The ignition on my 2001 ford focus zx3 has locked up on numerous occasions, rendering it impossible to start the car, as the key will not turn in the lock. Each time this has happened to me in the past, I was eventually able to start the car by jiggling the key in the lock for up to ten minutes. This time, however, after jiggling the key in the ignition for a full forty-five minutes, there was still no give in the ignition. I tried turning the steering wheel to either side as hard as I could while turning the key, and it did nothing to fix the problem. After finally giving up, I did an internet search to see if there was some advice online, and I saw right away that hundreds, if not thousands of people have had the same problem with their cars. Each time, it takes them having to replace the ignition for a cost of between 200 and 700 dollars, all costs included. I am extremely concerned that I will have to take the same course of action, as I don't know what else I can possibly do. I can't even have a friend pull my car to the dealership, as it is impossible to steer it in its present state. I will have to pay the cost of a professional tow-truck and then pay the dealer to replace the ignition on top of it all. I understand through my research online that the reason this issue has not been dealt with through a recall by ford is that it does not pose "an immediate and imminent health risk." that may be so, but it causes ford focus owners, like myself, countless amounts of frustration and anger to not be able to use our cars. My car is now sitting on the curb outside my house, in perfectly drivable condition in every way, and I can't even turn the key in the ignition. If you have other complaints about this issue, please lobby with all of your influence to have ford address and fix this problem. Thank you for your time.
2001 Ford Focus electrical complaints
Page 7 of 18: complaints 161 to 190 of 496, newest first, as owners wrote them.
When I tried to start my 2001 ford focus this morning to return home, the ignition locked. I had this problem fixed 2ce before while under warranty. It is no longer under warranty. When I went on the web for info I spent hrs reading of all the other consumers with the same problem and that ford has done nothing to solve this. It was suggested I write to this site.
2001 ford focus: ignition key will not turn after insertion, so the car won't start. Jamming key hard into column and maybe rocking the steering wheel eventually enables the key to turn and start the vehicle. Intermittent, but now becoming more frequent. Last time it took 40 minutes to start car - could be personal danger.
I own a 2001 ford focus ztech. My car was stalling at random in the middle of driving and finally wouldnt start at all. I took it to a dealership. They said my battery cables were melted, so they replaced them, rerouted them, along with my clips, etc. They couldn't figure out why my cables would be like that and said that is probably why my car doesn't start all the time, but they couldn't be positive so they recommended that I replace my starter as well. They charged me $998. This also happened to me in previous years. I went to the vehicle recall site and see that ford started a recall in 2003 on this very same problem. Why didn't I receive recall information on my car? I've stalled before in the middle of traffic last year for the same problem and had my battery replaced. This happens too much. I have small children's safety to worry about. What bothers me in addition to that is that the ford dealership that I used should have noticed this recall and related it to my vehicle's problem. I feel this is a terrible safety issue, and I can't afford to keep getting new batteries/cables and starters. Also, my key keeps getting stuck in the ignition, and ford won't do anything about that either, even though my dealer said it's a very common problem with this product. They said it would cost me at least $400 to fix it. I've already gotten stuck at a store twice. It just works when it wants to.
Ignition cylinder locked up and I couldn't get the key in. Had to have it drilled out and replaced - $300.
Went to leave work one evening, put my key in the ignition and it would not turn. I was stranded and had to call my husband to pick me up. Had to have car towed to dealership. They installed new ignition tumbler. Since this is a known problem with this vehicle and I have only owned the car for a little over a month, the dealership paid half of the bill.
My focus is exhibiting the problems associated with this recall - the federal safety agency campaign #02v288000 electrical system:battery:cables I took my vehicle down to the dealership and they told me even though my car is having the same exact problems it is not covered under the warranty. I got the same response when I called the ford customer service number. I have replaced the alternator twice and the battery 3 times. The cables are all chewed and burnt near the terminal ends. I've had numerous terminal ends so hot that they start melting off and into my battery. Right now my car will not start and my battery cables are burnt.
I tried to start my car and the key seemed "stuck". I tried everything to turn it to no avail. Called a locksmith and he said it was a very common problem with the ford focus, and that he responds to calls about this issue all the time. The key ignition cylinder just breaks on these cars. I took it to my mechanic who confirmed this and is in the process of replacing the ignition cylinder. The part from ford is substandard and that is why it breaks all the time. This should be recalled! What is the point of a car if you cannot start it due to a mechanism constantly breaking? What if I were in a bad area of town, what if I really really needed to leave immediately but couldn't due to a faulty part that is a known issue!?
2001 ford focus. Key will not turn tried both keys w/o help have been having trouble and now will not work. This is the car my daughter takes to college and lucky it was sitting in my driveway not with her on a dark campus all alone.
Ford focus year 2001 - the ignition has locked up twice. Had aaa locksmith make a new key that worked better- old key you have to hit with force to make it work. Now it turns but won't start.
Ignition lock failure. Key will not turn in ignition.
Key will not turn in ignition. Eventually after a half hour of trying, the car turned over and I was able to drive it to the dealership. I told them I was having problems with my ignition, and they asked me if my car was a focus. Apparently this is a common problem in the ford focus. The tumbler needs to be replaced. I have a 2001 ford focus se wagon. Why do you have to replace an ignition in a 5 year old car? I had a 10 year old car without any ignition problems ever.
I have a 2001 ford focus and in 2005 I had to replace my ignition cylinder. The key wouldn't turn at all. I bought the cylinder from ford and replaced it myself. Now, a year later, I am having the same problem again. My key will not turn the ignition. I have tried troubleshooting but nothing has improved. I have to buy another cylinder again.
Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the key would not turn the ignition switch. A locksmith was called and the ignition switch was replaced. The dealer was not alerted.
2001 ford focus ignition cylinder locks up 10/10/2006 car is stranded overnight in a parking lot in an unsafe neighborhood lock cylinder was replaced at a cost of $300 plus tow fees.
For a week I was having trouble turning my key in the ignition of my 2001 ford focus. Then one morning I could not turn my key at all. I had to have the car towed to the dealership. According to the dealership this is a common occurrence with the ford focus. They had to replace the ignition cylinder at my cost. I was told that even though this is a common occurrence, ford will do nothing about it because it is, according to them, not a safety issue. I want to know how this is not a safety issue when this problem can leave someone stranded anywhere with no warning.
Ignition switch deteriorated resulting in a failure; there were no prior indications of the imminency of this failure. Ignition subsequently completely failed to turn. Entire ignition switch system replaced. The keys will be the next to fail, as they are wearing down in a much more substantial manner than I have ever seen an automobile key deteriorate.
Concern: 2001 ford focus zx3 (ignition switch stuck) this car has only 35000 miles. As I have searched for repair instruction for this problem I know it is wide spread. My daughter drives this car everyday to college and the ignition switch stuck and left her stranded. The key would go into the cylinder but would not turn. This could be very dangerous if she were alone and stuck in a parking lot in the dark!!! I believe the scenarios are significant enough that ford needs to remedy this as soon as possible. Winter is setting in and people all over the country are going to be getting stranded in their ford focus'. This won't get attention until someone dies! Ford is all about the money!
I had taken my grand-daughter to the dentist and when we came out the key ignition would not turn and the steering wheel was locked up. I spent the most of the morning trying to get it to turn one more time so that I could take it to ford town to get it fixed. I knew what had happened because my daughter has a 2004 ford focus and hers had just locked up about a month before and she never did get it to turn over, she had to have her car towed and the ignition cylinder drilled out, finally we were able to get it to turn over one more time and the man at ford town told me to leave the key in the ignition and the next day they would try and work my car in to have it fixed. I took it to ford town the next day and they fixed it and it cost me $184.37.
Ignition lock-up. First time major disaster with independent mechanic and dealership costing me $1055.26 just because the key cylinder/key would not work. Second time it locked up, 14 months later, still cost me over $500.00 for fix and new keys at dealership.
Car won't start. Key will not enter ignition. From what I understand, this is a recurring problem with this model.
Ignition lock, could not turn key.
My ignition key often sticks in the ignition and can not be removed. This is a very common problem and ford knows all about it. They will only replace it with the same defective piece of junk. It makes the cars unsafe as they sometimes lock the column and sometimes make it impossible to restart the car in unsafe locations, such as high crime areas or adjacent to interstate highways. It makes the cars vulnerable to theft. Ford will do nothing about it and it seems every focus will have this problem. I will never buy another ford product as they do not own up to their design failures.
2001 ford focus, 6 yrs old, only 38k miles. Ignition cylinder locked up and I was unable to insert key more than halfway. Vehicle had to be towed to dealer ($75), who replaced cylinder for $350. Dealer reports they still see this repair about once a month on the 2000, 2001 models.
*this is a safety issue!* when leaving work my car would not start, the starter would not engage and accessories would not come on...I went inside for 10 min to try to arrange a ride home...when I came back to the car I decided to try one last time and the car started right up no problem. While driving home (at about 8.30pm local time...fully dark outside) at approx. 50 MPH the car died including most accessories, most notably, the headlights. When I tried to steer the car to the side of the road, the steering wheel locked. This all happened very quickly, I was braking and there seemed to be some power assist to the brakes but not full braking power. I was headed straight at a large tree when the car suddenly came to life again and I managed to just miss it. I limped the car about a 1/4 (at 10 MPH) to my brothers apartment and it died 2x again on the way. After several days trying to diagnose the problem I discovered that wiggling the key in the ignition induces the car to die. Upon researching this problem I found that this has been reported on a wide scale basis and it concerns me that a recall has not been issued. I was very lucky not to be injured or killed by this problem and many many people are unaware of this risk (as was I until only a few days ago). I have found no way to get the matter corrected via the manufacturer as the current replacement part is almost identical to the original and is noted for short lifetime and for failing in the same manner.
My ignition will not turn. I have tried everything. I guess the ignition cylinder needs to be replaced.
2001 ford focus. Key ( ignition switch) failed. Key won't turn .
Dt: the contact stated while driving 35 - 40 MPH, the check engine light and battery light illuminated. While pulling the vehicle into a parking lot all the dashboard lights darkened and the vehicle hesitated as if it was going to stall. It was parked for about 3 minutes and the vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was observed by an independent mechanic who determined that a barren came out of one of the pulleys however that would not cause the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was left at the scene of the incident. Two days later the contact returned to the vehicle and the vehicle was burned. The insurance investigator observed a security video which identified the vehicle smoking and a window had fallen.
I own a ford focus zx3 (2001). I seem to have the same problem as everyone else with my car. My ignition key would not turn and I was left stranded. I have done some research about the issue, and it seems to me that every other focus owner had to deal with this problem. The solution to the problem is purchasing a new ignition cylinder (~$400). Ford need to admit to a faulty part and low quality of materials. Please help this be an official recall. Thank you.
Dt*: the contact stated the ignition cylinder locked completely, and would not move. The key was also not able to be inserted all the way in to the ignition. The vehicle was not able to be started, and no electrical components engaged. The vehicle was towed to a service dealer, who drilled out the ignition cylinder, and replaced the cylinder and ignition switch. The dealer cited a faulty ignition switch as the cause of the problem.
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