2003 Ford Focus Electrical System

THE IGNITION CYLINDER WILL NOT TURN IT IS LOCKED AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. KEY GET STUCK IN THE CYLINDER. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION LOCKED AND PREVENTED HER FROM INSERTING THE KEY TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

LEAVING WORK AT THE END OF THE DAY I WENT TO START MY VEHICLE AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. IT WAS VERY COLD AND AFTER ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL SEVERAL TIME FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR. I HAVE SINCE HAD DIFFICULTY TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION OF MY VEHICLE EVERYDAY. THE LAST INCIDENT WAS WHILE AT THE GAS STATION, WHICH TOOK ALMOST 15 MINUTES TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ALSO HAD THIS ISSUE, WITH NO RECALL PLACED ON THE VEHICLE AS IT IS NOT AN IMMEDIATE RISK TO SAFETY. ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOW FOUND MY SELF UNCOMFORTABLY ATTEMPTING TO START MY CAR IN LESS THAT SAFE ENVIRONMENTS ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. *TR

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN I STOPPED TO GET GAS, I GOT BACK IN MY CAR AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN TO STAR THE ENGINE. I WAS STUCK AT A GAS STATION IN THE WINTER AND NO ONE WAS ABLE TO HELP ME. AFTER TWENTY MINUTES OF TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS TO GET IT TO START IT WORKED. THE NEXT DAY I GOT IN MY CAR AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED, EXCEPT THIS TIME NOTHING I DID WOULD START IT. I ENDED UP PAYING $112 FOR A LOCKSMITH TO REPLACE THE IGNITION IN MY CAR. I HAVE READ ON SEVERAL FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR OF FORD FOCUS AND THERE HAS YET TO BE A RECALL. THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF SOMEONE HAS CHILDREN AND IS STRANDED AND UNABLE TO MOVE THEIR VEHICLE TO A SAFE LOCATION. *TR

THE IGNITION CYLINDER WILL NOT TURN. A KEY CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION, BUT IT CAN NOT BE SET INTO THE "ON OR ACC" POSITION. THE CAR CANT BE STARTED AND IS NOW, IN EFFECT, A ONE TON PAPER WEIGHT. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ONLINE, IT SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON. *TT

KEY WON'T TURN IN IGNITION/ IGNITION STUCK. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS SE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD NOT BE TURNED WHILE IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,542.

FAILURE TO BE ABLE TO TURN IGNITION. HAD TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND SPENT $400! INCONVENIENCE? YES! *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD BE INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION WOULD COULD NOT BE TURNED TO START THE VEHICLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, NOR WAS THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 134,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO START THE ENGINE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

IGNITION KEY CANNOT BE EXTRACTED FROM VEHICLE AND WE COULDN'T TURN THE ENGINE OFF FOR A PERIOD THEN, COULDN'T RESTART IT AFTERWARDS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION FAILED AND LOCKED ABNORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED THEY ADVISED THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND WOULD PROVIDE NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO TURN THE KEY INSIDE THE IGNITION FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. AFTER VARIOUS ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE RECURRED VARIOUS TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS OR DIAGNOSTICS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

I PURCHASED A USED 2003 FORD FOCUS SE/4 DOOR/AUTOMATIC. THE IGNITION KEY CYLINDER HAS BEEN ACTING UP FOR SOMETIME. ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE CYLINDER WITH THE KEY WHEN TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION WILL COMPLETELY COME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN REMOVING THE KEY. AGAIN, THIS HAS HAPPEN ON AT LEAST THREE OCCASIONS AND COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. I HAVE NOT BEEN TO A DEALER TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM YET. BUT THAT IS MY NEXT STOP. I AM WANTING FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL AND REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THOUSANDS OF OTHER FOCUS OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR OR SAME PROBLEMS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BECOME STRANDED BECAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION. NOT TO MENTION, THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURIES IN A MOVING VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS MY CAR IGNITION HAS BEEN GETTING STUCK, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO START MY CAR. THIS PAST WEEKEND MY KEY WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL STRANDING MY FAMILY AWAY FROM HOME WHILE TRYING TO VISIT MY GRANDMOTHER IN THE HOSPITAL. LUCKILY WE WERE NOT HER MEANS TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL AS IT SEEMS THAT I HAVE PURCHASED AN UNRELIABLE CAR. AS I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IT SEEMS ALMOST ALL FORD FOCUS OWNERS ARE ENCOUNTERING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE EVEN READ THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN HENCE THE LACK OF RECALL! I LIKE BILLIONS OF AMERICANS RELY ON MY CAR IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD. I HOPE TO GOD THAT I DO NOT HAVE A FORD FOCUS IF ANYTHING DESPERATE SHOULD BECOME OF ME AND I NEED SAFETY BECAUSE APPARENTLY THEY DON'T LIKE TO EVEN START! *TR

KEY WON'T TURN IN IGNITION. LUCKILY, MY CAR WAS PARKED AT HOME WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT COULD LEAVE YOU STRANDED IF AWAY FROM HOME. I NOW HAVE TO LEAVE MY KEY IN THE IGNITION UNTIL I GET THE PROBLEM FIXED.

2003 FORD FOCUS KEY NOT ABLE TO TURN IGNITION ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED PREVIOUSLY. VEHICLE STRANDED UNTIL IGNITION LOCK ASSEMBLY REMOVED AND REPLACED. *TR

KEY WON'T TURN IN IGNITION. FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, I WAS ABLE TO TAP ON THE END OF THE KEY WHILE IT WAS IN THE IGNITION LOCK, AND THE KEY WOULD TURN. NOW, I AM UNABLE TO GET IT TO TURN AT ALL -- EVEN AFTER TAPPING ON IT WITH A HAMMER. *TR

THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED SOLID. THE KEY COULD BE INSERTED AND REMOVED BUT THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN. REPLACEMENT SEEMS THE ONLY VIABLE SOLUTION. IT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT AS SO MANY CASES OF THE LOCK-UP HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

2003 FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN NOW. *TR

UNABLE TO TURN KEY IN THE IGNITION. HAD OCCURRED SPORADICALLY LEADING UP TO THE DATE WHEN IT WAS THEN UNABLE TO BE USED AT ALL, LEAVING FAMILY STRANDED. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IGNITION REPLACED. SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH REVEALED THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

IN 2007, TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING A 2003 FORD FOCUS I WAS LEFT STRANDED ON A SUNDAY EVENING IN BLIZZARD LIKE CONDITIONS IN ANCHORAGE ALASKA AFTER THE IGNITION ON THE FOCUS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE PART FAILURE THAT THERE WAS ANY PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE OPERATED PERFECTLY ONE MOMENT, THEN I WAS UNABLE TO EVEN TURN THE IGNITION KEY THE SECOND. I ULTIMATELY HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP FOR THE PART TO BE REPLACED WITH A NEW BUT UNIMPROVED IGNITION (THAT MAY FAIL AGAIN - AGAIN STRANDING ME - PERHAPS IN A LESS POPULATED AREA). ADDITIONALLY, MY FIANCEE HAS A 2000 FORD FOCUS WHOSE IGNITION FAILED ON HIM TONIGHT - ALSO STRANDING HIM. THE FACT THAT THE IGNITION FAILS WITHOUT NOTICE IS DANGEROUS AND LEAVES THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION. *TR

KEY WILL NOT TURN IGNITION. IT IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. LAST NIGHT I WAS STRANDED LATE AT NIGHT AND HAD TO CALL SOMEONE TO COME GET ME. I TRIED FOR OVER AN HOUR TO GET IT TO TURN. FROM WHAT I AM FINDING OUT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT I HAVE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED! *TR

2003 FORD FOCUS IGNITION WILL NOT TURN ENGINE OVER NOR UNLOCK STEERING. *TR