Ford Focus Complaints (2003)

977 consumer complaints on file.

#10330835May 17, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH BECAME STUCK AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE FOR THREE HOURS; SHE ALSO NOTED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE TAKEN APART SO THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MOVE SO THE WHEELS COULD LINE UP IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED HOME. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10330367May 13, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, EQUIPMENT
I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS. SOMETIMES THE IGNITION LOCKS AND THE KEY WILL NOT EVEN TURN IN THE IGNITION, LEAVING ME STRANDED. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN A FEW WEEKS AGO. IT HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. UNTIL TONIGHT, WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED, THE KEY WOULD TURN THE IGNITION AFTER 5 - 10 MINUTES. TONIGHT, THE PROBLEM LASTED FOR OVER AN HOUR AND I HAD TO CALL A TOW. I WAS STRANDED IN A BAD AREA. HAVING LOOKED UP THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I CAN TELL IT IS AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM FOR FORD FOCUS MODEL YEARS 2000 - 2003. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329727May 10, 2010
STEERING
2003 FORD FOCUS HAS A LOCKED IGNITION AND WILL NOT TURN EVEN TO ROLL UP WINDOWS. FROZE UP ONCE LAST WEEK AND WAS ABLE TO JIGGLE IT AND GET IT WORKING. NOW IT WILL HAVE TO BE TOWED TO FORD. FORD DEALERSHIP IN BOZEMAN MONTANA SAYS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL BUT FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329390May 8, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK STICKS, UNABLE TO TURN KEY AND START CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328809May 4, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2003 FORD FOCUS IGNITION WON'T TURN OVER THE PAST MONTH THE IGNITION HAS BEEN SLOWLY INCREASING IN THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT IT WILL LOCK UP AND WON'T TURN. IT USED TO WORK FOR ME TO PUT THE KEY IN PULL OUT, WAIT A FEW SECONDS THEN PUT IT BACK IN AND IT WOULD WORK. ON 5/3/10 MY IGNITION WOULD NO LONGER WORK AND I WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK. NO REPAIR HAS BEEN COMPLETED YET, BUT I WILL BE LOOKING INTO IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10327082April 22, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION OF OUR 2003 FORD FOCUS JUST HAPPENED TODAY - NO PRIOR PROBLEM WITH IGNITION WILL MOST LIKELY CALL A LOCKSMITH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10326785April 21, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10326779April 21, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM, JUST WENT TO MY 2003 FOCUS AND COULD NOT TURN THE KEY. WENT IN THE HOUSE AND GOT THE OTHER KEY. IT WOULD NOT TURN. THE IGNITION COLUMN IS PERMANENTLY LOCKED. FORD HAS KNOWN OF THIS FAILURE FOR 10 YEARS AND DONE NOTHING??? WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR SUCH AN ONGOING AND KNOWN DEFECT? I'M SURPRISED I HAVE NOT HEARD OF DEATHS RELATED TO THIS AS WEATHER CONDITIONS, ROBBERY OR RAPE COULD CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTE TO THIS FIXABLE PROBLEM. SHAME ON FORD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10325977April 16, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10325229April 12, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE IGNITION OF MY 2003 FORD FOCUS SE, LOCKED UP ON ME AND LEFT ME STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10323977April 6, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IGNITION LOCKS UP AND CAN NOT TURN KEY TO START ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320611March 18, 2010
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY 2003 FORD FOCUS HAS A IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM ALL OF A SUDDEN THE KEY WILL NOT START THE CAR IT HAS LEFT US STRANDED AND HAS TAKEN US AS LONG AS 30 MINUTES TO START CAR. WE HAVE TRIED SEVERAL REMEDIES LIKE SILICONE SPRAY, TAPPING ON KEY SO IT WILL START THIS PROBLEM HAS EFFECTED A HOST OF FOCUS OWNERS WITH COSTLY REPAIRS AND WE WILL SOON HAVE TO SPEND MONEY TO REPAIR THIS OBVIOUSLY FLAWED DESIGN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320175March 16, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2003 FORD FOCUS, ZX3, 2.3 LITER. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 TIMES, LEAVING ME STRANDED TWICE. WE ARE CALLING A LOCK SMITH TO RE-KEY THE IGNITION AND DOORS AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10319862March 15, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE IGNITION SWITCH (THAT IS, WHERE THE KEY GOES TO START THE CAR) WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS STUCK AND HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. THERE HAD BEEN NO WARNING, THAT IS, THE KEY WAS NEVER HARD TO TURN, I NEVER HAD TO JIGGLE THE STEERING COLUMN, OR ANYTHING LIKED THAT. I JUST PARKED THE CAR IN FRONT OF A STORE, AND FIVE MINTS LATER, WENT OUT AND FOUND OUT THEY KEY WOULD NOT TURN. (I COULD REMOVE AND RE-INSERT THE KEY, IT WOULD NOT TURN) . FURTHER MORE, THE DEALER AND AAA, OF COURSE, SAY TO TRY JIGGLING THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL THAT DID WAS LOCK THE FRONT WHEELS IN A TURNED POSITION AND MADE IT VERY HARD TO MOVE THE CAR GET IT TO A POSITION TO BE TOWED. HAVING THE WHEELS LOCK IN A TURNED POSITION, AS IS COMMON, COULD BE A HAZARD TOO. THE AAA GUY COULD NOT FREE (TURN) THE IGNITION SWITCH IT EITHER. I HAD FIRST CELL-PHONED CALLED THE DEALER, THEY HAD NO SUGGESTIONS. I SEE I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SO MANY OTHER 2003 FOCUSES HAVE REPORTED. THE DEALER GUESSED THAT THE CAUSE WAS THAT ONE OF THE PINS IN THE LOCK JUST SLIPPED OUT OF PLACE. THE FORD DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT WAS NOT CHEAP. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT, OR PART OF IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10319939March 15, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, STEERING
I JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT MY 2003 FORD FOCUS. JUST THIS WEEK THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION AND MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD BE LOCKED. I WAS ALWAYS ABLE TO GET MY CAR STARTED AFTER A FEW TRIES OR 10 MINUTES OR SO. TODAY I SAT IN MY CAR FOR 40 MINUTES TRYING TO GET MY KEY TO TURN; IT WOULD NOT. I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR AT THE SCHOOL WHICH I WORK AT, SINCE I AM A TEACHER, AND BE PICKED UP. I HAVE JUST READ ONLINE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE OR ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE AND THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE IGNITION YET. I AM CONFUSED AS TO WHY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT LEAVES YOU STRANDED AND TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET YOUR CAR STARTED IS A BIG DEAL. IF IT WAS JUST MY CAR, FINE, I WOULD GET IT FIXED WITH NO ISSUE. BUT TO READ THAT HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND FORD FOCUS' ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE IS A LITTLE OUTRAGEOUS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10319330March 12, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UNABLE TO TURN KEY IN THE IGNITION. HAD OCCURRED SPORADICALLY LEADING UP TO THE DATE WHEN IT WAS THEN UNABLE TO BE USED AT ALL, LEAVING FAMILY STRANDED. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IGNITION REPLACED. SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH REVEALED THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317465March 7, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WE CANNOT GET THE KEY TO TURN IN THE IGNITION AND HAS LEFT ME STRANDED NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAVE READ THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY FORD FOCUS OWNERS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A YEAR ON AND OFF. I FIND THIS TO BE OFFENSIVE THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED AS A RECALL WHEN I SEE THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE HAVING THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM. CLEARLY IT IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE IGNITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317282March 5, 2010
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2003 FORD FOCUS. WENT TO DRIVE THE CAR GOT IN PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WON'T TURN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. 3/4/10, THE FIRST TIME, IT "FINALLY", AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES TURNED AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN AND OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE SECOND TIME ON 3/5/10, IT JUST WOULDN'T TURN. THE CAR IS SITTING, WILL HAVE TO CALL A LOCK SMITH TO GET IT FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10316838March 4, 2010
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN, AND VEHICLE CAN NOT BE STARTED, REMOVING KEY AND INSERTING AGAIN AND AGAIN WOULD ALLOW IT TO START THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME. NOW IT WILL NOT TURN AT ALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315942March 2, 2010
EQUIPMENT, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2003 FORD FOCUS ZX5--KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION, SO CAN'T START CAR. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND NO AMOUNT OF CRANKING, JIGGLING, ETC., WOULD ALLOW ME TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND START THE CAR. WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS, THEN TONIGHT I COULDN'T GET THE CAR STARTED AT ALL; NEITHER COULD A KIND STRANGER; NEITHER COULD MY HUSBAND. SNOWING AND COLD. I HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR IN A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT OVERNIGHT AND HOPE IT WILL BE UNHARMED IN THE MORNING. WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS 120 MILES FROM HOME FOR THREE DAYS AND WOULD HAVE BEEN TERRIBLY STRANDED. I UNDERSTAND THAT FORD WILL REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE PART (IGNITION SWITCH) WITH THE SAME SWITCH, WHICH WILL ALSO BE DEFECTIVE, AND THAT I CAN LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING STRANDED AGAIN WHEN THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AGAIN. COST WILL BE BETWEEN $350 AND $400, PLUS TIME AWAY FROM TEACHING SCHOOL (NOT A GOOD IDEA AND FROWNED UPON BY ADMINISTRATION). THE $350-$400 WILL ONLY BUY ME ANOTHER FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. OTHERS HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN FREEZING, SNOWY WEATHER NOWHERE NEAR A REPAIR SHOP, IN EXTREME HEAT WITH SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR, IN UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOODS AT NIGHT (SEE HTTP://WWW.FORDPROBLEMS.COM/FOCUS/KEY-WONT-TURN-IN-THE-IGNITION.SHTML COMPLAINTS). FORD SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM AT NO COST THROUGH A RECALL AND INSTALLATION OF A RELIABLE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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