I HAVE OWNED 2 FORD FOCUSES, A 2000 AND NOW A 2003 MODEL. BOTH VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE IGNITION LOCK UP AND I WAS CHARGED $400 TO FIX IT. OBVIOUSLY, FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS COMFORTABLE ENOUGH WITH THIS DESIGN FLAW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS, AND THE CONSUMER IS LEFT HOLDING THE BILL. THERE ARE OVER 400 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS …
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I HAVE OWNED 2 FORD FOCUSES, A 2000 AND NOW A 2003 MODEL. BOTH VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE IGNITION LOCK UP AND I WAS CHARGED $400 TO FIX IT. OBVIOUSLY, FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS COMFORTABLE ENOUGH WITH THIS DESIGN FLAW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS, AND THE CONSUMER IS LEFT HOLDING THE BILL. THERE ARE OVER 400 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS LOGGED ON THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE: HTTP://FORUMS.FOCALJET.COM/PROBLEMS-SERVICE-RECALLS/416401-PLEASE-POST-IF-YOUR-IGNITION-HAS-LOCKED.HTML WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET THIS COMPANY TO ADMIT THEY ARE PUTTING OUT A FAULTY PRODUCT? *JB
NHTSA ODI #10175831
76,000 miles · Dec 11, 2006
Electrical System
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH JAMMED AND THE SWITCH WOULD NOT TURN. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED.
NHTSA ODI #10175745
Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2006
Electrical System
SECOND OCCURRENCE OF KEY BEING PUT IN IGNITION, STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP AND INABILITY TO START CAR. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND REPAIRED. FIRST TIME (11/2004) UNDER WARRANTY, SECOND TIME(12/5/06) CHARGED $300, REDUCED TO $80 UNDER PROTEST FOR A KNOWN PROBLEM. NO WONDER FORD IS GOING UNDER! *JB
NHTSA ODI #10175238
Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2006
Electrical System
I TRIED TO LEAVE MY BEST FRIENDS HOUSE BUT MY 2003 FORD FOCUS WOULD NOT START. APPARENTLY I NEED A WHOLE NEW IGNITION. SO I BEGAN SURFING THE NET FOR PRICES AND QUOTES BUT INSTEAD I'VE STUMBLED UPON HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINT FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I WAS TOLD THE PART I WILL NEED COST $70. PLUS $50 TO TOW THE CAR SINCE I CANNOT GET…
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I TRIED TO LEAVE MY BEST FRIENDS HOUSE BUT MY 2003 FORD FOCUS WOULD NOT START. APPARENTLY I NEED A WHOLE NEW IGNITION. SO I BEGAN SURFING THE NET FOR PRICES AND QUOTES BUT INSTEAD I'VE STUMBLED UPON HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINT FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I WAS TOLD THE PART I WILL NEED COST $70. PLUS $50 TO TOW THE CAR SINCE I CANNOT GET THE CAR STARTED. SO FAR I'VE ONLY MISSED ONE DAY OF WORK BUT I MIGHT MISS MANY MORE BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO GET THE CAR FIXED RIGHT NOW. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE FORD COMPANY THEY TOLD ME THAT MY TOTAL BILL WILL BE AROUND $230. I AM SO FRUSTRATED WITH THIS CAR. I'M NOT SURE IF I WILL EVEN GET THE CAR FIXED. I PLAN TO INVEST IN A NEW NISSAN. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10175223
41,000 miles · Dec 1, 2006
Electrical System
LOCKING OF IGNITION IN FORD FOCUS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10174954
46,000 miles · Dec 1, 2006
Electrical System
I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE COME UP A FEW TIMES LATELY. WHEN I PUT MY KEY IN MY IGNITION, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. FROM RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS IGNORED THE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO RECALL A SERIOUSLY FAULTY PART. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NOT RECALLED BECAUSE IT IS NOT A "SAFETY" IS…
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I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE COME UP A FEW TIMES LATELY. WHEN I PUT MY KEY IN MY IGNITION, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. FROM RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS IGNORED THE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO RECALL A SERIOUSLY FAULTY PART. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NOT RECALLED BECAUSE IT IS NOT A "SAFETY" ISSUE. WHEN SOMEONE WITH A SMALL CHILD CAN NOT START THEIR CAR IN THE DEAD OF WINTER (STUCK ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD), I WOULD CLASSIFY THAT AS A SAFETY ISSUE! THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP ADMITTED TO ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS ADDRESSED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME THAT HE TOWS OVER 30 FOCUSES PER YEAR FOR THIS ISSUE ALONE. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THEY NEED TO DO AN OFFICIAL DIAGNOSIS BEFORE THEY WILL DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. WHAT A RIP OFF! THEY ARE TRYING TO CHARGE ME $100 TO DIAGNOSE AN PROBLEM THAT EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS. THIS IS WHY FORD IS LOSING MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THEY HAVE LOST ME OVER A $90 IGNITION TUMBLER. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10174934
36,558 miles · Nov 28, 2006
Electrical System
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE ENGINE WITH THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION, THE IGNITION LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE IGNITION TURNED AND THE ENGINE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. …
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE ENGINE WITH THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION, THE IGNITION LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE IGNITION TURNED AND THE ENGINE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 01/19/07. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10174516
Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 2006
Electrical System
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I COULDN'T TURN THE IGNITION KEY. I HAD TO CALL AAA TO SEND A LOCKSMITH TO REPLACE MY IGNITION SWITCH. HE SAID THAT THIS HAPPENED A LOT WITH FOCUSES. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN FORD FOCUS, BUT FORD HAS NOT ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10174179
Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 2006
Electrical System
STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND CAR WILL NOT START. I AM FINDING OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS. THIS COULD LEAVE US STRANDED. IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN AS TIMES PASSES. AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM, I FEEL THE REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED BY FORD. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10173672
Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2006
Electrical System
MY 2003 FORD FOCUS WILL NOT START BECAUSE THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. I'VE TRIED A NUMBER OF TACTICS TO GET THE CAR TO START BUT FAILED. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH ONLINE, I'VE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ANY MY PROBLEM HAS ALL THE SAME SYMPTOMS. LUCKILY, THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT HOME AND AS ONLY LEFT ME WITH ONE VERY I…
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MY 2003 FORD FOCUS WILL NOT START BECAUSE THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. I'VE TRIED A NUMBER OF TACTICS TO GET THE CAR TO START BUT FAILED. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH ONLINE, I'VE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ANY MY PROBLEM HAS ALL THE SAME SYMPTOMS. LUCKILY, THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT HOME AND AS ONLY LEFT ME WITH ONE VERY INCONVENIENT PROBLEM; HOWEVER, IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHERE PERSONAL SAFETY COULD HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE. *JB
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
1
AQ10001 · 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.
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