2004 Ford Focus Electrical System

IGNITION SWITCH IN LOCK POSITION FREEZES AND REFUSES TO UNLOCK WHEN IGNITION KEY IS INSERTED, CAUSING AN INABILITY TO START ENGINE OR UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM STRANDS MOTORISTS WHEREVER THEY ARE WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS SWITCHED OFF AND REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. *TR

THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER FAILED SUDDENLY WITHOUT A GRADUAL INCREASE OF SYMPTOMS. THE CYLINDER WOULD NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN, UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALLOWING THE CAR TO START. A NEW IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS INSTALLED AND REKEYED AT A PRICE OF $171.18 FOR THE PART AND $142.50 FOR THE LABOR.

2004 FOR FOCUS. IGNITION OCCASIONALLY WON'T START WITH THE KEY. GOT STRANDED A FEW TIMES. IT SEEMS SOMETHING IS WRONG EITHER WITH THE KEYS OR THE IGNITION AREA WHERE YOU PLACE THE KEY. *TR

FIRST OCCURRENCE,WITHOUT WARNING,(HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE) CAR SHUT OFF, IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT TURN, RESULTING IN VEHICLE NO START CONDITION. (ORIGINAL MANUFACTURERS KEY AND IGNITION SWITCH) CONTACTED AAA AUTO CLUB, TOW TRUCK DISPATCHED, TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATES GARAGE HAS SEEN MANY 2003, 2004,2005 FOCUS WITH THIS PROBLEM. ALSO SHOULD BE NOTED NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON FILE WITH ALL MODEL YEARS OF THIS VEHICLE. FORD DEALER THAT SOLD ME THE CAR AND EXTENDED WARRANTY CLAIMS REPAIR NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS CAR CAN STALL AND FAIL TO RESTART !!!!!!. ALSO FEEL THAT I WAS SOLD AN OVERPRICED "WARRANTY" WHICH I AM TOLD WILL NOT COVER REPAIR !!! WILL RETAIN OLD PART FOR INVESTIGATION AND POSSIBLE CLASS ACTION. NOTE : VEHICLE MILEAGE AT FAILURE 43,205. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86000.

UPON LEAVING A GROCERY STORE THE IGNITION KEY WOULDN'T TURN. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR AND CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE $391 PLUS TAX, AND THAT IF THEY DAMAGED THE STEERING COLUMN IN THE PROCESS I WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT COST OF THE COLUMN AS WELL. NOT WILLING TO TAKE MY CHANCES WITH SUCH AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT WOULD LEAVE ME WITH A NEW PART THAT WOULD POSSIBLY FAIL IN THE SAME MANNER, NOT TO MENTION POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL COSTS OF REPAIRING OR REPLACING THE COLUMN I CONDUCTED A BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 1999 THROUGH 2007 FORD FOCUS CARS. I ALSO LEARNED THAT A COMPETENT LOCKSMITH COULD REPAIR THE SWITCH FOR BETWEEN $150 AND $200. I WAS ABLE TO GET MY VEHICLE REPAIRED FOR $152, AND THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING THE STEERING COLUMN. THE ORIGINAL PART WAS REMOVED BY THE LOCKSMITH, REBUILT THE SWITCH AND REPLACED IT THUS REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. *TR

2004 FORD FOCUS-- IGNITION KEY WON`T TURN LEAVING THE DRIVER STRANDED. *TR

I OWN A 2004 FORD FOCUS ZX5, I WENT INTO WORK, CAME OUT AND FOUND MY IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED, THE KEY WOULD NOT BUDGE, THE BRAKE WOULDN'T EVEN PUSH IN ALL THE WAY, AS WELL AS MY CAR WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND SAW IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND I'M VERY DISPLEASE THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. I BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT A YEAR AGO FROM A DEALERSHIP! I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE MY CAR TO A LOCKSMITH OR DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THE ENTIRE IGNITION SYSTEM REPLACED. *TR

2004 FORD FOCUS IGNITION PROBLEM. COULD NOT PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND WAS STRANDED. *TR

IGNITION COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I COULD NOT START CAR. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO GET TOWED TO A FORD DEALER. COST WAS $500 TO FIX. *TR

THERE IS A DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE IGNITION LOCK TO FAIL, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE KEY OR START THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE. THE FORM SAYS IT'S INVALID BUT I CHECKED BOTH PLACES IN THE CAR AND THAT IS WHAT IT SAYS. THE FORM DID NOT HAVE, "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION," AS AN OPTION FOR COMPONENT NAME WHICH BETTER DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM AREA. *TR

2004 FORD FOCUS - KEY WILL NOT TURN IN IGNITION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS 6/27/09 @ 1:15 AM, LEAVING MOVIE THEATER, HAD TO LEAVE VEHICLE THERE. AGAIN @ 7 AM (FINALLY GOT CAR CRANKED AFTER 15 MINUTES). WHEN GOT HOME THIS OCCURRED AGAIN. REPEATED TIMES. CANNOT CRANK VEHICLE WITH KEY IN IGNITION. *TR

2004 FORD FOCUS. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION AND THE IGNITION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR AND ISSUE AND FORD HAS NOT RECALLED IT BECAUSE THEY ARE CHEAP.*TR

1. FORD FOCUS (2004) HAS FOR THE PAST MONTH HAD TROUBLE WITH THE KEY TURNING IN THE IGNITION. APPARENTLY IT IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE AND FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT BEING STRANDED SOMEWHERE AT NIGHT IS VERY MUCH A SAFETY ISSUE - WHETHER OR NOT FORD ADMITS THIS POSSIBILITY. 2. THE KEY DOES NOT TURN BECAUSE OF A DEFECT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH (OR SO I'VE READ ONLINE). THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THOUSANDS OF TIMES ACCORDING TO ONLINE COMPLAINTS AND PETITIONS, WITHOUT FORD RECOGNIZING IT AND TAKING ACTION. THIS PROBLEM RENDERS THE CAR COMPLETELY UNUSABLE UNTIL FIXED AND THE REPAIR CAN BE VERY COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING. IT IS MOST CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE - WHAT IS SAFE ABOUT BEING UNABLE TO START ONE'S CAR IF ONE IS ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, AT NIGHT IN AN UNKNOWN CITY, ETC? 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET BECAUSE I AM WAITING TO SEE IF FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN EXPLAIN WHY THE COMPANY REFUSES TO ADMIT THE ISSUE AND REIMBURSE IT'S CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR FAULTY DESIGN. *TR

I OWN A 2004 FORD FOCUS THAT THE IGNITION WENT OUT ON, I WOULD PUT THE KEY IN AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN, LOCKED STEERING WHEEL. FOR A WHILE, I WOULD WIGGLE THE KEY AND IT WOULD FINALLY TURN OVER, UNTIL 2 WEEKS AGO( 5-2009) WHEN I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AFTER I GOT IN MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE FORD DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT IT THE NEXT MORNING AND TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $450.00 TO FIX AND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO ALOT OF FOCUS OWNERS, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY FORD WOULD NOT WANT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, STARTING YOUR CAR IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING NEEDED TO DRIVE SO WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO COUNT ON YOUR IGNITION YOUR CAR IS USELESS AND WITHOUT FORD RECOGNIZING THIS PROBLEM AND FIXING IT, I BELIEVE ALOT OF FORD OWNERS MAY NOT BE IN THE FUTURE. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO START A CAR! *TR

IGNITION SWITCH WONT TURN WHICH PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING THIS HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS, FOR WAY OVER A YR NOW. TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS 2004 ZX3 FOCUS. HE SAID TO HIT THE KEY A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH YOUR HAND AND IT WILL TURN, AND IT DOES. ONLY WAY THE CAR WILL START. CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD 550.00 TO REPLACE. SO STILL NOT REPLACED. *TR

2004 FORD FOCUS KEY IGNITION IS A FAULTY DESIGN IN SEEMINGLY ALL FOCUS MODELS ACCORDING TO MY DEALER AND MANY SOURCES. THIS LEFT ME STRANDED IN 100 DEGREE WEATHER WITH MY PET AND NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. THE REPAIR IS QUOTED AT $550 TO REPLACE IT AT THE DEALER AND FORD HAS DONE NOTHING TO RECALL THEIR POORLY DESIGNED IGNITION. MY DEALER SAID EVERY FORD FOCUS WILL EVENTUALLY NEED THIS REPAIRED, WHY THEN ISN'T FORD ACCOUNTABLE? *TR

THE KEY WILL NOT TURN THE IGNITION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. USUALLY I CAN GET IT TO WORK AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO OF REPEATEDLY PUTTING THE KEY IN & OUT, BUT TODAY I CANNOT GET IT WORKING. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN THE DEAD OF WINTER WITH MY DAUGHTER OUT AT MIDNIGHT, ON THE SIDE OF A MAJOR BUSY HIGHWAY (RT 94 WEST TO CHICAGO), AND SEVERAL OTHER LOCATIONS. IT'S USUALLY LATE AT NIGHT AND FREEZING COLD OUT WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO ME. IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME AS WELL AS WHEN I HAVE MY DAUGHTER WITH ME. *TR

IGNITION SYSTEM FAILED FOR 2004 FORD FOCUS 2 DR COUPE. CAR NOW NEEDS A NEW SYSTEM WHICH FORD ESTIMATES AT $450. GOOGLE "FORD FOCUS IGNITION" AND SEE HUNDREDS OF EXACT SAME COMPLAINT. FORD WILL NOT RECALL SINCE NOT "SAFETY" ISSUE, HOW ABOUT INTEGRITY. THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX IT. CALIFORNIA HAS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT, BUT WHAT ABOUT ME?? FORD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT THEY KNOW EXISTS FOR OLDER MODELS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME OF NEED. NO CONFIDENCE LEFT IN FORD, I WILL BUY FOREIGN CARS FROM NOW ON. PLEASE HELP!!! *TR

THE VEHICLE IGNITION STARTER FAILS TO START THE VEHICLE. YOU MUST HIT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY START THE CAR. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME THAT I ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE THAT RECURS EVEN AFTER YOU REPLACE THE PARTS. THIS IS A MECHANICAL ERROR THAT WILL CONSTANTLY BREAK DOWN. *TR

MY IGNITION LOCK FROZE UP AND I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR. KEY WOULDN'T TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO A SHOP FOR REPAIRS. I CALLED FORD AND ASKED THEM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THEY DECLINED. I OWN A 2004 FORD FOCUS ZX5. I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

2004 FORD FOCUS - IGNITION PROBLEMS. CAME TO FIND OUT THIS IS A WELL KNOWN, DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. "THE FORD FOCUS' MOST COMMON PROBLEM, ACCORDING COMPLAINTS FROM FOCUS OWNERS, IS THE KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION, OR THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION." *TR

MY 2004 FORD FOCUS IGNITION SWITCH FAILED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE KEY AND START THE CAR. LEAVING HIM STRANDED IN PROVIDENCE RI LATE MONDAY NIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A CLASS PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUS AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS PURSUING A CLASS ACTION AGAINST FORD FOR THIS. WHY IS THEIR NO RECALL ??? THE CAR HAS 70K MILES ON IT, BUT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE 100K WARRANTY AS IT IS OVER 4 YEARS OLD. *TR

2004 FORD FOCUS KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT TURN. IT OCCURS FREQUENTLY. *TR

MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS LEFT STRANDED ONE EVENING WHEN THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN IN THE IGNITION OF HER 2004 FORD FOCUS SO SHE COULDN'T GET THE CAR STARTED. I HAD JUST SIGNED UP FOR A CLASS AT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT A CAMPUS 25+ MILES AWAY. I WAS IN CLASS WITH MY PHONE OFF, SO I COULDN'T HELP HER. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR A YOUNG GIRL TO BE STRANDED ANYWHERE. IN ADDITION, WE LIVE IN TEXAS WHERE WE'RE UP TO 65 DAYS OF TEMPERATURES IN THE TRIPLE DIGITS. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR HEALTH CONCERN FOR ANYONE WHO BECAME STRANDED IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY. I UNDERSTAND THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE COMMON IN 2000-2004 MODELS. WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET SOMEONE TO GET THE KEY TO TURN SO SHE COULD DRIVE HOME. HOWEVER, ONCE THERE, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. THEN I LEARNED THAT THE PART WASN'T EVEN COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED. FOR WHATEVER REASON, FORD DOESN'T CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL. *TR