2003 Ford Focus

2003 FORD FOCUS (WHICH IS DRIVEN BY TEENAGER- FEMALE) IGNITION LOCK FAILURE. BASICALLY WHEN IT FAILS YOU ARE STUCK (CAN NOT START VEHICLE)! AT THE MOMENT VEHICLE SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY. $400.00 PRICE TAG TO FIX A PROBLEM - THAT FORD IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF. I AM NOT SURE I WANT MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT MAY GET HER STRANDED SOMEWHERE UNSAFE! *NM

THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN ANY DIRECTION ONCE INSERTED IN THE KEYLOCK, THIS LEAVING ME ON THE PARKING LOT FOR HOURS TO WAIT FOR A TOW-TRUCK. THE CAR HAS ONLY 40K MILES ON IT. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE ME $200 TO REPLACE THE LOCK CYLINDER. THAT HAPPENED A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS FOR REAL I GUESS. *JB

OWNER OF A FORD FOCUS/2003. IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP AND HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED ($45.00) AS WELL AS PAY FOR REPAIRS ($183.00). CALLED FORD HEADQUARTERS AND TALKED WITH A REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT BEING REIMBURSED. I ALSO MENTIONED THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING WITH MY GAUGES. UPON STARTING CAR, GAUGES ARE ALL OUT OF WACK, SWINGING BACK AND FORTH AND LANDING ON ZERO. AFTER BEING ON THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 15 OR 20 MINUTES THEY WILL POSITIONED AT THE RIGHT PLACE. THE REPRESENTATIVE SEEM TO ONLY CARE TO HEAR ABOUT ONE OF THE PROBLEM (IGNITION SWITCH) AND NOT THE OTHER ONE. I WAS PUT ON HOLD FOR A WHILE AND WHEN REP RETURN SHE TOLD ME TO CALL COMPANY THAT WAS REPAIRING MY FOCUS AND THEY WILL HELP ME IN THIS MATTER. I CALLED THE COMPANY AND THE GUY THAT EAGERLY TOOK MY MONEY STATED THAT HE WILL DO A CLAIM FOR ME AND HE STATED THAT I WILL GET SOME OF MY MONEY BUT NOT ALL OF IT BACK. IN CHECKING THE RECALLS I SEE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKUP IS ONE OF THEM. I ONLY HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. MY WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED AND INSURANCE SAYS I MUST PAY $250 BEFORE THEY FIX IT, WHEN TURNING ON AIR CONDITIONER, DRIVING SEEM DIFFICULT (HARD TO PULL), LIFTGATE WATER LEAKS, AND UPON PURCHASING MY CAR, BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING; I MENTIONED THIS TO THE DEALER AND HE TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT THAT THE BRAKES WERE NEW AND HAD TO BE BROKEN IN. WELL THEY ARE STILL SQUEAKING AFTER A YEAR IN A HALF. I NEED ALL OF THESE THINGS FIXED ON MY CAR, RIGHT NOW I AM A MONTH BEHIND IN CAR PAYMENTS (GOOD RECORD ON MAKING MY PAYMENTS), HAD TO USE THE MONEY TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH REPAIRED. *JB

DROVE THE CAR TO THE GROCERY STORE. AFTER SHOPPING, I ENTERED THE CAR & PLACED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN, THE KEY CYLINDER WAS FROZEN. IT WILL HAVE TO BE TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS, APPARENTLY CAUSED BY WEAK AND RAPIDLY DETERIORATING KEY CYLINDER COMPONENTS. LAST WEEK ALONE, THE MECHANIC REPLACED 3 OF THEM. I WENT HOME AND RESEARCHED ON INTERNET. JUDGING FROM THE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF POSTS ON THE INTERNET FROM FOCUS OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, IT APPEARS TO BACK UP WHAT THE MECHANIC SAID. *NM

I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS, WHICH HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH COMPONENTS. AS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE CAR HAS HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE GEARS WOULD NOT ENTER PROPERLY, EVEN WHILE FULLY ENGAGING THE CLUTCH. THEN ON 6/27/06, THE IGNITION REFUSED TO MOVE--WOULDN'T TURN OR ANYTHING. I HAD TO HITCH A RIDE TO WORK FROM A CO-WORKER, WHO WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY FOR ME, THEN CALL WINNER FORD (DOVER, DE) TO FIND OUT IF THE CHIP IN MY KEY HAD GONE BAD, OR WHAT. THEY INFORMED ME DURING THE CONVERSATION THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, AND THAT I WAS UNFORTUNATELY 1 MONTH OUTSIDE OF MY WARRANTY. I ASKED WHY IT WAS NOT RECALLED OR COVERED, AS THERE WERE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS PIECE, AND SHE HAD NO ANSWER. I HAD TO GET TOWED, WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY CAR, THEN WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WORK WOULD COST OVER 200$ TO FIX THE PROBLEM, WITH ONLY A 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE PART. WHEN ASKED, THE TECH WHO WORKED ON MY CAR INFORMED ME THAT THE SAME PIECE WOULD PROBABLY GO OUT AGAIN, AND AGAIN, OVER THE COURSE OF MY OWNERSHIP. I AM NOW SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING TRADING IN THIS CAR. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN, FOR BOTH SAFETY, AND THE HONESTY OF THE DEALERS. A DEALER ON SITE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THESE CARS HAD BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I AM NOT ONE TO SUE OVER SPILT MILK, BUT SOME NOTIFICATION WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE. I'M A GRADUATE STUDENT, WITH A VERY LARGE BILL FOR THESE CLASSES, I CANNOT AFFORD TO DUMP 300$ (AFTER TOWING) INTO A CAR THAT HOLDS NO RESALE VALUE, AND WILL PROBABLY SHOW MANY MORE ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE REST OF MY TIME WITH FORD. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF EVER BUYING A FORD AGAIN. *NM