Ford Focus Complaints (2003)

977 consumer complaints on file.

#10264162April 5, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE IGNITION SWITCH RANDOMLY BROKE ON MY 2003 FORD FOCUS. MY KEY WILL NOT TURN THE SWITCH. I WAS STRANDED WITH MY 2 CHILDREN. I CONTACTED AAA AND THE LOCKSMITH THAT I SPOKE WITH WAS OUT OF STOCK ON THE IGNITION CYLINDER BECAUSE "THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS. I USUALLY KEEP 4 OR 5 ON HAND." I CONSIDER THIS A PERSONAL SAFETY ISSUE AS THERE WAS NO WARNING OF IT OCCURRING. IT WAS ALL VERY RANDOM. I DROVE TO THE LOCATION. I DID MY BUSINESS. I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR. MY KEY WOULD NOT WORK. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY NEEDS TO ADDRESS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10263608March 30, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN MY DAUGHTER OPENED THE DOOR SOMETHING POPPED AND YOU COULD NO LONGER OPEN THE DOOR - I FAILED AN INSPECTION AND RECEIVED A TICKET BECAUSE THE DOOR WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY. MY NEPHEW WENT TO THE JUNKYARD TO GET THE PART BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE IT NEW AT THE DEALERSHIP. THIS HAPPENED OCT OF 2007. I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS. MY DAUGHTER OPENED THE BACK RIGHT SIDE WINDOW AND SOMETHING AGAIN POPPED. THE WINDOW WOULDN'T GO UP OR DOWN. A DEALER SAID IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED - AGAIN - THAT THE PLASTIC PART THAT MAKES IT GO UP AND DOWN POPPED. AGAIN OFF TO THE JUNK YARD - $8.00 BUCKS WHAT A DEAL. THESE THINGS STARTED RIGHT AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED - GO FIGURE. WHY ARE PLASTIC PARTS BEING PUT INTO OUR VEHICLES - AS A SINGLE MOM I CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE ALL PARTS FOR THE DOOR HANDLES AND WINDOWS AS THEY POP. WE NEED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10262261March 18, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE IGNITION WILL NOT TURN ON IN MY CAR. THE KEY WILL GO IN, BUT IT WILL NOT TURN. IT WAS HARD TO TURN FOR A WHILE, SEVERAL WEEKS I JUST WOULD KEEP TRYING AND JIGGLING IT, AND IT WOULD EVENTUALLY WORK, AND NOW IT JUST WON'T TURN ON AT ALL. I WAS STRANDED IN A DANGEROUS AREA UNTIL MY HUSBAND COULD COME TO PICK ME UP. I CALLED A LOCKSMITH TO REPAIR IT AND HE SAID HE GETS THIS ISSUE AL THE TIME WITH FORD FOCUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10262079March 16, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10261773March 13, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I WAS SEATING IN A TACOBELL DRIVETHRU, WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY ENGINE HAD A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10261143March 9, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2003 FORD FOCUS IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10261320March 9, 2009
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN SERIOUS FRONTAL CRASH AND AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10261002March 7, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS WEAR DOWN FASTER THAN I CAN AFFORD TO FIX THEM. ROTORS ONLY LAST 1-2 MONTHS THEN BEFORE WARPING THEN I RIDE THEM OUT FOR ANOTHER MONTH (NO MONEY TO KEEP REPLACING) THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR 2 YEARS. I HAVE RECEIPTS AND MECHANICS PROOF. ITS CRAZY. I HAVE ALSO VERIFIED SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER CAR COMPLAINT WEB SITES WITH PEOPLE AND FORD FOCUS' - BRAKES PADS AND ROTORS SHOULD NOT WEAR OUT MONTHLY. I CANT AFFORD THE REPAIRS BUT I CANT AFFORD TO HAVE MY BRAKES GO OUT COMPLETELY AND RISK THE HARM TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. PLEASE HELP *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260176February 27, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHEEL AND IGNITION LOCK UP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259599February 22, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
KEY IGNITION PROBLEM WITH 2003 FORD FOCUS. NOT VERY SAFE WHEN MY DAUGHTER CANT GET HER KEY TO START HER CAR FORD NEED TO FIX THIS ASAP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259516February 21, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PUT KEY IN IGNITION AND IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. SPENT 20 MINUTES TRYING TO GET IT TO TURN. FINALLY DID. TWO DAYS LATER, WHEN I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO A FAMILY FUNERAL OUT OF TOWN, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AFRAID THAT I WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WHILE TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN, I TOOK IT TO LOCAL CAR REPAIR PLACE. THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH THE IGNITION AGAIN TO DRIVE IT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. THERE THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER AND REPROGRAMMED KEYS. I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND FAMILY FUNERAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259102February 17, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I WENT SHOPPING GOT IN MY CAR AND PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND I COULDN'T TURN THE KEY BECAUSE THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258647February 14, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2003 FORD FOCUS ZX3 IGNITION RANDOMLY FAILS. INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND IT WILL NOT TURN. YOU CANNOT START YOUR CAR FOR AN INDETERMINABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. MAJOR FLAW IN FORD IGNITIONS WITH NO REMEDY FROM FORD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258557February 13, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK THURSDAY MORNING AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE WITH THE CAR AND IGNITION. AS I TRIED TO CRANK MY CAR TO GO TO LUNCH THAT DAY, I NOTICED THAT I COULD INSERT MY KEY INTO THE IGNITION BUT COULD NOT TURN IT TO START THE CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE SINCE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I HAD TO CALL AAA FOR THEM TO SEND A LOCKSMITH OUT TO REPAIR MY IGNITION SWITCH IN MY CAR. I HAVE ALREADY HEARD SO MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NOT EVEN THREE MONTHS AGO, MY MOM WHO HAS THE EXACT SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR AS ME, HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO HER. MY BROTHER HAS THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR AS ME ALSO AND NOW I AM WORRIED HE IS GOING TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE OCCUR TO HIM SOON TOO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258153February 10, 2009
STEERING
RACK AND PINION DEVELOPED A LEAK. I BOUGHT MY CAR IN FEB 2004 AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE ON IT. LAST SPRING I NOTICED MY CAR WAS MAKING AN ODD SOUND AND I RAISED THE HOOD AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL VERY LOW AND FILLED IT UP. THE NOISE WENT AWAY. WHILE CHANGING THE BRAKES ON IT MY HUSBAND FOUND THE RACK AND PINION LEAKING FLUID. THE WARRANTY WAS ONLY GOOD UP TO 36,000 MILES AND AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I CURRENTLY HAVE ONLY 39,962 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT VERY LITTLE OBVIOUSLY SINCE IT IS A 2003 AND WHEN WE BOUGHT IT FEB 2004 IT ONLY HAD 19,221 MILES ON IT. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND AS I SAID I HAVE ONLY PUT APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES ON IT IN 5 YEARS. THERE SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION ON THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS LITTLE OF MILEAGE ON IT AND NOT DRIVEN THAT OFTEN, BUT THERE IS AND I HAVE NOT TO DATE BEEN ABLE TO GET IT FIXED AS THE TWO ESTIMATES I GOT TO GET IT FIXED IS BETWEEN 550 AND 600 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED. NO ONE OTHER THAN THE RICH PEOPLE CAN AFFORD A MAJOR REPAIR SUCH AS THIS WHEN IT IS OBVIOUS THAT FORD HAS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE ON THE RACK AND PINION ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE. IT WILL BE A TOTAL PAIN IF THIS GOES OUT BEFORE I CAN AFFORD TO FIX IT SINCE IT IS HAS POWER STEERING AND WILL CONVERT TO MANUAL STEERING IF IT GOES OUT BEFORE I CAN AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO MAKE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257311February 3, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
2003 FORD FOCUS ZX5. IGNITION SWITCH WON'T TURN. CAN'T START CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257101February 1, 2009
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, STRUCTURE
THE CAR HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE LOCKS FOR A WHILE NOW. WE CAN NOT PUT THE KEY INTO THE DOOR TO UNLOCK IT BECAUSE IT WONT ALWAYS WORK. THE HANDLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAS BROKE ONCE AND WAS REPLACED. NOW THE KEY FOR THE IGNITION WILL NOT TURN TO START THE CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN TO START THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256914January 30, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 2003 FORD FOCUS HAS BEEN FAILING TO WORK PROPERLY. HALF THE TIME I HAVE TO JIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL AS I TURN THE KEY IN ORDER FOR MY START TO START. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING OFF AND ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS NOW. THEN TONIGHT, I GOT STRANDED AT THE SUPERMARKET AND WAS STUCK FOR HOURS WAITING FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE DISPATCHER NOT ONLY SENT OUT THE WRONG PERSON TO ASSIST ME, BUT THE FIRST TOW TRUCK THAT CAME WASN'T PROPERLY TO TOW MY CAR DUE TO THE WAY I WAS PARKED SO I HAD TO WAIT FOR A SECOND TOW TRUCK (A THIRD PERSON). NOW MY CAR WON'T START AT ALL, THE WHEEL IS COMPLETELY LOCKED UP, AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT TO THE MECHANIC IS TO CALL A TOW TRUCK AGAIN. HOWEVER, UPON DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH, I FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. AND FRANKLY, THIS CAR IS MY FAMILY'S ONLY DECENT FORM OF TRANSPORTATION, SO WITHOUT IT WE'RE PRETTY MUCH STUCK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256291January 25, 2009
STEERING
KEY WILL NOT TURN IN 2003 FORD FOCUS. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT APPEARS TO BE LINKAGE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256196January 24, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
MY 2003 FORD FOCUS KEY WOULDN'T NOT TURN. IT FINALLY BROKE OFF INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH LEFT MY DAUGHTER STRAINED AT CAPTAIN D'S. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME. WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING IT FIX WHEN YOU'RE ON A LOW BUDGET. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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