TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN THE KEY IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE, IT REFUSED TO TURN. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE IGNITION AND REPROGRAMMED THE KEY AND DOOR LOCKS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRING THE FAI…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN THE KEY IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE, IT REFUSED TO TURN. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE IGNITION AND REPROGRAMMED THE KEY AND DOOR LOCKS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,200. UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE OLD IGNITION HAD TO BE DRILLED OUT AND REPLACED. UPDATED 02/13/12
NHTSA ODI #10442491
55,000 miles · Dec 30, 2011
Electrical System
FAILURE TO BE ABLE TO TURN IGNITION. HAD TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND SPENT $400! INCONVENIENCE? YES! *KB
NHTSA ODI #10441809
102,000 miles · Dec 30, 2011
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS SE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD NOT BE TURNED WHILE IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND THE CURRENT M…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS SE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD NOT BE TURNED WHILE IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,542.
NHTSA ODI #10441719
134,000 miles · Dec 22, 2011
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD BE INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION WOULD COULD NOT BE TURNED TO START THE VEHICLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, NOR WAS THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 134,000.
NHTSA ODI #10440992
107,000 miles · Nov 3, 2011
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.
NHTSA ODI #10434100
120,000 miles · Sep 8, 2011
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO START THE ENGINE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
NHTSA ODI #10424237
Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 2011
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
MY KEY WILL NOT TURN OVER AND MY WHEEL IS LOCKED UP. THE PROBLEMS STARTED AND I WOULD JUST TURN THE WHEEL AND SOONER OR LATER IT WOULD TURN OVER. NOW IM STRANDED IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE WHEEL LOCKED UP AND NO TURNING THE KEY OVER. MISSED WORK AND MONEY. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET ON THIS AND THE WAS OVER 300 DIFF PEOPLE WITH THIS P…
Read full complaint
MY KEY WILL NOT TURN OVER AND MY WHEEL IS LOCKED UP. THE PROBLEMS STARTED AND I WOULD JUST TURN THE WHEEL AND SOONER OR LATER IT WOULD TURN OVER. NOW IM STRANDED IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE WHEEL LOCKED UP AND NO TURNING THE KEY OVER. MISSED WORK AND MONEY. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET ON THIS AND THE WAS OVER 300 DIFF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I BOUGHT THIS CAR (FORD) TO SAVE GAS AND MONEY. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED IF THIS MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT HASN'T YET. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10407213
108,200 miles · Jun 4, 2011
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
LATE NIGHT 35 MILES FROM HOME. KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. HAD TO GET A RIDE HOME. RETURNED THE NEXT DAY AND HAD A LOCKSMITH REPLACE THE IGNITION LOCK WITH A STRATTEC IGNITION LOCK. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10404437
98,441 miles · Jun 1, 2011
Electrical System
KEY WON'T TURN IN IGNITION. LUCKILY, MY CAR WAS PARKED AT HOME WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT COULD LEAVE YOU STRANDED IF AWAY FROM HOME. I NOW HAVE TO LEAVE MY KEY IN THE IGNITION UNTIL I GET THE PROBLEM FIXED.
NHTSA ODI #10404848
120,000 miles · May 30, 2011
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
KEY WONT TURN IN IGNITION WINDOWS DOWN IN A BAD NEIGHBORHOOD. *TR
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.
2003 Ford Focus Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year