Ford Focus Reviews

I am having problems getting my key to turn in the ignition of my 2000 Ford Focus. I have been stranded in the cold, fortunatly I figured out if I kept banging the key with my hand it eventually turned. Now, everytime I get in my car I have to sit there banging the key with my hand for as long as it takes. At first it only locked now and then. I'm realizing now this is a problem I'm going to have to fix. Came online to research what it may be and I see it's a common Focus problem. I can't believe with all of these complaints Ford is not recalling!!! I'm not a happy Ford customer!

My wife was about to leave for work yesterday when she honked the horn for me. I went to the garage and she said she couldn't start her car. When I got in to start the car, the key wouldn't budge in the ignition. We have owned this car for one year, she has had this problem once before at the Post Office about six months ago but was finally able to start the car after about 30 minutes.

The Ignition switch started out just getting stuck a little and then it started getting stuck worse. I use to be able to jiggle the key or the steering wheel now I have just spent 3 hrs trying to fix it and it is useless. NEVER BUY A FORD FOCUS!!! It has been nothing but trouble. We have spent more fixing the car than we did when we bought it.

my wife and i have ahve the focus for about 4 years now and i have had several problems with the car the tires seem to wear out really quick i have had 2 different places allign the car and still no good the hatch button doesnt work most of the time and the stereo goes in and out when it wants to but the worst problem of all is the motor stalls and jumps and studders expecially the first time you start it in the morning.

I was at home when i tried to leave my 2006 ford focus the key wouln`t turn after a hour of trying i gave up later that eveing it started

The focus i bought in July 06 has just failed me by the ignition switch locking up - 2001 ford Focus. I cannot believe it! This is what I get for going back to a brand I use to love. Now im stranded. And ******.

I have several incidents where my the steering column on my car locked up and I was left stranded trying to unlock it with my key. For several of those incidents, I was accompanied with my two children (7 and 4). I have had to leave my car parked for days until I got lucky enough to get it unlocked, had someone else unlock it for me, or even have the entire care moved.

LOCKED-UP IGNITION - AGAIN!!!! We fixed the locked ignition once about 3 years ago - immediately after our warranty expired so it was at our expense, of course - and now, tonight, it's happened again! I am flabbergasted that so many of us are having this identical problem and Ford has done nothing about it.

got off work and tried to start car, and the key would not start the car, 2hrs on my job trying to get car to start.Had it towed to the ford place in Concord NC, where it will cost 1200.00 to replace the entire cylinder and key mechanism......

We bought a Ford Escort Station Wagon 1998 three years ago, and had it checked thoroughly at the time, and they did say that the back suspension was not very good, but it worked, but just now, the two rear coil springs snapped, cut in half the mechanic said. We noticed it because when we had people in the back there were strange loud noises, especially when turning the car.

We have a 2002 Ford Focus SE. Recently while traveling accross country the fuel pump went out and we got that fixed through a recall they had for no charge.

I bought a brand new 2002 Ford Focus with only 7 miles on it. Two years later with only 20,000 miles on the vehicle, i find that the ignition was locked. After calling ford to find out that they would not give me any help fixing this problem I was referred to a locksmith who would help me fix the ignintion for almost half the price the dealership offered me.

I purchased a new 2000 Ford Focus,this is the worst car that I have ever owned. I've had wheel bearings replaced,vacuum hoses,tires after 20,000 miles,suspension linkage, and a complete new engine.I maintain this vehicle,but I have put so much money into this piece of junk.OH! I almost forgot! my key has been stuck in the ignition for 2 years and I was told that the repair would be $375.00,also the trunk latch does not close,knobs inside fell off,radio knob melted,right front wheel wobbles,replaced front lights 2x,throttle sticks,and guess what? I got stranded tonight once more and had to be towed 42miles home,new engine would not turn over or jump start.I don't cover the stuck key,I was hoping that someone would steal it-if they could get it started.

For the second time in two years my ignition cylinder has locked up on me. This is getting too expensive. Ford needs to do a recall on these.

I drove to Houston from Dallas and The next day when I tried to start my 2001 Ford Focus and the key would not turn in the ignition. I had to call and get the ignition replace only to be told that in 80000 miles it could and most likely will happen again. There should definitely be a recall on the Ford Focus's for the ignition problems these cars have. The people I talked to at the mechanic places all new about these problems, which means it happens alot and that is a little ridiculous.

I went in this morning to start my car to get to work and the ignition wouldn't turn. It was horrible. I've never had to sit there for more than 5 minutes to turn on a car and i sat there for 20 minutes before i had to ask my a friend to drive me to work. If all these complaints are being said, there must be something that can be done for all of us to a. either get our money back for all the problems we had to pay for in leu of their mistake or b. a new car!! this is an issue they should have tested out already and have fixed. It isn't easy being a single mother raising a one year old on your own. Money doesn't grow on trees or these complaints wouldn't be made. i

I was leaving my morning job, about to head to class (college). I got into my car and put in the key... and it wouldn't turn. I figured the steering wheel had turned and it would require more force, but after trying for thirty minutes while talking to my father on my cell phone, I was sure it was hopeless.

My 2002 Ford Focus Wagon had over 100,000 miles. I had relatively few problems with it ubtil this past December (2006). If the overnight temperature was in the 30s, I couldn't even get the solenoid to click when I tried to start it at 7 AM, when I go to work. If I waited until 8 AM, when it was a little warmer, it started easily. Naturally, I figured it was the battery.

We were driving our 2000 Ford Focus SE wagon 10 minutes and started smelling something burning just as we noticed smoke coming into the car. We pulled over and raised the hood to see the engine compartment on fire. All we could do was throw snow on it to put it out.Since it burned up the wiring,we could not unlock the back doors or roll up the windows. If my daughter had been driving with her baby in the back seat,she would not have been able to get the baby out and we hate to think of what would have happened to our grandaughter locked in a burning,smokefilled car!

My key goes in but won't turn it is completlt locked up I got on the web to see if I could find a way to get it to unlock and seen many people are having this problem. Why in the world is this problem not recalled by ford and fixed? This will be the second time I will have to have this problem fixed.

I own a 2003 Ford Focus which is only a little over 3 years old. I got up one morning to go to work and I could not get the key to turn in my focus. I had to hit the key so hard about 4 or 5 times just to get it to turn in the ignition. I was late for work everyday for two months. Finally the ignition just went out one day and I could not get it to turn at all. I had to get my car towed ($70 ) then rent a car for the time it was being worked on ($150) and then had to pay for the ignition to be replaced($360). What a rip off. Ford should be paying its consumers to drive there vehicles. This is ridiculous. I smell a lawsuit. This could be very dangerous for a lot of people.

Every other day my 2001 Ford Focus Se sputters, chugs, jerks, and finally dies while I am driving it. We have replaced pretty much everything thing to rule everything out. No one knows why this is happening. Maybe they should take the Focuses off the market.

Replace ignition swithc with just 82k miles on car.

2001 Ford Focus with 90k miles. Engine suddenly stalls and attempt to restart causes loud noise from engine. Turns over and stalls instantly. Performed tests and found no compression in cyl #4. Rmoved spark plug to find ecectrode completely gone. Engine completely ruined. $2000 to replace with used engine. NB: Changed ignition twice already because keys could not be removed. No help from Ford.

i bought my daughter a brand new ford focus in march of 2004, so she would have a safe vehicle to drive with no problems. 7 months later, the car began stalling on her. they couldn't find anything wrong or duplicate the problem. a couple months later, it happened again coming off an offramp and she ended up hitting her head on the drivers window and going to the ER.

I purchased a 2000 Ford Focus, for the first 3 months my car was great, then the car wouldn't start, I had to have it towed and have a new gas tank put in, this happened one more time and then Ford finally recalled the problem but I had to pay for a fuel filter. then I got 4 tires and the shop said they couldn't align my car because there was a problem with the front end, I took it to the Ford Dealer and they relaced shocks & Struts (Under warranty).

same thing itis the ignition locking..i cannot believe what I'm reading here..I'm going to call our local news people who researches these kind of incidents and report this to them of all the complaints and recalls on ford focus so it will make the public more aware about ford. So MAYBE ford will make some effort to fix or recall this problem if more and more people are being alerted about this.

Cannot turn key in ignition! Why on earth is this not a recall?? How many customers are you willing to loose?

My 2002 Ford Focus has had just about everything go wrong with it. I've had to have the battery, clutch and transmission replaced. In addition, the front passenger side and rear driver side windows no longer work, the rear passenger doesn't unlock and the radio has eaten all of my cds and only works intermittently. I'm tired of fixing a car that hasn't even been paid off yet.

Got a call from my wife who was stranded in Keene. The ignition locked up in our 2003 focus. We've never had any ignition problems with the car so this is new to me. The car has about 75k miles on it and the key just won't turn. Thanks for the reports...I'm going back to Keene tomorrow and try the hammer on the key trick to see if I can get it working. FYI...the cruise control stopped working on us this past summer, the seat belt light and buzzer stay on for the first 10-15 minutes and the airbag light is on all the time. My wife wants me to get rid of the car, but I can't afford to buy another car now because I'm broke and all my money each month goes for bills. Thank you Ford for a job well done. I hope the hammer trick works.

I got stranded with my key stuck in the ignition of my Ford Focus Wagon about 2 yrs ago. Paid over $200.00 out of pocket. Today it happened again! I have seen so many folks on the internet with this same problem. This is why Americans opt for Toyota or Honda. Ford needs to step up to the plate and take care of their own.

I have a 2003 zx3 ford focus. i have already been through 3 transmitions. this past weekend i was at starbucks getting my morning cup and may i remind you this is the coldest texas has ever been 17 deg. i walk out and put my key in the ignition and yea you guessed it.. it locked up it took me 7 hrs to get a tow truck and cost me $75. i went to the ford delarship and they told me no it will take $400 to fix it. im 17 years old and my mom has cancer. they wouldent work with me for anything. the tow guy told me on my way to my house that he had taken in the past year a total of 15 focuses.

When I purchased my 2000 Ford Focus it was my first new car. I was so excited to drive it, but soon began to discover several malfunctions across the board. I have had countless recalls, and repairs that have left me paying thousands of dollars of out my own pocket. My car has broken down on my several times within the past couple years. When I bring it to places to get fixed, no one can tell me what is wrong with it and say that it is running fine. After several attempts at one repair shop, they sent me off to Ford who could not find the problem either and were satisfied that my car was running fine. They even charged me the diagnostic fee, which I still had to pay even though they did not find the problem. Yesterday my car left me stranded (for the umpteenth time), on a highway where MAC trucks whiz by. I was outside directing traffic, and had to get it towed, and once again no one can find a problem with it.

My ignition has locked up for the second time. I have to leave my key in my car at all times so I don't get stranded. I just cannot afford to keep replacing this part. It cost $200+ each time.

I bought a 2001 ford focus two years ago and I have had numerous problems with the ignition freezing up on me. I just spent $92 on the part to replace it myself and have not, thus far, had any luck. I have a two year old son, and I can't go anywhere when I need too. I find it to be downright discusting that even though consumers have been complaining about this for years, time and time again, nothing is done. I cannot afford to go to a dealer or a mechanic to have this problem fixed. It should be added to the recall list as NEGLEGENT MANUFATURING, and fixed free of charge. I want to see how the faulty focus's line up and stretch over the horizon.

My 2002 Ford Focus ignition locked and left me stranded. I had to pay $498.27 to have it replaced. I think that it is a manufacturer defect and Ford should have recalled the key ignition.

In 2000, my father leased a Ford Focus and within month the ignition locked up. Because he was on a lease, he could not return the car so Ford fixed it and it did not lock up again (at least not to my knowledge).

I own a 2003 Ford Focus. I have had a variety of strange problems with the car since purchasing starting with the rear window imploding on my passenger resulting in the entire window being blown into the passenger compartment showering my passenger with glass.

I have owned my ford focus zx3 for 2.5 years. I have had the ignition key lock on me for the first time and could not for the life of me turn it. I also have had trouble with the clutch pedal. Some mechanism in the pedal snapped and now the pedal hangs low and vibrates against the clutch switch. It can shut off my cruise control if I hit a bump. I also have replaced the driver's side window regulator because the window handle broke off inside the door frame. This is the oldest new car I have ever owned.

the ford focus i brought is like driving a tank it has been in the shop more times then out first was the stero next time was something to do with the wheels next time same thing and the doors do not close sometimes i just give up never going to buy ford again.

We have a ford focus and our iginition is out. We can put our key in but it was turn. The problem we have is that we are station overseas at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Nobody will order the part here let alone ship it to us. This has been a big hassel and is driving me and my husband insane. Will never buy another ford again.

I own a 2002 Ford Focus and have encountered that ignition problem of the key wont turn. Found if you tap on the end of the key a couple times with a plastic mallet it might turn for you. Just enough to save you a towing charge and it will be a little cheaper at the dealer so they dont have to drill it out. I had mine replaced and just for the substandard cylinder was $104.00. I dont mind paying for something that will last but I spent this much on a cylinder that will fail (when) who knows.

Bought a 2001 Focus (new) and the first month it was in the shop 3 weeks due to the ignition. I understand parts wear out but in the last three months I had to have a (1)transmission ($1600), (2) alternator ($120), and now (3)engine ($2100). My wife, daughter and I have owned 5 ford vehicles and the Focus is by far the worst vehicle. I've always bought American but the Honda is beginning to look real good about now...

I had the same problem that everyone else here had. A bad ignition that locked up. Steering wheel locked up, couldn't do a darned thing but sit there and yank on things while turning the key for 45 minutes until I gave up hope. Bit I eventually got it. Here's how - After I looked into it a bit here's the best help that I found: The problem is the OEM Huf lock. Do not go to Ford to fix it.

Just want Ford focus owners (2000 -2 door model) to be aware of possible danger that may lead to serious injury or death. On Friday, December 22, 2006, our 29 year old daughter walked away from her 2000 Ford focus after it caught fire while she was driving on Interstate 281 north of Burnett, Texas.She was traveling from Kileen, Texas to San Antonio at the time.

I was on my way to work, I stopped at store to pick something up. I tried to start the car and the key would not turn. I tried for a 1/2 hour to get it going. I had to call for a tow and paid $120 plus another $150 for locksmith to put in a new lock.

Ignition and steering column had to be replaced in my 2000 Ford Focus costing me $700.00 at Graham Ford Columbus Ohio. The Tow truck driver stated I have towed many of Ford Focus cars to dealers for the same problem.

I have a 2000 Ford Focus, and I have had intermittent trouble with the ignition switch over the last 1 month. I have had to play with getting the ignition to turn once the key is incerted. I have also had times that I cannot get the key out of the ignition. Last night my son wanted to use my car and we could not get the igniton to budge. What now, its before Christmas and I have no car to use, not to mention the expense. The car will have to be towed and God knows what it will cost to get repaired. I am so upset about this, I have been a loyal Ford customer for 15 years, I think it's time to change that.

I left work at 10 pm got into my car and went to start my 2001 ford focus and my key wouldnt turn! To make matters worse my car is parked on the bottom level of a underground parking lot. Free towing and roadside assistance are offered both from my insurance company and ford but the ceiling clearance of my parking structure at work is only 7'11. I was told by 14 tow companies they would be unable to access my car.

I have a 2000 Ford Focus. Yesterday morning the ignition locked up. The key wouldn't even go all the way into the switch. This morning I found out that it will cost at least $200 and a towing bill to get it fixed. I found several complaints of the same problem on your website. It is a shame that Ford won't recall for this problem. I was told by the local dealership to keep my receipts in case of a future recall. How do you contact Ford directly?

Like so many others, my Ford Focus ignition locked up on me. I was trying to leave work yesterday when my ignition would not turn. It was locked up. No warning. It worked fine that morning. Now it is stuck at the plant over the weekend until I figure out what to do with it.

I have had trouble only in the last few days with my key ignition not wanting to work. When I put the key in the ignition it will not turn...leaving me stranded at work each day this week (4 days)! As much of an inconvenience that is I am also 7 months pregnant and in no way capable of defending myself if I needed to. I called Tri-Lakes Ford (where I purchased the car in March of 2005) and was told that since the car was no longer under warrenty and I failed to extend the warrenty that there would more than likely be a cost to fix the problem with the car. When I told her that I found that this had been a problem not only for me but for many she said that it all depended on the warrenty. She was not all that friendly especially when she was setting up an appointment for me to come in and fix it and I told her that I had to be at work at 7:45 am (too early for me to drop it off) and that I don't get off work until 4:00 pm and it takes me 30 min. to get over to the dealership and she informed me that they get off work at 5:00 evidently they don't care enough about their customers to help them and stay a little longer to fix the car, assuming that it takes longer than 30 mins. for this defect. Thanks to your site I have found that I am not the only customer having to deal with this problem.

I have a 2000 Focus and the key locked in and I could not start the car. I had to pay for towing and $300.to the local Ford dealership. There are enough complaints about this problem that Ford should do a major recall.

I bought a Ford Focus in 2004. The ignition cyclinder is going out I was told it about $250 to fix. Luckily, the mechanic at Ford gave me some unrecommended advice -- Take a small rubber mallet and tap the key in, this worked for me however, I do not know how long it will keep working for me.

I have been stuck with paying for an ignition cylinder that has failed 4 times on my 2000 ford focus lx. 3 of the times I had to pay for it and now it is enough. I am tired of being left stranded on the side of the road. It most recently failed on 12/9/2006 and ford didn't want to help me what so ever.

I, like so many others here, had my ignition lock up on me on my 2003 Ford Focus ZX3. The car has only 30K miles! The dealer here in Los Angeles says this part goes bad in more than half of the focus's (foci?). I have to pay for the repair (about $400 to replace the entire ignition block + labor and reprogram two new keys), but I intend to contact Ford and try to get it reimbursed.

I have just read some of the many complaints concerning the ignitions of the Ford Focus. I have a 2002 that I bought about 6 months ago and it is currently locked up. It is now raining, I have to be at work in the morning and I am waiting for AAA to show up. They have already informed me that they have dealt with this problem many times and that it will cost me $285 for them to come out and fix the problem

It has been difficult turning the key in the ignition for the past week to start the car. Yesterday it was completely frozen and has remained so on my 2002 Ford Focus SI.

My ignition switch has locked up on me like this FOUR TIMES. The first 3 were covered under warranty (~$500 repair invoice). Now its done it again, and its sitting around waiting to be towed. This is CLEARLY a design fault and we demand satisfaction.

On Monday, 12/4/06, my 2000 Ford Focus ignition switch locked while I was trying to go to work at 5:30 a.m. I had to miss one day of work and catch rides for the next four days. When I found out that this was a common problem and the Ford company knew about it, I was appalled and very angry.

Purchased a 2000 Ford Focus which is a Lemon......in 2006. In the past year I have had to get it fixed on a monthly basis. What is my recourse?

Last night it happened to me.... My Ford Focus hasnt given me any major problems, actually my car is great up until now- and I believe I would buy another car- but I believe the car isnt the problem- its the service policy> The igintion cylinder costs $25 if you purchase one uninstalled- why does FORD wish to losse a loyal LEASE customer over $25 in parts? I find that the reason why i will not buy another FORD- Im happy with my car- why make me unhappy over such a simply problem over a problem my locksmith fixed in less than 10 mins? I guess we cant expect anything less than that- I will present my Ford dealership with this page of complaints- Thanks

I have had several problems with my 2000 Ford Focus. The first one I can recall was back in January of 2005. My husband and I were driving cross country and hit a tire tread in the road. This caused problems with our fuel pump. WE had that fixed, under the recall, and were on our way again. Five months later, the check engine light came on. I took it to the local Ford dealership and they told me it was my fuel pump.

My ignition switch went bad luckily right in my garage but still had to tow car to delearship for repair; then was charged $294.35 for a part I now find out has been faulty from the beginning with Ford knowing it and continuing to put them in more cars.

After owning my 2000 Focus wagon for about 3 years the Ignition key will not go in the cylinder. When I spoke to a Ford dealer ( Eastgate ford) they said they have not heard of any problem. Both the tow truck driver and my mechanic said this is a common problem with the Focus.

My 2003 Focus SE is having issues with the ignition locking up. You put the key in and the ignition is acting like it is the wrong key. I had the car towed to a dealership last night @ 11:15.

My 2000 Ford Focus ZX3 has only 49,500 miles, recently purchased, and the ignition locked up, preventing me from even turning my key. The steering column locked up, too.

The ignition of our 2000 Ford Focus wagon became stuck stranding my wife. To make matters worse AAA jerked her around for more than two hours tring to send a locksmith about a mile and a half. The locksmith smacked the wheel which allowed the key to turn. We won the Cold War and can't make a lock?

Here's a solution to the Ford Focus ignition problem as per advice from AAA automotive locksmith who repairs hundreds of Focus locks every year. The OEM lock has a faulty design and is made by Huf in Germany. It's failed me twice. The locksmith replaced it with a Strattec #707592 lock which is very reliable and, surprisingly, installed by Ford in other vehicles such as Explorer. Why Ford continues to install Huf locks in the Focus is beyond belief, although it does provide dealers with recurring profit. Do not go back to Ford with this problem. If you are an AAA member use one of their certified automotive locksmiths or look in the yellow pages to find one.

Same problem... 2003 Ford Focus 59K miles. Locked ignition 3 times in the last 2 days. I haven't called Ford yet, but I agree this should be a recall if all of these cars have the same problem. I won't be buying Ford again either. This shouldn't happen.

I went to start my 2002 Ford Focus ZX3 and found I couldn't turn the key in the ignition. I looked to see if this was one of the recalls and found that although hundreds of people, and maybe even thousands, have similar problems, Ford has not stepped up to the plate and addressed this issue. Instead of fixing a known and frequent faulty ignition, they are making the repeated fixing of the problem the cost of the consumer. This smacks of shoddy and slippery business, and I for one am going to see my attorney to see if I can get a class-action suit initiated. This is totally unacceptable, and I for one will never buy a Ford product again.

Well it is 12/3/06 in chicago, the temperature was 19 degrees and much lower considering windchill. A great day for my 2000 focus (or should it be fucus) to have its ignition lock. This is the second time in less than 80,000 miles. That is not supposed to happen. I really hope Ford reads all these complaints... their sure are a lot.

For months I've had problems when I put the key into the ignition of my 2002 ford focus. Sometimes it will turn, sometimes it won't. Well tonight was the end all to this situation. I was parked behind my boyfriend and attempted to move my car so he could get to work early in the morning. We tried for over an our in the cold to start the car. Over and Over and Over again but the key would NOT turn. Thank God I have AAA and a dealership less than two miles away. I've always had a high regard for Ford because my dad has worked form them for over 20 years. His factory recently closed...Now I think I know why...

2000 ford focus ignition switch locked...banged a few times with hammer as suggested...it turned...but would not turn on

I have a Ford Focus 2003. It now has 67,000 miles on it. It had problems as soon as I bought it. I bought it used at about 15,000 miles in spring 2004. The CD player broke, wouldn't eject or play cd's. It was replaced under waranty. This may not be in chronological order btw. The front brakes went. I took it in several times and was told they were fine, but I knew they weren't. Finally. they said my brakes and rotors were bad.

I have a 2002 Ford Focus ZX5 which seems to have the same problem in which everyone else is complaining about: the key will not turn in the ignition. It seems as if the entire stearing column is locked and the car will not start. When this happened the first time, we called the Ford Dealership, which to my dismay told us that this was a very common problem, but was not in recall.

My key would not go into the ingnition tonight. I immediately got online to see if this was a common problem and this is where I ended up. So. There you have it. I hate Ford. I will never buy their cars again.

was having problems with getting my key to turn in my ignition i thought it was the steering wheel not letting me do it so i didnt give it much thought as it would eventually turn over and start. my key was a little worn out so i thought it was that so when it wouldn't start this morning i had it towed up to the ford dealer to get a new key no big deal 90 bucks...when they told me my ignition was bad making my key wear out quick and 402 dollars later i am very upset that a known problem like this could be tossed aside by ford not to mention my warranty just expired 6 months ago and this was a problem that could not occur overnight. way to go ford on taking care of your customers no wonder your stock is going down. i will never buy another ford again EVER and i will tell my friends,family and co workers to do the same...

As my wife was trying to get to work via dropping my 6 year old off at school she was unable to start the car due to a stuck ignition switch. This problem is not isolated and Ford needs to take notice. If quality is job one and they are resturcturing their company in an effort to compete they are going about that the wrong way. They need to stand behind their product and put their mouth where their money is.

Add me to the list. My ignition cylinder locked up. I'm getting it towed to the dealer and fixed tomorrow. It will cost $200-$300. I'm going back to HONDA.

My key in the ignition switch will not turn on. I have been stranded at several places for various amounts of time. My only work-around' is to leave the key in the switch after I turn off the car to ensure it will start the next time. I cover the steering column with a towel to hide the key.

My Ford Focus, 2002 SE has a locked up ignition key lock, the key will not turn to free up the sreering wheel. I see on the internet that numerous complaints about this problem exsist and Ford does not want a recall.

I'm having the same problem as many others, my key would not turn, the ignition was stuck, thank god my boyfriends dad taught me the trick of hitting the key a few times so it would finally turn, i now have to pay over $200 to get it fixed and thats through a friend fixing it!! I think it's time ford does something about recalling this, it seems to happen ater about 30k miles.

My 2000 Ford Focus now seems to have the common problem of the key not turning in the ignition. I was stranded at a friends house until the early hours of the morning the other night trying to get it to turn until I gave up and walked home. The local Ford dealership in town when I called them about it the next day told me it sounded like my key was the problem and it would cost $100 to get a new key. I'm glad I went on here first and discovered I am not even close to the only who has this problem. Had I listened to the dealer I would have shelled out $100 for something that wouldn't have worked! I tried the tapping on the end of the key with a small hammer trick which worked and I got my car home. Now it looks like I'm in for a long road of $300 ignition switch replacements. I will never buy a Ford again. Not only is their product substandard, they won't fix this problem because no one has died yet as a result. And customer service is obviously an issue as well because their service department lied to me regarding a solution when I'm sure he knew what my real problem was.

I have recently encountered the on going problem with the ford focus ignition switches. I have talked to everyone i know and it is going to cost upwards of $350 to replace with the possibilty of damaging my steering column which i would have to replace at expenses to me.

I went to the post office, turned off my car, removed the key and went into the post office to retieve mail. Returning to the car, attempted to place key in the ignition and could not. Luckily, my service station manager was also in the post office and he came and attempted to help me--he also was unable to get the key in the ignition. He towed my car to his service station and six days later my car ignition was fixed but when they started the car, the engine started smoking and squealing. He found the the alternater had frozen and the serpentine belt was smoking. So now I am waiting for the alternater to be fixed.

2000 Ford Focus ignition switch has failed (won't turn), for the second time in 80,000 mi.

I came across this complaint board after lookiing for - guess what- information regarding my 2002 Ford Focus that has had nothing but problems since I bought. I read all the complaints and I felt as if I lived everyone's experience. Last night, my car starting smoking as I was driving through the Lowe's parking lot. I had my 3 children in the back, one of whom is an infant. I parked and told the the 2 oldest (4 and 7) to unbuckle and get out of the car, and then took the baby out of the car. It was about 45 degrees outside. I stood and watched my car smoke from a busted hose that blew out all the coolant. I watched my husband run across the parking lot thinking our lives were in danger. I stood there and wished the car would go up in flames so we could just claim it on insurance and get something decent. Unfortunately, it just one ting in a long list of things we'll have to fix. I will NEVER buy another Ford. I have even repeated this to my father, who was a die hard Ford fan for many years. Ford has killed its reputation. I will buy GM or other cars from this point forward.

Add me to the list - drove to a friends house and hours later came out to have my focus ignition locked! I have had this carr since 2000 and honestly for the last 100k it has run pretty good (went thru all the recalls and problem parts in teh firs year as I put 36k on it) Anyway - did a search online and found all the others with the same problems. We hit the key with a HAMMER! and got it to turn over- However we will now need to get teh ignition cylinder replaced. This should be recalled!!!! but with all the problems ford is having - well it sounds like FORD trying to not go out of business to me!

My 2000 Focus is a piece of junk. The ignition switched has been replaced 3 times, and is jamming again. Ford continues to insist that I pay for these replacements despite the fact that they keep on installing faulty parts.

My wifes 02 Ford Focus has joined the club. Today the key would not release from the ignition. Upon calling my warranty company. The response was universal This is a common issue and we are not sure why Ford hasn't issued a recall My warranty will cover it this time, but what about next time. Thank god we are going back to TOYOTA.

Now that I have read several accounts of the same problem that I encountered tonight, I know that I am not alone. Without any provocation, my key will not turn the ignition switch in my 2003 Ford Focus.

My 2003 Ford Focus SE had the ignition lock up leaving me stranded in a seedy part of town unable to start my car. I had the ignition cylinder replaced at a cost of $317 and am told to expect to have to replace it again.

I also had to replace the ignition switch. My daughter and I were stranded in 101 heat in the summer while she ws pregnant. The AAA locksmith had to come and put in a new switch and told me this was very common with Ford Focus'. Now I am having problems with the lock on the trunk of the car. Has anyone else had this problem?? The trunk will not open even with the key..I also have not receieved a recall for my back doors, I heard that there was one for faulty locks. Maybe Ford should think about replacing all the locks and ignition systems. I will consider buying something other than a Ford next time if they can not satisfy their customers.!

My 2001 Focus ZX3 has had the traction control light staying on for long periods of time when it wasn't actually activating. I had the dealership diagnose the problem and they said the ABS module is bad. I waited for a while to get it worked on as the car was out of warranty-the problem showed up at about 55K miles--and I didn't have the money to fix it at the time.

My bro. bought a 2003 ford focus for me. The ignition would not turn and left me stranded. I had to pay to have the car towed to the dealer and pay for a new ignition that had to be re-programmed. Now, today, the transmission is slipping with only 72k miles. The tires have been changed on the rear and the front need to be changed as well. I could not afford to buy all four at one time. Now, I pray that I do not have to replace the transmission. Waiting to hear from the diagnostic being run on the car today.

From the day I drove my Focus home I've had problems. If the temperature goes above 85 degrees outside my car vapor locks and wont drive for several hours. After it cools down I can go about 20 more miles before it breaks down again. The design of where the gas line runs along your engine is the stupidest thing its like some designer out there intentionally built the car under the understanding that it would ofter breakdown and cost the owner thousands of dollars to fix. Turning a cheap car into the most expensive piece of **** I've ever owned. Secondly my ignition switch went out. Now I own several cars that have close to 200,000 miles on them with their original switch and my Ford Focus one just happens to go out at 80,000 miles wow one thing after another will it ever stop and will a recall ever happen for these crappy cars.

I brought a 2001 LX Ford Focus for my daughter. It's her first car from a private party in October 2006. It was out of warranty but in good condition I thought? The fourth week I was Lucky that I parked the car in a friends business parking lot where it stayed for 4 days until the towing company took care of me.

2000 ford focus ignition lock lock-up. Add me to the list. Left me stranded with 2 children at night, had to abandon car. from what i see online there needs to be a recall.

Ford Focus 2002 Ignition Switch either locks up and doesn't work, or if it works the Gears will not change. This has been happening sporadically ever since I have owned the car. The dealer replaced the ignition switch twice, and gave new keys. The third time I called the dealer, they were very rude and told me on a Friday, that they could not get to it until Tuesday the following week. I was stranded 8 miles from home at the time.

2002 Mercury Sable - replaced front coil springs last year after one went through front tire. Now, I was informed by my repair shop one of the rear springs is broken. Apparently this is a major problem, as prior models were recalled for the same problem, and on this site there are numerous complaints dealing with the same problem. Something needs to be done!

We just recently had to have the ignition switch replaced in our 2000 Ford Focus. I am shocked at all of the people who have had the same problem. How dare Ford act like this is not their responsibility to correct this defect? I bet Chevrolet would correct the problem. I will never buy a Ford again just for the very simple fact that they don't think a person being stranded (because of a sub-standard Ford product) is a safety issues. Aside from the fact that recalls should be based on quality of product not whether or not Ford thinks it could be considered safe or not. I was in the hospital just having surgery to remove cancer and my husband went to leave the hospital and he was stranded. He is a firefighter/medic and he relies on his car to get him to and from work so that he can keep others safe. I assure Ford that as far as we are concerned, we will be the best advertisers against Ford. My husband will be certain to advise any of his fellow firefighter/medic friends to think twice before they visit their neighborhood Ford dealership for their new purchase. We have always been Ford fans. We bought one of the first Sport Tracs that came out. I will certainly switch my loyalty to Chevy from now on. They at least will replace things that they acknowledge are not up to the superior quality that they expect to have in their products. Shame on Ford Motor Company. Something that could have cost them very little in replacing the faulty ignition switches with a better quality switch will cost them thousands, hopefully millions, in future sales because they refuse to have the customer service and quality assurance that other car companies pride themselves on. No wonder Ford has to close some of their factories. Serves them right. Here we come Chevy!!!!

My 16 year old daughter had been saving her money for several years. At the end of August she used all of her savings to buy a 2001 Ford Focus. Two months later she is having to replace the ignition due to it being locked. We tried everything to get it to start. She was left stranded because of this.

I too had ignition problems with my Ford Focus. I ended up paying over $400.00 to replace the ignition in my car. I went to my car and the key would go in but would not turn! When I talked to the guys at the dealership they told em the same thing....it is very common on the focus but it has not been recalled. If it is such a problem they need to do something about this. They are just milking us for money. I am a single mother and it is very difficult for me to find that kind of money to fix a car. Needless to say, I told the people at the dealership and everyone else I know that I will not be buying a FORD ever again. I would much rather ride my little huffy bike in a blizzard before I invest any money into another ford!!!

Add another to the list of Focus owners whose key would not go into the ignition! This little repair was quoted at $530 (Cdn) and comes less than 2 weeks after another little replacement of the thermostat! Why buy a domestic vehicle? The answer is because you keep pumping money into the economy due to the constant repairs needed!

ignition locked up in my ford focus and i looked up my problem online and found out that thousands of people have suffered from the same malfunctin with the ignition locking up but ford has not acknowledge yet that this is a problem which it should be maybe some one can stand up to ford and get some justice for all of us victims.

Ignition switch failed on my 2003 ford focus zx3.

I have a ignition problem. When i try to start my car. I put the key in the ignition and tried to turn it but it would not turn untill i beat it with my hand as hard as i could, and that took about 20 minutes to work.

I returned to my 2003 Focus in the college parking lot and my key would not turn in the ignition. I was stranded, and preceded to walk to the nearest road and thankfully a coworker saw me and gave me a ride home. I guess until I can get rid of this heap of junk, I should never leave home without my cellphone.

Essentially the same problems as everyone else. I bought my 2001 Focus in... 2001. One year later I was stuck in the middle of nowhere with a car that wouldn't turn in the dead of a minnesota winter with no cell phone and no prayer. Luckily a good soul drove by dropped me off at a service station and we got it winched(while grinding the gears because it couldn't be put in neutral). $700 dollars later a poor college student was made poorer. Fast forward to 2006 on a friday getting ready for a job interview to fly out on Friday evening. My car key doesn't work again and I miss my flight. At any rate, it took the tow company around three hours to get there and it was just a pain. Now I'm doing the smart thing and getting a locksmitch to replace the whole ignition with a non-ford part for $275. A funny side note, I requested from the ford dealership to put in a non-focus or even non-ford ignition and they refused... said it didn't work. That was a lie on top of a $700 bill.

This has happened twice now to my 2003 Ford Focus wagon. The car started and drove fine, but on two occassions when I went to restart it the steering wheel would not turn, nor would the ignition. The first time after about 30 minutes of trying and switching keys it started. The second time, it would not start. A friend called a friend who worked at a Ford dealer and he said he has worked on numerous Focus' that had the same problem. A quick fix he said to get it home would be to tap the key with a hard object while turning. It did work. He said something about springs not matching up to the key unless it is tapped. This should be a recall as I have read on the Internet where this is happening to people over and over. Ford needs to take responsibility for the defect.

I bought a 2002 Ford Focus new. At 14,000 miles I had to replace the brake shoes, pads and rotors. At 55,000 approx. miles I started hearing a vibrating noise when I turned right. I took my car in to Tires Plus and they said I needed new wheel bearings. I replaced them at a cost of $364. I got in the car to leave and noticed it was making the same noise as when I brought it in. I went back inside and they told me to bring it back the next day. The next day they said it needed shocks and struts. I made an appointment and took the car in for that repair. When I picked up the car they charged me $770 for this repair. I again got in the car to leave and guess what? It was still the same as when I went in. I went right back inside and they said I needed a new axle which they would do for just the part (they would cover the labor) which would be $75. I told them I didn't have $75. They said they wanted me to be happy so they would replace it for no charge. Which they did and guess what? I got in the car and no change whatsoever. They said they just couldn't figure out what the problem was and that I should check with Ford to see if they had any kind of recall for this problem. The noise is now worse than ever and I am planning to take it to the dealer. Oh by the way, my rear driver side window stopped working at 18,000 miles. Ford fixed it and 2 weeks later I heard a nut or bolt drop to the bottom of the door and it could not be raised or lowered. Now the front driver side window is the same way. What a piece of junk this car is.

I was moving to washington from california and i packed up my car with all of my stuff, including all of my clothes, shoes, purses...and i began my drive, less than ten min into my drive my 2001 ford focus starts smoking really bad. the smoke was coming inside from the outside, it was very bad so i pulled over and ran out of my car only grabbing my cell phone. Within two min the car catches fire from the bottom spreading everywhere.. and within fifteen min my whole car is destroyed with everything i had in it. i have suffered an extreme loss of all my stuff. and i think ford is responsible for the loss. and not to mention before my drive i had gone in and had my car all checked out for any problems.

Ignition cylander froze up in my 2000 Ford Focus. I hear this is a common problem with Focus owners that Ford denies to be a defect with this car.

I FEEL STUPID FOR EVER EVER EVER BUYING A FORD FOCUS. This piece of crap car has cost me over 4,000 dollars to fix and I bought it because that was all I could afford. I have had to replace the transmission. NOW THE BACK WINDOWS WILL NOT GO UP!!!! $102.00 JUST TO LOOK AT IT!! I am so tired of feeling like I have been had. I thought that I would never be on of those people who got screwed at a dealership but I am. I do not know what I am going to do. It is going to be winter and I cannot have my windows rolled down. I HAVE BEEN F***** BY FORD

Ford Focus Ignition switch locked up - won't turn. Stranded.10/3/06 Any recalls?

I just wanted to add my complaint to the list for the ford focus. I have a 2000 model honestly other than the recalls it's been going pretty good until.... I went to the gas station filled up my car paid got back to my car and it would not start. Towed it in to the mechanic. Found out I need a new engine. How does a 6 year old car engine just break down like that. A piston rod broke and therefore the entire engine needs to be replaced $2,000 later I will get back my car. Ford quoted me $4,000 for a new engine plus labour would have cost more than the car is worth.

Purchased a Ford Focus SE 2003. Had originally gone to the dealership to buy a used Taurus but the finance people said that Ford wanted to finance me a more reliable vehicle and that the Focus would be a perfect fit for me. Since then, I have had the brakes replaced 4 times and the rotors have been replaced twice. Have also had to replace the front wheel bearings. This car has had to be aligned 4 times and I have over $4,000 in repairs on a vehicle with less than 70,000 miles. The tires are wearing out on the car every six months and have to be replaced.

Went to work 11pm Sept 30, 2006. Got out of work, my ignition froze, can't do a thing. Being Sunday of course nothing was open, got a ride home and now have to get the car into the dealership. This is so not good, can't afford it and how can a person sell a car and not tell you the problems reported on them. I thought it was a law, having to expose these things. Well I won't buy another one and since I bought my car the trunk lock has never worked right. Instead of going back and forth to the dash release I just use the safety relase that is in the trunk to close my trunk. This I have taken to the dealership but their answer after 3 times of adjusting and oiling is I don't close the trunk right... Please....I'll fix my car. I have to. I'm single and have just this car. But I will try to get Ford to reemburse me even if it means a trip to small claims/ Wish me luck.

My 2001 Ford Focus had locked up on me a few times but I was always able to turn the wheel or make sure the gear shift was in place. But this time I could not get it to turn.

2003 Ford Focus ignition switch falls apart and key won't turn.

I bought my Ford Focus in October of 2003, the key always felt a little funny to me. Just this past weekend I was leaving work at midnight and it took me a half hour just to get the car started. The key would not turn. I called to see about getting the repairs done. I was told that the price would depend on if the ignition would have to be reprogramed or not. The mechanic called a ford dealership. 2 Days later I am still sitting here without a car because he can not get the key turned to mess with the ignition. Now I am being told that the whole steering wheel has to come off in order for him to fix it. When he called the ford dealership he was told that there have been a lot of Focuses with that same problem. So here I sit with no car.

tell everybody you know never to buy a ford focus.this vehicle is a death trap.how could a vehicle just lost power while driving a 60 miles/hour.this is what happened to me.i could have caused a major accident with people losing their lives.i was just about to change lanes when the vehicle shuts off.i managed to slowdown to the er lane.after that it would not start.i need a sticker that reads do not buy ford focus to put on the vehicle.it will be good public service. i will be saving lives.

I had a 2000 Ford Focus XTS. The car was paid off and I kept it in great shape, brake changes, oil change, etc. Well two days ago, I was going to work, smoke starts coming out of the fuse box. Within MINUTES, the car was on fire. I grabbed my night bag and within the next couple of minutes, the car was GONE. It was engulfed in flames. WHY? I go to Ford's website, looked up recalls, put in my VIN and nothing. However, other models of my car same year had problems. I researched this and yes, other owners of the same car had the same thing happen... fires and more fires. I did NOTHING. Ford is to blame. I only had liability insurance and now I am screwed out of a car. I drive a big rig and I am not home a lot. My father Bruce is at the number I listed and he knows the details. I had mild burns, nothing serious and this whole fire thing screwed my job and my life up! I am mad, but what can I do?

I have the same problem as hundreds of other Focus owners where the stearing wheel locks up and the keys won't turn. I called the dealership to see what I could do and they said I needed a new key. $210 plus tow for a new key and that isn't even the problem. My steering wheel still after researching online I found that people had spent hundreds of dollars on replacing keys and iginitions when in actuality it is a manufacturers defect that FORD doesn't want to acknowledge. How frustrating!!!

Ford Focus: Midnight near Ground Zero, the ignition key won't turn. 70,000 miles on car and had to leave it and rent a car. $500.00 repair bill later, I drove back to CT. At 100,00 it happened again. Tried some WD-40 and then I remebered a post on the web. Hit the key in slightly with a small hammer and the tumbler engaged. had to do this every time I started the car. Finally went to local auto repair shop; he had replaced dozens with a non-Ford ignition: total cost to me $150.00. Solution: tap it in and drive to your local auto repair station

Took my 2003 Focus for under coat inspection and the vehicle would not start when I was ready to leave. Service adviser said the ignition failed and it is a common problem with the Focus vehicle. Repair cost is $274.46. He said this item should definitely be recalled?

The ignition on my 2000 Ford Focus would get stuck and one of the following situations would occur: 1) Key will not come out of ignition, 2) Key will only go half into ignition, 3) Key will go into ignition, but won't turn so I can't start the car! I have had the key stuck in my ignition when I go into work in the morning, and I had to leave the key in the ignition with newspaper covering it so no one sees that I have the key in it! Our parking lot isn't exactly the safest. This is ridiculous. Ford needs to repair it!

Add me to the endless Ford Focus Ignition Freeze list. I got stuck in front of Target, with groceries (ice cream, of course) and nothing! Had to walk miles to get home.

I bought a 2001 Ford Focus in 2002. Regardless of my keeping up with maintenace this car has been sputtering, losing power, engine light comes on often and the coil pack went out. There have been a whole host of problems, not to mention the recalls I had to take it in for.

Steering wheel & ignition locked up on Ford Focus 2003, key won't turn, left me stranded!!

My Ford Focus ZX5 is another one to see the failure of the ignition. I researched this car before i purchased it and it looked good for what i needed. How wrong I was. I see that there are many complaints about this car and its ignition. I ask my self why should I (or anyone for that matter) be stuck paying for this defect when Ford is fully aware of this ongoing problem. The only answer I can come up with is that the almighty dollar is king, and this car company wants nothing to do with truth,honor and respect for the consumer that puts food on their tables and fancy cars in their garages. Thanks Ford - Thanks for stealing our money.

I have a 2001 Ford Focus SE. The Ignition Switch is not working. My ignition key will not go into the ignition switch, dealer is not conceding to repair this switch, I am totally stranded, stressssed out, still have to make payments, dealer continously inquiring about payments, but not trying to assist me in paying for this manufacturer default. I have contacted all who I can think of to assist me with this problem. I am tired of walking, I have stress headaches over this problem.

I recently purchased a 2002 Ford Focus back in May of this year. I had stopped at the gas station and cut my car off to go to the cashier and pumped by gas and got in the car and it would not start. I tried everything to get the car to start and the key would not turn at all in the ignition. I got the car towed to a ford dealership and received a rental car only to find out that the warranty doesn't cover a lock cylinder. Now I have to pay $500 plus the charge for the rental car. I really don't understand why this part is not a recall if so many people are having the same problem. I have been sitting at my desk crying all morning and trying to figure out what I am going to do. I really want to give the car back.

The ignition lock failed on my 2000 Ford Focus. Bought brand new and has very low mileage (just over 30,000) I had to pay $432.25 to replace the lock at Ford of Orange (CA). Happened in the parking lot at a branch post office in Orange, California. I am 73 years old with a bad knee. I had to stand around waiting for my wife to bring the other car and for a tow truck to haul my Focus to the Ford dealership. That gets painful for me.

The ignition switch on my 2000 Ford Focus ZX3 just failed for the second time. I stepped out of my car for less than one minute, just long enough to unlock my office door and grab a sheet of paper. When I jumped back in the car to drive to another building nothing. These problems are costly. In the last five years I have bought three sets of tires (I finally got a set specifically for my low-profile vehicle), replaced the fuel pump and filter, and the ignition switch. Each time I took my car to be serviced all recalls were taken care of which I appreciated, but I was astounded to hear that my ignition switch did not have a recall on it and that it was due to my key going dull at the end (that was the explanation the dealership gave me). They also charged me almost $500.00 for parts, labor, and another set of keys (which they tied to the old set that they say caused the problem and gave them all back to me at once). I'm surprised that there are so many complaints about this problem, also that customer friendly Ford has not seen it fit to fix the problem. Please add my name to the list of people with complaints. I seriously hope Ford will take some action about this immediately.

I stopped in to ask the guy if there was a recall on my 2001 Ford Focus fuel pump, as I had heard there was and I was having trouble. He said it would cost $300.00 for pump and $200.00 for labor, but no recall. Then he showed me a stack of fuel pumps and said SOME cars had a recall, but looked up my VIN and said that I did not have one. Now I looked on this website, and see that, indeed, there is a product improvement program to recall the part. In the meantime, I was stranded, missed work, and had to buy and replace the part myself.

The car is a 2003 Focus and the steering wheel locked. No abuse nothing from the normal, wife drives the car back and forth to work and we take some trips etc. 2003 now is August 20, 2006 three years and that problem should not exist! Checked in the complain area; other Focus cars have the same problem. I am a Ford buyer, I own a 1991Aaerostar to now no problem with the ignition cylinder. The car also has a 100,000 mile warranty I can not complain about this car except that this part shows defect and is not fair to the customers to absorb the defect cost.

I own a 2003 Ford Focus. I have had front end alignment problems with ever since I bought it. I even called my salesman after only three days and he told me to check the pressure in my tires! Like I am too stupid to figure that out. I have bought three sets of tires in the past year and have had the car aligned several times. Now I am told the Focus has a problem with wheel bearings going out causing an alignment problem and the dealership tells me there is nothing they can do. Also I have had my ignition freeze had to have the car towed, and my transmission is slipping. What next?

Unfortunately, add me to the list of consumers burned by the Ford Focus ignition problem. I wasn't in any danger, it stuck at home, but I am disappointed there is no recall for this widespread problem. The tow and replacement cost me $325. Even in just my small town, the guy who towed me said he had THREE Focus ignition problems just that week! I bought the Focus because it was economical, or so I thought. I'm a single mom, trying to make ends meet, and this was a real set back for me. I've been reading more about the Focus, and I'm just hoping some of those other dangerous problems don't happen to me! I just think there should be a recall on this.

My ignition is locked. There is no way to start car. Key would not turn and had to be towed to dealer. Found out it is not covered under warranty (2000 Ford Focus) Tow truck driver says he picks up at least 10 cars a week for same problem and Ford should acknowledge this problem as a recall.

My 2000 Ford Focus key won't work to start the ignition...sounds like quite the common problem. I had to replace the ignition and the locksmith told me that the Focus is notorious for this problem. Also, I'm curious if other people have had to change out the window motors, as I've had to replace 3 of my 4 window motors in the past couple years. The windows actually dropped into the doors and the only way to raise them was to replace the motor in the window. Another costly repair.

I too, just replaced my ignition lock cylinder FOR THE THIRD TIME. The first two times it was under warranty, this time it cost me $430. The man at the dealership said this problem was caused by my key wearing down and damaging the ignition. I know plenty of people who have owned cars for 10+ years and never had a key wear down. Ridiculous! I am absolutely fed up and disgusted with the product Ford has provided and will not buy another.

My 2001 Ford Focus is a pile of junk! I have all the same problems listed above. The car overheats, stalls, hesitates, rattling noises, tailgate doesn't latch, iginition won't turn, dome light fuse and rear defroster went, u name it, it has happened to my car. I also am a single mother of three and have spent more money then I have trying to keep it running. Ford rip off is what it should be called. The mechanics can never seem to find what is exactly wrong and I wind up stranded with 3 kids on the side of the highway. It is ridiculous that Ford gets away with producing a car that is not reliable or dependable. Not to mention I'm only getting 17 mpg out of it!

I am now replacing my third ignition cylinder. I called the tow company to retrieve my car and told the woman I drive a Ford Focus and she said let me guess, you can't turn it on.

The ignition on my 2001 Ford Focus locked up in late 2004. I was stranded in the middle of a county park at dusk. Required to wait for a tow-truck. After all was said and done it cost me nearly $500.00 for the new ignition which required a new key and the tow fee included. Currently the ignition is difficult to turn. It requires hitting the key and pushing the car into neutral. I fear this is going to cost another ignition, tow and new key.

2000 Ford Focus ignition locked up and now we are going to be out the money to have it towed and fixed. Sounds like a real issue out there that Ford doesn't want to take care of.

I bought a Ford Focus in November of 2000. In 2003 my ignition refused to let me turn the key over at all and I ended up having to have the car towed three hours to the nearest Ford Dealership to have the ignition re-done because they said that it was warped. After this time, the car has had 7 recalls to it. The car was under warranty at the time and I didn't have to pay for the work done to it. Now in 2006 the same problem has occurred. I was trapped in Spokane Washington for 3 hours trying to get my car started and it would not even allow me to turn it over once again.

I just wanted to let you know that we purchased a 2004 Ford Focus and we are also having the ignition problem that was described by others. We were in front of Home Depot - about 40 minutes away from our home and it locked up on us. We had driven the car around town all day and this was our second to last stop.

I have a 2000 Ford Focus. This will be the second time in less than 2 years that I have had to replace the ignition cylinder. I also had to replace the transmission in the car at 54,000 miles. I have looked on the Internet and found numerous people that have had the ignition problem. Where is the recall?

I bought a 2003 Ford Focus from Anderson Ford about a day & a half ago. As a lot of people do, I impulsively bought the vehicle and felt pressured into it. As I drove off the lot the vehicle started smoking!

The Ford Focus ignition is a terrible problem. In July 2005 I went to the car at 7.30am to go to work and drop my son of at pre-school. I put the key in the ignition and it would not turn. I had to call a mobile locksmith who finished taking out the ignition and replacing it at 3.30pm.

I have a 2000 Ford Focus, and have had two incidents where the key gets stuck in the ignition.

Every time it rains and the roads are a little wet, the power steering goes out on my 2003 Ford Focus LX. It makes the vehicle impossible to maneuver and has almost caused numerous car accidents since all I can do is go straight instead of turning where I need to go or just following around a road that curves.

I have the same problems with my Ford Focus the thousands of people have. The ignition key won't turn. I have to replace the whole cylinder and make extra keys. Its not my fault the key is not working right.

I have a 2001 Ford Focus. When I went to the grocery store on Mother's day I came back out of the store to discover that my ignition key would not turn. It also seems after a very short search on the Internet, that many of other Focus owners have this same problem.

I too have had my ignition lock up on my Ford Focus 2000. It happened while my children and I were in a remote camping site.

My 2000 Ford Focus is nothing but trouble. We had to replace the ignition switch for $300. Then the wheel bearing went. The Ford dealership said the recall just ran out, so we had to pay another $600 for that. Then the seat belt stopped working for no reason.

I recently had my ignition on my Ford Focus lock up on me and the key would not turn over and my car was unable to be started. I had to have my car towed home and so for the last four months I have had to save money to cover the cost to have a faulty ignition and new key set for the car.

My 2003 Ford Focus with less than 30,000 miles has a problem with the ignition. I put my key in and it would not turn. I was told by the dealer and by the tow-truck driver that this is very very common so I thought it should be a recall and I checked online. What I found was that it wasn't recalled but it was indeed a problem. I have not found a website without a complaint about the ignition on the focus.

Ford Focus - Ignition I have a 2001 Ford Focus and was just stranded for several hours because the ignition cylinder wouldn't turn. This is ridiculous. When does Ford have a responsibility to its customers to fix an obvious manufacturing flaw?

My neighbor and I got talking about our Ford Focus, hers is a 2004 & mine a 2001. We have the same ignition locking problem. She spent $300 to have it repaired, I keep my key in the ignition at all times to keep it from locking up again. What can we do to get Ford to recall and fix this problem.

I am finding out that this ignition problem is very common. My 2000 Focus ignition broke after 22k while traveling to my relatives Easter weekend which stranded us in a snowstorm. When the ignition went out we couldn’t start the car to keep warm.

I guess I am among the many with the same ignition problem. I am unable to turn the key. It initially happened a few months ago, but now it is a done deal. My car has been out of commission for 2 days so far, and waiting for the part to come in. Ford does not seem interested in what is perceived by many to be a common problem. Might also want to complain to the BBB, might get some action that way.

It seems the Ford Focus (2003) has had many problems with the ignition seizing up and having to pay to have it replaced. Our service manager at McNelly-Whaley Ford(Dolly Parton Pkwy.) has said there have been any customers with the same problem.

Ignition switch lock-up for the second time. Dealership wanted $655 to fix the first time plus $127 to make a new key. Ford tells me they have had no complaints for this problem.

I bought a brand new 2003 Ford Focus ZTS 3 years ago. Within the first year my auto trunk lock jammed and malfunctions all the time. By the second year my alternator went out and had to be replaced. In my recent third year I'm seeping fluid in the rear cylinders, needing front rotors and pads, rear shoes and springs. I do all the regular maintenance as needed and I only have 41,000 miles on the car. The car exterior and interior are immaculate.

My 2000 Ford Focus had an ignition issue last night. After work, while I was ready to go home, my car key would not start. I called the Ford company in Elmhurst where I normally bring in for services and they ask me to apply WD40 and try it but did not work. This morning, I had my car towed and also a new key cylinder is changed. Apart from that, my husband did a research on line and found that I am not the first person to have this issue. There are alot of unhappy people with this issue on Ford Focus. Infact, the state of California has the cars recalled. Worst of all, even the guy who was towing my car to the nearest FORD Dealer told me that he has towed more than a dozen Ford Focus cars with the same issue. I hope that FORD will look into this issue and come up with a solution.

Ignition has gone out two times on a 2001 Ford Focus SE Wagon that only has 74,635 miles on it.

I am currently the owner of a 2001 Ford Focus LX, VIN #1FAFP33P51W258860. Which i purchased new from Zumwalt Ford in ST. Helena CA. Since purchasing the vehicle, I have had four ignition switches replaced due to the ignition locking up and not turning. The company (Ford) covered two of the repairs under warranty. The last two repairs I paid for out of pocket and were quite expensive. Currently my ignition switch is locked up again.

My husband and I recently purchased a 2000 Ford Focus for his mother and she has had problems with not just the back doors but also the front door latching. We recently received a notice about the recall on the back door latches and we called to have it fixed my mother in-law stated that she is having the same problem with the front doors as well and the people at Fucillo told her that ford will not fix them because it is not on the recall. I am a little upset about this now I will not be able to allow the kids in the car with her because they sit in the front seat and they could very easly fall out of the car because the front latches are just as defective as the back.

2002 Focus 4 door with 18,100 miles and just outside 36 mo warranty had to have front rotors replaced - Ford dealership said TOUGH LUCK - cost would be $290.oo and Ford refused to help. Took to off-site garage and had them fixed for $170. THEN FORD says should have gotten fixed at authorized dealership.

I own a 2000 Ford Focus and a few months ago the ignition cylinder broke. I had to call a tpw truck just to get the car to the shop and when the tow truck came, the driver told me (as did the mechanic at the shop) that this is a common problem with the Ford Focus.

I own a 2000 Ford Focus and I am having ignition and brake problems.I have been having problems with the brakes since I've had the car and I have attempted to have the brakes repaired over a dozen times. To no avail my brakes continue to give me problems.Tonight I was left stranded as my car ignition switch will not move.I know that many other Focus owners have had problems with the ignition and the brakes. I just wanted to share my story with others that may be in the same sitiuation as me.

The ignition on my Ford Focus failed like it did with so many other people it seems. I was not aware of this until I went to look for a new one, and lo and behold, this might be the most common problem with the car (mine's 2003). Of course it happened at a very inopportune moment when I had to meet someone visiting from outside the country. Instead my car spent almost a week in the shop waiting for a new part. Sounds like its time for another recall.

I purchased a used 2001 Ford Focus in March of 2002. It had 43,895 miles when I purchaed it. I've had odd ball problems and recalls but this problem has never been recalled and is becoming expensive. At 68,055 miles on October 15, 2004 I had the ignition switch replaced at the dealership along with the steering column because my key was getting stuck in the ignition and I could not start the car. The bill with taxes totaled 363.68.

I own a 2003 Ford Focus and for the second time in less than a year I'm having to replace the ignition. How is Ford getting away with this?! From what I'm reading people have had this problem since the 2000 Focus but we still have to come out of pocket and pay for this.

I bought a used 2003 FordFfocus on Jan 31,2005. on Feb 17, 2005 I could not turn the key when I put the key in the ignition. I had to have it towed to the service department and was without it for 3 days. The ignition had to be replaced it cost 203.50. Well on Jan 4,2005 the same thing happened again. I have not even had the car for a year year yet and the ignition needs to be replaced again and so it is going to cost me another 140.00, a discount since they had already replaced it before, but i still have to tow over there again.

The ignition is toast on my Ford Focus at 54,000 miles. I was left stranded in San Francisco in a parking lot. I tried to get the wheel to unlock and the key to turn in the ignition, but it wouldn't budge. As I've read, this is a common problem with these vehicles. I demand some sort of recall on this part. I read on the internet that you put the key in the ignition and pound the tip of the key a couple times and then the ignition unlocks and the key turns. It worked, but is a hassle because you have to do it everytime you put the key in the ignition.

On Christmas Day my 3-yr-old daughter and I were stranded because my 2002 Ford Focus key would not turn in the ignition. Had car towed, called Ford next morning said he knew what it was without even looking told me it happens all the time with this car. Ruined our Christmas and cost 350 dollars to fix. Have heard from several owners that this has happened to them and some 2 or 3 times. Why isn't this being recalled? I have to take my babys christmas presents back to pay for something that should of never happened. This isn't the only problem I've had with this car and the biggest piece of junk that ford has ever made.

The ignition cylinder on my 2003 For Focus LX locked up while on a trip out of state. This has rendered the car useless and a very large paperweight. Since it is the weekend during christmas getting help has been problematic.

I have a 2002 Ford Focus SE. I do not have the money to run to a mechanic everytime something happens. Like many others I have hit a bump and destroyed my air conditioner. Hopefully, I can work on that in the spring. My check engine light has been on for 6-months with code P0171. The MAF ($150) has been changed but that didn't fix it. It still runs very rough and hesitates on acceleration.

Like many others who own a Ford Focus, our ignition recently went out. My wife went to see her doctor and when she got in the car to return home, she couldn't get the key to turn. She called me and asked if I had any ideas, but I didn't. I had to jog down to the doctors office to walk home with my wife in sub-zero weather, since we are college students and can't afford more than one car--at the rate our Focus keeps breaking down, we won't even be able to afford one car much longer.

Our 2000 Ford Focus is on it's 4th ignition and it is ready for a replacement again- of course 3 months after warranty. It has been frustrating because it "locks up" at random times and Ford has only paid for it once. I cannot believe this is not a recall item. I am tempted to put in a toggle switch beneath the dash to start the car!!!

I was driving my 2005 Ford Focus ZX3 down 270 North in Ohio at the approximate speed of 65 mph, and I pulled to the left shoulder of the road, lost control of the vehicle, slammed into the guardrail and impacted in the front driver's side, spinning the car in a 360 hitting the guardrail again, before the car settled in the middle of the 3-lane highway. The airbags did not deploy. I had my 2 friends in the car with me. All of us being Marines, I'm sure that the Government would have something to say if we DIED because the airbags didn't go off. Very scary. The car was looked at and is still at a dealership, and they were amazed that the airbags did not deploy.

On 12/18, traveling outside lane 70mph on 95 south, person in middle lane came into outside lane without sufficient room. I tried to avoid hitting them and did. I swerved, went into a spin, went into guardrail twice and spun five times bringing me to the breakdown lane. Car, 2005 Ford Focus, was totaled. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I had broken scapula and was out of work for 12 weeks.

I bought a 2000 Ford Focus in October 2000. I thought to myself, "It's not a new car, they have been selling it in Europe for a few years now. What's the worst that could happen?" How about eight recalls and a lingering problem with the ignition that Ford claims is no problem at all?

I purchased a 2000 Ford Focus and it has been the worst car I have ever owned. It is completely a lemon. The transmission is almost out, and I have exhausted every avenue to get some help with this lemon. Fuel Pump, leakage, power steering is messed up, tires you name it. The whole key compartment came out and the key broke in it.

I have a 2001 Ford Focus with less than 50,000 miles on it and I have had to have the fuel pump replaced twice, the fuel pump mechanism replaced once and have had my car in for check engine light issues related to the fuel pump, its O rings and seals 4 times in the last 3 weeks. My dealer does not feel that he needs to provide me with a rental car during these repairs which are becoming increasingly frequent.

As you may have heard, there have been a lot of problems with the Ford Focus. My car has been recalled at least five times that I can remember and all of the problems have been fixed. Over the last six months my car has been stalling, losing power, the engine light has been on consistently, having a sputtering noise, and more importantly there seems to be something wrong with the suspension. There is a loud noise coming from the front right side of the car.

I have a 2004 Focus purchased in July and I am now having nothing but problems. In the last 2 weeks my car has been in the shop twice. The first time I took it in I told them that the brakes were grinding and squealing and that the car was making a very loud noise coming from the front end of the car. I was told by the serviceman that the noise was the axle assembly. When I picked up my car on the next day I was told that the brakes had to be sanded due to crystallization on the brakes due to heat and that the rotors had to be reglazed. Now I have had new cars in the past and I have never had to have that much done to my brakes after only 6200 miles.

I bought my 2000 Ford Focus in August of 2000. There have been so many recalls I can't remember all of them. I have loud squalling breaks, esp. in damp/humid weather. I have had the TPS (throttle positioning sensor) replaced, and now my Focus smells like it is overheating. I have had it with FORD. I use to brag about my Focus -- not anymore.

The ignition keey gets stuck and won't turn in my Ford Focus. Wasn't able to start the car and spent 6 hours trying to get a tow truck to tow it home.

I had been in a car accident and totaled my '01 Ford Focus SE and the airbags did not deploy. I have been told by a number of individuals that the air bags should have deployed.

I have a 2001 Ford Focus and have had two ignition switches replaced. Now I can't get my key to go into the switch. This seems a major, major problem. Also, I have extreme screeches on my radio when I apply the brakes or the turn signals. Dealers have dealt with this five times to no avail. Have had numerous tow jobs for the ignition switch replacement.

Premature airbag deployment occurred in minor 10 mph bump, doing substantially more damage to the vehicle, a 2001 Ford Focus, than the actual incident did. Body damage from accident is less than $100 but airbag damage is over $3,000. There are hundreds of premature air bag deployment incidents reported but Ford is denying and covering up the defect in the airbag sensor that causes the problem. I have been communicating with Ford's Executive offices to obtain correction of the problem and reimbursement for the nearly $3,000 cost to replace the airbags, not to mention the destroyed windshield and my son's reluctance to drive anymore.

My 2002 Ford Focus is just outside of my 36/3 year warranty and today I heard a grinding noise so I figured I would take it in and have it looked at assuming it is the brakes and the little warning indicator was touching the rotor so I was prepared to pay for a brake job, however to my surprise not only do I need new brakes but rotors as well. The person at the shop said he has seen many vehicles this past month needing new rotors.

I have a 2000 Ford Focus. I have had minor problems since I bought it, but recently my transmission began skipping second gear. I brought my car to the Bridgeport, CT Ford dealership where I bought it and the salesman told me my transmission needed to be replaced.