Problems with 2003 Ford Focus ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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

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

My key won't turn in the ignition. *tr

2003 ford focus ignition key will not turn. *tr

Wheel and ignition lock up. *tr

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

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

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

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

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

2003 ford focus zx5. ignition switch won't turn. can't start car. *tr

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

No events to indicate a potential problem. the failure, occurring now sporadically and w/o warning, results in an inability to turn the ignition leaving us stranded for the unsafe and silly reason of being unable to turn the key. no old parts were available and close to 400 dollars later, the mechanic replaced the ignition. however, only one month after having it replaced, the ignition failed to start again (it is impossible to return the key) and alas, the problem continues. *tr

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

I am having ignition issues. my key will not turn. it is on a regular basis that this happens. i have not taken it in for repair yet. i called for an estimate. *tr

The key will not turn in the ignition. dealer says it will cost $300-350 to fix. this is ridiculous. my daughter's roommate has a 2004 focus which the same thing happened last year, 2007. *tr

Key won't turn in ignition! you can place the key and the spare key, in the ignition and it will not turn. looked up online and found website that stated this is a very common problem. our key has to stay in the ignition because you can not take it out. very disappointed this is a safety not recall ! my wife and children can be stranded in freezing weather ! also very expensive to fix. *tr

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

The key in the ignition will not turn in my 2003 ford focus. it gets jammed all the time now. previous attempts of moving the steering wheel back & forth worked for awhile, but even that does not work now. the only way to start it is to tap on the key when it is in the ignition with a mallet or hammer. this usually works after a few tries. now i have to consider leaving the key in the ignition in order to start it easier or carry a hammer in the car. nothing else has been done about the problem yet. according to local ford dealer it'll cost $250-275 to repair. local (cheaper) mechanics can't repair it since they need to get a code from ford to program the part so the new ignition cylinder will recognize the key. from searching on the internet, apparently this is a common problem with the ford focus. basically a bad design and/or inferior materials used in the ignition cylinder. i have never had this type of problem with any other vehicles i've owned especially ones that are only 5 yrs old. i am surprised that there hasn't been a recall on this part yet. it seems to me that this is a serious safety issue. what do i do in the event i need to evacuate because of a natural disaster or terrorist? i won't be able to get away since i can't start my car ! and tapping on the key with a hammer will work for only so long. and of course ford will just replace with the same cheap defective ignition cylinder that the car originally came with any way. so i'll problem have the same problem in a couple years again. *tr

My car refuses to start. you cannot turn the ignition switch to get it to come on. after searching the internet i saw dozens of complains from people having the same problem. i simply cannot afford to make the repairs and since my car is out of warranty my dealership will not help me. ford customer service hung up on me twice. the only fix is to leave the key in the ignition. i managed to use a hammer to hammer it in. *tr

Ignition switch locks and has left family members stranded.... ignition key continues to lock, dealer recommends replacement (cost est. $450.00). *tr

So far, i have only had the problem occur once and am still working to get it repaired. nothing really happened to warrant the problem happening. it seemed to just happen randomly. in my 2003 ford focus, the ignition switch locked. so far, i have heard hundreds of cases of this problem occurring with this particular car, all for focuses ranging from year 2000 to 2003, and the only thing that seems to fix it is to actually have maintenance done. speaking with ford customer service, they did acknowledge that it was a common problem, but would not issue a recall simply because they did not believe it was a safety hazard. i expect to have to pay a large amount of money to repair this problem, even though ford realizes its an error on their part and that a defect with their car is what is causing this problem. i think it is absolutely unacceptable for a company to knowingly keep something defective on the market, even with so many complaints. *tr

The ignition locked up in the car. the ignition key wouldn't turn or do anything. this is a huge safety concern. i have a 12 week old baby and live in north dakota. i had my boyfriend's 11 year old daughter with as well. me, an infant, and a child stuck with a car that won't start in weather that is below freezing with the windchill. this is a huge safety concern. *tr

My 2003 ford focus se has the issue where the ignition locks. it takes several attempts before i can get the key to turn. twice now i have had to get it towed because of this problem. *tr

Ignition stays locked, fails to turn to start engine. problem is intermittent and happens without warning. occurred over a dozen times to me. can leave a person stranded. very costly fix, $150 for new ignition switch, plus labor, $200 to $350 total cost for fix. many, many, many complaints for same problem found on www.mycarstats.com and other forums. *tr

My ignition has locked up on my 2003 ford focus, i am currently in the process of getting it fixed. it started about 3 weeks ago and slowly has gotten worse. my car has not started in a week. i cannot get to work on my own. *tr

The ignition switch on my 2003 ford focus se is stuck. the vehicle is now rendered unusable since it cannot be started. i consider this to be a safety related item because the vehicle is now stranded and will require the services of a locksmith or have to be towed to the nearest dealership to be repaired. i have read online where this appears to be a common problem with the ford focus manufactured in 2000 through 2003. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford focus. the contact turned off the ignition and attempted to restart the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. suddenly, the gear shift locked and became inoperative. the contact exited the vehicle and the driver's side door automatically locked without assistance. the failure occurred without warning. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer and they replaced the ignition cylinder. the failure mileage was 50,000 and current mileage was 52,000.

I placed my key in the ignition of my 2003 ford focus and the key would not turn. after doing much research, i found that this is a recurring problem for focus owners, even after they have had the ignition cylinder replaced. not only is this a huge financial burden, it is also a major safety concern. living in chicago, if i become stranded and unable to start my car, i could be in a very dangerous situation (as could many other owners in different locations). *tr

The ignition wouldn't turn with the key. very often it would turn with difficulty after some wiggling of the steering wheel. after a while it was nearly impossible once the key was removed. eventually we got the key to work and now we leave the key in and lock the doors with the remote. it used to happen as my wife would leave work in the dark which was very dangerous in some areas. i had to get an aftermarket replacement and repair it myself. i am a fully qualified mechanic though. *tr

Ford focus 2003 - ignition failure, key will not turn my key will not turn in my ignition. this should be recalled. there are thousands of us (ford customers) who have this problem. i do not understand how this is not a "safety" precaution. please recall. americans are not encouraged to buy american-made cars; sadly but true. *tr

The key will not turn in the ignition. the ignition barrel is completely stuck, impeding any use of any vehicle functions. has occurred daily or every other day for a few weeks. a few minutes of jostling may allow it to work. a few times it has been stuck for hours until finally working. this may strand some travelers in winter conditions, like myself. very stressful and potentially dangerous situation. *tr

Had to have ignition lock cylinder replaced on an emergency basis in my 2003 ford focus; car wouldn't start (i.e., key wouldn't turn in the ignition) with either one of the two keys i have (both original keys). *tr

Second time having problem with ignition on 2003 ford focus. the key won't turn and have been left stranded on the highway and missed days of work to get the replacement ignition switch. this is a problem that ford needs to acknowledge and recall. thousands of ford focus owners have had the same problem. not only is it costly and is a repair that is fords' responsibility to fix due to faulty ignitions but also a safety hazard. *tr

Ford focus key will not turn in. i drive a ford focus zx5 2003. the ignition locked up and would not turn. as a result,i was stranded in a parking lot it has happened few times. i contacted ford customer service at no avail. they did not recognize to be an issue even though it #1 issue as many people have complaint about it. they told me that i had to pay for the repair as the vehicle is out of warranty. there was no reason for these ignitions to fail. i consider to be a safe issue. there is no public transportation so i have to rely on my vehicle for transportation regardless of circumstances. *tr

Ignition locked leaving me stranded. finally got the car started only to find it locked up again the next time i tried to start it. *tr

On 5 different occasions the key / ignition switch has stuck and not allowed me to start my can. this problem has left me stranded 2 times where i was unable to receive help for more than 8 hours. i contacted a ford dealership and was told that this was a common problem and that there was no safety recall for this and it would cost $400 to $600 to repair it. i did find a locksmith to repair it for $250.00 and was told by the tech that he repairs this problem on the ford focus 2 to 3 times a week. *tr

The key in my focus would not turn in the ignition. this caused me to be stranded since i could not start my car. i recently learned this is a common problem with my car. in fact, a man in the service dept at my local ford dealership said this problem "happens way more than it should." i live in a city with high crime. being stranded is a very scary situation. since this is a common problem with my type of car, the manufacturer certainly should recall and fix this part to prevent people like me from being left in dangerous situations. *tr

Ignition would not turn. the first time it occurred was back in july 2008. if i played with the steering wheel it would finally turn the key. the ignition had to be replaced. ford has had this problem with the focus since 2001. *tr

Key on 2003 ford focus will not turn. started acting up 3 months of owning. no longer under warranty since it is 5+ years old. *tr

Ignition lock cylinder on ford focus is defective. the mechanism locks and is unable to turn. this yields the vehicle inoperable, posing a significant safety risk if the owner needs to use the vehicle in an emergency or the vehicle stalls on the highway. this is an issue known by ford, as evidenced by the mechanics at landmark ford, tigard, oregon stating that it is a common problem and ford has quietly updated the cylinder. in addition, there are numerous internet forums with this same complaint. all owners of focus vehicles will have this failure, it is just a matter of time. the repair is $300+. a recall should be required of ford to address the issue. *tr

Approximately 2 months ago i began to notice a difficulty in turning the key when placed in the ignition. the problem began small, a little jiggle of the key and the ignition cylinder would turn and the car would start. the problem grew to the point in which i would have to forcibly knock the key in with the palm of my hand otherwise the key would not turn at all. i tried all kinds of ways to get the car to start, but hitting the key into the ignition cylinder seemed to be the only way to make it work. finally approximately 3 days ago i was leaving work, placed the key in the car, which not to my amazement did not turn in the cylinder. so as i had grown accustom to i gave the key a smack, but it would not turn. i sat in my car for close to an hour trying to giggle, shack, smack, jimmy, and play with the key any way i could think of but i could not get my car to start. now when you work midnights and you get off work when everyone else is going to work, finding a ride is not the easiest of things. after some extensive research i found that this is a highly common problem in ford focus'. *tr

I own a 2003 ford focus and had to spend $360 to have my ignition cylinder replaced as my steering wheel had locked and the key unable to turn and start the car when the car had just worked fine the previous day. luckily, it was still warm outside and i was not stranded in a remote place in a storm or in winter where harm could befall someone. i couldn't figure out what was wrong or what i needed to do, but i couldn't unlock the steering wheel. i even called the ford company who stated there was not anything they could do except that it should be taken to a dealer. i called a ford dealership whose service director did not seem surprised by what was wrong with my steering wheel, even saying that probably the ignition cylinder would need to be replaced and that the part would usually cost $350-400 to repair. he said that he had replaced quite a few for the focus. then i went online and found out that many people have had this same problem, over and over again, some having replaced this one part 4-5 times. for some reason this part has never been recalled even though it is a serious engineering flaw with possible serious ramifications in stranding people unexpectedly and without warning. something should be done and so i am turning to you to make the ford company own up to their design flaw concerning its car, the ford focus concerning its ignition cylinder. when the locksmith came and replaced the cylinder he demonstrated why the part was defective. it has something to do with the tumbler mechanism in the cylinder. *tr

My teenage daughter drives a ford focus zx3 2003. after owning the car for only a few months, the ignition locked up and would not turn. as a result, she was stranded in a parking lot alone feeling very unsafe. the same thing has happened 3 times to my husbands f250 ignition. the ignitions had to be replaced by a locksmith each time. there was no reason for these ignitions to fail. *tr

Ignition is stuck and wont turn. left my wife and daughter with no way of getting home. *tr

Key won't turn in ignition. *tr

I do not know for sure what caused it, but my ignition on my 03 ford focus lx locked up and would not turn over. you could leave the key in and it would always start. but if you took the key out it would lock up and refuse to turn. i have not had it fixed yet and i think it is not fair that i should have to fix it when 9 out of 10 ford focus do this. i am taking it to a lock smith to have it fixed next week and i will be selling it and i will never buy a ford again. *tr

The key will not turn in the ignition. *tr

being stranded without my car starting is my issue. have 2003 ford focus ignition key would not turn to turn car on-- stranded 5 times-- one time i was 45 miles from home-- had it towed and repaired cost $90 now it happened again and had to get a ride home from work hate to see what this bill will be if ford is aware of this problem with 2000 through 2003 vehicles why are they not doing anything to help the consumer out by recalling them . *tr

The "service engine soon light" was on off and on for a about a week prior. then i parked my car one evening and the following morning i could not turn my key in the ignition, it was locked, and therefore also i could not change gears to neutral or get it out of park. i found the same problem at a website here is the url: http://www.fordproblems.com/focus/key-wont-turn-in-the-ignition.shtml hope this helps to make this a safety issue worthy of recall. i'm blessed this happened to me at my apartment, but what would happen were i to get stuck elsewhere. i plan to call a locksmith tonight to try and fix my problem. thank you. *tr