2003 Ford Focus

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2003 FORD FOCUS AND I HAVE SEVERAL ISSUES. IN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION LOCKING AND AS WELL AS THE STEERING WHEEL, I CONTACTED THE DEALER CAREY PAUL FORD IN DECATUR, GA AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS, WHICH I DID, AFTER BEING STRANDED WITH MY SON. THIS COST ME 260.00, I AM A SINGLE MOTHER AND CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND MONEY ON PROBLEMS THAT THE MANUFACTURER CLEARLY WAS AWARE OF. THE TRUNK ON THE VEHICLE JUST RANDOMLY OPENS AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, YOU'RE RIDING ALONG THE ROAD AND THE TRUNKS JUST OPENS FOR NO REASON. THIS I FIND JUST ANNOYING BUT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE CORRECTED. MY LATEST ISSUE IS THAT ON YESTERDAY 04/16/06, WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE STEERING WHEEL JUST BECAME LOOSE AND I COULD BARELY CONTROL THE CAR, I MADE IT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER THAT RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHICH I WILL DO FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. I CAN'T STOP THINKING THAT I OR SOMEONE ELSE ON THE ROAD COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW A MANUFACTURER CAN CONTINUE TO MARKET A PRODUCT AS SAFE WHEN CLEARLY THERE ARE ISSUES WITH IT. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS WEB SITES AND PERSONALLY SPOKEN WITH FOCUS OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET FORD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT'S PRODUCT. ANY FEEDBACK WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *NM

PISTON IN TRANSMISSION DETERIORATED CAUSING SHIFT SOLENOID AND VALUE BODY TO GO BAD AT 71,000 MILES, FRONT DRIVERS SEAT BELT WILL NOT UNBUCKLE, REAR SEAT BELTS WILL PERIODICALLY NOT BUCKLE, NOW BLOWING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE, RIMS ARE SEIZED WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE TIRES, NO MATTER IF IT WAS JUST TAKEN OFF 5 MINUTES PREVIOUSLY TO TAKEOFF; IGNITION SEIZED AND ENDING UP HAVING TO REBUILD STEERING COLUMN. *JB

MY BOYFRIEND AND SON TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE IT WASHED. WHEN THEY TURNED THE CORNER THE STEERING WHEEL JUST SPUN. CAUSING THEM TO ALMOST CRASH. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OTHER THINGS HAPPEN WITH THE CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN MAY 2004 USED. I HAVE REPLACED THE BACK TIRES 4 TIMES IN A YEAR. THEY ALL HAVE CUPPED. EVERY TIRE PLACE WE HAVE WENT HAS SAID THE REAR OF THE CAR HAS A DEFECT IN IT. ALSO, MY SEAT BELTS USED BY MY CHILDREN DO NOT ALWAYS WORK PROPERLY. LAST JAN, THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF FIRST. OTTAWA FORD DID FIX THIS ISSUE AS A SPEED CONTROL SENSOR WIRING PROBLEM. WITH THE STEERING ISSUE THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE AND I AM A SINGLE MOM WITH NO OTHER TRANSPORTATION OR MEANS OF INCOME TO FIX. I NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS. *JB

I JUST BOUGHT THIS USED 2 WEEKS AGO, THINKING IT HAS UNDER 50,000 MILES IT'S GOOD. WELL ON FEBRUARY 17,2005, I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN. I TRIED FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR AND NOTHING,I TRIED AGAIN THE NEX MORNING AND NOTHING, THE DELEARSHIP HAD TO TOW AND HERE I AM WITHOUT A CAR, SO I DECEIDED TO SEARCH THE WEB AND SEE IF THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE AND SURE ENOUGH IT HAS, IF THIS IS A RECALL IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. *AK

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2003 FORD FOCUS FROM MENLOVE DODGE TOYOTA IN BOUNTIFUL IN LATE SEPTEMBER. VERYTHING WAS GOING FINE, UNTIL ONE DAY MY WIFE COMES HOME AN HOUR LATE FROM WORK SAYING THAT THE KEYS FOR OUR CAR WOULD TURN IN THE IGNITION, SHE HAD TO ENLIST THE HELP 2 OTHER CO-WORKERS & FINALLY GOT IT STARTED AFTER AN HOUR OF TRYING IT. O I WENT OUT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE IGNITION AND SURE ENOUGH THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN UNTIL AFTER A BOUT 20-30 TRIES. SO THEN I GOT TO THINKING, WITH THIS CAR HAVING LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT I SHOULD HAVE IT LOOKED AT. AFTER TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE & DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, WHICH FORD APPARENTLY FAILS TO ACKNOWLEDGE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AS WHAT IF YOU WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY & YOUR CAR STOPS RUNNING, YOUR GOING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS BECAUSE THE KEY WONT TURN TO THE ON POSITION AGAIN. I CALLED TO GET A QUOTE ON GETTING THIS FIXED AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ME IN THE BALL PARK OF 200-300 DOLLARS FOR A DEFECT THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A KNOW PROBLEM BY FORD. HAVE FOUND A MESSAGE BOARD THAT OTHER FOR FOCUS OWNERS HAVE POSTED INFORMATION ON WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. MY FELLING IS, WITH SO MANY FORD FOCUS OWNERS OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM & ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE IGNITIONS. HERE IS THE URL TO THE SITE I REFERRED TO: HTTP://WWW.AUTOWHIZ.COM/MESSAGEBOARDS/MESSAGE.PHP?ID=1784&PAGE=1*AK

WHEN STICKING KEY INTO IGNITION THE KEY WILL NOT TURN, THE WHEELS ARE NOT LOCKED ITS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED,, I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALER SHIPS TO REPORT NOTHING IS WRONG, FIRST IT WAS IGNTION AN NOW IS THE STERRING COLUM, THE CARS IS AS OF YET TO BE FIXED, THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL OF 2003, AN NOW THE PRICE I AM BEING QUOTED IS RIDICULOUS. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FROM THE YEAR 2000-2003, THERE ARE FORUMS THAT CUSTOMERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE ON THIS FORD FOCUS ZX3, I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AN HAVE SUBMITTED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, I DONT FEEL THAT I NEED TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THE COMPANY FAILED TO CORRECT, I WILL CONTINUE TO COMPLAIN AN REPORT UNTIL THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED.......