Ford Focus Complaints (2003)

977 consumer complaints on file.

#10242753September 18, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER ON FORD FOCUS IS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANISM LOCKS AND IS UNABLE TO TURN. THIS YIELDS THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE, POSING A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK IF THE OWNER NEEDS TO USE THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY OR THE VEHICLE STALLS ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS AN ISSUE KNOWN BY FORD, AS EVIDENCED BY THE MECHANICS AT LANDMARK FORD, TIGARD, OREGON STATING THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND FORD HAS QUIETLY UPDATED THE CYLINDER. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE NUMEROUS INTERNET FORUMS WITH THIS SAME COMPLAINT. ALL OWNERS OF FOCUS VEHICLES WILL HAVE THIS FAILURE, IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. THE REPAIR IS $300+. A RECALL SHOULD BE REQUIRED OF FORD TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242773September 18, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING,HARD SHIFTING, AND NOT GOING INTO 4TH. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 70 THOUSAND MILES. TOOK IT TO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A SOLENOID. ALSO WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN MY TYPE OF VEHICLE. IT MAY OR MAY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM COMPLETELY. WHEN I QUESTIONED WHY HE SAID THAT MANY OF THE FOCUS TRANSMISSIONS HAVE SOLENOID PROBLEMS UNTIL THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WENT ONLINE AND DID SOME SEARCHING AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MAKE OF MY CAR. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD THEY SAID THAT THEY DID NOT SEE THESE PROBLEMS VERY OFTEN. WHEN I APPROACHED THEM WITH THE DISCUSSION BOARDS THAT I HAD READ AND THE COMMENTS FROM MY TRUSTED MECHANIC THEY HAD NO COMMENT. MY CAR DOES WORK NOW AFTER THE SOLENOID WAS REPLACED, BUT IT STILL SLIPS AND SHIFTS HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT FORD WILL NOT ADMIT TO A PROBLEM WITH THE MECHANICS OF THIS TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242182September 15, 2008
POWER TRAIN, SEAT BELTS, VISIBILITY, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
I HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, THE WATER PUMP, THE THERMOSTAT, AND ALL RADIATOR HOSES. THE CAR OVERHEATS DAILY STILL. THE STEREO CUTS ON AND OFF AND CAN'T BE TURNED OFF BY THE POWER BUTTON. THE REAR LEFT SEATBELT IS STUCK WHERE IT CAN'T BE USED. THE DRIVER WINDOW FELL INTO THE DOOR, WHEN THE PANEL WAS REMOVED IT SHOWED THAT THE WHOLE WIRE SYSTEM HAD SNAPPED. THE DRIVER DOOR ALSO CAN ONLY BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241646September 9, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I PURCHASED MY CAR A YEAR AGO. IT HAS 26,452 MILES ON IT. I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN AND THE LIGHT WAS OUT. I CONTINUED ON. A DAY LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE AND THEY PULLED THE CODES THAT SAID THE GEAR RATIO WAS INCORRECT IN 2ND AND 3RD. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED....AFTER 26,000 MILES??? MY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ABOUT A MONTH PRIOR. I CALLED FORD. THEY REFUSED TO HELP ME IN ANY WAY AND EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY MY DRIVING HAD CAUSED THE FAILURE. THEY ALSO FLAT OUT LIED AND TOLD ME THE WARRANTY WAS FOR ONLY 3/36,000 WHEN I HAVE A NEWS RELEASE FROM FORD STATING IT IS FOR 5/100,000. I DID GET THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT THE COST OF $3600. FORD STILL REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY OBVIOUSLY MADE A MALFUNCTIONING TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241660September 9, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS AND HAD TO SPEND $360 TO HAVE MY IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED AS MY STEERING WHEEL HAD LOCKED AND THE KEY UNABLE TO TURN AND START THE CAR WHEN THE CAR HAD JUST WORKED FINE THE PREVIOUS DAY. LUCKILY, IT WAS STILL WARM OUTSIDE AND I WAS NOT STRANDED IN A REMOTE PLACE IN A STORM OR IN WINTER WHERE HARM COULD BEFALL SOMEONE. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG OR WHAT I NEEDED TO DO, BUT I COULDN'T UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. I EVEN CALLED THE FORD COMPANY WHO STATED THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING THEY COULD DO EXCEPT THAT IT SHOULD BE TAKEN TO A DEALER. I CALLED A FORD DEALERSHIP WHOSE SERVICE DIRECTOR DID NOT SEEM SURPRISED BY WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY STEERING WHEEL, EVEN SAYING THAT PROBABLY THE IGNITION CYLINDER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE PART WOULD USUALLY COST $350-400 TO REPAIR. HE SAID THAT HE HAD REPLACED QUITE A FEW FOR THE FOCUS. THEN I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, SOME HAVING REPLACED THIS ONE PART 4-5 TIMES. FOR SOME REASON THIS PART HAS NEVER BEEN RECALLED EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SERIOUS ENGINEERING FLAW WITH POSSIBLE SERIOUS RAMIFICATIONS IN STRANDING PEOPLE UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE AND SO I AM TURNING TO YOU TO MAKE THE FORD COMPANY OWN UP TO THEIR DESIGN FLAW CONCERNING ITS CAR, THE FORD FOCUS CONCERNING ITS IGNITION CYLINDER. WHEN THE LOCKSMITH CAME AND REPLACED THE CYLINDER HE DEMONSTRATED WHY THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE. IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TUMBLER MECHANISM IN THE CYLINDER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241194September 6, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER DRIVES A FORD FOCUS ZX3 2003. AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR ONLY A FEW MONTHS, THE IGNITION LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN. AS A RESULT, SHE WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT ALONE FEELING VERY UNSAFE. THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES TO MY HUSBANDS F250 IGNITION. THE IGNITIONS HAD TO BE REPLACED BY A LOCKSMITH EACH TIME. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THESE IGNITIONS TO FAIL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240280August 29, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IGNITION IS STUCK AND WONT TURN. LEFT MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WITH NO WAY OF GETTING HOME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239955August 27, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE WHAT CAUSED IT, BUT MY IGNITION ON MY 03 FORD FOCUS LX LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN OVER. YOU COULD LEAVE THE KEY IN AND IT WOULD ALWAYS START. BUT IF YOU TOOK THE KEY OUT IT WOULD LOCK UP AND REFUSE TO TURN. I HAVE NOT HAD IT FIXED YET AND I THINK IT IS NOT FAIR THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO FIX IT WHEN 9 OUT OF 10 FORD FOCUS DO THIS. I AM TAKING IT TO A LOCK SMITH TO HAVE IT FIXED NEXT WEEK AND I WILL BE SELLING IT AND I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239817August 26, 2008
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO START IN THE MORNINGS AND IT WOULD IDLE EXTREMELY ROUGHLY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND REMEDY THE ISSUE. IN ADDITION, THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD NOT BLOW COLD AIR. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239482August 23, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
KEY WON'T TURN IN IGNITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239283August 22, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER PLACING THE DOWN PAYMENT OF $1500 AND COMPLETING THE PAPERWORK. NOT EVEN A WEEK LATER THE CAR BEGAN TO STALL ON THE FREEWAY AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND I DROVE IT TO FREEWAY FORD HERE IN HOUSTON, TX. EACH TIME THEY COULDN'T FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I HADN'T ENJOYED THE CAR OVER A MONTH BECAUSE THE CAR WAS GIVEN ME PROBLEMS WHEN I HAD IT AND IT STAYED AT THE DEALERSHIP. I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THE DEALERSHIP ASSISTANT MANAGER AND NEITHER HAD AN ANSWER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10238481August 16, 2008
STEERING
THE WHEEL/IGNITION LOCKED AS TURNED THE WHEEL TO PARK ON A HILL. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED ON THIS CAR AND COULD NOT UNLOCK IT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD $340 THAT THE WHOLE CYLINDER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10237498August 8, 2008
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
BACK IN JULY (ISH) OF 07, MY 4 DOOR FORD FOCUS ZX5 PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR WINDOW FELL IN THE DOOR WHILE DRIVING. ON AUG 8, 2008 MY DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW FELL IN THE DOOR AS WELL. I HAD MY 2 GIRLS IN THE BACK SEAT THIS TIME. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TOP PULLEY HAD BROKEN OUT OF THE DOOR CAUSING THE WINDOW TO FALL. I NOW HAVE 2 NON FUNCTIONING WINDOWS WITH THE SAME THING WRONG WITH THEM WITHIN ALMOST A YEAR FROM EACH OTHER. JUST WAITING FOR THE FRONT WINDOWS TO DO THE SAME WHILE I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10236888August 4, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10236471July 31, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
BEING STRANDED WITHOUT MY CAR STARTING IS MY ISSUE. HAVE 2003 FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO TURN CAR ON-- STRANDED 5 TIMES-- ONE TIME I WAS 45 MILES FROM HOME-- HAD IT TOWED AND REPAIRED COST $90 NOW IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND HAD TO GET A RIDE HOME FROM WORK HATE TO SEE WHAT THIS BILL WILL BE IF FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH 2000 THROUGH 2003 VEHICLES WHY ARE THEY NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP THE CONSUMER OUT BY RECALLING THEM . *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10236473July 31, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
COMMENTS: THE IGNITION OF MY FORD FOCUS 2003 LOCKED @ 40,000 MILES. KEY SUDDENLY WOULDN'T TURN. UNABLE TO START ENGINE. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO FORD DEALER BY AAA TOW. AA DRIVER SAID HE HAS HAD MANY SUCH CASES. HAD TO GET IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED @ DEALER FOR EXORBITANT $570.($347 LABOR) THERE ARE THUNDREDS OF THESE CASES BUT FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS PROBLEM. I HEARD THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INFO ON HOW TO JOIN IN LAWSUIT OR OTHER MEANS TO GET FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL AND/OR PAY FOR THIS PART FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10235974July 28, 2008
STRUCTURE:BODY
WATER LEAKS IN TO MY 2003 FORD FOCUS FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND LITERALLY FOUND 100'S OF COMPLAINTS. IT SEEMS IT IS RELATED TO THE CABIN AIR FILTER HOUSING. IT ACTS LIKE A FUNNEL THAT DIRECTS RAIN THAT ESCAPES THE COWL SEAL INTO THE CABIN. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THIS? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10235406July 22, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
UNTIL A WEEK AGO, I WAS THE HAPPY OWNER OF AN '03 ZX3 FOCUS. ON 7/15, I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID A CAR DRIFTING INTO MY LANE AND HIT THE CONCRETE RETAINING WALL AT ABOUT 60 MPH. THE SHOCK WAS ENOUGH TO CRUSH MOST OF THE FRONT AND ENGINE BLOCK AND BREAK THE AXLE. YET THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SHAME ON YOU FORD. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10234966July 20, 2008
STEERING
RATTLE ANF THUMBING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER FRONT OF VEHICLE WHEN GOING OVER EVERY BUMP. REPORTED TO FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON THREE OCCASIONS. (10/11/06, 04/05/07 AND 06/26/08 ) ON 06/26/2008, FORD CHARGED ME $288.56 TO INSTALL A FRONT END STABILIZER KIT. OLD PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10234921July 19, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I GOT INTO MY CAR LAST NIGHT AND COULD NOT START IT, I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON SE, THE KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION, I AM STRANDED AND CANT GET TO THE DRUG STORE TO GET MY SONS MEDICATION. I CANT GET TO THE GROCERY STORE AND AM AFRAID I WONT BE ABLE TO GET TO WORK ON MONDAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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