2003 Ford Focus

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY HAS A TENDENCY TO STICK INSIDE THE IGNITION WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. THIS PREVENTS THE IGNITION FROM TURNING. AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT SHE TAKE A HAMMER AND GENTLY TAP THE KEY WHEN INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION IN AN ATTEMPT TO LODGE IT OUT. THE CONTACT HEEDED THE ADVICE AND THE REMEDY WORKED TEMPORARILY. AFTER A FEW WEEKS, THE FAILURE WORSENED AND CURRENTLY OCCURS THREE TIMES PER WEEK. THE STEERING COLUMN STICKS WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A FLAT ROAD SURFACE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED UPRIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IS WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING COLUMN. FORD STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

MY 2003 FORD FOCUS, LEFT ME SITTING ON A FRIDAY EVENING BECAUSE THE IGNITION KEY CYLINDER WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO TURN THE KEY. NOT ONLY WAS THE IGNITION KEY CYLINDER LOCKED, BUT SO WAS THE GEAR SHIFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL. I COULDN'T MOVE THE VEHICLE AT ALL. IT WAS DARK AND I WAS LEFT SITTING WITH ONE OF MY TWO CHILDREN. I HAD TO CALL FOR A RIDE, GET THE CAR TOWED AND THEN PAY TO GET IT FIXED. ALL ALONG, FORD KNEW THAT THIS WAS, AS THEY STATED ON THEIR WEBSITE, "A DEFECT". OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE FORD FOCUS. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM. IT'S A ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE FACED AND PROBABLY BE CONSIDERED FOR RECALL, IN MY OPINION. I FEEL THAT PAYING FOR THIS "DEFECT" IS UNACCEPTABLE. I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE THIS ON RECALL AND TAKE CARE OF REPLACING THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER FOR IT'S CUSTOMERS! *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2003 FORD FOCUS ZX3 JUST OVER A YEAR AGO AND HAVE RECENTLY HAD TROUBLE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. AFTER JERKING THE WHEEL AROUND A BIT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO GET IT TO START UNTIL TODAY. BUT TODAY WHEN I WENT TO GET IN MY CAR AND GO TO WORK NO AMOUNT OF JERKING OR TWISTING WOULD GET MY KEY TO TURN AND MY CAR TO START. BEFORE CALLING FOR A TOW I DECIDED TO CHECK FOR INFO ON LIKE AND WHAT DO I FIND? THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON IN THE ZX3 SINCE 2000! AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT! SO NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DROP OVER $300 ON A FIX FOR MY CAR AND FROM WHAT I READ I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN NEXT YEAR. WHY IS THE BEING ALLOWED TO GO ON? IF FORD CARES SO LITTLE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE THEIR CARS THAT THEY CAN'T FIND A LONG TERM FIX TO A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM THAN YOU CAN BE SURE THAT THIS WILL BE THE LAST FORD I PURCHASE. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE STARTER FAILED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE FLYWHEEL AND THE STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THIRTY TIMES FOR THE FOLLOWING FAILURES: BRAKES ROTORS WERE REPLACED FOUR TIMES; BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED; THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO REPAIR IT. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE DASHBOARD HAD TO BE REWIRED. THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF DEFECTIVE VALVES; THE REAR DOOR LATCHES WERE REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL # 05V300000. THE DEALERSHIP HAD NOT CORRECTED THE NOISES FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO COOPERATED IN FINDING A SUITABLE RESOLUTION. THE LAST PROBLEM FOUND BY THE DEALERSHIP WAS THE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE HEADS. THE ENGINE HEADS WERE ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE FRAME.

THE VEHICLE IS A 2003 FORD FOCUS WITH LESS THAN 45,000 MILES, THE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCKED UP WITHOUT WARNING AND THE CAR REFUSED TO START. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF NEUTRAL, MAKING A TOW DIFFICULT. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM, FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RISK OF DRIVERS BEING STRANDED IN UNSAFE PLACES WHERE THEY COULD BE RAPED, ROBBED OR MURDERED. FORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE AND I IN OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX, HOWEVER THERE ARE REPORTS OF OTHER PEOPLE NOT BEING SO LUCKY. HIXSON FORD CHARGED US $289.69 TO REPAIR THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER PLUS WE PAID $65 TO TOW THE VEHICLE. BELOW IS A LIST OF WEBSITES DOCUMENTING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF THE FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCKING UP AND RENDERING THE CAR INOPERABLE. SOME EVEN COMPLAIN OF IT HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING: HTTP://CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_FOCUS_IGNITION.HTML HTTP://WWW.FAZMICLAW.COM/FOCUS.HTML HTTP://WWW.WJLA.COM/NEWS/STORIES/0706/347339.HTML HTTP://CBS5.COM/INVESTIGATES/LOCAL_STORY_041015136.HTML HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/FOCUSIC/PETITION.HTML HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.EEA50DC HTTP://FORUMS.TREEMEDIA.COM/FB/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-493.HTML HTTP://THS.GARDENWEB.COM/FORUMS/LOAD/CARS/MSG062031202524.HTML?20 HTTP://WWW.COMPLAINTS.COM/DIRECTORY/2004/DECEMBER/12/7.HTM HTTP://WWW.COMPLAINTS.COM/DIRECTORY/2005/JULY/5/17.HTM HTTP://FORUMS.FOCALJET.COM/PROBLEMS-SERVICE-RECALLS/416401-PLEASE-POST-IF-YOUR-IGNITION-HAS-LOCKED-13.HTML THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE. *JB