Problems with 2002 Ford Focus ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My problem is with my 2002 ford focus. the ignition and steering wheel constantly lock up and make it impossible to start the car. this has been happening frequently for the past 4 months. *jb

The ignition on my 2002 ford focus with 60,000 miles locked up when i put the key in. what i thought would be a fast trip into the post office lead to a six hour event of trying to get my car started, calling ford, and aaa., to make matters worse it was during a thunderstorm. after six hours my car was towed to a local mechanic where the ignition was worked on for a costly price. *jb

2002 ford focus, the vehicles ignition cylinder will not turn. i can place the key in the ignition but it will not turn to start the vehicle. this happened three or four times but i was able to get the key to turn, but this time i couldn't and i am towing it to the dealer to have the ignition cylinder replaced. *nm

My 2002 ford focus se wagon has had innumerable problems. firstly..melting battery cables due to poor and faulty wiring that could have caused an explosion of the battery had i not had to pay to get it fixed along with purchase of two new batteries thanks to the melting battery cables causing a short in the system. it subsequently killed the alternator which had to be replaced. it also subsequently killed the thermostat and the solenoid switch which caused overheating and dying problems with the car while driving. most recently the passenger side wheel bearing went out and was causing driving problems unable to control car. now more recently, it had to have a faulty tie rod placed which nearly caused me to have an accident. and as of last friday, its back in the shop again this time for engine stalling at 65 miles per hour which nearly caused yet another accident because i was passing another car and mine suddenly began vibrating so bad and then lost power and i had to struggle my way to the median. this car is dangerous and ford refuses to do nothing about it. i have paid out nearly 2000.00 on all these problems which were similar to issues already recalled and yes i am mad. i have called ford and complained but to no avail. *jb

I am having problems with my car not starting on occasion. also, the car seems to want to stall at times upon slowing down or when i'm stopped. *jb

I am having problems with my car not starting on occasion. also, the car seems to want to stall at times upon slowing down or when i'm stopped. *jb

The first week of me purchasing my car at garnet ford in chaddsford, pa, i noticed i was having problems with my car not starting. this has only continued to happen more. also, my car seems to want to stall at times upon slowing down or when i'm stopped. the car will start riding rough and shaking indicating the car is going to stall. i brought this to the dealers attention on many occasions and they told me that because the problem was intermittent and they could not re-create the problem there was nothing they could do to correct it. these are problems that started during the first week of me owning the car. the car was given to me this way and garnet ford is saying the problem is with my iac and throttle body sticking but those two things are age related problems and i advised them that this problem has been happening since day one. they have refused to look into this problem further and they are not taking responsibility for what is happening to my car. i'm very upset with garnet ford for giving me a car with these problems and i expect them to look into what is causing the problem and fix it on their dime not mine. if this does not happen, i will seek other ways at getting their attention. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, it was unresponsive. the vehicle was towed to the dealership, where they determined a connector in the ignition needed to be replaced.

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle would not start on three different occasions. a new battery was installed but the problem persisted. the vehicle was taken to the dealership who determined the battery connector cable to the motor was the source of the problem and a new connector was installed. the contact was aware of recall #02v288000, pertaining to the electrical system:battery:cables which described the vehicle's electrical defect. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin. updated 8/31/2006 - *nm

2002 zts had problems where ignition got stuck could not remove or start the car had to had the ignition replaced it cost me in excess of $300.00 evidently this is a major problem that ford is not dealing with. *tr

2002 ford focus sedan manual transmission with 80,000 miles. with no warning the engine acts as if it is going to stall, vehicle hesitates, jerks and sputters. this literally causes the vehicle to jolt forwards and backwards and shakes the passengers inside the vehicle. this is a very scary event, especially at 70+ mph speed or when in traffic. highly concerned that the vehicle is going to simple shut off while on interstate 95 which could be deadly. the ford dealer where the vehicle was purchased and maintained has run a diagnostic test that showed no abnormalities. the following week the key would not turn and the vehicle had to be towed with ignition/steering repairs. the vehicle was re-examined while again in the shop and driven again by the service team and they were unable to provide a useful diagnosis of the engine hesitation problems. we need a resolution to this problem and it appears that no one can appropriately diagnose the problem. *jb

Ignition lock was jammed on my ford focus 2002 and i had to replace it twice so far. it cost me close to $400 canadian. i only have 40,000 miles on it . this has been such a frequent event. ford is not taking any responsibility yet. *jb

2002 ford focus ignition problem. key will not turn. my daughter, 17 years old was stuck in parking lot, late in the evening! this has happened on several occasions. *jb

Dt: the contact stated while driving 20-25 mph on a major roadway, the vehicle began to jerk as if it were going to stall. the accelerator pedal was depressed causing the vehicle to travel through an intersection however it eventually completely stalled. the vehicle would not restart and all the lights on the dashboard were completely darkened. a new battery was installed by the contact and the vehicle driven home. about four hours later, the vehicle began to jerk again and stalled. the vehicle stalled four times throughout the day. when this occurred with the vehicle about a year ago, the vehicle was taken to a dealer who determined the cable wire was not connected properly. the contact expressed that the cable wire may not be the problem and will check to see if the alternator may be the source of the problem. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked the ignition switch locked up. the key fit in the key slot but key and steering wheel could not be turned. the vehicle was towed to the dealership where they determined that the ignition switch had to be replaced. the invoices for the repairs to the ignition switch are available.

I have 2002 ford focus se that cuts out and stalls while making right hand turns. i took to the dealer 18 months ago and they couldn't find anything wrong. now it is doing it 5 times a day and other focus owners are saying that theirs cuts out as well. ford has no tsb that i could find for it but it is very. *nm

Ignition key would not turn to any position. no warning of impending failure. car could not be driven, had to be towed. *nm

I was leaving work late one night and could not get my 2002 ford focus zx3 to start. the ignition was locked and so was the steering wheel. no amount of turning the wheel or jingling the key worked. the car recognized that there was a key in the ignition as it began to 'ding' but no matter what i did the key would not turn in the ignition. luckily there was a company car available that i could take home. i commute over 50 miles one way to work. walking, bus and taxi are not available options for me. i am a young woman working in downtown phoenix and i no longer feel secure in my vehicle. i have researched this extensively on the internet. it could be a worn key tip, the keys are microchipped for anti-theft security so a new one can only be made at the dealership and must be the same number as your key. it could be faulty tumblers, ford created their own ignition to save money and the tumblers may not fall correctly, or fall to far in to allow the key to fit! there is no current recall, a p05 is in progress, and there are no technical service bulletins listed. if my car is no longer under warranty, despite my purchase of the extended warranty it will cost anywhere from $35.00 for a new microchipped key, to $500 for drilling a new ignition and new keys, a tow, and labor. automotivetalk.net has been the most helpful website so far, but i wanted to add my voice to the list in order to get a recall rolling and have ford pay for this cheap ignition that fails repeatedly. i will refuse to pay for the replacement cost on this obviously poorly engineered part. *nm

The ignition switch locked up in my car. i have had three other friends with the same car say that there ignition switch did the same thing. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle the ignition locked up, after multiple attempts the vehicle started. this problem continued intermittently, but the vehicle was not inspected by a mechanic. the vehicle then stalled without warning at an intersection and the ignition locked up, a locksmith was contacted to replace the ignition. the ignition locked up a final time and the vehicle was towed the contact's residence. the dealership was alerted and an ignition switch was ordered, but the vehicle has not been repaired.

I own a 2002 ford focus and the key got stuck and i couldn't start it or take the key out. i had to have it towed to the dealer since ford had made it so difficult for the average person to work on it. they had to replace the ignition and left a metal shaving mess in the car at my cost. is this how all ford vehicles and dealers were now. i also missed work due to this incident. *ak

Ignition switch on my 2002 ford focus with 34,000 miles failed. required a tow and replacement. total cost of replacement was $290. ford will not acknowledge that there is a quality problem with the ignitions. there are lots of failures of them. this should be recalled. thanks tom rolland. *jb

Turned on my light switch to drive home at night and noticed my dash lights were non-operational. got out of my car and did a walk around and found that my tail lights were not working either. i did an internet search and found postings regarding this failure on other focuses. i've provided a link http://forums.focaljet.com/team-tech/457187-taillights-out-problem-found-serious-safety-hazard.html?highlight=dash+lights+tail i called ford they did not care and would not help. i am the original owner and the car has 45,000 miles on it. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact stated that the ignition switch constantly locks up and will not turn. when she places the key in the ignition, it also fails to turn. she has had the ignition replaced twice within one year. ford stated that the ignitions were re-modified due to a large number of complaints and that she would have to pay if she wanted a new one. the current mileage is 68,800 and failure mileage was 68,000.

I have a 2002 ford focus and my ignition locked up again and this time i could not start my car i was stranded for an 2 hours waiting for a tow truck to get the car. when i parked the car it was not straight so i caould not park it straight to wait to get it fixed . i called a repair guys and he said that this is very common what can we do about this. i was told it is going to cost me about $300.00 i am a single parent how does ford motor company believe that we have any trust in the vehicle when they know that this is an issue and do not fix it at there cost in stead of ours. *nm

My 2002 ford focus has a ignition lock problem. the key is impossible to turn. i had to call a tow truck and also pay $400 plus tax to fix this problem that i have found out is widespread. *nm

Ignition switch will not turn. *nm

The ignition switch locked up, not allowing the key to turn. *nm

Have had an ignition freezing up problem and researched it online and noticed this has been an on going problem with ford. i have a 2002 ford focus. first time i have had a car ignition freeze up. *jb

The ignition switch of the ford focus years 2000-2002 for sure may be other years become jammed which could lead to crashes. i am worried every time i drive my car. this item needs to be recalled by ford motor company. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle had problems with the electrical system while driving 35 mph. the vehicle stopped and could not be restarted after numerous attempts, neither the air conditioner nor the power windows worked. the vehicle was taken to the dealership several times but could not duplicate the problem. the contact expressed that the electrical problem was getting worse because the vehicle was not getting the necessary power and became slower. there was not a regular response when the gas pedal was depressed hard.*ak

Three instances. vehicle electrical system (dash, gauges, lamps, etc) suddenly go dead. engine then surges and stalls. power steering and power brakes fail. vehicle fails to restart. 1st instance (12/2004): dealer had failed to properly reconnect electrical connectors after recall service. accident occurred, minor injuries. 2nd instance (1/22/2006): dealer found no problem. vehicle restarted. 3. 3rd instance (2/3/2006): dealer found faulty alternator/alternator wiring. *nm

Ignition does not turn on 2002 ford focus. i cannot turn the key. i have looked around on the internet and there were a lot of people who had this same problem. i fixed it by tapping the key with a hammer as i turned the key. the dealership wanted me to pay them $400 to fix this problem, but i thought ford should just fix it before they make their worthless cars.*ak

The ignition solenoid fails on this model. upon searching online and talking to a few locksmiths it would seem the ignition is substandard/faulty in my car. how exactly does a keyed lock fail? is this a known issue? *nm

On 01/10/06 the ignition of my ford focus zx3 (2002, 46000 miles)) locked up. i was unable to turn the key and start the car, blocking the entrance to a parking garage. an automotive technician was able to hot-wire the car so i could drive it to the closest dealership. i have contacted ford over the phone because i did purchase the extended warranty with the car. ford does not feel responsible for this incident and will not cover the repair cost under the extended warranty. i have researched this issue online and was able to find several thousands of other ford owners with the exact same problem. the locking of the steering column seems to happen over and over again, as the locks that are being used as a replacement are of the same bad quality as the originals. *jb

Ignition will not turn. clutch master cylinder leaks. *jb

I just bought a 2002 ford focus. my key wont turn and my steering wheel is locked up. on-line i have noticed this is a huge problem with focuses. i am going to get it fixed, but am concerned because it seems to be a big problem that will continue to re-occur. i have been without a car for sometime, and was stranded. luckily it happened at my apartment and i did not have to have the car towed immediately. *nm

Ignition switch lock-up. no previous problems. not covered by warranty. vehicle only has 55,000 miles. cost to repair approximately $300. *nm

Dt: the contact stated the ignition locked, and the key/steering wheel would not turn. the vehicle was towed to the dealership, and they found the ignition cylinder needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, and there have been no problems since then. *ak

2002 ford focus zts locked ignition --tumblers were out of synch? found out that this was a common problem but the dealer won't authorized to fix it without charge. paid $293 for repair. seem to be a problem which could be a recall issue. thank you for your concern. *nm

Dt: the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact stated that when he inserted the key into the ignition, it locked and did not allow the consumer to start the vehicle. the consumer did have the cylinder lock replaced in the ignition. this did remedy the problem. the dealership was aware that there was a problem with the ignition on this type of vehicle. the manufacturer stated that this specific part was not covered under the warranty, and there was no recall. the consumer did have to cover the cost of the repair.*ak

This is the second time in less than one year that we have had to replace the ignition in our 2002 focus sedan. the key will not even turn in the ignition. we have had to pay for towing and the rental of another vehicle during the time of replacement of the ignition. please issue a recall! *nm

Ford focus 2002 zx5 over 65,000 miles recent ofl change approx. 3 weeks ago. engine cutting off after turning over when shifting from park into drive almost every day. engine cutting off while driving at any speeds but most notably during or after a turn - with loss of power steering - able to restart in neutral while in motion - this happens an average of every 3-4 days. constant noise from the rear left tire assembly. front brakes replaced about 1 and half years ago. right rear brake assembly replaced 4 months ago along with cracked thermal housing that had developed a leak - over $900 repair w/labor. car has not been in an accident that i am aware of- other than loss of driver side mirror while it was parked 2 years ago. other issues with this vehicle have been w/the shifting. unable to shift out of park - w/o using the shift release. replaced shifter and still having problems with it. can not afford to take car in at this time - was told by service rep that the diagnostic would cost approx. $80 alone just to see if they could find the problem. original owner. taking car to dealer this weekend. any help would be appreciated. *nm

The speedometer consistently will drop to zero while driving in all types of conditions (high speed to low speed). the odometer will not move while the speedometer is at zero and often will blank out. an obvious sound difference in the radio is also noted when this all occurs. brought it into team ford two times for this problem and all they did was replace the speed sensor which did not solve the problem. was told they don't know what it is and i would basically have to deal with it. *nm

Battery cable failure identical to those recalled in 2000-2001 ford focus (02v288000) in a vehicle manufactured very early in 2002 model year. failure initially caused engine to miss while driving, causing it to lurch severely with a loud 'bang'. dealer (berge ford, mesa, az, 8/05/2005) had vehicle 3 days, found no problem. vehicle became incapacitated 8/24/2005, cable was replaced at dealer (holmes-tuttle ford, tucson, az, $500 battery cable!), but not returned to us. *jb

dt: the contact states at any time the ignition will not turn in his daughter's vehicle. if the key will not turn the ignition the vehicle will not start. the contact states he has had the vehicle repaired. the service dealer extracted and replaced the ignition lock cylinder. the service technician stated that this was a defective part in the ford focus and it was a common problem that happened all the time. the consumer asked if there was a recall, and the service technician said no, but he should call nhtsa and file a safety complaint. the consumer filed a complaint with the ford motor company.*ak

Dt: the contact owns a 2002 ford focus and she was having problems with the electrical system . horn failed three times in one year, but the main problem was that on 8-18-05, when she started the car, it was slow to start then it just would not start at all. she thought the battery was bad, but it was good and the alternator was good. she took it to a mechanic and they told her the wire that connected the battery on the left side was burned out. they would not let her drive the car because they said the car could catch on fire. she had it towed to ford. who told her that there are no recalls. the contact cited recall 02v288000; regarding the electrical system/ battery cables. *ak

The ignition switch will not turn, had it replaced in jan. of 04. an now it won't turn again. aug of 05. the dealer said it needs to be replaced again. *nm

Key will not turn in ignition cylinder

2002 ford focus sedan - the key will go into the ignition , but the key will not turn and my steering wheell is locked, have to have it tow to the dealer