This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
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.
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.
Key would not turn the ignition, stalled the car and then could not turn the car back on in the middle of rush hour traffic, on christmas eve none the less.
2003 Ford Focus key not able to turn ignition issue that has been reported previously. Vehicle stranded until ignition lock assembly removed and replaced.
- Moravia, NY, USA
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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!
Ford Focus 2003 - key won't turn to turn on car - ignition cylinder/tumbler was broken and need to be replaced. I was stranded in a store parking lot. Had to have a tow truck tow my car to dealership.
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.
I have a 2003 Ford Focus ZX3 at 37000 miles the alternator and battery went bad and had to be replaced at a cost of $700. Now at 67000 miles they have both gone bad again and must be replaced at a new cost of $800. Additionally I had a 2000 Ford Focus and at 55000 miles both the alternator and battery had to be replaced. Also we have a 2006 Ford Focus and at 16000 miles it needed both an alternator and battery. It is worth noting that the car was three years old and out of warranty when the failure occurred, it is a very low mileage car, and is only drive 10 miles a day. We really like the Focus as it is a great value and a fun car to drive but after having to replace 4 alternators in 18 months we are rethinking our love of this little car. I will be filing complaints for my other two foci as well.
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.
I was parked outside my girlfriend's dr's office waiting to pick her up. It was a cold day and she didn't want to take the bus. When I tried to start the car the key would not turn. I attempted repeatedly to turn the key, but it would not budge. This had happened twice before (I had only owned the car a couple months), but the key had turned with some fiddling. This time it wouldn't turn, no matter what I did. I eventually had to have it towed. The mechanic called me today and said the ignition cylinder needs to be replaced and the key has to be reprogrammed. I read several sources online that said this is not necessary that anyone who tells you this is padding their own pocket, but what can I do? I'm not a mechanic and I'm not about to call this guy a liar. I have to bite the bullet and pay for the repairs as he describes them.
2003 Ford Focus ignition lock-up. Every time the key is removed from ignition and then reinserted, it is very hard to get it to unlock to turn and start. We have been stranded in parking lots during 110 degree weather while trying to get the key to turn. We will have to either replace the ignition or call a locksmith. This is an everyday problem now.
I was stranded with my 2003 Ford Focus because they key would not turn in the ignition. I finally was able to get my car towed to a mechanic at 2am and was able to get a ride home. I am very fortunate nothing happened to me - who knows what could have happened that late at night. I had to get the ignition replaced which cost $400. It is ridiculous that this has not been recalled.
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.
After warranty expired, put key in ignition and could not turn car on. This was due to a suddenly failing ignition system. Had to replace entire ignition column and was stranded for three days while we figured out the problem. This is a safety issue considering it is a well known problem and many people have been stranded in bad areas or during bad weather.
Key fails to turn after driving to work. 03 Ford Focus. Can not start. Will call for repairs and find cost. Ford would not replace or offer solution due to mileage.
2003 Ford Focus SE ignition key would not turn to unlock steering wheel and start car while car was parked. Ignition cylinder removed & replaced with a better part by locksmith in 25 minutes at a cost of $317. This part should never fail.
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. The contact stated that ABS indicator light and brake indicator light illuminated on the instrument panel and illuminated on an intermittent basis. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership for a diagnostic test where the contact was informed that there was corrosion around the circuit board of the instrument panel. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The contact felt that the failure was a safety hazard because the circuit gave false warning indications. The current and failure mileages were approximately 75,000.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Columbia, MD, USA