10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 7 / 4
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 3 / 3
- Average Mileage:
- 36,886 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Just had our second $350 ignition lock replacement in 2000 Ford Focus w/ 44000 miles on it. I talked to the service manager at sarasota Ford who stated that "honestly, you're the first one I've seen". well, I've been (belatedly) reading through web sites with loads of the same complaint!!!
- Sarasota, FL, USA
Car would not accept key after turning off ignition. Had to have towed to Ford dealership. They said ignition lock broke and replaced it car only had 39000 miles on it. $284.39 cost of replacement plus towing charges.
- Elysburg, PA, USA
2000 Ford Focus SE, key will not go into ignition. Can not start car.
- Hixson, TN, USA
Purchased new Sept 2000 @ 13 miles Feb 2003 ignition switch froze, @ 25,375 miles replaced under 36/36K warranty. Sept 2004 ignition switch froze @ 45,150 miles replaced by Ford and paid by owner for $354. In each case I was stranded and had to pay for towing and a rental car. Ford keeps replacing the switch with a faulty switch. This should be a recall.
- Everett, WA, USA
Faulty ignition cylinder, second replacement in 18 months. 1st time ignition would not turn & key stuck. 2nd time car would not turn over, service tech claims components inside were broken.
- San Diego, CA, USA
Went to work, parked car in company lot came out put key into ignition to start and key will not turn. Steering wheel will not turn. Had vehicle towed to dealership, no word from them yet. I have a baby what if this were to happen in the middle of winter while my baby was with me. It is very dangerous.
- Sunbury , PA, USA
I have a 2000 Ford Focus wagon and I can no longer get the key to turn in the ignition. I have giggled, I have tapped, I have tried to coax it to work, but now my car is stuck in my driveway with no way to start it. I have looked on-line and there are hundreds of complaints about this same problem - the key sticks [which it has done repeatedly to me] or stops turning in the ignition at all, thereby rendering the car unstartable and therefore undrivable.
- Rochester, NY, USA
Ignition key locking up, defective ignition switch.
- Bremerton, WA, USA
More than 1 problem with the fuel system as a whole, the latest one being a fuel pump replacement. Now my ignition is broken and in the shop. I've had to have my brakes replaced early along with all of the other recalls on the Focus.
- Seattle, WA, USA
When getting into my car to go to work one day the key wouldn't go into the ignition all the way. My vehicle needed to be towed to the dealership in order to replace the entire ignition assembly.
- Lorain, OH, USA
Problems with the vehicle motor going fast then slowing down. When the vehicle was in motion, there was thump in the rear under the seat as if it were stopping and or losing power, the emission light had come on the dash board and would go off and on again, the floor would vibrate and rattle, the engine would cut off when at stop lights, the key would not turn in the ignition/stuck in cylinder. The stalling would occur especially when the fuel tank was below 1/2.
- West Berlin, NJ, USA
Like many Ford focuses, my ignition lock cylinder failed. My key ring is not excessively heavy, nor am I abusive with my vehicle--the spring assembly inside the ilc is just a poorly designed piece of crap, and rather than pay the quoted price I successfully replaced the problem by drilling out the old lock and replacing it with a new ilc. Ford has issued a technical service bulletin on this problem and thousands of Focus owners have suffered a similar breakdown. It's a crap part and should be replaced with a sturdier part at no expense to the consumer, and those of us who have suffered breakdowns to date should be compensated for our repair costs.
- San Francisco, CA, USA
Came out of work after closing up at 9:30 pm. At first, key would only go into ignition half way.after a little jiggling key went in the rest of the way but would not turn at all, and steering wheel remained locked. After a half hour of tryng I gave up and had the car towed to the dealer(john lance Ford - westlake, Ohio) because their service department is open till midnight. On the ride there the towtruck driver told me he pick up several Focus's a week with the same problem. Heard the same thing from the service department dealer. Dealer replaced ignition tumbler and steering column ignition lock at a total cost of $331.52 to me since it was not covered. I filed a complaint with the dealership and with Ford since I feel this is a manufacturing defect that should be covered. I have never heard a response from either since. I feel this a safety issue since I was stranded at night, but I was lucky enough to have aaa and a cellphone. I feel sorry for those that don't. this is an unbelievably common problem with the 2000 Focus and should be a recall, and we should all be reimbursed.
- Cleveland, OH, USA
I own a 2000 Ford Focus. Several times in the past year, the key would not turn to start the car. In the past I have been able to jiggle the key and sterring wheel to get it started. On 7/14/2004, the same thing occurred, but I never had any success with turning it at all. The steering wheel was also locked up. I investigated the problem on the internet and found this was very common on Ford Focus, especially 2000. I had the car towed and had repairs done at ed kelnley Ford in layton, Utah costng $461.01.
- Kaysville, UT, USA
Various problems involving 2000 Ford Focus. Recall campaign #02542 was issued for the vehicle in reference to defective battery cables.
- White Lake, MI, USA
The ignition malfunctioned. As a result, the key got stuck which enabled the consumer to start the vehicle.
- Vancouver, WA, USA
When the key is placed in the ignition, the key will not turn and start the vehicle. The dealer examined the vehicle and replaced the ignition switch. This vehicle has had the ignition switch replaced three times since ownership.
- Avoca, PA, USA
Ignition cylinder jammed and car cannot be started. Cylinder must be replaced and tumblers removed to prevent repeat of situation in the future.
- Tempe, AZ, USA
Defective ignition switches even service wrighter say they should be recalled my 2000 Ford Focus has had 4 ignition switches installed, the latest on I installed 5-13-04 and today it was towed 65 miles for a new ong against a faulty design and should be fixed. Ford will credit me for the new switch I put in cause they say the key ruined it but I say the switch ruined the key. So the change everything now that the next one is in Ford when it brakes and I don't think its fair the consumer get stuck.the car had the original one, then about a year or so ago I changed it. Then I changed it 2 months ago and now today 07-12-04 again all the service wrighters say the should be recalled too.
- Cape Coral, FL, USA
- Mclean, VA, USA