Problems with 2000 Ford Focus EQUIPMENT

The key would no longer turn in the ignition, leaving me and my baby niece stranded far away from home. we parked the vehicle and when we returned, we found ourselves stranded, because the ignition lock could no longer be operated. apparently this is a known problem with ford focus locks! *tr

The key has gotten stuck in the ignition three time now. the first time we could not get the car started in a rough neighborhood, and had to leave it over night. the second time i had to remove the battery cable in order to shut the car off. this last time i also had to remove the battery cable to shut the car off. *tr

I cannot even begin to explain the issues i have had with my 2000 ford focus zts. this car needs to be taken off the market and ford needs to reimburse all owners... my engine is now cutting off with no warning at any speed and i am afraid for not only my own life but my 7 year old and newborn daughters as well.... cannot find a problem with the car and after all the problems before this such as overheating, smoking engine, fried fuel system, valves, sensors, resistors, motors, hoses, wires, fuses, cooling/heating, door latches and this car practically speeding up on its own and not stopping... i feel someone needs to help us all.... please... i am begging!!!! *tr

There are no indicators that the problem is about to occur. key stuck in ignition of 2000 ford focus. repaired once already. problem occurring again. ignition switch was replaced the first time after being stranded when the key would not turn in any direction. initial repair bill was around $400. *tr

Key will not turn to on position. *tr

The key won't release from the ignition also the ignition won't turn off and if the car was on fire or motor caught on fire you could not turn off the ignition to shut the car off. *tr

In my 2000 ford focus se wagon the key in my ignition refuses to allow me to remove the key and then re-insert the key to start the engine. i am able to put the key in the lock but not turn it. it has happen numerous times a couple of times during the winter after i had went to town to get supplies. it usually takes 1 to 2 hours to get it wiggled enough to let the key turn to the aux, and start positions. it seams that i will have to pay $400 to $500 to get it repaired or replaced. there were no events leading up to the first failure it simply refused to let me turn the ignition after i inserted the key into the ignition. this last time after 4 hours of working with it and having a locksmith come out and determine if it could be fixed he said it would need to be totally replaced. *tr

It started with a ticking noise i could hear when it just idled, then i got home started it back up and it made a loud noise like something had fallen into the engine. i shut the car off and then we had somebody look at it they said there was no compression in the # 4 piston. they had said something had fallen off the piston and made a bunch of dents and dangs so now we have to replace the engine. it is in my driveway now waiting to be repaired. *tr

2000 ford focus ignition cylinder failed twice in 4yrs. this last time i was stranded in the cold, by myself at 1am. missing work, spending money on tows, parts and labor adds up. not to mention the danger involved with being stranded, all because your key wont turn. *tr

Ignition switch needed to be replaced numerous times, i bought the car used aug 19, 2008 my daughter was stuck in a isolate area when the key wouldn't go in the switch. i was replaced and 2 months later the key would not come out of the switch it was replaced again. *tr

This will be our 5th ignition replacement since purchasing this car new in 2000. the first three were covered. since we have to pay another 500 for this one we have been making due by leaving the key in and not completely turned off by just a hair. or on the occasion we forget and take it out we have to beat it with the back of a screwdriver to get it to engage. this has caused me to get out and leave the car in drive on several occasions since i got use to putting the car in park before removing the key i can no longer remove the key so i am distracted by digging out the clicker so i can get back into my car. this is so dangerous! my car rolled across the library parking lot and into another car. this could have been a child run over! all because of this ignition problem. i have never left my car in drive in over 32 years before this trouble! i have been stranded in relentless heat with children and freezing temps again with children. this is with out question a situation that needs to be recalled. we should not have to keep paying for a design flaw. it is not from over use or heavy key chains. there are many many days i don't even leave the house to use it. i don't stop and start the car a lot. this is a very dangerous problem and will not be taken seriously by ford. *tr

Well, basically, my ignition has gone out on my 2000 ford focus for the third time. i've gone on the web and have read the same problem happening to other people. the key will not turn the ignition and it will not start. i think this should be investigated due to a safety hazard. imagine being in a remote location and being in need of medical attention and your car not starting? imaging going hiking and twisting your ankle, after suffering through agonizing pain, you realize you have to suffer much longer because you can't turn the key in you ignition. i've never had to experience any of these situations, but i have experienced my third ignition failure. the first two were $300 each, and i just got off the phone with a ford dealership and they told me it would cost $600?? price gouging in our time of high gasoline costs?? i believe these faulty parts need to be investigated. *tr

For the second time, my 2000 ford focus ignition lock has failed in that the key won't turn and vehicle is immobilized. current mileage on vehicle is approximately 48,500 and ignition cylinder was drilled out and replaced by ford dealer at 28,000 miles and replacement part frequently stuck and now ignition cannot be unlocked. *tr

2000 ford focus ignition lock problem. i have replace the ignition lock cylinder in my year 2000 ford foucs, twice. each time i was stranded because the lock jammed and i could not start the car. my main complaint is that apparently no better part is available and i am forced to install another one of these defective locks just to get back on the road. being stranded double parked in new york city, or out in the countryside on the weekend is a serious problem. i don't want money compensation - i want the problem fixed, i will gladly pay for an new lock that will not fail in this way again. on every other car i owned the ignition lock out lasted the engine. *tr

When air conditioner is running can not put car in park or the car stalls...this starting happening after a hose of some type was replaced at the back of the engine. *tr

The ignition cylinder in my 2000 focus zx3 broke (froze up) for the sixth time. i have replaced the ignition cylinder six times now in the same vehicle in seven years. it has cost me a little over $400 each time, except for the first time when it was covered under warranty. *jb

2000 black ford focus zx3 my key (same key that came with the car) will not start my car. . . .it will not turn over at all. and also i can't get my steering wheel to unlock to make matters worst. this problem doesn't happen often but it happens more than it should, and this time i can't even get it to start at all. it happens about 3 times a year and i can get my car going in about an hour. but, this time my car has been sitting in my drive way for 3 days now. i have called the dealership 3 times. the first time someone gave me advice but, it didn't help. and the last 2 times they have failed to call me back! *nm

In july 2005 myself and my children were driving my 2000 ford focus lx on the freeway and we were in the fast lane when our car started to stall and were unable to get gas to the car. we later took it to be checked and found out the fuel pump module was not putting fuel into the car and we had to replace it. we later found out that it had been replaced once before. so we had it fixed and on may 30 2006 also driving on the freeway by car began to stall and not want to move well. so once again i took it to be looked at and found out that the same problem as before with the fuel pump module was acting up again and needed to be replaced. i have not fixed it yet due to already fixing it within a years time and have found out that there was a recall on my car and found out the recall was not done on my car due to the vin # not being included in the original recall bulletin. *nm

I own a 2000 ford focus and among all the recalled parts i've fixed the car continues to have problems. the car jumps either when i press the gas or if the car is in idle. i've brought it to a mechanic and they thought it had to do with the oil leaking in my spark plugs which they fixed and gave me a tune up with all ford parts. of course now they suggest bringing it to the dealer and have ford run tests. i've probably have gotten something fixed on my car every 6 months for the past 3 years. also i've had to replace 3 windows due to the device that pulls it up and down broke. and now my key won't start the car. i can't start my ignition because of the key lock/pin is defective. what more do i have to go through for ford to recall or fix this car, get in an accident and get hurt myself. *nm

Recently the vehicle started to idle erratically sometimes dying, i took it to the dealership and they told me the bosch platinum spark plugs were not compatible with ford vehicles and sold me new spark plugs. the problem seemed to go away but about 30 days later it started again. frustrated with the dealers performance i checked the vehicle myself and found that the crankcase vent between the engine and firewall had a rubber elbow and hose that were collapsing after the vehicle started. i removed them and found the elbow had a hole and the hose seemed to be structurally weakened. i replaced both and no more problem. *jb

Ford issued a safety improvement campaign, campaign number: 03v482000, in november 2003, which stated that contamination of the filter in the fuel delivery module would eventually lead to blockage of the system. the replaced the fdm in my car in 2004 because my car was experiencing all the symptoms of the advisory. however, 2 years later, i am experiencing the same problems because the fix did not work. the filter once again became contaminated and the fuel pump once again needs to be replaced. i spoke to a customer service rep at ford and although he was very understanding, the fact is the advisory was not a recall and they took care of the fdm. i am not sure what else can be done at this point because, this first recurrence happened while trying to merge onto 60+ mph traffic and my care refused to accelerate beyond 30 mph. if ford says that the problem is fixed, then a repeat of the problem should not occur two years later. *jb

I had my ignition switch replace once already, having to pay 300.00 the first time, and know just the other day i went to visit my brother, and when i got ready to leave, my key would not start, my brother had left before me, so i was stranded, me and my boys for 45 minutes in 20 degree weather, i was so upset, i can not believe ford is not doing a recall, im selling this piece a crap of a car, and will never again by a ford car, and im going to spread the word on how horrible there service and cars are. *jb

There is a leak in the resevoir for the radiator, electrical problem with the radio. the radio keeps losing power when going down the road. the master switch for the passenger window does not work, the rear passenger window assembly is broke leaving the window not able to stay up. there is a funny noise when driving down the road. it sounds like a crackly noise. half of the time the heat will not work. *jb

This particular problem has happened to way too many people. i firmly believe it is a safety concern. *jb

The ignition of my 2000 ford focus i was stuck at dallas airport after a job interview for about three hours in 90 degree heat. it was repaired and locked up again this time in front of my hours. *nm

While driving my 2000 ford focus, i came to a four way stop and the car ceased to work, as if i had turned off the key...no sputtering, just stopped. i restarted the vehicle and it lurched forward, died again, just as before. as i looked out the front windshield, i observed smoke coming from the hood of the car. i exited the car and flames were coming from the wheel wells. i immediately called 911. people began spraying water on the car from garden hoses, two people stopped with fire extinguishers and nothing put out the flames. when the fire department arrived, within 10 minutes, the entire front of the car was destroyed. pieces in the engine compartment were melting and falling off the engine onto the ground. police arrived to direct traffic. the car was towed to wendle ford, and my insurance company removed the vehicle to their premises the next day. i still have no idea what could have caused this problem in a five year old vehicle with no prior problems. as i have seen several other incidents of fire in this vehicle, the government should make ford motor company investigate why this is happening before someone gets killed! *jb

I went to insurt my key into the started and my car would not turnover after the wrong key was partly insurted, i thought that that pats system tripped, but after researching the issue further, i realised that numerious people ahve been having this issue with ford focuses, that their is a know problem with this part of the car, i am going to have to pay 300 dollars or more to fix a known issue from ford.

Ignition switch failure 3 times at mileages 41097, 60405, 75504. vehicle had to be towed each time. ignition switch was drilled out and replaced each time. ignition switch bound up and would not turn with key inserted. *ak

Wheel bearings in my 2000 ford focus have been replaced 8 times already. all parts have been ford factory parts. recall from 2000 on the wheel bearings had been performed in 2001 but problem has persisted. ford motor co. has been contacted repeatedly in regards to this but no action has been taken. dealership has also been contacted but the keep referring back to ford. copies of all repair bills is available. it appears that wheel bearing #9 is about to go also. breakdown as follows: right rear 3 times left rear 2 times right front 2 times left front 1 time in addition, rear drums have been replaced 3 times already (on the average of every 18-20 months). most recent replacement of wheel bearing on 3/4/05 can you please help! *jb

1- this specific failure, there were no events leading to it, it just happened. the ignition switch just locked. previously there were little events with the car leading up to its failure. 2- it stalled and wouldn't start, fuel wasn't getting to the engine and would lead to power failure. 3- after repeated trips to the garage and told there was nothing wrong with it. they did replace the plugs and wires and fuel pump again. now the problem is the ignition switch. *ak

There is no event leading up to failure that was recognizable. when you put key in the ignition, it seizes and will not turn to start the car. this has happened to me twice now!! in a year and a half. the first time it occurred was 6-27-03 and i had it fixed. the tumbler and ignition switch had to be replaced. i thought it may be a one off--i had bought the car used from the dealership. however, this has now occured again 1-25-05 and i will now have to pay again for something that should never have happened once--nevermind twice! i called ford and they were very uninterested and said there was no recall--but i bet there are other with this problem. it mean is takes 2 weeks to order the parts and fix so it is a hugh inconvenience because i have a small child and am pregnant again. i have to have the car towed to be serviced and am very upset and feel this needs loked into further since ford dont really seem to give a toss.*ak

While leaving work a little over a year ago, my 2000 ford focus' key became stuck in the ignition. upon inserting the key in the ignition, i could neither get it to turn in the cylinder nor remove it. the car was towed to airport marina ford in los angeles and repaired free of charge, as it was still covered under it's standard 3 year/30,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. (unfortunately, i have lost my service paperwork during a recent move. i will attempt to retrieve the information from either airport marina ford or ford motor company to confirm the date, work performed and the mileage of my car at the time.) my car had not given any indication of possible failure prior to this event. on january 6, 2005, while on an errand for work, the ignition cylinder became stuck. this time, i was able to remove the key and reinsert freely but could not turn the key. the car was towed to sopp ford in los angeles and repaired at my expense. the old ignition cylinder was removed and a new cylinder was installed. i also received a new key and was advised not to use the old one. parts and labor resulted in a bill for $400.39. i called ford motor company's customer service hotline to find out if there had been a recall for this defect and to find out if i was eligible for any remuneration. the operator took my information, told me that there was no recall for this defect (which they officially do not recognize) and informed me that i might be eligible for remuneration if a recall was issued at a later date. i was also informed that repairs provided by ford are warrantied for either 12 months or 12,000 miles. i did not ask for nor was given the old ignition cylinder due to the fact that the process of removing it required drilling it out; there was not much left of the old cylinder except for some metal filings. i lost a day's wage as a result of not having transportation.*ak

I own a 2000 ford focus. the wheel bearings have been replaced 3 times. it appears that they will fail every 20,000 miles. i have notified ford motor co. and they have advised me that they cannot help at this time. i assumed when i purchased this car that it was safe and reliable. i am sorry to say that i was wrong. i find it hard to believe that any car in michigan would need to have the wheel bearings replaced every 20,000 miles. the first failure occurred before the recall when my daughter was driving the car. the tire was shaking and almost fell of the car. the second failure occurred during the recall. the third failure occurred when my daughter noticing a loud humming from the rear of the car. i have contacted ford motor co. customer care center twice and they have informed me that due to the mileage of the car (68,000) that they are unable to help me at this time. i advised them that the repair was only 20,000 miles old. they advised me that this does not matter to them. if ford had correctly fixed the problem, in my mind, it should not occur again every 20,000 miles. if ford is just replacing the part with the original design part, it will continue to fail. i would hate to see a death occur because this design flaw was not fixed correctly. ford is also stating that we must pay for the repairs because we did not 'pay' for the extended warranty. thank you.

Fatality vehicle fire, dec. 8 2004. my husband is the original owner of a 2000 ford focus, subject to numerous service visits to bill brown ford, livonia mi for: ignition, steering column, wheel bearing, brake, rear window control, seat belt &trunk latches, overhead light and engine light. the vacuum line & fuel pump & valve assembly were replaced 2/03, followed by stalling. in 6/03, a/c compressor & manifold line replaced. fuel line & pump failure in 8/03, resulted in gasoline spill on residential street minutes after parking. bogging followed repairs, pcm reprogrammed & leaking pvc tube replaced 1/04. fuel pump again replaced. in 8/04, our 24 year old son took ownership of this problematic car. we are uncertain as to whether vehicle malfunction caused a 35 mph collision with a fire hydrant. an immediate engine explosion and fuel fed fire trapped my son and his passenger. described by police as a relatively minor crash which would not be expected to claim lives, the subsequent unexplained engine fire claimed two young lives. a malfunctioning driver's airbag was also detected. this incident was originally reported to nhtsa by my husband (#10104088). i am supplying these additional facts for your clarification. please correct your posting of "0" injuries as there were 2 fatalities. please take effective action to save lives, as these trouble plagued vehicles seem to become more lethal as they age. confirmation of receipt of this information is requested. *nm *sc *jb

The key will not turn in the ignition. ignition had to be replaced. this is the third time it has happened, and i had to have it towed each time.*ak

Many problems, the radio started shorting out almost immediately. i have to replace my tires at least once a year (10,000 miles.) at 37000 miles after the bumper to bumper ran out, my air conditioner and heater fan only worked on 4, 1, 2, and 3 did not. i took it to ford, the diagnosis was an open circuit which cost me $409.00. ( i think i was ripped off) last month i took a road trip and whenever i would climb steep inclines the car sputtered and eventually died. there was no indication of my car overheating. after about 5 minutes or so the car would start and continue to sputter up the hill. this made it extremely unsafe for me and my family resulting in a near collision with a truck. this week, my car wouldn't start at all, there was some corrosion on the battery terminals so i cleaned them w/a wire brush. i also noticed that the cables looked burned. the car started after we jumped it, but died after removing the cables. i have spent more money on this car than any other car i have ever owned. my last car was a ford escort, i still have it, it is 10 years old and has well over 100000 miles on it with no problems. i have 9 payments left on my focus and will be selling it after that. *jb

To whom it may concern, own a 2000 ford focus zx3, i have had this car in for more repairs & recalls then i can count. the most recent visit to the dealer (colley ford, glendora, ca.) for a recall (program) and to have the brakes serviced was on 10/02/2004, i was told after 3 days that the clutch had a burnt smell, the battery had to be replaced, as well as the spark plug wires, some hose, and that the brake rotors would have to be turned (this is the second set of rotors on this car that has 37000 miles). please help me i am at the end of my rope with this car and don't know where to turn. i cant win with the dealer or ford motor company..... what should i do, what can i do? the fealer will not help & ford will not help. i still have not been able to have the car fit yet, im waiting to hear from the dealer. please help thank you for your time regards jeri williams 24/7 (626) 272-9518 . *ak

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!!! *nm

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 $354.00. 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. *jb

Headlights/radio and electrical parts would come on and off on their own. consumer drove vehicle to dealer for inspection, but mechanic could not duplicated the problem

On sunday, august 29, 2004 my son & i were traveling in the city of madison, wisconsin in a speed zone of 30 mph. all of a sudden my car lost power & died in a busy intersection. i thought it might be the battery. so i shut off the engine & tried starting it again - it continued to not start back up; however, we started smelling gas & we couldn't get out of the car due to traffic all around us. finally a police officer came & asked us to immediately get out of the car - there was gas pouring out all over the road. it appeared that the fuel pump was malfunctioning. in december 2003 i had the recall of the fuel pump replaced at the dealership. however, the police officer indicated that it appeared to be the fuel pump because every time you turned the ignition - gas started pouring out. i had my car towed at my expense of $84.00 to the dealership. i also lost a full tank of gas which cost me $17.00. i called the dealership & they directed me to ford custmer relations. i spoke with an anthony on 08/30/04 @ 7:22am (cst). he indicated that the fuel pump could be replaced again that it was a warranty by ford. however, when i asked about the other expenses of towing, rental car (currently without a car & cannot go to work) , replacement of gas lost - he said ford does not have any way of reimbursing these. the customer service person indicated that was nothing that ford could do about this. my great concern is that my son & i inhaled a lot of gas fumes - we could have been blown up in the car (according to the police officer) - and ford is not be helpful in this matter at all. i feel that the 2000 ford focus is not a safe car to drive. plus i there is another recall for the coil on the car & you can't get this replaced because the coils will not be released until december 2004. this seems not responsible of the ford motor company at all. *ak

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. *jb

The door latch on the rear driver's side seized up and the door would not open. due to this the latch, the door handle and reinforcement had to be replaced. the handle still would not open the door due to ford providing them the wrong part number to be ordered for the latch. once the car dealership was able to find the correct part number to order the latch the door was fixed, but the handle still comes lose on the inside of the door. the only way to fix this is to hit the handle.*ak

Hesitation with acceleration, stalling.

We have had three separate occasions where the ignition switch locks up and will either fail to accept the key or fail to rotate to start the car. the first two occasions were during the warranty period the third was outside of the warranty period. this ignition failure seems to happen every 12-18 months. although this may not be a safety problem, it clearly is a manufacture defect.*ak

From date of purchase, cdplayer/radio would work/not work, same with main inside light. front passenger fllorboard filled with water regularly. on date in question car was driven approx 15 miles and parked. while parking, car stalled. car restarted and was able to be parked. 15-20 minutes after parking, lot attendent noticed smoke from under hood. lot supervisor checked and flames shot out from under car and hood. fire dept was called and put out fire, but fire had spread quickly and consumed engine. fire marshall said fire was electrical in nature. car is unsalvagable and i had only owned it 5 1/2 months.*ak

In july, 2002, i had warranty work on my 2000 ford focus to replace the ignition switch. at the time, key would not go into the lock, or would not turn at all. dealer made warranty repair. fewer than 2 years later, the ignition switch is going out again. this time, the key can be removed in any position. i think that this is both a safety and a security problem. ford will not honor the original warranty work past 12 mos./12,000 miles. the car came with a 36/36,000 warranty. does this mean the parts they put for repairs are 1/3 the quality of the original?*ak

The dome light blew out inside the vehicle's compartment. following that, a factory installed security system for the door locks began to perform erratically. doors prevented entry from the outside and exit from the inside, except for the hatchback. even if the door locks were pushed they failed to open. *ak *nm

In march 2002, my 2000 ford focus lx had the steering wheel lock up and the ignition lock up so that i could not turn the key or start my car. it had to be towed to the dealership and they ended up having to drill out the ignition lock cylinder, rebuild it, and replace broken steering column parts. now yesterday, may 23, 2004, the same thing occurred - steering wheel locked, key would not turn, car would not start. i had to tow it again to the same dealership, and get the parts replaced again.*ak

Second ignition key cylinder has gone out on auto w/less than 28,000 miles. both were expensive out of warranty repairs and occurred within one year. appears you have about 150 complaints re: the same problem. what does it take to get a recall? *ak