IllustrationI WENT SHOPPING GOT IN MY CAR AND PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND I COULDN'T TURN THE KEY BECAUSE THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED. *TR
2003 Ford Focus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Ford Focus do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 864.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Focus years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1350–25K
17525–50K
18850–75K
10775–100K
107100–150K
41150K+
753 reports with mileage · 224 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 522 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 82 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
52 crash reports17 fire reports37 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
522 reports2003 FORD FOCUS ZX3 IGNITION RANDOMLY FAILS. INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND IT WILL NOT TURN. YOU CANNOT START YOUR CAR FOR AN INDETERMINABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. MAJOR FLAW IN FORD IGNITIONS WITH NO REMEDY FROM FORD. *TR
I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK THURSDAY MORNING AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE WITH THE CAR AND IGNITION. AS I TRIED TO CRANK MY CAR TO GO TO LUNCH THAT DAY, I NOTICED THAT I COULD INSERT MY KEY INTO THE IGNITION BUT COULD NOT TURN IT TO START THE CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE SINCE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I …
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I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK THURSDAY MORNING AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE WITH THE CAR AND IGNITION. AS I TRIED TO CRANK MY CAR TO GO TO LUNCH THAT DAY, I NOTICED THAT I COULD INSERT MY KEY INTO THE IGNITION BUT COULD NOT TURN IT TO START THE CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE SINCE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I HAD TO CALL AAA FOR THEM TO SEND A LOCKSMITH OUT TO REPAIR MY IGNITION SWITCH IN MY CAR. I HAVE ALREADY HEARD SO MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NOT EVEN THREE MONTHS AGO, MY MOM WHO HAS THE EXACT SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR AS ME, HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO HER. MY BROTHER HAS THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR AS ME ALSO AND NOW I AM WORRIED HE IS GOING TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE OCCUR TO HIM SOON TOO. *TR
2003 FORD FOCUS ZX5. IGNITION SWITCH WON'T TURN. CAN'T START CAR. *TR
THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 2003 FORD FOCUS HAS BEEN FAILING TO WORK PROPERLY. HALF THE TIME I HAVE TO JIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL AS I TURN THE KEY IN ORDER FOR MY START TO START. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING OFF AND ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS NOW. THEN TONIGHT, I GOT STRANDED AT THE SUPERMARKET AND WAS STUCK FOR HOURS WAITING FOR ROADSI…
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THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 2003 FORD FOCUS HAS BEEN FAILING TO WORK PROPERLY. HALF THE TIME I HAVE TO JIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL AS I TURN THE KEY IN ORDER FOR MY START TO START. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING OFF AND ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS NOW. THEN TONIGHT, I GOT STRANDED AT THE SUPERMARKET AND WAS STUCK FOR HOURS WAITING FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE DISPATCHER NOT ONLY SENT OUT THE WRONG PERSON TO ASSIST ME, BUT THE FIRST TOW TRUCK THAT CAME WASN'T PROPERLY TO TOW MY CAR DUE TO THE WAY I WAS PARKED SO I HAD TO WAIT FOR A SECOND TOW TRUCK (A THIRD PERSON). NOW MY CAR WON'T START AT ALL, THE WHEEL IS COMPLETELY LOCKED UP, AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT TO THE MECHANIC IS TO CALL A TOW TRUCK AGAIN. HOWEVER, UPON DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH, I FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. AND FRANKLY, THIS CAR IS MY FAMILY'S ONLY DECENT FORM OF TRANSPORTATION, SO WITHOUT IT WE'RE PRETTY MUCH STUCK. *TR
MY 2003 FORD FOCUS KEY WOULDN'T NOT TURN. IT FINALLY BROKE OFF INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH LEFT MY DAUGHTER STRAINED AT CAPTAIN D'S. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME. WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING IT FIX WHEN YOU'RE ON A LOW BUDGET. *TR
KEY ON 2003 FORD FOCUS WILL NOT TURN. STARTED ACTING UP 3 MONTHS OF OWNING. NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY SINCE IT IS 5+ YEARS OLD. *TR
MY 2003 FORD FOCUS SE HAS THE ISSUE WHERE THE IGNITION LOCKS. IT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE I CAN GET THE KEY TO TURN. TWICE NOW I HAVE HAD TO GET IT TOWED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WILL NOT TURN IN MY 2003 FORD FOCUS. IT GETS JAMMED ALL THE TIME NOW. PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS OF MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK & FORTH WORKED FOR AWHILE, BUT EVEN THAT DOES NOT WORK NOW. THE ONLY WAY TO START IT IS TO TAP ON THE KEY WHEN IT IS IN THE IGNITION WITH A MALLET OR HAMMER. THIS USUALLY WORKS AFTER A…
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THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WILL NOT TURN IN MY 2003 FORD FOCUS. IT GETS JAMMED ALL THE TIME NOW. PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS OF MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK & FORTH WORKED FOR AWHILE, BUT EVEN THAT DOES NOT WORK NOW. THE ONLY WAY TO START IT IS TO TAP ON THE KEY WHEN IT IS IN THE IGNITION WITH A MALLET OR HAMMER. THIS USUALLY WORKS AFTER A FEW TRIES. NOW I HAVE TO CONSIDER LEAVING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO START IT EASIER OR CARRY A HAMMER IN THE CAR. NOTHING ELSE HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM YET. ACCORDING TO LOCAL FORD DEALER IT'LL COST $250-275 TO REPAIR. LOCAL (CHEAPER) MECHANICS CAN'T REPAIR IT SINCE THEY NEED TO GET A CODE FROM FORD TO PROGRAM THE PART SO THE NEW IGNITION CYLINDER WILL RECOGNIZE THE KEY. FROM SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS. BASICALLY A BAD DESIGN AND/OR INFERIOR MATERIALS USED IN THE IGNITION CYLINDER. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES I'VE OWNED ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE ONLY 5 YRS OLD. I AM SURPRISED THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART YET. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT DO I DO IN THE EVENT I NEED TO EVACUATE BECAUSE OF A NATURAL DISASTER OR TERRORIST? I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET AWAY SINCE I CAN'T START MY CAR ! AND TAPPING ON THE KEY WITH A HAMMER WILL WORK FOR ONLY SO LONG. AND OF COURSE FORD WILL JUST REPLACE WITH THE SAME CHEAP DEFECTIVE IGNITION CYLINDER THAT THE CAR ORIGINALLY CAME WITH ANY WAY. SO I'LL PROBLEM HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM IN A COUPLE YEARS AGAIN. *TR
I AM HAVING IGNITION ISSUES. MY KEY WILL NOT TURN. IT IS ON A REGULAR BASIS THAT THIS HAPPENS. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT IN FOR REPAIR YET. I CALLED FOR AN ESTIMATE. *TR
Official recalls
105V030000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Feb 1, 2005
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH FOUR OR FIVE DOORS AND ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A BUILD-UP OF CORROSION AT THE PAWL PIVOT AREA OF THE REAR DOOR LATCH CAN CAUSE A BINDING CONDITION OF THE PAWL THAT MAY AFFECT PROPER ENGAGEMENT OF THE PAWL INTO THE CATCH. THE OCCUPANT MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY OPENING OR CLOSING A REAR DOOR, AND EVENTUALLY THE REAR DOOR MAY NOT LATCH PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. IF AN OCCUPANT FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, PERSONAL INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL HAVE A LOWER ROCKER SEAL ADDED TO THE DOOR AND HAVE THE REAR DOOR LATCHES EVALUATED FREE OF CHARGE. A LATCH THAT PASSES THE EVALUATION WILL BE LUBRICATED TO PREVENT FUTURE CORROSION. A LATCH THAT DOES NOT PASS THE EVALUATION WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, A STICKER WILL BE AFFIXED TO THE REAR DOORS ADVISING THE OWNERS TO USE THE RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1AQ10001 · Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
Opened Nov 18, 2010 · Closed Dec 28, 2015
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three (3) major motor vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) and requested data regarding completion figures for fifteen (15) discreet safety recalls.Analysis of this data demonstrated that rental car recalls completion was neither complete nor consistent.The rental car companies representing the largest market share in the industry were then queried as to their respective policies for the rental, lease, and sale of vehicles with open recalls.The data and responses from the manufacturers and the rental car companies can be found in the document repository by accessing the ?Associated Documents link above.In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.One section of the Act prohibits rental car companies from renting, leasing, or selling motor vehicles subject to open safety recalls.With the passage of the FAST Act and its prohibition, there is no continuing need for the agency to investigate rental car recall completions.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The agency reserves the right to open any future investigations, including audits of individual recalls, or groups of recalls, or rental car companies, to examine more closely safety recalls performance and completion issues in this area.