Ignition problems of the 2000 Ford Focus - part 1

The contact owns a 2000 Ford Focus. While parked, the contact placed the key in the igintion and was unable to turn the key. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for a diagnotic test. The technician stated that the ignition would have to be replaced. The contact also noticed the front driver’s door handle was loose and about to fracture. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000.

The ignition on my 2000 Ford Focus is defective in that the key does not go all the way into the ingtition. This problem appears to be systemic with the Focus. The car is stranded in the path of oncoming cars and presents a danger to the public. Systemic issues across a large span of VIN numbers present a safety issue and a general public nussiance. Cars are stranded in intersections and places of business because of defective ignitions that are known to Ford. These issues are on blog sites in large numbers. I trust the transportation and safety board will recognize the significance of this problem. I am requesting an investigation that I am sure will reveal public safety concerns by the sheer number of incidents of this ignition failure.

My wife drove to the movies. After the movies she found she couldn't turn the key in the ignition. She jiggled it and tried for 20 minutes before calling me. The car is a 2000 Ford Focus. My wife and her friend were stranded in a bad part of town due to a malfunction. When I called my dad about it (he is a service manager for a Chrysler/Jeep dealership) he told me it's a terribly common problem for the 2000-2003 Focus. I called Ford. They told me the same thing. Says the fix them all the time. I asked why it wasn't recalled since my wife was left stranded and they wouldn't answer. I am just glad that my kids weren't in the car. It was only 20 degrees outside. Ford needs to fix this!.

The contact owns a 2000 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while trying to start his vehicle the key would become stuck in the ignition and he would be unable to release the key. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who advised him that the tumblers had collapsed and the ignition needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were approximately 102,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Oem ignition / tumbler mechanism locked up. . . Preventing me from starting vehicle.

I tried to start my car and the key wont turn in the ignition. I have met 50 more people since yesterday who have also had this problem. I cannot afford to replace an ignition especially if it's a Ford mistake. Ford should be held responsible for the defect.

I have a 2000 Ford Focus. After driving it to a gas station I pumped my gas and got back into the car to leave. I put my keys into the ignition and the key would not turn and the wheel was locked. I could not get it to turn at all. Several people tired to get it to turn including a tow truck driver and a mechanic. All said it is a common problem in Ford Focus'.

Driving home from family vacation. Ignition key/lock failed not letting us start out car after stopping for a rest. Leaving us stranded three hours from home on a Sunday night. Massive reports of this happening to the Ford Focus 2000-2003 but why haven't they recalled it?.

My year 2000 Ford Focus zx3 had been experiencing some ignition issues. I could put the key into the ignition, but it would not turn at all. This was especially the case if the wheel was locked. Usually after some jiggling of the key it would turn and I could start the car. The first time this happened was in August of 2004. It began to happen about twice a month. The dealership claims they are the only ones who can fix the issue, by re-making the key and programming the now the key won't turn at all. In shopping around dealerships they believe the price will be around $300 if the cylinder is not damaged (by their own key?) for $500, plus the cost to tow the vehicle to them so they can program the key. A local locksmith has told me that this is a common issue with the Ford Focus. If so, why has it not been recalled?.

2000 Ford Focus ignition doesn't work. Key won't turn in ignition.

I have a 2000 Ford Focus. In 2003 when it was still under warranty the ignition locked up and I couldn't turn the key. That happened at the Ford dealership while getting other recalled parts replaced. Yesterday 5-25-10 at 9:00pm I returned to my car and the ignition was locked up and I couldn't turn the key. Ford refuses to cover it as defect even though there are numerous complaints and it left me stranded at night time.

I have owned a 2000 Ford Focus for over 9 years. I have had 3 ignitions installed in this vehicle and it is currently sitting at the mechanics awaiting a 4th. As a single woman, I feel this is a safety issue as I don't know where or when this ignition will lock up and leave me stranded. The key will not turn after inserted in the ignition. The steering wheel will lock if turned and towtruck must be called to move the vehicle to a garage. The first time was at night after a baby shower, luckily friends were near to help me. Another time it was in the parking lot after work, I had to walk several blocks to reach a phone to call for help. The third time was late at night on a city street. . . Again I had to walk a couple of blocks in below freezing weather to reach a phone. And now this time I recognized the "symptoms" and was able to reach a garage before I was stranded. A quick google search will show you that many Ford Focus owners are experiencing this same problem. I have owned Fords all my life, but this will be my last. I shiver to think of where I might be someday when it decides to quit working. . . Again. I will list the last incident date at there have been four so far dating back six years.

The ignition key won't turn in the ignition. To start the car. Ford Focus 2000.

I drive a 2000 Ford Focus. I was about to leave work after my shift and I was unable to turn the key to start my Ford Focus. I have heard that this issue is common with the Focus and that Ford has still not issued a recall or fixed the issue. As we speak, a locksmith is having to remove the ignition and replace it. It is going to cost me close to $300. I am fortunate that I was somewhere safe with cell phone service. If this had happened any other time, I could have been in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone service and no hope. This is definitely a safety hazard and a recall should be mandatory for Ford.

Ignition key won't turn in Ford Focus 2000 zx3. It left me stranded in college had to tow my car home.

I am the owner of a 2000 Ford Focus zx3 my issue was that the key will not turn in car ignition and therefore I cannot start car. After researching this problem apparently it happens very often to owners of a Ford Focus and I'm lodging a complaint in the hopes that a recall will be made.

I have a Ford Focus 2000 wagon with only 60,000 miles on it. Within the past three weeks I have had to have it towed because I can not turn the key in the ignition. I am now waiting for it to be towed to my mechanic to fix the ignition. Looking online I have seen numerous complaints about this problem and wonder why there has not been a recall for this ignition.

My daughter was away at college when her 2000 Ford Focus would not accept the key in the ignition. She was stranded with no way to get home. A mechanic at school worked on it for an hour and got the key in and suggested leaving it in permanently until it is fixed. We got the car home, took it to a Ford dealer and they replaced the ignition cylinder for over $400. They had the parts available because they service this problem alot on Ford Focus'. Our fear is that her car will suddenly shut off while driving down the dark farm roads that she has to take to her school. Some reports I have read had that happen to them with Ford Focus.

Ford Focus ignition keylock will not turn. When inserting the key into the ignition the key will not turn at all. This is the second time this has happened to this 2000 Ford Focus se. This is a safety issue as it may strand a driver in an undesirable location or conditions.

Ford Focus 2000. 63,000 miles. Key would not go all the way into ignition (original key) also tried second key (original key, not used much). Fortunately, car was in my driveway. Had car towed to dealership. Ignition replaced. There had been no indication of a pending problem.

2000 Ford Focus ignition is stuck in the locked position wont turn on. Stopped at a rest stop in the middle of the night in middle of now where and the temperature was in low 30's. Came back to car ignition would not turn locked up. No phone service in the area and no pay phones, had to wait until the next person to stop, since was not a holiday I had to wait till morning which was 41/2 hour way when a local commuter stopped and was willing to give me a ride to nearest gas station 25 miles away. Then I had to have my car towed to a local the gas station where it was fix the next day after the part arrived. After looking online and finding out this is a recurring problem and that it is very likely to happen again since it defect has never been fixed in the ignition makes me very worried that it may happen again.

Yesterday afternoon my wife, daughter and I were on our way to my wife's sister house. Earlier that morning I went out and there was nothing wrong with it. I put the key in the ignition and tried to turn but it wouldn't turn. I tried turning 8 different times with 2 different original keys that came with car but still wouldn't turn. Finally on the 9th try it turned right on. We went her house for dinner but I had to leave after getting there because I forgot the dessert at home. I got into the car turned it on no problem, got home went inside came back out turned on the car no problem, went back to sister in law house was there about 3 hours went to leave will not turn. Tried and tried for about a hour turning before giving up. Sister in law has no car and lived to far away from my home to walk especially with a young child. So we had to call around for a ride. Finally returned home almost 3 hours after we first tried to leave. Now we are down to one car when we need two for both of us to get back and forth to work. I have not had anything fixed on it yet. I looked online and found out there are hundreds if not thousands of people with this same problem. There's two choices I have one is to take it to the Ford dealer and pay $500. 00 or more for a new ignition just for it to possibly have the same thing happen again because Ford has not fixed the problem with the ignition yet or two pay $150. 00 or more for a locksmith to come and fix it, with consequences unknown. So at the moment I don't know what to do. I could pay for a new one but it doesn't make sense if the problem with the Ford ignition hasn't been fixed by Ford, all that does is put off the problem for a year or maybe a few years just for the same problem to come back. The locksmith is cheaper but I don't know if them doing something to the ignition would damage my ignition or my security system. I think is wrong for Ford to do nothing about a problem they knew about for years.

I have a 2000 Ford Focus and my key won't turn in the ignition. This is the second time this happens leaving me stranded. This is ridiculous, Ford must take action!.

Key will not turn in ignition and gets stuck.

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.

Key would not turn. Seems like there is problem with ignition cylinder.

The contact owns a 2000 Ford Focus. The contact stated that when inserting the key into the ignition, it will not turn to start the vehicle. The vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the failure. The current and failure mileages were 95000.

2000 Ford Focus. Key would not turn in the ignition. It left my 19 year old daughter stranded after work as a hostess at a restaurant. This could and has happened on two occasions. The key finally turned after nearly two hours of attempting to get it to work. We have discovered by banging on the key it helps sometimes. This is a costly repair that has been reported numerous times and other consumers say it happens repeatedly.

Ignition was working fine. Twenty minutes later, the key would go in the ignition, but would not turn. My vehicle is in process of being repaired. I found out this is a chronic problem with 2000-2004 Ford Focus. Mine is a 2000. Aggravated that Ford has not been made responsible to recall these vehicles. Not only do I have an expensive repair, I missed a day of work because I was stranded.

My key won't turn in the ignition of my 2000 Ford Focus.

Car key gets stuck in ignition. Will not come out.

I have a Ford Focus 2000 model and the key would not turn in the ignition. This is a common problem among Ford Focus models of 2000-2003. Due to this defect I got stuck on the highway and had to be towed. This is a serious defect and can cause serious accidents.

2000 Ford Focus - yet another failed ignition cylinder issue; the same faulty part issue that has been reported for nearly a decade now. Stranded with towing costs and large replacement cost for part known by Ford, et al, to be a defect problem. . . Not normal wear-and-tear. In shop being replaced. . . Concern of future stranded as part is still considered defective.

I bought my daughter a 2000 Ford Focus in 2008, in Feb 2009 the key would not turn in the ignition at all. We played with this for about a half an hour and it final turned over. Then in June of 2009 same thing happen to my daughter. Went on line to read other peoples reviews and there was plenty of them about the ignition cylinder lock. One very helpful which saved me a towing bill of telling me to hit the key in the ignition with the palm of my hand and it worked, so was able to get the daughters car home. 300 and some odd dollars I have replace the cylinder lock and hope that it doesn't fell her again. I feel that Ford should look into this problem for there is many people that have had the same problem. Like I said I bought the car for my daughter and glad that it didn't break down in an unsafe part of town. Some people say that they didn't grease them enough, I'm not sure of the problem but feel that it should be Ford's responsibility to replace this part or at least give a good explanation of why it is happening to so many Ford Focuses. There are at least 50 complaints on this on a site called focal jet, which was very helpful to me. Please take a look into this problem. Other than that the car has been great for the daughter.

The ignition system in my 2000 Ford Focus zx3 is now locked and the key won't turn the cylinder. There has been progressive problems leading up to this. The key started not to turn the cylinder at all then would. Further investigation online says that this is a major problem on all model Focus' within the years of 2000-2005.