP://WWW.AUTOWHIZ.COM/MESSAGEBOARDS/MESSAGE.PHP?ID=1784 HTTP://CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_FOCUS_IGNITION.HTML HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.EEA6DD2/286 AMONG MANY OTHERS I WAS TOLD THAT THEY PUT AN ENGINEER IN THE POSITION TO SPECIFICALLY RE-DESIGN THE IGNITION CYLINDER. SO WHILE FORD CONTINUALLY CLAIMS TO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM, IT IS APPARENT THAT THEY DID. WHILE THERE WERE NO DEATHS NOR INJURIES, IT IS NOT UP TO THE PEOPLE TO PAY FOR FORD'S POOR...

MY 2001 FORD FOCUS' IGNITION CYLINDER STRIPPED AND BROKE. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FOCUS'. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE PARTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS BE MADE. *NM

2001 FORD FOCUS STUCK IGNITION. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET I FIND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS AND SOME PEOPLE IT HAPPEDED TO SEVERAL TIMES. MY COMPLAINT - WHY HASN'T FORD BEEN FORCED TO RECAL AND FIX THE IGNITION SWITCH ON THE 2000-2001 FOCUS ( THEY FIXED PROBLEM FOR LATER YEARS).

CONSUMER IGNITION CYLINDER WOULD NOT TURN. *TX THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP AND EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE TO BE RE-CODED. *JB

LAST 2 YEARS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS PUTTING KEY IN IGNITION AND TURNING IT. I HAVE HAD TO JIGGLE IT AND PUSH IT IN. I GOT STRANDED AT WORK BECAUSE THE KEY WOULD NOT GO IN THE IGNITION AND TURN. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IGNITION CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED COSTING ME $392.00 FOR THE PART!!!!!! THEY SAID THAT MY STEERING COLUMN COULD POSSIBLY BREAK DURING INSTALLATION! *JB

THE IGNITION LOCKS UP DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CYLINDER. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS AND I WAS QUITE SURPRISED BY THIS. I LOOKED ON THE WEB AND IT LOOKS LIKE AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM THAT EVEN THE SERVICE AT FORD ADMITTED TO. I WAS PARTICULARLY SURPRISED WHEN THEY SAID FORD HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THEY HAVE HAD THE IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED 2 AND 3 TIMES IN SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL SUFFER THE SAME FATE. I WOULD LIKE IT IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING FORD KNOWS IS DEFECTIVE AND STILL MAKES THE CUSTOMER PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND MULTIPLE TIMES AS WELL. *NM

I HAVE A FORD FOCUS 2001 AND I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION TUMBLER FOR A SECOND TIME IN ONE WEEK NOW. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND IT WOULD NOT GET UNLOCKED BY THE IGNITION KEY. THE WHOLE PART WAS REPLACED IN THE SERVICE SHOP A WEEK AGO AND YESTERDAY I HAD TO BRING IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC BECAUSE OF THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE THE OLD PART IN MY TRUNK AND THEY WILL HAVE ANOTHER ONE ORDERED TODAY. *JB

THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT START. I TRIED TO JIGGLE THE WHEEL, BUT CAR REFUSED TO START. *JB

YET ANOTHER FORD FOCUS OWNER WHO HAD THE IGNITION COMPLETELY LOCK-UP. THE KEY WOULD NO LONGER TURN, RENDERING THE CAR DEAD, AND IN NEED OF TOWING TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A REPLACEMENT IGNITION.

I BOUGHT MY 2001 FORD FOCUS 4 MONTHS AGO AND I AM HAVING TO REPLACE THE IGNITION CYLINDER BECAUSE THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. AFTER RESEARCH, I AM SEEING THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR MY CAR. MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS COMPONENT 3 OR 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. I DO NOT LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUOUSLY HAVING A PROBLEM WITH A CAR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DEPENDABLE. *NM

I HAVE HAD MY 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 FOR ABOUT 3 AND HALF YEARS. RECENTLY, THE IGNITION CYLINDER HAS ALREADY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IGNITION CYLINDERS ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST FOR A LONG TIME. THE REASON WHY I BOUGHT THIS CAR WAS BECAUSE IT WAS DEPENDABLE. IF PROBLEMS LIKE THIS ARE OCCURRING WHEN AM I GOING TO EXPECT NEXT. *NM

OVER TIME I WAS HAVING MORE DIFFICULTY REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. EVENTUALLY IT TOOK UP 10-15 MINUTES OF TOGGLING THE KEY AND GEAR SHIFTER TO REMOVE THE KEY. THIS SAME PROBLEM WAS FIXED THREE TIMES UNDER WARRANTY (WHICH HAS SINCE EXPIRED). THE IGNITION WAS REPLACED. THE OLD PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE.

I WAS AT THE STORE AND GOT INTO THE CAR AND WENT TO STICK THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. IT WOULD DING BUT WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO DO ANYTHING. I ASSUMED IT WAS MAYBE THE FACT THAT I NEEDED A NEW KEY. I HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEN I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW IGNITION LOCK AND CYLINDER. I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MY HOUSE BECAUSE I AM A SINGLE MOTHER AND CANNOT AFFORD TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. I LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IS A BUNCH OF '!@#$%. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE I ASSUMED IT WAS RELIABLE. I WAS WRONG. I TALKED TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE RECENTLY THAT TOLD ME ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THERE FOCUS'S. WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE...

AT 38000 MILES THE IGNITION CYLINDER IN THE CONSUMER'S 2001 FORD FOCUS FAILED. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. *JB *NM

FORD FOCUS 2001 (1) KEY HAS BEEN HARDER TO REMOVE FROM IGNITION, AND MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN (2) KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. I BELIEVE CYLINDER TUMBLERS ARE WORN OUT. (3) CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE. WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME, AND I NEEDED TO BRING IT TO A DEALER. MY RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 00-02 FOCUS'S.

DT: THE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER DROVE TO AUSTIN TEXAS, WHEN SHE ENTERED THE VEHICLE THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE CONSUMER'S HOUSE DUE TO THE DEALER BEING CLOSED. THE CONSUMER HEARD OF A RECALL ON FORD FOCUS ZX3, WHICH WAS HAVING WHAT CONSUMER BELIEVED TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD WHO SAID THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT ONE WEEK AFTER HE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CONSUMER HAD THE ERG VALVE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A FALSE READING. THE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 02V288000 WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; BATTERY/CABLES. *AK *SC

3 TIMES IN 1 WEEK, MY IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK. THE KEY TURNS, THE CAR STARTS, BUT WILL NOT COME OUT. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR 1 MONTH AND IT WAS PURCHASED WITH 48K MILES ON IT. AFTER EXTENSIVE INTERNET RESEARCH AND SPEAKING WITH SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON FOCUS PROBLEM.

I DON'T THINK THAT THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING IS LIFE THREATENING. MY PROBLEM IS AS FOLLLOWS: I PURCHASED A 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 AND FOR SOME REASON THIS PARTICULAR CAR HAS A PROBLEM THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS BY ITS SELF. ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO IT HAPPEND FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I HAD TO HAVE TOW TRUCK TAKE IT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SINCE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM IS BACK AGAIN AND I NO LONGER HAVE WARRANTY ON MY CAR. I JUST THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM THAT THIS CAR HAS. AFTER REVIEWING OTHER PEOPLE THAT OWN A FORD FUCUS AND THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM I REALLY BELIEVE THAT A RECALL IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. ANYWAYS, I WENT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT CHARGING ME...

2001 FORD FOCUS IGNITION CYLINDER BROKE, PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRE EQUIPMENT, ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE SWAY BAR BUSHING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.*MR THE IGNITION CYLINDER HAD BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE STEEL BELTS WERE SHOWING THROUGH THE FRONT TIRES AT 54000 MILES. THE SENSOR WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATED WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED TWICE. THE BATTERY, RADIATOR, THERMOSTAT AND FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED. *NM

IGNITION CYLINDER ON 2001 FORD FOCUS LOCKED AND UNABLE TO TURN KEY. *AK

ON 2 SEPARATE OCCATIONS WITHIN 1 YEAR THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN. LOCKED UP. FORD REPLACED BOTH TIMES. *AK

KEY WILL NOT TURN OVER IN IGNITION. IGNITION JAMMED. KEY WILL NOT MOVE TO START CAR. DEALERSHIP AWARE OF PROBLEM. FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. *JB

IGNITION KEY HS BEEN LOCKING STEERING COLUMN AND WOULD NOT TURN TO UNLOCK COLUMN. STRANDED IN DOWNTOWN BELOIT, BECAUSE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO LOCAL MECHANIC. MECHANIC COULD NOT TURN IGNITION KEY TO UNLOCK STEERING COLUMN. CALLED LOCAL FORD DEALER. DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS, HOWEVER THERE IS CURRENTLY NO RECALL ON THIS FROM FORD. MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION CYLINDER AND TUMBLER. TOTAL COST: $246.40. LOCAL MECHANIC: ACE AUTO SALES, (608) 362-6600. MECHANIC'S NAME AND OWNER OF SHOP: BRAD. NOT HAPPY IN BELOIT. *JB

KEY WON'T TURN IN IGNITION. CAN NOT START CAR. WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY THE IGNITION CYLINDER. GETTING CHECKED TOMORROW.*AK

KEY BEGAN STICKING IN IGNITION OF MY FORD FOCUS. THIS PAST WEEKEND KEY LOCKED IN IGNITION. APPOINTMENT MADE WITH MY LOCAL DEALER AND I HAVE JUST PAID $252 FOR A NEW CYLINDER. I QUESTIONED MY DEALER ON PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAD NONE!! HARD TO BELIEVE WHEN MY LOCAL MECHANIC ADVISED US OF SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. QUICK FIX WAS TO TAKE A HAMMER AND GENTLY TAP ON THE KEY WHEN IN THE IGNITION OR HERE'S THE BETTER ONE-LEAVE A KEY IN THE IGNITION AT ALL TIMES. AFTER DROPPING MY VEHICLE THIS AM I LEARNED OF THIS SITE TO FILE COMPLAINT FROM WWW.AUTOMOTIVETALK.NET WHERE COUNTLESS PEOPLE HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS SIMILAR PROBLEM. I ALSO PLAN TO TRY FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE BUT WILL THAT HELP RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUS. I'M HOPING THIS COMPLAINT WILL HELP. **JB

MY IGNITON GETS LOCKED UP AND THE KEY WONT TURN TO START THE CAR. *AK

THE IGNITION AND STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED UP. I CANNOT GET THE KEY TO TURN IN THE IGNITION, SO THE CAR WILL NOT START-THIS IS A MAJOR FAILURE. I WILL NEED TO TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE LOCK CYLINDER WITHIN THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY. *JB

KEY STICKS IN IGNITION; CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED AT A COST OF HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. *NM

IGNITION KEY/STEERING WHEEL JAMMED. *JB

THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN THE STEERING IS LOCKED IN PLACE.*AK

MY IGNITION LOCKED UP ON MY 2001 FORD FOCUS, CAN'T START THE CAR. *JB

IGNITION CYLINDER FAILED AND KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO START THE CAR. I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF OF WORK AND GOT IT MY CAR TO GO HOME AND MY KEY WOULDN'T NOT TURN OVER. I HAD TO SIT IN MY CAR FOR ALMOST AN HOUR IN FREEZING WEATHER UNTIL SOMEONE COULD COME AND GET ME. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS WITH A LOCKED UP IGNITION. I ONLY HAVE 24000 MILES ON MY CAR.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

THE IGNITION ON MY 2001 FORD FOCUS "STUCK" ON ME THIS PAST JULY. I ENTERED MY VEHICLE AND INSERTED THE KEY. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN...IT REMAINED IN THE LOCKED POSITION. ON 7/3/04, I HAD TO HAVE THE IGNITION REPLACED ON MY 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THE FOCUS, HOWEVER THEY STILL CHARGED ME OVER $500 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAD TO HAVE MY IGNITION DRILLED OUT AND REPLACED. THEY SAID THAT EVEN THOUGHT THEY HAD HAD MANY VEHICLES RETURNED FOR THIS PROBLEM, THAT FORD HAD NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON IT. *AK

NO EVENTS LEAD UP TO FAILURE. THE TUMBLERS IN THE LOCK KEEP GETTING STUCK MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO START THE CAR. WE TRIED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, BUT IT WASN'T COVERED ON THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I PURCHASED. THEY WANTED $260 TO REPLACE IT, BUT IT WILL CONTINUE TO BREAK OVER AND OVER. FROM PEOPLE I HAVE SPOKEN TO ONLINE, AND IN PERSON, THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS A LOT WITH THE FORD FOCUS. SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *AK

I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION OF MY 2001 FORD FOCUS AND IT WOULDN'T TURN. THE STEERING COLUMN/ WHEEL IS LOCKED UP.*AK

COMPLAINT INVOLVES 2001 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON. LEFT TURN SIGNAL MALFUNCTIONED FOR A FEW DAYS, AND THEN THE IGNITION FROZE. UNABLE TO RELEASE THE STEERING WHEEL, I HAD THE CAR TOWED AND SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM THE TOWING. APPARENTLY THIS DEFECT IS WELL KNOWN TO DEALERS AND TO FORD. MY CAR HAS 49K MILES ON IT AND IS NEVER ABUSED.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT IGNITION LOCKED ON ITS OWN. *AK THE CONUSMER STATED THAT HE COULD NOT TURN KEY TO START THE VEHICLE. *TC

WE OWN A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WE WENT OUT TO START IT 2 DAYS AGO AND THEY KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR FORD FOCUS CARS. *JB

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2001 FORD FOCUS AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT. ON 10/28/2004 I STOPPED FOR GAS WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN. AFTER RE-FUELING, WE ALL GOT BACK INTO THE CAR TO LEAVE AND THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN. MY WHOLE STERING COLUMN HAD LOCKED UP-THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T BUDGE, THE SHIFTER WAS LOCKED AS WELL AS THE BRAKE PEDEL. ALTHOUGH MANY STRANGERS TRIED TO HELP ME START MY CAR, ME ADN MY CHILDREN WERE STUCK AT THE GAS PUMP FOR OVER AN HOUR. AFTER HAVING MY CAR TOWED THE DRIVER TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS HIS SEOND FOCUS THAT DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND HIS COMPANY TOWS SEVERAL A MONTH.

WITHOUT WARNING, IGNITION LOCKS UP AND KEY WILL NOT TURN. THE CAR CANNOT BE STARTED AND MUST BE TOWED IN FOR REPAIR. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. SINCE THE CAR CANNOT BE STARTED, THE DRIVER HAS BEEN STRANDED UNTIL THE CAR CAN BE TOWED IN AND REPAIRED. TO REPAIR THE FAILURE, THE LOCK CYLINDER MUST BE DRILLED OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND REPLACED COMPLETELY.*AK