2003 FORD FOCUS Unknown Or Other Problems

IGNITION ISSUES. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. CANNOT START MY VEHICLE OR TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. MY CAR ONLY HAS JUST OVER 56,000 MILES. I AM SEEING THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AND COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I AM ELDERLY AND DISABLED AND IT COULD BE A SERIOUS ISSUE TO MY HEALTH IF I AM STRANDED SOMEWHERE IN BAD WEATHER

HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AT 104,000 WENT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING.

2003 FORD FOCUS AUTOMATIC LOCK MALFUNCTIONED DOUBLELOCKING THE DOOR CREATING A DEADLOCK EFFECT RESULTING IN NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR

CARHOP CAR LOTS, NOT ONLY IN TULSA, BUT IN SURROUNDING AREAS, ARE SELLING CARS THAT ARE UNSAFE, AT ANY COST. THE PROBLEMS RANGE FROM WARPED FRAMES, CRACKED STRESS POINTS, LEAKY FUEL SYSTEMS, ELECTRICAL ISSUES THAT COULDN'T BE FIXED BY DUCT TAPE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S VISIBLE WHERE THEY RE-TAPED THINGS. EXHAUST COMING INSIDE THE VEHICLE, ENGINE DRIVE TRAIN ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY REPAIRED, SO THEY WILL RUN TEMPORARILY, BUT NEED FURTHER REPAIRS.

THE BACK DOOR LOCKS ON THIS CAR DO NOT WORK. THEY SAY A LUBRICANT WAS USED TO FIX THE RECALL ISSUE, HOWEVER, IF THAT WAS THE FIX, IT DID NOT WORK AND THE LOCKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. THAT FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS IS INSANE TO ME, AS DOOR LOCKS SHOULD NOT JUST GO LIKE THAT. THE "FIX" WAS NOT A FIX AT ALL. ALSO, THE LIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE HORRIBLE. IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT IN AN UNLIT AREA. THERE IS NO VISIBILITY. I WAS TOLD ONCE A RECALL WAS PERFORMED IT WAS THEN DONE, HOWEVER, I DO NOT BELIEVE THE LOCK WAS TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY, THEREFORE, I FEEL FORD SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS. I HAVE APPLIED THE LUBRICANT AS THEY INSTRUCTED TO THE DOORS AND THIS DOES NOTHING. NEITHER DOOR WILL STAY CLOSED & OPENS IF DRIVEN.WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME, THERE...

THE NEEDLES ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAVE STOPPED WORKING 80% OF THE TIME. THEY WILL ALSO JUMP AROUND, ALONG WITH THE MILEAGE SCREEN FLICKER TO "8888888" OR "--------" WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS OFF. BATTERY AND CONNECTIONS ARE ALL FINE AND THE ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED.

THE IGNITION CYLINDER HAS HAD ISSUES WITH TURNING WHEN FIRST INSERTING KEY. ON TWO (2) SEPARATE OCCASIONS HAS LEFT ME STRANDED. ONCE WAS WHILE I WAS LEAVING WORK AND ANOTHER WHEN TRYING TO GO TO WORK. THIS ISSUE HAS NOW COST ME A DAYS PAY AND A LOT OF HEADACHE. FORD HAS CLAIMED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER NOT TURNING IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND THEREFORE WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL. AT THIS TIME I FEEL THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN ENOUGH PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE THAT FORD NEEDS TO DO RIGHT BY THEIR CUSTOMERS AND FIX THE ISSUE.

MY REAR DOOR DOES NOT LATCH. BACK DOOR FLUNG OPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND TURNED LEFT.

THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT TURN. ALTHOUGH I HAD BOTH KEYS WITH ME, AND BOTH WILL STILL UNLOCK THE DOORS, NEITHER WOULD TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH. BETWEEN TOWING AND REPLACEMENT OF THE SWITCH, I HAD TO SHELL OUT $450. FORD KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VINTAGE FOCUS, BUT DOES NOT THINK IT IMPORTANT OR A SAFETY MATTER. AS A WOMAN WHO OFTEN TRAVELS ALONE, I THINK IT IS A SAFETY MATTER. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY, MANY OLD CARS - MUCH OLDER THAN THIS ONE - AND HAVE NEVER BEEN STRANDED BY SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. ALTHOUGH I WAS STRANDED IN FAMILIAR TERRITORY AND NOT FAR FROM HOME, IT MIGHT EASILY HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE. FORD KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM, IT WAS CAUSED BY THEIR USE OF FAULTY EQUIPMENT, AND THEY SHOULD FIX IT.

KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION, ITS GETTING STUCK AND IM GETTING STRANDED IN AREAS THAT ARE NOT SAFE.

PARKED CAR AT A SERVICE STATION AND WENT TO START IT AND KEY WONT TURN IGNITION LOCKED SOLID IM WAITING TO GET A ESTIMATE TO GET IT FIXED.

THE DRIVERS SEAT BACK SUPPORT HAS SNAPPED. THE SEAT NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY ANY ACCIDENT JUST NORMAL DRIVING. I MUST SAY I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A SEAT BREAKING LIKE THIS BEFORE. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION, SO VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START AND HAD TO BE ABANDONED.

MY IGNITION KEY CYLINDER HAS GONE BAD. MY KEY WILL NOT TURN THEREFORE I CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR. BEING THAT I AM A YOUNG FEMALE, I FOUND THIS EXPERIENCE TO BE HORRIFIC AND HIGHLY UNSAFE. MY COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST MURDER RATES AND BEING STUCK WITHOUT A WAY TO GET AWAY FROM A TROUBLING SITUATION HAS LEFT ME TO HIGHLY REGRET THE PURCHASE OF MY FORD FOCUS. I SEE ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A DEFECT IN A CAR CANNOT BE RECALLED! THIS VENTURE IS COSTING ME OVER 600 DOLLARS WHICH I LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DO NOT HAVE TO SPARE. I FIND IT A SHAME THAT FORD DOES NOT OWN UP TO THEIR MISTAKE. IT MAKES YOU QUESTION THE QUALITY THE AMERICAN AUTO INDUSTRY PUTS FORTH. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A BELIEVER OF SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESS...

I WAS OUT DOING ERRANDS AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION EVEN WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOOSE. I TRIED A FEW TIMES AND IT FINALLY TURNED. LATER THAT EVENING WHEN LEAVING THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN AGAIN, EXCEPT THIS TIME IT DID NOT EVER TURN AND I ENDED UP HAVING TO BORROW A CAR FROM MY IN-LAWS. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING QUOTES TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND FIXED OR REPLACED. *TR

KEY WILL NOT TURN THE IGNITION ON. *TR

I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS ZX3 (STD) WITH 49000 MILES. THE WEEK OF ~2/1/06 TO 2/8/06 I BEGAN NOTICING THAT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WAS GETTING STUCK AND WOULD REQUIRE SOME JIGGLING BEFORE THE KEY WOULD TURN IN THE IGNITION. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 5-10 TEN TIMES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. ON 2/8/06 I WENT OUT TO MY PARKED CAR AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I TRIED PUTTING THE CAR IN/OUT OF GEAR, TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL SHARPLY, REINSERTING THE KEY, ETC... THE CAR WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR WORK INCLUDED DRILLING OUT THE BROKEN IGNITION CYLINDER AND REPLACING THE IGNITION CYLINDER WITH A NEW ONE. THE COST TO ME WAS $370. THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR AND MECHANIC INDICATED TO ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS AND THAT THEY HAVE BOTH TOWED AND REPAIRED QUITE A FEW OF FOCUSES FOR...

TODAY, JUNE 24/05 MY 2003 FORD FOCUS WITH 22000 MILES ON IT, HAD A PROBLEM. I WENT TO START THE CAR, AND THE IGNITION WAS TOTALLY LOCKED UP. I HAPPENED TO HAVE STOPPED AT A GAS STATION, AND THE GARAGE MAN GAVE IT A TRY AND COULDNT' DO ANYTHING SO I CALLED FORD ROADSIDE. LA'S ALL CITY TOW, STOPPED VERY SHORTLY, AND TOLD ME THAT THEY KNEW VERY WELL THAT ALL THE FOCUS' DID THIS AND HE WAS ABLE TO SLAM ON THE KEYS JUST SO TO FORCE THE FAULTY IGNITION LOCK PIN TO TURN AND THE CAR STARTED SO I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALER. THE HEAD OF SERVICE AT HOLLYWOOD FORD ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY ALL KNEW ABOUT THE ISSUE AND REPAIRED IT. HOWEVER BY THAT TIME I HAD MISSED WORK. I JUST SHUDDER TO THINK ABOUT SOME POOR PERSON SOMEWHERE STOPPING IN THE WRONG NEIGBORHOOD...

THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE HAD A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *NM *TC *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING OVER A ROCK THE SIZE OF A TOMATO AND THE WHEEL RIM HAS A TEAR STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIM. THE PRESSURE OF THE AIR BLEW THE TIRE TOWARD THE INSIDE OF THE RIM. THE RIM SHATTERED AND THE TIRE WAS LEFT INTACT. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH LOW PROFILE TIRES. *AK *SC

AFTER LEAVING MY AUTO, I RETURNED TO FIND THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED, BUT IN TACT/IN PLACE. THERE NO SIGNS OF ANY IMPACT OR ATTEMPTED ENTRY. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING STRIKING THE WINDOW AND APPEARED IT MIGHT BE A FAULTY WINDOW. UPON BRINGING IT TO THE DEALER'S SEVICE SHOP, THE MANAGER SAID HE WOULD NOTIFY HIS FORD REP OF THIS PROBLEM. HE SAID NORMALLY THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING BUT SINCE THE AUTO WAS SO NEW, HE WOULD TRY TO SEE WHAT HE COULD DO. UPON INVESTIGATING IF THERE WAS A FORD RECALL OR SIMILAR REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, I CAME ACCROSS AT LEAST ONE OTHER OCCASSION WHERE THE WINDOW JUST SHATTERED AND WAS REPLACED BY FORD UNDER WARRANTY. THE INDIVIDUAL SAID FORD CLAIMED IT WAS DUE TO WELDING IRREGULARITIES AND SUCH. WHEN I WAS SPEAKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT...

WHEN RUNNING THE AC ON THE CAR, THERE IS AN EXTREMELY BAD ODOR WHICH CAN BE SMELLED BOTH INSIDE THE CAR AND OUT. IT APPEARS TO BE SOME KIND OF BURNING OR CHEMICAL ODOR. IT WILL ACTUALLY AFFECT THE BODY BY MAKING YOUR EYES BURN AND MAKING YOU FEEL SICK. IT CAN NOT BE DRIVEN. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES WITH THE PROBLEM UNRESOLVED. THE THIRD TIME, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS FIXED; HOWEVER, UPON TESTING AT THE DEALERSHIP, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE PROBLEM WAS UNRESOLVED. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT FORD'S ENGINEERS ARE COMING IN TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM, AS THE SERVICE MANAGER PULLED THREE NEW CARS OFF THE LOT AND FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM.

MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT OUR FORD FOCUS IN MAY OF 2003. IN SEPT. OF 2003 WE PAID IT OFF. WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH AN ODOR COMING OUT OF THE COOLING/HEATING SYSTEM. IT SMELLS LIKE MOLD/MILDEW. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO BOB BELL FORD IN GLEN BURNIE, MARYLAND ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY ONLY PUT SOME KIND OF DEODERIZER IN THE SYSTEM THAT LASTS A FEW DAYS, AND THEN THE ODOR COMES BACK AGAIN. THE LAST TIME WE TOOK IT THERE, MY HUSBAND WAS INSULTED BY ONE OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS. THEY STILL HAVEN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM. WE GOT OUR CAR BACK ON SATURDAY, 5 DAYS AFTER TAKING IT TO THEM, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THE 'SERVICE MANAGER' HAD IT DETAILED, AND SUGGESTED THAT THE ODOR WAS DUE TO THE CAR BEING DIRTY. GRANTED, THE CAR NEEDED A GOOD WASHING ON THE OUTSIDE,...

MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT OUR FORD FOCUS IN MAY OF 2003. IN SEPT. OF 2003 WE PAID IT OFF. WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH AN ODOR COMING OUT OF THE COOLING/HEATING SYSTEM. IT SMELLS LIKE MOLD/MILDEW. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO BOB BELL FORD IN GLEN BURNIE, MARYLAND ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY ONLY PUT SOME KIND OF DEODORIZER IN THE SYSTEM THAT LASTS A FEW DAYS, AND THEN THE ODOR COMES BACK AGAIN. THE LAST TIME WE TOOK IT THERE, MY HUSBAND WAS INSULTED BY ONE OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS. THEY STILL HAVEN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM. WE GOT OUR CAR BACK ON SATURDAY, 5 DAYS AFTER TAKING IT TO THEM, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THE 'SERVICE MANAGER' HAD IT DETAILED, AND SUGGESTED THAT THE ODOR WAS DUE TO THE CAR BEING DIRTY. GRANTED, THE CAR NEEDED A GOOD WASHING ON THE OUTSIDE,...

MY 2003 FOCUS STATION WAGON WILL VIOLENTLY SHAKE (THE ENTIRE CAR) AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55 - 60 MPH WHEN BOTH REAR WINDOWS ARE OPEN ALL THE WAY AND ALL OTHER WINDOWS SHUT, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BECOME ALARMED AT HIGH SPEEDS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW W/AIR FLOW, WHICH CAUSES THE ENTIRE CAR TO RESONATE.*AK