I HAVE HAD MY 2004 FORD FOCUS FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS, AND I HAD BOUGHTEN IT USED. IT HAS RUN VERY WELL WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL UP UNTIL RECENTLY. I HAVE GONE TO START MY CAR, AND THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK AND NOT TURN OVER AND THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CAR WOULD START AND RUN FINE. YESTERDAY IT TOOK ME A…
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I HAVE HAD MY 2004 FORD FOCUS FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS, AND I HAD BOUGHTEN IT USED. IT HAS RUN VERY WELL WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL UP UNTIL RECENTLY. I HAVE GONE TO START MY CAR, AND THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK AND NOT TURN OVER AND THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CAR WOULD START AND RUN FINE. YESTERDAY IT TOOK ME ALMOST 2 HOURS TO TURN THE KEY OVER TO GET MY CAR TO START. TODAY I CALLED A FORD DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT I NEED A NEW IGNITION. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10175097
41,945 miles · Dec 1, 2006
Electrical System
LOCKING OF IGNITION IN FORD FOCUS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10174955
43,500 miles · Nov 8, 2006
Electrical System
IGNITION CYLINDER FAILED TO TURN DURING START UP. KEY WOULD BOTTOM OUT IN CYLINDER AS REQUIRED, BUT UPON ATTEMPTING TO ROTATE IN ANY DIRECTION THE KEY WOULD NOT MOVE. COULD NOT GET KEY TO ROTATE AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO DO SO OVER A 12 HOUR PERIOD. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING WITH THE DEALERSHI…
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IGNITION CYLINDER FAILED TO TURN DURING START UP. KEY WOULD BOTTOM OUT IN CYLINDER AS REQUIRED, BUT UPON ATTEMPTING TO ROTATE IN ANY DIRECTION THE KEY WOULD NOT MOVE. COULD NOT GET KEY TO ROTATE AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO DO SO OVER A 12 HOUR PERIOD. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING WITH THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE REP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, IT SEEMS THIS PROBLEM IS VERY PREVALENT WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL FROM ITS INCEPTION IN 2000. THE PARTICULAR FAILED IGNITION CYLINDER INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE LISTED HAS HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES IN THE PAST, BUT EACH TIME RESOLVED THE PROBLEM WITHIN MINUTES. NOT THIS TIME. IT HAD TO BE REPAIRED THROUGH DESTRUCTIVE DISASSEMBLY, IE THE CYLINDER LOCK NEEDED TO BE DRILLED AND REPLACED. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10172985
42,000 miles · Oct 31, 2006
Electrical System
I NOTICED WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY 2004 FORD FOCUS THAT IT HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE KEY NOT TURNING THE IGNITION OVER. I RECENTLY WAS STRANDED BECAUSE MY KEY DIDN'T TURN OVER AND I TOOK IT THE SHOP WHO CONFIRMED IT WAS MY IGNITION LOCK THAT FROZE. THE COST $265...*NM
NHTSA ODI #10172297
45,000 miles · Oct 21, 2006
Electrical System
IGNITION STARTED GETTING HARD TO TURN, EVENTUALLY IT WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL. LEAVING ME STRANDED OUT OF TOWN. HAD TO SPEND 350$ TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN 9 MONTHS LATER. AND NOW IT'S BEGINNING AGAIN, WHEN I TAKE THE KEY OUT IT KEEPS BEEPING LIKE I HAVEN'T. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10171488
Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 2006
Electrical System
2004 FORD FOCUS, NOW 2 YEARS OLD WITH 54,000 MILES. WHEN LEAVING THE STORE TODAY MY KEY WOULD GO INTO THE IGNITION BUT WOULD NOT TURN AND MY WHEEL WAS IN A LOCKED POSITION FACING LEFT. I HAD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP COSTING ME $68 AND AN ADDITIONAL $98 FOR FORD TO LOOK AT IT. I AM SURE IT WILL BE CONFIRMED TOMO…
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2004 FORD FOCUS, NOW 2 YEARS OLD WITH 54,000 MILES. WHEN LEAVING THE STORE TODAY MY KEY WOULD GO INTO THE IGNITION BUT WOULD NOT TURN AND MY WHEEL WAS IN A LOCKED POSITION FACING LEFT. I HAD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP COSTING ME $68 AND AN ADDITIONAL $98 FOR FORD TO LOOK AT IT. I AM SURE IT WILL BE CONFIRMED TOMORROW THAT I WILL NEED MY IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED AS HAVE MANY FOCUS OWNERS. WHICH WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $300. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10171272
75,201 miles · Sep 19, 2006
Electrical System
IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE.. FORTUNATE THAT THE EVENT HAPPENED WHILE AT HOME. I TRAVEL FREQUENTLY AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DETRIMENTAL IF THIS HAD OCCURRED WHILE ON DUTY. FORD'S EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WE PURCHASED IN GOOD FAITH, REFUSED TO COVER THE COMPONENT. WHILE THE PL…
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IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE.. FORTUNATE THAT THE EVENT HAPPENED WHILE AT HOME. I TRAVEL FREQUENTLY AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DETRIMENTAL IF THIS HAD OCCURRED WHILE ON DUTY. FORD'S EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WE PURCHASED IN GOOD FAITH, REFUSED TO COVER THE COMPONENT. WHILE THE PLAN CLEARLY STATES THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH IS COVERED. FORD'S COST FOR REPAIR IS OVER $365.00. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10168595
50,000 miles · Sep 5, 2006
Electrical System
I HAVE A 2004 FORD FOCUS LX AND THE IGNITION LOCKED FROZE. THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN, THEREFORE NOT ALLOWING MY VEHICLE TO START NO MATTER WHAT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 50000 MILES ON IT AND IS FAIRLY NEW. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN FORD FOCUS VEHICLES. THERE IS EVEN A CLASS ACTION SUIT GOING ON I…
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I HAVE A 2004 FORD FOCUS LX AND THE IGNITION LOCKED FROZE. THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN, THEREFORE NOT ALLOWING MY VEHICLE TO START NO MATTER WHAT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 50000 MILES ON IT AND IS FAIRLY NEW. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN FORD FOCUS VEHICLES. THERE IS EVEN A CLASS ACTION SUIT GOING ON IN CALIFORNIA. FORD DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THIS AS A RECALL BECAUSE IT'S NOT A "SAFETY" ISSUE. IF MY CAR DOESN'T START IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME, ESPECIALLY WITH MY KIDS, THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND MOST OF THEM SAY THAT THEY HAD TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED MORE THAN ONCE WITHIN A 3 YEAR TIME PERIOD. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10167360
48,000 miles · Sep 5, 2006
Electrical System
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO TURN WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION, THUS FAILING TO START THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS THE 4TH FAILURE. METAL SHAVINGS WERE SEEN FALLING OUT OF THE IGNITION WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED. THE SERVICE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SERVICE REPAIR SHOP FOR INVESTIGATION…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO TURN WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION, THUS FAILING TO START THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS THE 4TH FAILURE. METAL SHAVINGS WERE SEEN FALLING OUT OF THE IGNITION WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED. THE SERVICE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SERVICE REPAIR SHOP FOR INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.
NHTSA ODI #10167346
20,000 miles · Aug 28, 2006
Electrical System
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STARTER ASSEMBLY CONTINUED TO FAIL, NOT ALLOWING THE KEY TO TURN OR RELEASE THE STEERING WHEEL FROM THE LOCKED POSITION. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED.
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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