229 complaints reported

2002 Ford Focus Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
229
Crashes
3
Fires
11
Injuries
2

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jul 2008

FAILURE OF IGNITION TO TURN ON. PROGRAMMED FORD FOCUS KEYS FAIL TO TURN ON IGNITION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2008
Jul 2008

2002 FORD FOCUS X3, EVERYDAY I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY IGNITION. I INSET THE KEYS INTO THE IGNITION AND THE CAR LOCKS UP AND THE KEYS WON'T TURN. I HAVE TO PRAY TO TRY AND GET IT TO TURN. WELL TODAY IT FINALLY GAVE UP ON ME AND I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR AT MY MOMS FOR GOOD. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2008
Jul 2008

THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY CAR WILL NOT TURN OVER TO START THE CAR. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2008
Jul 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE ROUGHLY. THE CONTACT LOOKED AT THE TRIP ODOMETER AND IT DISPLAYED ALL ZEROS. THE CONTACT PRESSED THE TRIP ODOMETER BUTTON AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE NORMALLY AGAIN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE DPFE SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE DPFE SENSOR, BUT THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR AT THAT TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,773 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,300. UPDATED 4/2/08 *CN UPDATED 04/02/08 *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2008
Jun 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY TURNING HIS KEY IN THE IGNITION OF HIS VEHICLE. IT TOOK HIM 2-3 HOURS AFTER LEAVING THE STORE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED VERY FREQUENTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM TO GO TO A LOCKSMITH TO REMOVE THE CYLINDER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2007
Jun 2008

TRIED TO TURN THE IGNITION TO START MY CAR AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. ITS A 2002 FORD FOCUS 2DR HATCHBACK. IT LEFT ME STRANDED FOR A FEW HOURS UNTIL I COULD HAVE IT TOWED. IT SEEMED LIKE THE TUMBLERS DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY. I COULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK SO I COULDN'T EVEN PUSH IT OUT OF THE SPOT IT WAS PARKED IN. THE ENTIRE IGNITION SWITCH HAS TO BE REPLACED AND THE CAR RESTARTED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2008
Jun 2008

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE IN 2002 FORD FOCUS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2008
Jun 2008

MY 2002 FORD FOCUS HAS A KNOWN IGNITION PROBLEM PER DON DAVIS FORD BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. THE KEY WILL NO LONGER TURN AT ALL. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR $400. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2008
Jun 2008

I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OF FORD FOCUS OWNERS OF THEIR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR IGNITION KEY GETTING STUCK OR NOT TURNING. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW, WHERE I HAVE BEEN LEFT STRANDED AT NIGHT OR IN HARSH WEATHER CONDITIONS. I BELIEVE THAT SINCE THIS SI NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM WITH A FEW VEHICLES AND ALSO CONSIDERING THE IMPLICATIONS IF VEHICLES NOT STARTING BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO REQUEST TO FORD COMPANY, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DESIGN FLAWS IN THE IGNITION SYSTEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2008
May 2008

KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2008
May 2008

KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. HAD TO CALL A LOCKSMITH TO FIX FOR OVER $200. THE CAR WAS FINE BUT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE AND WORSE TO THE POINT I WAS STRANDED AFTER ABOUT A WEEK. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2008
May 2008

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN, LEAVING ME STRANDED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2008
May 2008

MY 2002 FORD FOCUS IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS A COMING PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL. THE CHARGE WILL NEARLY BE $500. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2008
Apr 2008

MY IGNITION SWITCH ON THE 2003 FOCUS WAGON, LOCKED UP. A TOW TRUCK DRIVER, HIT IT TO RELEASE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $338.00. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL FOR YEARS ACCORDING TO WEB BLOGS. I SPOKE TO FORD AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME, AND STATED THIS WAS NOT A RECALL ISSUE. WE HAVE 4 FOCUS IN THE FAMILY. OUR 2002 HAD THE SAME PROBLEM -BUT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AND MUST BE ADDRESSED AS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2008
Mar 2008

KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2008
Mar 2008

WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE ABOUT 10PM WHEN I WAS DONE GOT INTO MY CAR AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN. I SAT THERE TRYING FOR A LONG TIME AND NOTHING. IT WAS OBVIOUS THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED UP. GOT MY CAR TOWED THE NEXT MORNING TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP, WHICH DID NOT OPEN UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. THEY FINALLY WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT AND SAID THE IGNITION TUMBLER HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE COST FOR THAT IS $453.00. I WAS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I AM ALREADY ON A TIGHT BUDGET AND THERE WAS NO EVENT THAT LED UP TO THE IGNITION DEFECT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2008
Mar 2008

THE IGNITION IS LOCKED ON MY 2002 FORD FOCUS. NOTHING LED UP TO IT. APPARENTLY THIS HAPPENS TO FOCUSES OFTEN. I NEED TO HAVE A LOCKSMITH REPLACE IT, AT COST TO ME, WHEN FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS TAKEN TO ACTION TO REMEDY IT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2008
Mar 2008

I DROVE MY CAR TO DOWNTOWN AS I NORMALLY DO EXCEPT THIS TIME I HAS THE COMPANY OF MY 3 SONS. IT WAS 4 AM IN THE MORNING. I PARKED THE CAR TAKING THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND EXITED. AT ABOUT 5:15 I TRIED TO START THE CAR BY PLACING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TRYING TO TURN IT. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I TRIED AGAIN BUT AGAIN THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I CALLED AAA AND THE REP ASKED ME TO TRY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL A LITTLE AND THEN THE KEY, THIS STILL DID NOT WORK. HE CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO COME OUT TO HELP. MEANWHILE MY CHILDREN AND I WERE LEFT TO SIT IN THE COLD AND WAIT FOR THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER. WHILE WAITING I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE REALLY HARD AND PULLED ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND TRIED THE KEY AGAIN, LUCKILY IT WORKED. SPOKE TO THE AAA REP AGAIN AND CANCELLED THE TOW. I WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO TRY THE IGNITION AGAIN AND IT STUCK AGAIN SO I DID THE SAME THING THAT SEEMED TO WORK YESTERDAY, BUT IT DID NOT. FORTUNATELY I WAS AT HOME THIS TIME AND NOT ON A MOUNTAIN SOMEWHERE WITH MY CHILDREN. THIS IS A SCARY THING TO HAPPEN ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE WITH YOUR CHILDREN IN A STRANGE PLACE. WHAT IF I WERE SOMEWHERE WITHOUT A CELL PHONE SIGNAL? WOULD WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE HAPPENS BY OR WALK IN THE COLD TO GET A SIGNAL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2008
Feb 2008

WHEN I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT DOESN'T TURN. I GOT STUCK WHILE SHOPPING AND HAD TO HAVE A LOCKSMITH COME OUT. HE INFORMED ME THAT MY KEY WAS FINE, BUT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS THE PROBLEM AND THAT HE HAS RESPONDED TO MANY OF THE SAME CALLS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE 2002 FORD FOCUS. HE SUGGESTED THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF RESPONSES. SO I CALLED A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY THEN INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD BEEN RECEIVING A LOT OF THE SAME CALLS, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL IN EFFECT. THE MAN I SPOKE TO GAVE ME THE FORD 800 NUMBER TO CALL AND ISSUE A COMPLAINT, WHICH I DID. NOW I HAVE TO UNFORTUNATELY GO SPEND $300 PLUS DOLLARS ON REPAIRING MY IGNITION SWITCH EVEN THOUGH FORD IS AWARE OF THE FAULTY PART. PLEASE RECALL 2002 FORD FOCUS IGNITION SWITCHES! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2008
Feb 2008

I NEVER EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH MY IGNITION CYLINDER, NO SEMI LOCKING, NO GLITCHES NOTHING, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN I GO TO START MY CAR TO LEAVE THE GROCERY STORE AND THE KEY WON'T TURN. SO I HAD TO WAIT 3 HOURS WITH MY 87 YEAR OLD GRANDFATHER IN A FREEZING CAR WITH NO HEATER (CAUSE THE KEY WONT BUDGE) OF A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT FOR A LOCKSMITH TO COME AND FIX AND THEN TO PAY HIM $400. MY COMPLAINT IS NOT THE WAIT, BUT THAT THIS FROM WHAT I READ IS A PROBLEM OCCURRING IN THESE FORD FOCUS FAULTY IGNITION. IF THIS WHERE SOMETHING THAT ONLY HAPPENED TO ME, THEN THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY PROBLEM, BUT ITS NOT. SO NOW WE ARE OUT $400 BECAUSE OF CHEAP MERCHANDISE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND REPLACED FOR FREE BECAUSE TOO MANY PEOPLE BEFORE ME HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM FURTHER AND LET GET A RECALL GOING SO NO ONE ELSE HAS TO BEAR THIS BURDEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONCERN OF THIS MATTER. SINCERELY MADELEINE MELLOTT *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2008
Jan 2008

FORD FOCUS 2002 - IGNITION FAILURE. HAPPENED THREE TIMES. THE THIRD TIME WAS STRANDED IN THE COLD WEATHER WITH 9 MONTH OLD BABY UNTIL I COULD GET HELP. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND I DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. IT COST 350 TO GET FIXED. I DON'T FEEL AN IGNITION SHOULD BREAK AND THEN BE REPLACED WITH A POORLY MANUFACTURED IGNITION. I HAVE READ THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS. THIS IS A PROBLEM AND FORD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2008
Dec 2007

IGNITION LOCK DEFECTIVE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2006
Dec 2007

WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START MY CAR THE KEY WILL NOT TURN, WHEN SPEAKING WITH A DEALER ON THE PROBLEM THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM VERY VERY COMMON WITH THE FORD FOCUS AND AGREED THAT THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED DUE TO THE NUMBER OF CARS THAT NEED THE KEY CYLINDER REPLACED, SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES, DUE TO THIS ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2007
Nov 2007

MY KEY WONT TURN IN THE IGNITION MOST OF THEM TIME LEAVING ME STUCK AND IN A DANGEROUS POSITION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2007
Nov 2007

2002 FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCKS ,CAN'T TURN KEY TO START CAR. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2007

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2002 Ford Focus has 229 Electrical System complaints on file. 3 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.