Problems with 2003 Ford Focus ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Drove the car to the grocery store. after shopping, i entered the car & placed the key into the ignition. the key would not turn, the key cylinder was frozen. it will have to be towed to the repair shop. the mechanic said this is a very common problem with the ford focus, apparently caused by weak and rapidly deteriorating key cylinder components. last week alone, the mechanic replaced 3 of them. i went home and researched on internet. judging from the literally thousands of posts on the internet from focus owners who have had the same problem, it appears to back up what the mechanic said. *nm

Owner of a ford focus/2003. ignition switch locked up and had to get my car towed ($45.00) as well as pay for repairs ($183.00). called ford headquarters and talked with a representative about being reimbursed. i also mentioned the problem i was having with my gauges. upon starting car, gauges are all out of wack, swinging back and forth and landing on zero. after being on the road for about 15 or 20 minutes they will positioned at the right place. the representative seem to only care to hear about one of the problem (ignition switch) and not the other one. i was put on hold for a while and when rep return she told me to call company that was repairing my focus and they will help me in this matter. i called the company and the guy that eagerly took my money stated that he will do a claim for me and he stated that i will get some of my money but not all of it back. in checking the recalls i see ignition switch lockup is one of them. i only have had my car for a little over a year. my windshield is cracked and insurance says i must pay $250 before they fix it, when turning on air conditioner, driving seem difficult (hard to pull), liftgate water leaks, and upon purchasing my car, brakes were squeaking; i mentioned this to the dealer and he told me not to worry about it that the brakes were new and had to be broken in. well they are still squeaking after a year in a half. i need all of these things fixed on my car, right now i am a month behind in car payments (good record on making my payments), had to use the money to get the ignition switch repaired. *jb

I have a 2003 ford focus, which has had several problems with components. as a manual transmission, the car has had several instances where the gears would not enter properly, even while fully engaging the clutch. then on 6/27/06, the ignition refused to move--wouldn't turn or anything. i had to hitch a ride to work from a co-worker, who went out of their way for me, then call winner ford (dover, de) to find out if the chip in my key had gone bad, or what. they informed me during the conversation that this was a very common problem, and that i was unfortunately 1 month outside of my warranty. i asked why it was not recalled or covered, as there were so many problems with this piece, and she had no answer. i had to get towed, which caused damage to my car, then was informed that this work would cost over 200$ to fix the problem, with only a 1 year warranty on the part. when asked, the tech who worked on my car informed me that the same piece would probably go out again, and again, over the course of my ownership. i am now seriously considering trading in this car. this is a very serious concern, for both safety, and the honesty of the dealers. a dealer on site explained to me that these cars had been having this problem for quite some time. i am not one to sue over spilt milk, but some notification would have been nice. i'm a graduate student, with a very large bill for these classes, i cannot afford to dump 300$ (after towing) into a car that holds no resale value, and will probably show many more issues throughout the rest of my time with ford. i have no intention of ever buying a ford again. *nm

The lock cylinder broke leaving me without a vehicle. the key would not turn, and neither would the wheels. there were no signs of failure previous to the incident. i paid $450 for a new lock cylinder on a car that has 60,000 miles on it. *nm

Ignition tumblers lock up and key will not turn. vehicle must be towed. the part is dealer only and expensive to fix. this is second time this has happened to me in 6 months. after research i have found this is widespread problem, and ford denies that there is any problem. *jb

Dad*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle the key would not turn in the ignition. an independent mechanic maneuvered the key until the vehicle started; it was then driven to the dealer for inspection. the ignition lock cylinder was replaced. the manufacturer has not been alerted. updated 06/23/06. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while stopped at a red light both frontal airbags deployed without warning causing the vehicle to rear end the vehicle in front. a police report was filed at the scene and seat belts were in use; no injuries were sustained. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop. the mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. the dealership was alerted. on a separate occasion, the hatch back failed to close, vehicle failed to start, the interior lighting failed and the motor made a knocking sound. this occurred intermittently. the manufacturer was alerted.

Ignition barrel will not rotate. cannot start car or turn steering wheel. *nm

My car is only three and a half years old and for the last 8 to 10 months i have been having problems with the ignition switch. if i turn the car off it is very, very hard to get the key to turn over. i took it to a locksmith who said that they have been getting a lot of people who own ford and mercury vehicles coming in with the same kind of problems. they also said that ford has redesigned their switches several times and still come up with the same problems that i am experiencing. i was wondering why no kind of recall has been issued. *jb

In both my 2003 ford focus and my daughters 2000 ford focus the ignition switch had froze up and had to be replaced including new keys made with the computer chip at about 430.00 each. two different tow truck drivers said they have seen a lot of this. also the ford dealership said they were surprised that there hasn't been a recall due to the large number that they have had to repair. *jb

Ignition switch failure in a 2003 ford focus. i inserted my special secure lock key and the ignition would not turn. when the tow truck operator came she informed me she tows focus' all the time with the identical problem. i went online to several forums and found that this is a consistent problem. there should be a recall on this part as it costs $525 dollars to repair!!!*jb

On more than one occasion my ignition has locked up. i have been unable to start my car had to have it towed. the lights do not come on but the radio works. i took key out of ignition then came back could not start car, had several people try. have been advised by person who works at dealership of this problem with ford focus car and also same info provided by tow truck driver. i am now without vehicle because not sure of cost to repair. has this happened to other people. *jb

Ignition switch lock ups, can't turn the key. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford focus. the contact stated that the key has a tendency to stick inside the ignition when starting the vehicle. this prevents the ignition from turning. an authorized ford dealer recommended that she take a hammer and gently tap the key when inserted into the ignition in an attempt to lodge it out. the contact heeded the advice and the remedy worked temporarily. after a few weeks, the failure worsened and currently occurs three times per week. the steering column sticks whenever the vehicle is parked on a flat road surface with the steering wheel turned upright. the contact stated that is was difficult to turn the steering column. ford stated that nothing could be done. the powertrain was unknown. the failure mileage was 120 and current mileage was 67,000.

Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle the key failed to turn. the dealership determined the ignition switch needed to be replaced.

Engine compartment fire started behind battery and burned down the car. *nm

The ignition to my 2003 ford focus would not turn when the key was inserted. was towed to dealership (family ford in netcong, nj) and they said not under warranty or is a recall and charged me $514. after this i searched on internet and see several class action lawsuits and many forums describing the same problem. i also saw statements on the forums that ford is overcharging and should go to a locksmith to get it done for under $150. *nm

The ignition switch on our 2003 ford focus has locked up for the second time. the first incident was in a movie theatre parking lot 600 miles away from home. we had it towed to a dealership and the part replaced. the most recent took place at home last night. we haven't gotten it fixed yet. *nm

I am the owner of a 2003 ford focus and i have several issues. in the last year i have experienced problems with the ignition locking and as well as the steering wheel, i contacted the dealer carey paul ford in decatur, ga and was told that i had to pay for repairs, which i did, after being stranded with my son. this cost me 260.00, i am a single mother and cannot afford to spend money on problems that the manufacturer clearly was aware of. the trunk on the vehicle just randomly opens at any given moment, you're riding along the road and the trunks just opens for no reason. this i find just annoying but would also like to have corrected. my latest issue is that on yesterday 04/16/06, while driving along the steering wheel just became loose and i could barely control the car, i made it to a firestone dealer that recommended that i take the vehicle to the dealer, which i will do first thing in the morning. i can't stop thinking that i or someone else on the road could have been seriously injured or killed. i can't understand how a manufacturer can continue to market a product as safe when clearly there are issues with it. i have found numerous web sites and personally spoken with focus owners with the same problems, what will it take to get ford to take responsibility for it's product. any feedback would be greatly appreciated. *nm

On 4/12/06, the ignition in my 2003 ford focus jammed and was unable to start i was stuck i called the tow service who had me try different ways to start my car however it didn't work. when the driver arrived he hit the key 4-5 times then it unjammed and started up after he turned the car off he had to hit the key again to start the car when we arrived at the dealer in antelope valley, ca the service req informed me the i had to pay $430 to get my car repaired i asked why hasn't the car been recall he didn't have an answer but there are several reports of the same problem with this car i like for someone to look into the problem with this car. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the ignition intermittently failed to turn when the key was inserted. the ignition sometimes engaged when the key was jiggled, but eventually the ignition completely locked and would not turn. the dealership determined the tumblers were bad and the ignition needed new tumblers.

I have an 03 focus with just over 40k mileage, and not even 3 years old yet, just out of warranty. this morning i tried to start the car and the key cylinder tumbler was mechanically frozen and the car would not start. i had the car towed to the dealership, paying $55.50. the dealership told me they would have to drill out the key cylinder and replace the whole unit since the tumblers froze. the dealership also mentioned they were aware of the same problem in other focuses. i believe i should not have to pay a dime and that this is purely a mechanical/warranty/recall issue. i do not know what i will have to pay for this, since the car is still in the shop, but they said i would bear a partial burden. *jb

Ignition locking up. key will not turn or steering unlock. this is second time i have had to replace it. its a 2003 ford focus sedan. it has over 60k miles so no warranty. the entire ignition has to be replaced. the car has to be towed in. the side bar in the ignition fails locking it up. it will leave you stranded with no warning. *jb

My 2003 ford focus with 38,700 miles on it recently needed to have the ignition cylinder replaced as it was corroded. i do not drive me car "hard" and follow the maintenance guide exactly. i looked online to see if other focus owners have similar problems and found dozens of unofficial complaints by other owners that their ignitions needed to be replaced when their cars had very low mileage as well. on top of this, my sister, who owns the same year and model focus as i do, also had to have her ignition replaced last year. i think ford and other focus owners should be aware of this problem and take steps to correct it. it can be very dangerous to not be able to start one's car, as happened to me. i was only lucky that i was not stranded in an unsafe area at the time. *nm

One evening stopped at the store, turned car off, went back to start car, ignition would not turn over. called towing company, they were able to turn it over. informed me i needed to get the ignition switch replaced. looked around found an lock smith that could do it, charged an arm and leg. the problem is recurring and will need to be replaced again. ford is not responding to the problem, i am not the only one, a petition has been issued with over 900 signatures with the same problem. ford needs to resolve this issue with a recall. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated when attempting to start to the engine, the ignition locked. the vehicle could not be started and a lock smith was called. the lock smith removed the old ignition and replaced it with a new one and the vehicle starts normally.

My wife's ford focus has its ignition stuck. a few months back it got stuck but i was able to get it unstuck and start the car. since then the ignition hasn't seemed right. it is always a hassle getting the key to turn. my wife was trying to leave work one day and the key wouldn't turn. i went to help and the key never did turn. i now have to replace the tumblers inside the ignition. it seems that there are a lot of people with this same problem and even after replacing the ignition once it only last a year until they have to replace it again. it costs about $300 to replace. we ended up having to tow her car to my house where i then had to spend the money to fix it. i don't think i should have to do this if everyone is having this same problem. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated when the key was inserted into the key switch it would not turn. the vehicle was towed to a dealer for inspection. it was determined the key ignition switch needed replaced. on the first occasion the key ignition was replaced. this repaired the vehicle for a short period of time. now the key ignition switch has failed again. the vehicle was started by an independent repair person and driven to the contacts home, where repairs are being made.

Dt*: the contact stated the ignition would not turn to start the vehicle. a local independent repair shop was contacted to come inspect and repair the vehicle. the repair personnel replaced the ignition and the vehicle immediately started. updated 03/17/06. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the ignition locked up and the vehicle was taken to the dealership. the ignition tumbler was replaced. the ignition locked up again, and the dealership determined the key needed to be replaced because they would not work with the new ignition tumbler. also, the windshield has been replaced three times. the windshield cracked when hit by an object on the highway and overnight, with the source unknown.

I own a 2003 ford focus zx3 (std) with 49000 miles. the week of ~2/1/06 to 2/8/06 i began noticing that the key in the ignition was getting stuck and would require some jiggling before the key would turn in the ignition. this happened about 5-10 ten times throughout the week. on 2/8/06 i went out to my parked car and the key would not turn. i tried putting the car in/out of gear, turning the steering wheel sharply, reinserting the key, etc... the car was towed to an auto repair shop. the repair work included drilling out the broken ignition cylinder and replacing the ignition cylinder with a new one. the cost to me was $370. the tow truck operator and mechanic indicated to me that this is a common problem with the ford focus and that they have both towed and repaired quite a few of focuses for this problem. *jb

1) i have a 2003 ford focus with an ignition lock problem. the key will not turn. i understand that there are many complaints on this issue and definitely feel it is a safety concern. *nm 2) stuck out in the cold in unsafe neighborhoods. 3) must replace the cylinder at a cost of approximately $300

Starting about 2 weeks ago (43,000 mile) the steering wheel started to lock and the key would not turn to start the car. as many have stated on their complaints and on automotivetalk.net this is a recurring problem that needs to be recalled. i have to take it in and get it replaced. from all the reading i did it will cost me between $250 and $450. there should be a recall or a law suite! *nm

2003 ford focus zx3 ignition cylinder/switch locked without warning while my wife was out alone at night. i had to call and have car towed with a fee to the ford dealer. i'm sure this will cost even with the extended warranty. the tow truck driver informed me that he saw a very high number of these defects. nhtsa really needs to do something about ford's apparent lack of concern for their consumers!! *ak

The key insertion cylinder (located next to the steering wheel): it will eventually lock into place and will not turn -- making it impossible to turn the key and drive. the safety hazard: when my 2003 ford focus lost power and needed to be restarted on the road, the key insertion cylinder locks into place, making it dangerous to turn the wheel -- because the steering wheel locks when the key cylinder is in the "key insert/begin" position. there are several horror stories, on the internet, about ford focus vehicle owners who have been stranded because of a faulty key ignition cylinder; or their car will not turn off because their key is stuck in the start position. ford dealerships will only cover this item if it warranted, but neglect the product design and refuse to consider a product recall. this typical item cost over $250 with labor. eventually, even with a new key cylinder, the problem will start to exist again, costing the consumer and creating a serious hazard for our citizens on american roadways. the problem is current in my vehicle and i am authorizing the national highway traffic safety administration to use my vehicle as an investigative tool. *jb

The key goes into ignition but will not turn at all to start the car. this is a continued problem. in minnesota when it is 30 below, there is no excuse to not be able to start your car and failure to do so could result in serious adverse events on consumer health. i do not feel safe traveling in the vehicle and plan to sell is very soon. *jb

The cylinder lock in my 2003 ford focus has failed me twice,and i have to have it replaced again. there is a lot of complaints and there a ford servicemen that have told me this is a big problem with this car. *jb

2003 ford focus ignition key would not turn. vehicle also shows sign of stalling. *ts ***no answer required*** *jb

Yesterday i was unable to start my car. i put in the key but it would not turn. there was no warning, no clicking, no difficulties starting my car in the past. after several hours we finally got the car started and took it into the shop. they told me that it was the tumbler and the cost of the repair would be $226. not only did the dealership charge for the damaged part and labor but also to run the diagnostic test in order to find out what was wrong. it cost $79.00 just to have the diagnostic test. i was also informed that this is a common problem in this car. our car only has 38,000 miles on it! my husband called ford customer service number in order to find out what ford was doing to rectify the situation. he was informed that at this time all they could offer was a 12 month warranty on the new part but would not pay for the repair. i have had time do some research and find that there are many complaints of a similar nature. there where quite a few that had to replace this part more than once and in a few cases twice in one year. i consider this a safety issue. this situation could leave individuals stranded. there is no warning! i consider myself lucky because i had just returned from a trip over the mountains for the holidays. i could have been stranded anywhere that i may have turned off my car. it would have cost me to have my car towed to a town with a ford dealership, let alone the cost of lodging and the expense of missing time off work. *nm

Starting approx. 7 month's after i purchased my brand new 2003 ford focus from jack byrne ford in mecanicville, ny i started to have problems with my car starting (feburary of 2004). i would place the key in the ignition and attempt to start the car. upon turning the key in the ignition - nothing would happen. the radio would turn on and so would the heat blowers and i would also get some dinging. but, the car failed to start. i have since brought the car to the dealership approx. 4 - 5 times. each time i had gone through an episode of the car not starting and then when it finally started i brought it to the dealership. the unfortunate part is i should have had it towed to the dealership so they can see first hand - how the ignition doesn't turn over. this has happened to me about 2 dozen times. each time ford would return the car to me and it would run for a couple weeks problem free. then sure enough it would start again. anyhow, this past weekend i was at a friends house with my two children - ages 6 and 3 month's. the car would not start. thank god i was at someone's house and i wasn't stuck out in my car in december in the cold with my children!! i appreciate that ford was kind enough to look at my vehicle and attempt to make a correction - but after researching this problem i feel like more should be done about this. i mean i bought a new car so i wouldn't have to deal with things like this. i would hate to feel like i wouldn't ever want to own a ford again. i think they need to rectify this situation and correct this problem. i would write a more aggressive letter - but at the moment the car is starting - so i am not feeling hostile!! please assist.*jb

2003 ford focus ignition cylinder/switch locking up. the ignition locked up without warning and continued to do so for a few days then worked fine for a few days and then locked completely 4 days later. i got the ignition cylinder/switch replaced on 12/31/05 for $200.44. both the dealer and ford admitted that it is a problem and far too many people have had the same complaint via automotivetalk.net. there are 100's of complaints the same as mine!!! *jb

One day may car just didn't start, the ignition cylinder has been replaced- the car has under 49000- and it has already had several problems! the master cylinder( for the brakes) , the ignition cylinder, and several pieces have already had to be replaced on my 2003 ford focus!!! please recall this car! the parts put in the ford focus 2003 during the manufacturing are obviously defective!!!! at the consumers expense they must replace these parts and deal with all the consequences. the ford company should take responsibility for their mistakes! details on problems: 1- my car shuttered started smoking from the hood a bit- and smelled as if something had burned underneath the hood. ( the ignition light came on ) at almost 30000 miles. took it into the deal- they replaced a coil- name unknown. 2- this took several trips into the ford service dept- because it kept happening- before they would actually replace the coil!!! 3- the master cylinder ( brake system) malfunctioned within 30000 miles as well!!! and had to be replaced. 4- the ignition cylinder- with 49000 miles on the car- now has been replaced- no thanks to ford!!! 5- the trunk has never closed properly. i slam it once to close, then i pull up on it to check it's actually locked, it hasn't- maybe on the third time after slamming it shut- it will actually catch and close. these parts are all defective, and it's unjust to the consumers!!!!! *nm

Ignitions switch failure at 40,000 miles. known and common problem with vehicle. 2003 ford focus zx3. *nm

Key will not turn in the ignition of 2003 focus. the wheel is now locked and i can't drive the car. i'm probably going to have to get this towed and pay $200-$300 dollars to get it fixed for what seems like a simple problem and i know this happens to many other focus owners. this is not acceptable because i'm 6 months pregnant and my safety is at issue. *nm

2003 ford focus with faulty ignition switch. the switch was lock in placed with no hope of turning the key. as the service manager at our local dealer explained, they know that they have a problem with the ignition switch tumbler set as they have replaced many of them and have been sent a tsb on replacing them with a better assembly made of steel as compared to the original made of pot metal. *nm

The key stuck in the ignition switch on my 2003 focus pzev. when it finally released it would no longer turn. i had the veihicle towed by aaa and had a aaa locksmith come to repair the ignition which i was told is not covered under my warrenty, at a cost of $300. the locksmith said it is a common problem on the focus. one month later the locksmith had to come back out to repair it again. a year later i must turn the key back a notch to remove it from the ignition. it will cost me another $300 to have the repair repeated. the locksmith says that the problem is with the part itself and will continue to happen.

I only owned the car for about 2 months before the problems started i was told that there was nothing wrong. the transmission wouldn't change gear, they say this is normal. also, the windshield was never sealed in they told me that it could be fixed. the front wheels click when driven. the brakes went out quick. the back hubs are sealed from rust. and now i can't even get my disabled child to the doctors because the ignition has gone completely out. the locksmith said i was lucky i was parked. *jb

Ignition switch will not turn. obviously this is a very common problem and i am very surprised that ford would let this go on so long. *nm

Dt: the contact stated the vehicle was leaking water into the trunk which houses the brake light module, and the rear license plate lights. this caused the wiring module to corrode. after the repairs were made the vehicle is still had the same problems.*ak

The ignition on my 2003 ford focus has failed twice. once over a year ago, and again now. the ignition will not turn when i insert the key. *nm