Problems with 2000 Ford Focus ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The driver placed the key in the ignition but the vehicle would not engage. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for analysis. the mechanic determined the ignition switch needed to be replaced. *nm the ignition switch was replaced two times, power locks were inoperative, alarm was inoperative, trunk inoperative, and the window(s) were hard to close (must be forced down 3-4 times). *sc *jb

Ignition switch will not turn. i can insert the key into the ignition, but the lock will not turn. the entire iginition switch had to be replaced and re-keyed.

Went to start my car but the key would not go into ignition. i tried every possible way to get the key in. i ended up calling two dealerships who both said it was a common problem with the 2000 focus. when i spoke with the mechanic i asked if there was a recall he said he was very suprised that there hadn't been one. i also asked if the new cylinder would have the same problem he replied that it was an updated model but that didn't mean anything- they still had the same problem.*ak

Key would not turn in ignition...cylinder locked up, bought a new one from a ford dealer and had it put in and the same problem occurred two weeks later. also has stalling at different speeds like the gas is being shut off, and has problems with the front suspension griding when you hit bumps or go across dips in the road.*ak

Consumer attempted to start vehicle but key would not turn. the ignition was locked in place and it would not move. also, steering wheel was locked. vehicle was towed to the dealership, and technician replaced the ignition switch.*ak

The battery cable coroded causing the vehicle to shut down at highway speed. please provide any addition information. ts

Ignition won't turn. the tow truck driver said this happens on a lot of other focuses, and he thought it was a recall. when i call the dealer's service center he said he's done three others. he then told me the cost would be about $330. this should be a recall! *la

We have had several problems with the car since we purchased it.our battery died at 25000 miles, had to be replaced no explanation given. the ignition tumbler had to be replaced be cause it broke, when i took it to the dealership they gave no explanation for it. *akalso we have had our brakes replaced twice within 1 year and need to have them done again(last done in july 2003).and we have been having a problem with the car stalling while driving at various speeds.

Ignition lock has broken.*ak

200 ford focus zx3: ignition is locked in position. key will not turn. steering is locked up also. this has happend 2 times before. there is a website dedicated to addressing this issue. this needs to ba a recall because it is obviously a manufacturer defect that is affecting the ford focus. *ak

A fire started under the hood while driving. vehicle was towed to dealer.*ak

Ford focus 2000. squeaky brakes, ignition problems - locked up -? can't turn key. *la

Zx3; after shutting off the engine, the driver noticed the steering wheel locked. when the driver tried to start the vehicle the key could not be inserted into the ignition, the steering wheel stayed locked. the vehicle had to be towed to the dealer. the ignition cylinder and battery were replaced. *ph *sc *jb

Key stuck in the ignition and would not turn. i had a flat tire on the highway and i turned off the car to change the tire. when returning to the car to start the car the key would not turn. i had to pay for a tow truck and a ford dealer bill of over $250 to replace the entire ignition.

While vacationing in michigan, i found my self locked out of the car. my key wouldn't even go into the ignition. i tried and tried then called the nearest ford dealership. they said i could have it towed to their facility and they may get to it tomorrow . i'm on vacation! they advised me to get a locksmith to fix it. so i called someone from the phone book. he came and broke apart my ignition and gave me a key. now my ignition is loose and the key only goes in part way. the key won't unlock the drivers door...it just keeps relocking it as fast as i unlock it. which brings me to my other complaint....i had the dealer replace the door-lock switch twice because it would lock/unlock several times in a row when i started the car. it still does it.

Recently had to have ignition replaced by a locksmith. i could not place the key into the ignition. something was wrong with the tumbler, i believe. the locksmith said this happened on several ford focus vehicles.*ak

Water leak in my 2000 ford focus. upon reading this website i realize the other problems i've had are similar to this car. car stalling, fuel gauge sticking, radio going out, carpet being replaced,wiper problems etc. when it rains the water can fill the passenger floorboard 2-3 inches. i've had the leak checked at several different places and so far no one can find the leak. according to this website the dealer can't find the problem either. my car is not under warranty any more, and i was informed if the leaking continues it will damage the "brain" computer or electrical system. if that happens and i have to spend a couple thousand to fix, but if the leaking is not found it will just happen again. i feel this car is unsafe and should have a recall. also, i have not received notice of all the recalls that pertains to this car. i have received only one pertaining to the back real wheel bearing, which was replaced at dealer. but i see that there have been others. why was i not notified? *la

Hi, i own a 2000 ford focus and it has been nothing but trouble. i purchased the car brand new in 2000 and have had it in the shop so many times. i have had my rear passenger side window mechanism replaced by ford, then personally replaced the driver front window mechanism and the driver back mechanism due to cable breaks. i have had it in with the radio 3 times and it still does not work correctly. i have had to have the brakes replaced, the ignition block replaced, the struts and shocks. the trunk release has never worked. now it keeps breaking down on me if i drive for more than 1 hour non stop. this weekend i went to san antonio from corpus, it died on the highway 3 times going to sa and coming home 4 times & how safe is that! ford said they cannot do anything for me unless it is messing up when i bring it in while it is acting up, however it always happens when i am away from town. they told me that if they hook it up to the machine it will not tell them anything. also, on several occasions my accelerator has stuck and i cannot brake, i have to put the car in neutral and press on the brake hard while the rpm's are still revving and pull the emergency brake, the first time this happened i was pulling into a parking spot and went over the yellow divider. is there anything i can do? *la

Last weekend after i parked my car i forgot to lock the doors after half hour i went out again and i could not even put the key into ignition i called ford dealer and they told me that i should try to move the steering wheel, so i tried many times, finally the key went in but it could not turn the key to start the car, nothing moves , no even the gearshift to shift to neutral and move the vehicle, so i went to the dealer and they told me it's a vehicle defect and also they told me they did have 2 more cases same as mine. so i asked them what i can do... they said i have to towed the car there and to check and fix it is around 400 dollars. my complain is because i think is very dangerous for a woman to have this kind of problem. the systems in their cars because if you are alone and you leave your vehicle in a parking lot said at night and you comeback what you are going to do if it is complete lock? you can be raped if you are alone late in a dark spot or anything can happen to you... now if ford knows this kind the cars have this problem why they do not do something about it ? they can recall the cars. please help me because i think is not fear i have to pay 400 dollar for a car defect and also because my warranty is over. thank you so much for help. samantha vidal. *la

After parking at my home i could not get the key back in the ignition. i had to have the car towed to the dealer for the ignition to be replaced. i was told on the phone that this is a common problem. *la

I own a 2000 ford focus, which my 17 year old son drives. today i got a call from him saying he was stranded at a friends house. the problem, he could not get his key to go all the way into the ignition switch. i drove out to where he was and found the key would not go all the way in, it acts like it is the wrong key for that switch. *la

I have replaced the ignition switch 3 times in least that 2 years and twice in three months. the dealership tells me to call ford and ford tells me it a dealership's problem call them the old run around. i also have replace all four brakes and tires with only 25000 miles on the car and they still squeeze and grind when applying the brake. i brought the car used so i do not know if anything was replace before i purchased it lovely vehicle. *la

Ignition locked, was unable to insert key, after hour of trial. key finally got into the ignition, but could not turn to any direction. had to tow vehicle to dealership, let dealership fix it. total cost was over $450. *ak

I purchased a ford focus wagon (2000) from rowan lincoln mercury in winter haven florida in november 2003. since that time this "checked out" vehicle has had the following repairs: a new ignition lock (twice), a new battery, new spark plugs & wires, new vacuum hose, and new alternator. now the transmission is going out on the vehicle. do i have any recourse against the dealership for selling me an obviously messed up vehicle? my contact with the dealership has been unanswered. the vehicle only had 36,000 miles on it when i purchased it. everyone that touches the car tells me that there is no good reason for the need of any of the repairs except the spark plugs, wires and battery. any advice as i am now facing another repair bill in excess of $1,000 for a car that is touted as being one of the most reliable on the road? *jb

Engine starter failed and had to be replaced. *jb

Ignition locked up. this is the second incident in 2.5 years. *la

Numerous problems with focus. bought car in 2001. since the day that i drove off the lot i had squeaky brakes. took to servicer and was told dust on brakes & it was normal. after three attempts, they changed pads & rotors. now i hear the squeak again. car cut off while going up a hill. was told by the servicer that it happened because the weather had recently gotten hot and it "shocked" the car. key wouldn't enter the ignition. had to have the car towed to servicer. car shuts off if under half a tank. servicer told me " keep the gas over half a tank". sometimes i smell something burning while heat on in car. on 2 occassions saw smoke coming from the vents while a/c on ( didn't take to servicer for these problems because they never occured again). today 11/10/03 the check engine light came on and the car started shaking and stalling eventually cutting off. took to the servicer and explained the problem, without even mentioning the make and model of my car the technician said, " you must have a focus". no longer under factory warranty and can't afford to pay for these defects that ford is very much aware of. also, the car no longer has value. tried to trade it in before factory warranty ran out last year, and was told car only worth $4,000 while i still owed $10,000, which means i would have had to come up with the $6,000 difference to be free from the car. the car was only 2 yrs old when i tried to trade it in! so, i feel i got ripped off with a lemon that i can't even get rid of. i am seriously considering calling the finance company and voluntarily giving the car back, but then my credit will show a repossession, which is not fair being that the consumers were never told about the history of problems with the focus before we bought them.*ak

Technical bulletin no. 15421 my ignition switch failed, preventing me from being able to turn my key in the ignition. i had to call a locksmith who replaced the swith for $275. the locksmith said he had seen dozens of ford focuses with similar problems, something he blame on a defective set of tumblers within the switch.

The driver placed the key in the ignition and vehicle would not engage. vehicle was towed to the dealer for analysis. mechanic noticed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. *ak

I had two problems occur concurrently on my 46,000 mile car--and the mechanics at the dealership i brought it to told me that they're seeing a large number of these same problems. 1) the ignition barrel goes stiff with little warning, and apparently leads to a jam, early in the useful life of the car. 2) the automatic door lock suddenly stops working, apparently due to the defective actuactor in one of the rear doors, so that the car no longer locks *la

When the consumer put key into the ignition switch vehicle would not start. *ak

Vehicle is having the same defect with the wire harness as stated in recall number 000 v 411 000, but their vin number is not included. ts brake lights inoperative at times also abs light comes and dash and dome light go off intermittently. trunk release inoperative. latch assembly replaced. *tt

Like many people who have sent complaints to this sight, i too have had several problems with my 2000 ford focus. the latest problem is what set me over the edge with ford though. i tried putting my key in the ignition to start my car today and it wouldn't go in. after several attempts, i gave up and called a towing company. once i got my car to a ford service center, i learned that the tumbler was bad and the whole ignition piece needed to be replaced. what was i to do? i need my car to run, so at a replacement fee of $430 dollars, my ignition was working once again. as soon as i got home, i called ford customer svs. and made my 2nd formal complaint about the car. i was dismissed as usual and decided to contact your site. after reviewing 50 plus complaints, i noticed that at least 5 also complained of the same problem that i had. how many cars does this have to happen to for this to become a recalled item? *la

The starter swicth on my ford focus broke. *la

2000 ford focus zts: the ignition cylinder locked on my car and my key won't slide in. i am going to have to have the car towed and fixed to the tune of about $400. this is potentially a dangerous situation, and one that occurs frequently from what i've been reading. this could have happened at any time and in any place. i am 7 months pregnant...what if i had been stranded and needed to get to the hospital in an emergency? *la

We have had the ignition freeze up on us three times in the past two years, the last time being yesterday. the first happened when the car had approximately 25,000 mi. (i can't find the original receipts, but it is on file at harrold ford in sacramento, ca). the second occurred when the car had a little over 40,000 miles (november of 2002). now the car has about 53,000 miles, and it has happened again. each time, we have been stranded and have had to have the car towed. the first time we were trapped in a parking garage at a med clinic with a very sick baby. the second time we were trapped for the entire weekend in lake tahoe before the car could be towed to a ford dealership on monday. given the frequency of the repairs required on this same exact item, it is hard for me to believe that this is not a design flaw. unfortunately, we have to pay about $150 per occurence to ford to fix it and aaa has to assume the cost for towing the vehicle and putting us up, if we are stranded out of town (we have a aaa plus membership). this does not seem right to me. has anyone else reported this same thing happening frequently on their focuses? i would recommend that this be investigated. *la

Ford focus fuel pump fails to deliver fuel and car stalls. dangerous! i was only less than half of a tank of gas full and my car stalled out on the very busy davis blvd in nrh tx. it repeatedly died when trying to restart the car to get it to a service station. i filled the car up and the car worked fine. now we never let the car get below a haff a tank. please resolve this issue we could have been killed! this was the most recent time this has happened. this problem and similar hesitation upon acceleration in turns and going uphill have happened numberous times and have left me feeling like i was going to be stranded or worse- in a wreck. i have also had the common ignition cilinder lock problem, a broken door actuator, a broken lumbar support, drasticaly leaking a/c onto the floor, a very noisy front stut noise when going over speed bumps, front car creaking from right front fender noise at highway speeds, and poor service reps that insult person and destroy car (broke things on car that were not broken when brought in for service). all of these things need addressing, but most of all the fuel/hesitation/stalling problem before someone is killed!

While driving, the vehicle stalled due to electrical failure. there were no brakes or steering. the vehicle crashed into a tree. driver dislocated her shoulder and sustained a head injury. *ak the rear wheel bearings was replaced, the fuel filter was replaced *jb

While driving on interstate 5, in the greater seattle area, the electrical system in our 2000 ford focus failed. dash lights, including the air bag light came on inappropriately. i began immediately to move from the left traffic lane to the right to exit the interstate. before i was completely off of the exit, the car died. i sat for a couple of minutes then was able to restart the car and travel a couple of miles to a safe parking lot before the car again died. the car was cutting out, dash lights flashing on and off, the speedometer would peg out at 140 mph (traveling at 35), etc. the car was unable to restart. we towed the car to the ford dealership where we purchased the car new in 2000. they diagnosed the problem as a faulty, melted heater switch, along with the wiring harness burning up near the alternator, causing complete failure of the alternator. wiring was completely replaced at the alternator. also the car needed a new alternator and heater switch. the car still has less than 90,000 miles on it, this should not happen with a 3 year old vehicle! what investigations are ongoing with wiring issues? why is ford not being held accountable for this. after being a "ford man" for 50 years, i will never buy another ford car. the dealerships service departments and customer service departments are condescending and disrespectful. it is time they are made to produce a product that is not dangerous. *la

The ignition/steering locked up in my ford focus station wagon. the car has only 18,000 miles on it; it is out of warranty; aaa and the towing people told me that this locking up of the ignition system in the 2000 ford focus is a frequent problem. the lady at aaa thought that there is a recall, but ford motor co. said that there is no recall. the ignition lock and the keys had to be replaced at a cost of more than $500. the work is being done by the dealer, pacifico ford. if it is true that there are lots of people who have this happening to their ford focus 2000, the automaker should do something to correct this defect. *la

Ignition switch locked up. turned car off in normal manner, returned and unable to turn key, unlock sterring column, etc.. *la

Upon attempting to start vehicle key would not turn. the ignition switch was locked, and it would not be moved. vehicle was towed to independent mechanic, who replaced the inside cylinder. *ak

Ignition-the key will not turn when entered into the ignition the cylinder needs to be replaced. when i contacted ford service deparment i was advised that this is a very common problem in these cars. ford motor company denies to recognize this as recall which i believe they should since they are having so many of these problems with this car.*ak

When key was inserted in the ignition key would not go all the way into the ignition switch. consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealership. mechanic replaced ignition switch. *ak

On oct. 11, 2003, i drove to my sister's place of business to pick up my niece and when i came back to the car my key would not go in the ignition. my brother in law tried and he was able to get it in half way but the steering wheel was locked. we even tried the spare key and it did not work. we called a ford dealership to see if there was something else we could do except turning the steering wheel to unlock it. the service rep. asked for the year and model of the car and he said he had other ford customers come in with the same problem and it is the ignition cylinder. he said it would have to be replaced and would cost about $300.00. i asked if ford had issued a recall for this problem and he said no. i had the car towed to a ford dealership and they replaced the ignition switch. there needs to be a recall because sooner or later a ford focus owner will be faced with this problem and hopefully they will have $300.00 to fix the problem.*ak

Upon leaving work, entered car and inserted key into ignition. key would not turn. spent about 45 minutes jiggling and tapping key in attempts to start car. this was is my first encounter with this problem. the aaa tow truck driver made mention of the "famous ford ignition system" upon arrival at my request. when asked what that meant, he stated that a number of ford products are having similar problems. i paid for the car to be towed home as it was late at night. the next day, a co-worker informed me that his wife had the same problem with her focus too. i have endured recalls with this car, and am shocked that an ignition system may not have issues sorted out. if this is a trend that merits an investigation. i hope consumers can be relieved of most of their repair costs. meanwhile i probably have quite a repair bill to look forward to. *la

Put key in ignition and it will not turn at all. steering wheel and shift lever are locked and vehicle had to be towed to dealer with wheels off ground. dealer say no recall or service bulletins have been issued but this is not true as i found several service bulletin on this web site. *la

Ignition locked without warning. *ak

Ignition cylinder locked at 36,800 miles. it is my understanding that this is a common occurrence. i have owned several cars and driven hundreds of thousands of miles and never has an ignition cylinder lock. ford should recall these things and repair them without charge. *jb

Ignition core comes completely out when removing key. difficult to correctly realign into steering column. have read other complaints about same problem from multiple consumers. *jb