Ignition cylinder on my 2000 ford focus has been replaced two times by a local ford dealer. In the first instance (approximately august, 2004, key could not be removed from the lock. This required towing the vehicle to the dealership for repair. The most recent incident (february, 2007) the key would not turn the ignition switch unless the tilt steering was bounced forward and back for approximately 10 minutes.
2000 Ford Focus electrical complaints
Page 10 of 46: complaints 251 to 280 of 1,343, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Revised to fit web complaint form. Webform requires manufacturer of ignition cylinder from ford. Called ford at 1800-392-ford and shaun-central florida states proprietary information. Ford is not a choice in the drop down menu at https://www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/ivoq/equipment.cfm?tostep=4&cfid=1748899&cftoken=17655993 guessed on info to turn in following complaint. Ignition locked up on ford focus. Steering wheel locked. Had to tow airline wrecker, dubs garage and locksmith told me extremely common for ford focus. Petition for ignition cylinder recall at http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?focusic even when the part is replaced, it happens again. I just pray next time it happens (and from what I've read it will) I am in a safe, well lit area where my cell phone can get service; and not the beach or somewhere that tow trucks charge over $500. But mostly I pray ford is forced to fix this known issue and stop creating a financial burden on people just so they can profit from their faulty ignition cylinders. Please do something about this issue. It's obvious that ford has no intentions to resolve their locking ignition since the part has to be ordered from them for at least $100 per incident and if the person has their vehicle fixed at ford it could cost up to $500. I have called ford locally and corporate, they state there is no recall for an ignition cylinder. What has happened to dealerships accountability that they are allowed to get away with such an action for 7 years? Is the accountability only when there is death? Is that why ford continues to install and sell the faulty ignition cylinder? What's to stop them from continuing if they profit from the problem? I think that personnel taking complaints should give the 800 number and/or exact website to register complaints to the federal safety agency and/or list this info on car dealers websites.
Failure of ignition key to turn in ignition lock. Left me stranded. Called locksmith to have whole ignition drilled out and replaced. Locksmith informed me that ford motor company has issued a technical service bulletin about the problem but has refused to recall the defective part.
My 2000 ford focus ignition switch failed and from what I am reading on the internet the ford focus is known for this issue, and I am letting ricart ford know that I will not pay in anyway for this defected part. If I have to I will get my lawyer involved.
The ignition switch on my 2000 ford focus, tend to stick and you cannot remove the key without jerking hard on the key to remove . Now the key is stuck in the switch and will not turn on. It stranded me 5 miles from home.
The car was having trouble starting we replaced the battery checked the cables had the starter tested the guy said it was the nuetralization switch. He got back into start the car and it locked up. It is now still sitting there for them to figure out how to fix it.
Ignition is locked up again on my 200 ford focus. This has happened twice since I bought the car. It hasn't happened in a couple of years though. Suddenly, it's happening again.
Was stranded with baby when unable to insert key into ignition and start vehicle (2000 ford focus) which locksmith tells me is common defect in this make and model. Ignition switch replaced with cost of $180.
Key won't go into ignition all the way and will not allow me to turn my car on. Contacted ford and they are aware of the problem but it is not a safety hazard so it is not under a recall yet. So I will now have to have my car towed to the dealership and fixed out of my pocket.
This past weekend my ignition cylinder failed in my 2000 ford focus. Researching the topic online revealed that this is a widespread problem that ford chooses to ignore, therefore they should be forced to address the issue.
The car has 32000 miles after 6 years. In december 2006 the ignition failed catastrophically and without warning. I could not insert the key. I called the dealer and was told that the car would have to be towed and that my extended warranty had expired. I was able the restart the car, but it failed again on december 11, 2006, stranding me. I had the car towed and the mechanic informed me that this problem is common on this model, to the extend that ford keeps the requisite parts in stock. He attributed it to a design fault. My concern is that if this problem indeed is common a driver could be stranded and helpless in a dangerous situation, with serious risk to safety and possibly life. If the mechanic's opinion that there is a design fault is correct, ford should recall the car.
Key locking up in ignition. Car only has 50,000 miles. $500 repair bill plus towing charge and left me stranded in snow storm.
2000 ford focus ignition locks, preventing the car from being started.
1) I parked in a redzone to let my friend out of the vehicle and then I loaded something into my car. 2) I went to restart my vehicle and the ignition mechanism failed- couldn't insert the key properly and was unable to start the car. So it was late at night and I was unable to move my car to a safer location. Luckily I had aaa in addition to two generous friends who were able to help me with the cost- $265!!! Because I didn't have the money to pay the man up front. Otherwise my car would've been ticketed and towed. 3) he drilled out the old ignition mechanism and replaced it. 2 hours of my life and $265 later!!
On numerous occasions while attempting to start my 2000 ford focus the key will not turn. Initially thinking it was a key issue I researched the internet to find numerous issues surrounding the 2000 ford focus and poor quality of the tumbler assembly leaving people stranded and/or keys stuck in the ignition. Ford has also issued a service bulletin to their dealers in regard to this issue. I contacted my local dealership and also dealt with ford corporate looking for a solution. They say there isn't a safety issue even though they issued the service bulletin. At this time my only solution to have ford replace to prevent my family from being stranded.
The ignition switch locked in my 2000 ford focus, first the key did not go in all the way and when it did, the switch did no turn. The repaid costs 400.00.
I parked my ford focus in a parking space at a taco bell. The wheels were slightly turned to the left and the key would not turn forwards or backwards in the ignition so I began wiggling the steering wheel back and forth, continuing to try the key. Eventually, I'd turned the wheel so far that it stuck in the lock position, cranked to one direction. Nothing worked. A half hour passed. I assumed that the direction of wheels and the steering wheel being turned like it was had something to do with the ignition not working. So I jacked up the front end of the car to try to straighten my wheels out by hand but they too were locked and were not going to budge. I continued to try different combinations of applying the brake, trying to turn the steering wheel, adjusting the tilt of the steering wheel column, and trying to turn the key. I called a taxi cab to take me back to work, 25 minutes late, minus 7 dollars. At work, I began to research this problem and found websites, such as consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_focus, where I began to learn tips to get the key to turn and suggestions for repair. I was able to avoid a tow truck fee by using one of the suggested quick fixes, which basically consists of pounding the key into the ignition with a hammer, preferably a rummer mallot. From that same site, I learned that the problem has been pinpointed to the german-made huf lock that ford puts in the ford focus. The best suggestion is to have an automotive locksmith replace it with a non-ford or non-huf part. Going to a ford dealer is strongly discouraged. The part has not been recalled so it costs the consumer. For me, around $400.
Ignition switch failure. Key will not turn when fully inserted in ignition switch.
Ignition lock cylinder won't turn,front tires locked, car had to be towed in. Dealership had to put the car on a jack to get it into the shop, removed steering column trim, had to drill out broken ignition lock cylinder assembly, had to set up new lock cylinder so the same keys would work. So not only am I stuck without a vehicle till after christmas, I had to pay a towing charge, plus the cost to have the car fixed. Back car door latch on passenger side continually stuck and does not allow anyone to exit the vehicle from that side. Rattling noise under the carriage is unexplainable - what is next?
Key would not turn when put in ignition. Have read that 100's of people with my vehicle are experiencing same problem, but ford will not admit wrongdoing.
Ford focus 2000 ignition broke causing my key not to go in right and not to turn. I was forced to call a lock smith and have the lock replaced.
The car had been driven 2-3 miles, then parked. About 15 minutes later the fire was spotted. Flames were 12 to 15 feet high before the fire dept arrived and put it out.
This is the 5th time my ignition cylinder locked up on me. I am fed up with having to replace this. This is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!
I own a 2000 ford focus and I am experiencing the ignition key lock. This is the second time this happen to this car, but there are numerous cases logged on the internet. Ford denied the problem and does not make itself responsible for this defective part. Texas is a big state with miles of empty road and if this problem happen while driving on theses road on a winter or a very hot summer a person can die.
My 2000 ford focus has less than 26,000 miles on the clock and the ignition lock has jammed and had to be replaced twice. Second time was after warranty expired. Aaa certified locksmith told me he replaces hundreds of these locks a year, because ford is still using the same defective oem lock made in germany by huf. Locksmith installed a strattec #707592 which he said is very reliable and in fact oem equipment on other ford vehicles such as explorer. He said ford dealers are still installing the defective huf lock as a replacement.
Tried to start car, but ignition would not turn with key inserted. Ignition remains locked even with new key.
Ignition failed on 2000 ford focus also turn cancel signal 3 times under warranty and broken again out of warranty the ignition failed 3000 miles after warranty expired. The turn cancel during and after. I have 1 relative and 1 friend that has had the same thing happen.
Steering wheel, ignition, and gear shift are all locked. The key will not turn in the ignition.
2 times my ignition froze and the key would not turn to start the motor. And I had to have the ignition replaced both times; july 16,2002 and again on october 13, 2006.
Without premonitory warning or observed marginal behavior, ignition lock failed and key could not be inserted fully or turned to start engine. Key finally turned after a few minutes of re-trying, banging on steering column, etc. Loss: time spent retrying, and intangible anxiety concerning having to leave key in ignition over a weekend while investigating options for replacement during regular business hours to reduce cost relative to replacement in the field. Problem solved by purchasing non-oem aftermarket ignition lock cylinder at an independent automotive locksmith, after online literature search indicated that despite 4 related tsbs (14533,15421,02182,13968) and thousands of owner reports, ford has not issued a recall - so full-cost service work done at a dealer would probably result in replacement with another instance of the faulty original part. I performed all labor except for setting new lock to existing key profile. Old part retained.
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