2004 FORD FOCUS Electrical Systemignition Problems

MY 2004 FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER FAILED (IT WOULDN'T TURN) LEAVING ME STRANDED AND REQUIRING A TOW AND NEARLY $300 IN REPAIRS. I'VE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE-SPREAD AND WAS IDENTIFIED BY FORD OVER 7 YEARS AGO AND YET NO STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO CORRECT IT. THE FACT THAT THIS DEFECT CAN LEAVE YOU STRANDED PRETTY MUCH AT RANDOM (ANYWHERE AT ANYTIME) MAKES THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. AMONG OTHER THINGS, NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN THE KEY ALSO MEANS I COULDN'T PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO PUSH IT OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED IS SIMPLY APPALLING. *TR

2004 FOCUS HAS A DEFECTIVE IGNITION TUMBLER. OVER A COURSE OF A FEW DAYS THE KEY BEGAN TO GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD ONLY TURN AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. AFTER A FEW DAYS, IT STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. I WAS STRANDED IN A DARK PARKING LOT AFTER WORK FOR NEARLY AN HOUR UNTIL SOMEONE COULD GET ME. I THEN HAD TO GET A RIDE TO WORK THE FOLLOWING DAY (50 MI EACH WAY). BEFORE HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO A GARAGE, I CONTACTED SOMEONE AT A FORD DEALER WHO SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED TAPPING ON THE KEY WITH A HARD OBJECT (I USED A POCKET KNIFE) WHILE TURNING THE KEY AND IT WORKED! SO THE CAR IS NOW SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY UNTIL I CAN GET IT STARTED AGAIN TO TAKE IT INTO THE SHOP. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST $450.00 AND THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE COST...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $150 FOR THE PART. THE PURCHASE DATE AND DEALER INFORMATION WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEY WON'T TURN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. THE KEY FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 36,000. UPDATED 09/05/07. *JB

2004 FORD FOCUS. IGNITION GOT STUCK KEY WON'T TURN. *TR

IGNITION LOCK ON 2004 FORD FOCUS FAILED (FROZE UP). THIS IS THE SAME SCENARIO THAT HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ON THE INTERNET FOR WHICH FORD HAS NOT DONE A RECALL. FORD DID REPAIR THIS UNDER WARRANTY AT NO CHARGE TO ME, BUT SINCE THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE CHRONIC, I WANT TO BE SURE THAT THE INCIDENCE OF THE PROBLEM IS RECORDED. *JB

I HAVE HAD MY 2004 FORD FOCUS FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS, AND I HAD BOUGHTEN IT USED. IT HAS RUN VERY WELL WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL UP UNTIL RECENTLY. I HAVE GONE TO START MY CAR, AND THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK AND NOT TURN OVER AND THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CAR WOULD START AND RUN FINE. YESTERDAY IT TOOK ME ALMOST 2 HOURS TO TURN THE KEY OVER TO GET MY CAR TO START. TODAY I CALLED A FORD DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT I NEED A NEW IGNITION. *NM

LOCKING OF IGNITION IN FORD FOCUS. *JB

IGNITION STARTED GETTING HARD TO TURN, EVENTUALLY IT WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL. LEAVING ME STRANDED OUT OF TOWN. HAD TO SPEND 350$ TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN 9 MONTHS LATER. AND NOW IT'S BEGINNING AGAIN, WHEN I TAKE THE KEY OUT IT KEEPS BEEPING LIKE I HAVEN'T. *NM

2004 FORD FOCUS, NOW 2 YEARS OLD WITH 54,000 MILES. WHEN LEAVING THE STORE TODAY MY KEY WOULD GO INTO THE IGNITION BUT WOULD NOT TURN AND MY WHEEL WAS IN A LOCKED POSITION FACING LEFT. I HAD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP COSTING ME $68 AND AN ADDITIONAL $98 FOR FORD TO LOOK AT IT. I AM SURE IT WILL BE CONFIRMED TOMORROW THAT I WILL NEED MY IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED AS HAVE MANY FOCUS OWNERS. WHICH WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $300. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE KEY CAME OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE IN THE START POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT BE MOVED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE IGNITION CYLINDER AND TRANSCEIVER MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

2004 FORD FOCUS. KEY DOES NOT TURN IN IGNITION. STRANDED IN REMOTE AREA. HAD TO WALK AND HITCH-HIKE HOME. FOUND HUDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET. SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED FAILURE OF SUCH BASIC AND FUNDAMETAL SAFETY/SECURITY EQUIPMENT IS INHERANTLY DANGEROUS. CONSUMERS SHOULD BE WARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURANCE AND THAT IT COULD BE DANGEROUS. *NM

IN OCTOBER OF 2004 THE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCKED ON MY 2004 FORD FOCUS AND WAS UNUSABLE. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE "FIXED IT". TODAY IS JUNE 18, 2006 AND THE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCKED ON ME AGAIN. MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS CAR AND SHE WORKS THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT. IF THIS CAR WERE TO LEAVE HER STRANDED AT NIGHT BECAUSE FORD FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL --I SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE!!!!!!!!!!!!! *NM

IGNITION JAMMED UNABLE TO START CAR,KEY WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED IGNITION HAD THE CAR FOR TWO DAYS, NOW THAT I HAVE NEW IGNITION THE KEY IS NOW GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION. HAVE NOT REPORTED PROBLEM TO DEALERSHIP YET. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN UNLESS THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE KEY ARE TURNED AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE LOCK ASSEMBLY, IGNITION SWITCH, AND STEERING LOCK MECHANISM WERE REPLACED. THIS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 05/30/2006. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN UNLESS THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED AT THE SAME TIME. THE PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE IS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. *AK

KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. *JB

WE OWN A 2004 FORD FOCUS ZX3. IT HAS AROUND 50,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR IS PRIMARY USED FOR COMMUTING, 150 MILES ROUND TRIP EACH DAY. LAST WEEK WHEN GOING TO LEAVE WORK MY HUSBAND INSERTED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION BUT THE LOCK WOULD NOT TURN. HE HAD TO SLAM ON THE KEY TO FINALLY GET THE KEY TO TURN SO HE COULD COME HOME. IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND THIS MORNING THE KEY IS UNABLE TO TURN AT ALL. WE'VE BARELY HAD THE CAR TWO YEARS. WHEN LOOKING ONLINE FOR A FIX/RECALL NOTICE I DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER AMERICANS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM, SOME OF THEM SEVERAL TIMES. AT WHAT POINT DOES FORD ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR USING SUBPAR MATERIALS AND FIX THE THING ON THEIR TAB? I AM NOW SITTING WITH A CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, UNABLE TO EVEN BE...

I WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY IN AND OUT OF THE IGNITION BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL OR THE KEY. EVERYTHING WAS LOCKED. HAD TO GET THE 2004 FOCUS TOWED AND PAY 300+ DOLLARS FOR REPAIR AS THE WARRANTY IS UP (40K + MIS.) *JB

TYPE OF AUTOMOBILE IS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONSX IGNITION LOCKS UP AND CANNOT START CAR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE FORD FOCUS DATING BACK TO THE 2000 MODEL AND YET FORD HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM FOR A MOTHER WITH CHILDREN IF SHE WERE TO TRAVEL AT NIGHT AND WHEN RETURNING TO THE CAR COULD NOT START HER ENGINE. IT IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE FOR REPAIR OR UNDER WARRANTY IF EXPIRED AND IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT ON THE PART OF FORD AND THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS THAT AFTER RESEARCHING HAS BEEN EVIDENT SINCE THE RELEASE OF THE FORD FOCUS. IT IS TIME THAT FORD DID SOMETHING ABOUT THIS INSTEAD OF LEAVING IT UP TO THE CONSUMER TO REPAIR. *AK

2000 FORD FOCUS ZX3: THE TUMBLERS OF THE IGNITION ARE JAMMED. THE KEY HAS A ROUGH TIME GOING INTO THE MECHANISM AND OFTEN GETS STUCK ON THE WAY IN OR OUT. ONCE IN, THE IGNITION WILL NOT TURN AT ALL. THE CAR NOW HAS TO BE TOWED TO BE WORKED ON. *JB

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAN'T START CAR. HAD TO TAKE A HAMMER AND POUND KEY TO GET STARTED, AS A TOW TRUCK OPERATOR TOLD ME ALL THESE FORD FOCUSS ARE DOING THIS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK