2001 FORD FOCUS Electrical Systemignitionswitch Problems

IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. *NM

2001 FORD FOCUS SEDAN, 21,000 MILES. IGNITION SWITCH COMPLETELY FAILED AROUND 1.5 YEARS AGO AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW HAS COMPLETELY FAILED AGAIN AND WILL REQUIRE COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. DANGEROUS!!! THIS IS MY DAUGHTER'S CAR, PURCHASED NEW TO PROVIDE HER SAFE TRANSPORTATION, AND CANNOT COUNT ON IT EVEN TO START RELIABLY FOR HER. *NM

I WENT OUT TO MY 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3 AND TRIED TO START IT UP AND THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN. THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT UNLOCK. IN CALLING PEFFLEY FORD DEALERSHIP THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD COST OVER THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX. I HAVE HAD OTHER CARS FOR YEARS AND NEVER HAD SUCH A PROBLEM, BUT ON LOOKING ON THE INTERNET IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON AND MOST FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUSES. COULD YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND TELL ME IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM? THANK-YOU SO VERY MUCH! *NM

THE IGNITION HAS GONE OUT ON MY 2001 FORD FOCUS. I WOULD NORMALLY JUST REPLACE IT AND MOVE ON BUT WHEN SEARCHING FOR A NEW PART ON THE INTERNET I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING. IN ALL CASES PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY FORD AND THEY CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT. I AM NOW SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR ONE IT IS FIXED IN CASE I ENCOUNTER MORE PROBLEMS.

2001 FORD FOCUS, IGNITION AND STERRING WHEEL LOCK UP

TWO NIGHTS AGO, AT A PARKING GARAGE IN A LOCAL MALL, WHEN TRYING TO LEAVE, I WAS UNABLE TO START MY CAR. I COULD INSERT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS AS IF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP. I ALSO NOTICED THAT MY KEY WAS WORN DOWN A BIT, SO I FIGURED MAYBE THE KEY WAS NOT "CLICKING" PROPERLY WITH THE IGNITION. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO MY APARTMENT BUILDING AND ATTEMPTED TO USE MY SPARE KEY TO SEE IF THE KEY MADE A DIFFERENCE. IT DID NOT. THE NEXT DAY I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DELEARSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE IGNITION CYCLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND MY KEYS NEEDED TO BE RECODED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT MY WARRANTY DIDN'T COVER ANY OF THIS. SO I PAID $650 TO HAVE THIS WORK DONE. ADDITIONALLY, I...

I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS AND THE IGNITION SWITCHED LOCKED ON ME AND COSTS 500.00 AT THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIXED. I ALSO HAVE A FORD TAURUS AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED BUT A REP AT THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM TO FIX IT TO BUY THE PART (WHICH WAS ABOUT 70.00) AND HAVE SOMEONE ELSO TO PUT IT IN. THIS COST ABOUT 120.00 IN TOTAL. ALSO I HAD A WRECK IN THE FORD FOCOS AND IT SO HAPPENS THAT MY RENTAL CAR WAS A FORD FOCUS AND I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS AND 1 DAY THE IGNITION LOCKED UP. I CALLED FORD AND THE REP LAUGHED AND SAID "OH YEAH THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, WE ARE AWARE OF IT BUT THERES NOTHING WE CAN DO". I WAS STRANDED FOR 3 HOURS BECAUSE I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL A FLATBED WRECKER TRUCK...

APPROX. ON MAY 10TH, WHEN PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION OF MY CAR, IT WOULD NOT TURN. IT TOOK MANY TRIES OF WIGGLING THE KEY BACK AND FORTH, ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE LOCKED STEERING WHEEL SOME SMALL DEGREE TO GET THE KEY TO ACTUALLY TURN OVER IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND ALLOW ME TO START MY CAR. THIS PROBLEM BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE HAD TO LEAVE MY SPARE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND COVER MY STEERING WHEEL IN AN ATTEMPT TO HIDE THE KEY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SOMEONE VIA PHONE AT THIS AGENCY AND WAS REFERRED TO THIS WEBSITE, BUT DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO COMPUTER UNTIL NOW. AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO SOMEONE AT THE FORD COMPANY VIA PHONE WHO COULD OFFER NO SOLUTIONS UNLESS I WERE TO TAKE MY CAR TO A DEALERSHIP, HAVE IT INSPECTED AND REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE....

CONTACT STATED: WHEN THE KEY WAS PUT IN THE IGNITION THE KEY BECAME STUCK. THE CAR WAS AT THE FORD DEALER. AND HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. FORD TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. IN ADDITION, FORD WAS REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP AND SEAT BELT.*AK

MY 2001 FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCKED UP, I LEFT WORK AND COULD NOT GET THE KEY IN TO START IT. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT IT HAPPENS TO A TON OF FORD FOCUSES, MAYBE YOU COULD GET A RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS COSTLY TO FIX AND KEEPS GOING BAD. *AK

THE IGNITION TUMBLER BROKE INSIDE. KEY WOULDN'T GO IN AT ALL. *AK

IGNITION LOCK ON 2001 FORD FOCUS HAS FAILED THREE TIMES CAUSING EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILLS. FORD CALLS THIS A "KNOWN MALFUNCTION" BUT WILL NOT RECALL THE PART.*AK

KEY GOT STUCK IN IGNITION AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED UNLESS CONSUMER JIGGLED IT AROUND OR TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHO REMOVED THE KEY, BUT HAD NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE BEING PURCHASED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS, BOUGHT NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND WITHIN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION CYLINDER THREE TIMES. IN EACH OF THESE INSTANCES I HAVE HAD TO MISS CLASS BECAUSE MY KEY WILL NOT TURN AND START MY CAR. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED, BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT THE KEY DOES NOT TURN AT ALL. ON EACH OCCASION I HAVE HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACE THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER. FORTUNATELY, THE SECOND AND THIRD TIMES IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF UNDER THE WARRANTY, BUT THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO PAY THE DEDUCTIBLE. THE SERVICE EMPLOYEE SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS AND IT SEEMS THAT THE KEY IS NOT LONG ENOUGH FOR THE IGNITION CYLINDER. HE SAID THAT IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM, HE WOULD HAVE...

KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. SUDDEN FAILURE. NO ACTION TAKEN YET. *AK

THE DRIVER PLACED THE KEY INSIDE OF THE IGNITION THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE ON IT ON AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

THE IGNITION SWITCH IS NOT TURNING WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED, PREVENTING THE VEHICLE FROM TURNING ON. MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED BY OWNER.*AK

BECAME HARDER AND HARDER TO GET IGNITION CYLINDER TO WORK PROPERLY. IT WOULD LOCK AND TAKE HALF AN HOUR OR MORE TO GET IT TO START. HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION SWITCH AND CYLINDER; REQUIRED A LOCKSMITH, A MECHANIC AND $222. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS AND MY IGNITION HAS LOCKED UP FOR THE 3RD TIME. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS OF THIS EXACT TYPE OF VEHICLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS ABSURD. IF THIS PROBLEM IS SO COMMON THEN FORD NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBLITY FOR THEIR POOR MANUFACTURING AND ISSUE A RECALL. I HAVE SPENT $1000 SINCE NOVEMBER 2004 IN REPAIRS TO THIS CAR. I NEED TO GET RID OF IT, BUT I OWE TO MUCH ON IT. I CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND THIS TYPE OF MONEY ANYMORE. THIS CAR IS MY FAMILY CAR. I HAVE TWO PRESCHOOLERS WHOM I TOTE AROUND DAILY IN THIS CAR. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR AND I AM SCARED TO TAKE MY CHILDREN ANYWHERE IN THIS VEHICLE. IT IS NOT SAFE. I COULD EASILY GET STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH MY BABIES AND...

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN . *AK

KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. THE TOW-TRUCK DRIVER WHO TOWED MY CAR SAID THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. HE SAID HE HAS DONE NINE TOWS THIS WEEK FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND HAD TOWED TWO THIS WEEK TO THE DEALERSHIP I TOOK MY CAR. OF COURSE, MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY = $300 FIX.*AK

THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION. THE IGNITION CYLINDER WAS FROZEN. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN TO START THE VEHICLE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO MY KEY STARTED TO GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I DRIVE A 2001 FORD FOCUS. IT SEEMS TO DO IT EVERY OTHER DAY OR SO. I COULDN'T LOCK MY DOORS, AND WAS AFRAID THAT SOMEONE WOULD STEAL SOMETHING. NOW EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR I BRING TWO SETS OF KEYS WITH ME, SO THAT I CAN LOCK THE DOORS. HOWEVER, HAVING KEYS STUCK IN THE IGNITION IS ASKING FOR SOMEONE TO BREAK INTO MY CAR. I HAVE LOOKED INTO THIS PROBLEM, AND IT SEEMS THAT MANY ARE HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2001 FORD FOCUS. I WILL GIVE YOU AN ESTIMATE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT DATE. THANK YOU. *AK

UNSURE OF EXACT DATE- IGNITION SWITCH HAS GONE OUT THREE TIMES CAR HAS TO BEEN TOWED AWAY ALL THREE TIMES. PRESTIGE FORD MECHANIC SAYS IT IS HOW THE PART IS MADE WONT COVER AFTER 36,000 MILES BECAUSE IT IS ELECTRICAL. DEALERSHIP ADMITS IS RECURRING AFTER WARRANTY DEFECT BUT FORD COMPANY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR BAD PART. *AK

MY 2001 FORD FOCUS SE WAGON HAD ITS IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTION. FORD DEALERSHIP SAID GRAPHITE AND/OR WD40 WOULD NOT FIX IT, THAT IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT COST USD$440 AND I LOST A FULL DAY'S PAY. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID HE'S RESPONDED TO 24 CALLS ON FORD FOCUS IGNITION FAILURES. I FOUND A WEBSITE CALL WWW.AUTOMOTIVETALK.NET WHERE 85 PEOPLE HAVE MADE COMPLAINTS ON THE IGNITION SWITCH THIS YEAR. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO START A RECALL. THIS IS A NEW CAR AND SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I AM NOT ALONE, AS I HAVE READ MANY POSTINGS ON THE SAME PROBLEM. I CAN BE EMAILED AT [email protected]. THX, LAURA *JB

STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHEN KEY IS PUT IN THE IGNITION. THE IGNITION SWITCH AND CLOCK SPRING WERE REPLACED TWICE BEFORE. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS AGAIN.*AK

THE IGNITION HAS LOCKED CONTINUOUSLY ON MY 2001 FORD FOCUS. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS COMPLETELY LOCKED. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH MANY VEHICLES, THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM, YET THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!!!*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

I TRIED TO START MY CAR (2001 FORD FOCUS) AND THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL IN THE IGINITION. I SPENT THE BETTER PART OF 2 HOURS TRYING TO GET IT TO TURN AND IT DIDN'T. I ENDED UP HAVING TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED - AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS MY LOCK CYLINDER THAT IS SHOT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT CAN'T BE REPLACED WITHOUT TEARING HALF MY DASH/STEERING COLUMN APART.*AK

STRANDED IN PARKING LOT WHEN KEY WOUOLD NOT TURN THE IGNITION. HAD TO GET TOED TO DEALER TO GET FIXED. HAVEN'T GOT IT FIXED YET BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENED TODAY AND I FOUND ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTES HERE. I AM WONDERING WHY THERE IS NO RECALL BECAUSE IT IS A SERIOUS FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY AND HAD A PHONE HANDY AND IF IT HAD BEEN MY WIFE, SOMETHING TERRIBLE COULD HAVE HAPPEND AND WE MAY NOT HAD ANY WAY TO GET THERE.*AK

THE IGNITION SWITH LOCK HAS SEIZED. THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE IGNITION TO START THE CAR. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP AND I CANNOT START THE CAR BECAUSE THE KEY WONT TURN THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS DONE THIS I WAS LUCKY THE FIRST TIME IT CAME LOOSE AND ALLOWED THE CAR TO START

2001 FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WILL NOT TURN. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. IT FAILED LAST YEAR, AND LEFT MY WIFE STRANDED. IT THEN WORKED PERFECTLY. ABOUT A YEAR LATER, IT FAILED AGAIN. I NOW HAVE TO BEAT THE KEY INTO THE CYLINDER TO GET IT TO START.*AK

THE IGNITION LOCKED AND THE KEY BECAME STUCK, SOMETIMES THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL.. THE TURN SIGNALS WILL NOT TURN OFF. *JB

WHILE PLACING THE KEY INSIDE THE IGNITION SWITCH VEHICLE FAILED TO START. WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE IGNITION. CONSUMER CONTACTED A LOCK SMITH, AND ALSO WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE MORNING. *AK

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE CONSUMER DOWN SHIFTED AND THE SAFETY IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS CAUGHT UNDER THE CLUTCH, CAUSING THE RELAY TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONSUMER PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE LURCHING, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE AND THE CONSUMER SCRAPED ANOTHER VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT. *AK *SC

WHILE DRIVING AND UPON STEPPING ON THE BRAKES FRONT WHEELS MOVED BACK THREE TO FOUR INCHES. THE BUSHINGS WERE TOO SMALL. UPON TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT ONE COULD SEE THE FRONT WHEELS MOVING BACK. CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER FIFTEEN TIMES. DEALER PUT REPLACEMENT PARTS FIVE TIMES. TIRES HAD TO BE CHANGED BETWEEN TEN TO THIRTEEN THOUSAND MILES, AND TIRES WERE UNDER WARRANTY FOR 30000 MILES. ALSO, IGNITION SWITCH HAD BEEN CHANGED TWICE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

2001 FORD FOCUS - STEERING WHEEL LOCKED & KEY WON'T TURN. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED.AS A RESULT, KEY WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE SWITCH IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. *AK

IGNITION KEY INTER LOCK FAILED . AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. *AK

MY 2001 FORD FOCUS ZX3'S IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. WHEN YOU PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION CYLINDER, IT DOESN'T TURN. I TRIED THE USUAL THINGS LIKE JIGGLING THE KEY WHILE MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL, AND I TRIED A SPARE KEY. *JB

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *TS

I HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND ABOUT 45,000 MILES. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AFTER HAVING NO ISSUES, AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. AFTER REVIEWING PROBLEMS I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUS. *AK CURRENTLY THE CAR IS NOT CORRECTED. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE IGNITION CYLINDER WHICH WILL COST ME BETWEEN 285 AND 350 DOLLARS. THIS PART IS NOT ABLE TO BE REPLACED BY A UNSED PART.

UPON STARTING VEHICLE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE DEALERSHIP, WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH . THIS FAILURE RECURRED TWICE, AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED TWICE. *AK

CONSUMER LOOKED AT THE INTERNET AND SAW THAT THERE WERE RECALLS ON THE FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEY SWITCH. HIS VEHICLE HAD ONE OF THOSE DEFECTIVE SWITCHES. THE SWITCH WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE KEY, SO HE HAD IT REPAIRED. DEALER CLAIMED HE HAD TO REASSEMBLE THE LOCK, AND THAT COST HIM $286.00. *AK

2001 FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCKS. UNABLE TO START VEHICLE. *AK

KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, BRAKE PETAL LOCKED, GEAR SHIFT LOCKED. CAR OUT OF WARRENTY. FORD EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE WON'T HELP BECAUSE OF EXPIRED WARRENTY. CALLED NEAREST FORD DEALERSHOP (TOM HOLZER), GAVE ME THE PHONE NUMBER OF THEIR "TOWING" PERSON, TRIED 12 TIMES, GOT VOICE MAIL, NO CALL WAS EVER RETURNED. (I WAS "STUCK" IN A BANK PARKING LOT.. AND THEY WERE READY TO CLOSE) THE BANK PERSONEL WERE KIND ENOUGH TO LET ME USE THEIR PHONE AND PROVIDED A PHONE BOOK, BESIDES EVERY MALE IN THE BUILDING INDIVIDUALLY TRIED ANYTHING THEY COULD THINK OF TO GET MY CAR TO START... WITH NO LUCK. AFTER CALLING @ 6 LOCK SMITHS WITH 24 HOUR EMERGENCY ROAD SERVIE, I FINALLY FOUND ONE THAT KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT... HE INFORMED ME THAT HE GETS A CALL ON THE SAME PROBLEM APPROX. ONCE A WEEK ON FORD...

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEYS FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP. THE DEALERSHIP WILL HAVE TO DRILL THE IGNITION SWITCH OUT, TO REPLACE IT. *JB THIS WAS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT FORD WILL NOT RESPOND TO. *SC *JB

IGNITION CYLINDER IS LOCKED. KEY WONT TURN IT, BUT THE KEY WILL UNLOCK THE DOOR. HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING OFTENT OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL.

I JUST BOUGHT A USED 2001 FORD FOCUS AND HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THE CAR ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES AND I THINK THAT A PART THIS EXPENSIVE SHOULD LAST LONGER. I SEARCHED FOR OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND FOUND MANY FRUSTRATED FOCUS OWNERS WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I THINK THIS PART SHOULD HAVE A LONGER WARRANTY. *AK