IllustrationTHE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. *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 reportsCOMMENTS: THE IGNITION OF MY FORD FOCUS 2003 LOCKED @ 40,000 MILES. KEY SUDDENLY WOULDN'T TURN. UNABLE TO START ENGINE. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO FORD DEALER BY AAA TOW. AA DRIVER SAID HE HAS HAD MANY SUCH CASES. HAD TO GET IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED @ DEALER FOR EXORBITANT $570.($347 LABOR) THERE ARE THUNDREDS OF THESE CASES…
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COMMENTS: THE IGNITION OF MY FORD FOCUS 2003 LOCKED @ 40,000 MILES. KEY SUDDENLY WOULDN'T TURN. UNABLE TO START ENGINE. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO FORD DEALER BY AAA TOW. AA DRIVER SAID HE HAS HAD MANY SUCH CASES. HAD TO GET IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED @ DEALER FOR EXORBITANT $570.($347 LABOR) THERE ARE THUNDREDS OF THESE CASES BUT FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS PROBLEM. I HEARD THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INFO ON HOW TO JOIN IN LAWSUIT OR OTHER MEANS TO GET FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL AND/OR PAY FOR THIS PART FAILURE. *TR
BEING STRANDED WITHOUT MY CAR STARTING IS MY ISSUE. HAVE 2003 FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO TURN CAR ON-- STRANDED 5 TIMES-- ONE TIME I WAS 45 MILES FROM HOME-- HAD IT TOWED AND REPAIRED COST $90 NOW IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND HAD TO GET A RIDE HOME FROM WORK HATE TO SEE WHAT THIS BILL WILL BE IF F…
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BEING STRANDED WITHOUT MY CAR STARTING IS MY ISSUE. HAVE 2003 FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO TURN CAR ON-- STRANDED 5 TIMES-- ONE TIME I WAS 45 MILES FROM HOME-- HAD IT TOWED AND REPAIRED COST $90 NOW IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND HAD TO GET A RIDE HOME FROM WORK HATE TO SEE WHAT THIS BILL WILL BE IF FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH 2000 THROUGH 2003 VEHICLES WHY ARE THEY NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP THE CONSUMER OUT BY RECALLING THEM . *TR
I GOT INTO MY CAR LAST NIGHT AND COULD NOT START IT, I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON SE, THE KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION, I AM STRANDED AND CANT GET TO THE DRUG STORE TO GET MY SONS MEDICATION. I CANT GET TO THE GROCERY STORE AND AM AFRAID I WONT BE ABLE TO GET TO WORK ON MONDAY. *TR
THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT" WAS ON OFF AND ON FOR A ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR. THEN I PARKED MY CAR ONE EVENING AND THE FOLLOWING MORNING I COULD NOT TURN MY KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT WAS LOCKED, AND THEREFORE ALSO I COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS TO NEUTRAL OR GET IT OUT OF PARK. I FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM AT A WEBSITE HERE IS THE URL: HTTP…
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THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT" WAS ON OFF AND ON FOR A ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR. THEN I PARKED MY CAR ONE EVENING AND THE FOLLOWING MORNING I COULD NOT TURN MY KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT WAS LOCKED, AND THEREFORE ALSO I COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS TO NEUTRAL OR GET IT OUT OF PARK. I FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM AT A WEBSITE HERE IS THE URL: HTTP://WWW.FORDPROBLEMS.COM/FOCUS/KEY-WONT-TURN-IN-THE-IGNITION.SHTML HOPE THIS HELPS TO MAKE THIS A SAFETY ISSUE WORTHY OF RECALL. I'M BLESSED THIS HAPPENED TO ME AT MY APARTMENT, BUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WERE I TO GET STUCK ELSEWHERE. I PLAN TO CALL A LOCKSMITH TONIGHT TO TRY AND FIX MY PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR
I LEFT MY CAR FOR 5 MINS TO GRAB SOMETHING IN MY HOME AND WHEN I RETURNED TO START MY CAR THE IGNITION WOULDN'T EVEN BUDGE, NOW I AM GOING TO HAVE TO GET THE IGNITION REPLACED. *TR
I WAS GETTING INTO MY CAR AND SUDDENLY THE KEY WOULD GO INTO THE IGNITION BUT WOULD NOT TURN. I CALLED A LOCKSMITH AND I SOON AS THEY HEARD THAT IT WAS A FORD FOCUS THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY STATED THAT THIS IS A DEALERSHIP PROBLEM AND THEY HAD TO HELP ME. THEY STATED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS VERY COMMON WITH M…
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I WAS GETTING INTO MY CAR AND SUDDENLY THE KEY WOULD GO INTO THE IGNITION BUT WOULD NOT TURN. I CALLED A LOCKSMITH AND I SOON AS THEY HEARD THAT IT WAS A FORD FOCUS THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY STATED THAT THIS IS A DEALERSHIP PROBLEM AND THEY HAD TO HELP ME. THEY STATED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS VERY COMMON WITH MY TYPE OF VEHICLE AND THAT I SHOULD CHECK TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IT SINCE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE PERSON ON THE PHONE STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO CHECK THE VEHICLE AND JUST TO LOOK AT IT THEY WOULD CHARGE ME A FEE OF $87.00 TO TELL ME THAT THE KEY DOESN'T TURN. AFTER THAT THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE AS TO HOW MUCH I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AS I FEEL THAT IT IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS THAT THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR FAULTY PARTS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. AFTER LEAVING THE GROCERY STORE, THE CONTACT PLACED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION BUT COULD NOT TURN THE KEY. SHE ATTEMPTED TO WIGGLE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER,THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START EVEN AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT'S FRIEND OWNS A FORD FOCUS AND INST…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. AFTER LEAVING THE GROCERY STORE, THE CONTACT PLACED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION BUT COULD NOT TURN THE KEY. SHE ATTEMPTED TO WIGGLE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER,THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START EVEN AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT'S FRIEND OWNS A FORD FOCUS AND INSTRUCTED HER TO TAP ON THE KEY WHILE IT IS IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT HEEDED THIS ADVICE AND, AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS, SHE WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST DEALER, WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 10/07/08. *LJ
I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS ZX5 AND I HAVE HAD REPEATED KEY IGNITION PROBLEMS. MY KEY TENDS TO NOT WORK IN THE IGNITION AND HAS FORCED ME INTO TOUGH SITUATIONS. THE MOST RECENT WAS BEING STRANDED ON THE 4TH OF JULY IN A CITY I AM NOT FROM IN A BAD PART OF TOWN AFTER A FIRE WORKS SHOW. I ALSO HAVE HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE SA…
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I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS ZX5 AND I HAVE HAD REPEATED KEY IGNITION PROBLEMS. MY KEY TENDS TO NOT WORK IN THE IGNITION AND HAS FORCED ME INTO TOUGH SITUATIONS. THE MOST RECENT WAS BEING STRANDED ON THE 4TH OF JULY IN A CITY I AM NOT FROM IN A BAD PART OF TOWN AFTER A FIRE WORKS SHOW. I ALSO HAVE HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME MATTER AND WHEN I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT IT THEY COULD OFFER NO SOLUTION OTHER THAN A STEEP PRICE TO FIX A PROBLEM THEY CAUSED WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE ROBBERY AND UNACCEPTABLE. I HAVE RESEARCHED CONSUMER COMPLAINT SITES AND NOTICED THAT THIS HAS NOT ONLY HAPPENED TO ME AND THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST FORD IN CALIFORNIA FOR SUCH A PROBLEM. I HAVE NOW LOST MY JOB BECAUSE OF NO TRANSPORTATION TO WORK DUE TO FORDS MISHAP. *TR
2003 FORD FOCUS CAR KEY IGNITION PROBLEMS THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION AND LEFT ME STRANDED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED WERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE IGNITION HAS TO BE REBUILT. *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.