Ignition problems of the 2002 Ford Focus - part 2

My 2002 Ford Focus ignition is locking up with the key inside. Constantly occuring. I'm going to research repair costs but have heard its very expensive and I thought since there were many complaints with this, maybe there would be a recall.

Key is stuck in the ignition. It happened suddenly, with no prior warning of impending problems.

I own a 2002 Ford Focus. I replaced the ignition on 1/16/07 when I had 51,910 miles. I now have $80,000 miles and the ignition is locking up again. I was stranded at work and my 18 year old son is now using the car and I don't want him getting stranded in flint michigan. Ford motor company is aware of this problem.

The key would not turn in the ignition. I had to hit the side of the steering column then try and turn the key again. This no longer works and I have to hit the key in to the ignition further for it to turn. I am going to Ford this week to get it fixed if it does not cost a fortune, but had to wait to get it fixed until my break from school.

The key would not turn in the ignition at all. A locksmith was called out to see if he could fix the problem. He told me that this happens very frequently Ford Focuses.

Ford Focus 2002 - ignition failure. Happened three times. The third time was stranded in the cold weather with 9 month old baby until I could get help. My husband was able to start the car and I drove it to the dealer. It cost 350 to get fixed. I don't feel an ignition should break and then be replaced with a poorly manufactured ignition. I have read thousands of complaints online about this. This is a problem and Ford should issue a recall.

The ignition key continued to get stuck in the steering column and refusing to turn until I'd continue to fiddle with it, sometimes for over 30 minutes. Very frustrating. The key has finally quit turning at all. The car is currently at howard's towing being repaired. The entire column is being replaced. Very expensive. Very unhappy.

I drove my car to downtown as I normally do except this time I has the company of my 3 sons. It was 4 am in the morning. I parked the car taking the key out of the ignition and exited. At about 5:15 I tried to start the car by placing the key in the ignition and trying to turn it. The key would not turn. I tried again but again the key would not turn. I called aaa and the rep asked me to try to turn the steering wheel a little and then the key, this still did not work. He called a tow truck to come out to help. Meanwhile my children and I were left to sit in the cold and wait for the tow truck driver. While waiting I pressed on the brake really hard and pulled on the steering wheel and tried the key again, luckily it worked. Spoke to the aaa rep again and cancelled the tow. I woke up this morning to try the ignition again and it stuck again so I did the same thing that seemed to work yesterday, but it did not. Fortunately I was at home this time and not on a mountain somewhere with my children. This is a scary thing to happen especially when you are with your children in a strange place. What if I were somewhere without a cell phone signal? would we have to wait until someone happens by or walk in the cold to get a signal. This is something that should not happen to anyone.

Ignition key lock. The steering wheel of the car locks up and the key will not turn the car on. Jiggling the steering wheel column and turning the key at the same time does not work. The ignition cylinder was replaced.

I was stranded when my key was inserted into the ignition and it would not turn. This was a serious incident because I needed to be home to get my 6 year old off the bus and let him in the house. I was unable to do so and my son was extremely distraught. And then I find out this is not an isolated incident but this vehicle has a history of this. Very disappointing.

I have a 2002 Ford Focus and the keys sometimes get stuck in the ignition and or the keys are not able to turn the ignition. I feel that this is unsafe.

With no prior warning signs, key will not turn ignition. I was unable to get to work and subsequently lost $96 in wages, minus taxes. I cannot afford $200-$500 to fix something that will be replaced with the same faulty part, thus having to fix it again in the future. I searched the internet and found thousands of references to this problem, which makes me wonder why there is no recall. If so many people are having the same problem, wouldn't that indicate a faulty part, installed by Ford itself. Some people report having to replace the ignition numerous times, and that Ford has not redesigned this part, nor have they admitted it is faulty or offered a recall. What a disappointment to thousands of consumers, which surely will affect future Ford sales. When will Ford own up to this problem???.

My car has frequent problems with the steering column, ignition locking which became problematic when I stalled in traffic and nearly caused a multi car accident because I could not start the car.

Failure of ignition to turn on. Programmed Ford Focus keys fail to turn on ignition.

2002 Ford Focus x3, everyday I have problems with my ignition. I inset the keys into the ignition and the car locks up and the keys won't turn. I have to pray to try and get it to turn. Well today it finally gave up on me and I had to leave my car at my moms for good.

Key gets stuck in ignition.

Steering wheel locked and ignition key would not turn, leaving me stranded.

Key will not turn in the ignition. Had to call a locksmith to fix for over $200. The car was fine but would not start at all. The problem got worse and worse to the point I was stranded after about a week.

I have heard from many of Ford Focus owners of their problems with their ignition key getting stuck or not turning. I have been experiencing this problem for a few weeks now, where I have been left stranded at night or in harsh weather conditions. I believe that since this si not an isolated problem with a few vehicles and also considering the implications if vehicles not starting because of this problem in an emergency situation, should be enough to request to Ford company, take responsibility for the design flaws in the ignition system.

2002 ignition locks up with key left in it. The failure occurs everytime I drive the vehicle. I am going to have to hire a locksmith and pay over $400. 00.

Went to the grocery store about 10pm when I was done got into my car and the ignition would not turn. I sat there trying for a long time and nothing. It was obvious the ignition was locked up. Got my car towed the next morning to the Ford dealership, which did not open until the following Monday. They finally were able to look at it and said the ignition tumbler had to be replaced and the cost for that is $453. 00. I was extremely disappointed because I am already on a tight budget and there was no event that led up to the ignition defect.

The ignition is locked on my 2002 Ford Focus. Nothing led up to it. Apparently this happens to Focuses often. I need to have a locksmith replace it, at cost to me, when Ford knows about this problem and has taken to action to remedy it.

I never experienced a problem with my ignition cylinder, no semi locking, no glitches nothing, then all of the sudden I go to start my car to leave the grocery store and the key won't turn. So I had to wait 3 hours with my 87 year old grandfather in a freezing car with no heater (cause the key wont budge) of a grocery store parking lot for a locksmith to come and fix and then to pay him $400. My complaint is not the wait, but that this from what I read is a problem occurring in these Ford Focus faulty ignition. If this where something that only happened to me, then that would have been my problem, but its not. So now we are out $400 because of cheap merchandise that should have been recalled and replaced for free because too many people before me have experienced this same problem. Please investigate this problem further and let get a recall going so no one else has to bear this burden. Thank you for your time and concern of this matter. Sincerely madeleine mellott.

It was 11 o'clock at night in freezing weather when I had gotten into my car that had been sitting all day. (which I had started with ease 13 hours before) the key would not turn in the ignition. I tried turn the key back and forth for an hour before my boyfriend's mom came to pick me up at 1:00 in the morning. If she wouldn't have been there for me I would have had to walk 10 miles in dangerous cold to get home, because I didn't have any money on me for a cab. I paid $450 to tow the car 4 miles to the closest dealership and replace the ignition cylinder. The part is under a one year warranty. Since December 20, 2008, my ignition cylinder has not been working properly with my key. I insert the key and I have to wiggle the key to turn, insert, and remove it from the ignition. I will be visiting the dealership where I had it replaced last year this week. At least this time it showed signs of malfunction probability. This should be considered a safety issue. If someone is driving the car and it stalls on a railroad track (or any other hazardous location) and cannot restart or move the car because the ignition won't turn. There could be deadly consequences for the driver, passengers, and others close by.

'02 Ford Focus zx5 has shown continuous problems with ignition. First, the key would get stuck and the transmission would not shift out of 'p'. Then, the key would intermittently get stuck in the ignition. This occurred with increasing frequency, and it is now stuck permanently. I have not yet taken it to get fixed, but based on phone inquiries to repair shops it will cost me anywhere from $200-500 to get it fixed.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Focus. The contact was unable to start the vehicle when he inserted the key into the ignition. The steering wheel locked. The mechanic stated that the internal components of the ignition lock cylinder failed. The steering column and lock cylinder assembly were replaced and there were no further occurrences. The current and failure mileages were 75,378. Updated 03/14/08.

My key wont turn in the ignition most of them time leaving me stuck and in a dangerous position.

2002 Ford Focus the ignition locked up and the key would not turn to start the car. This happened in 9/2004 and again 11/2007. Both times we were stranded, had to have the car towed, and it cost almost $400 both time.

I have a 2002 Ford Focus zx5 and my ignition locked up. Dealer said it is not on any recall list and therefore I need to pay to have a new ignition cylinder put in it. Cost is $200-250.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Focus. When the contact places the key in the ignition, the key fails to turn as if the steering wheel is locked. However, the steering wheel is not locked. The dealer stated that the failure is due to a failed mechanism inside of the steering column, which is common in vehicles of this year, make, and model. The ignition repair would cost an estimated $350. The vehicle has not been repaired. The VIN and engine size were unknown. The failure and current mileages were 70,000.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Focus. The contact was experiencing difficulty turning his key in the ignition of his vehicle. It took him 2-3 hours after leaving the store to start the vehicle. The failure occurred very frequently. The dealer advised him to go to a locksmith to remove the cylinder. The current mileage was approximately 76,000 and failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

2002 Ford Focus ignition locks ,can't turn key to start car.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Focus. The contact stated that she was unable to turn the ignition when the key was inserted. The dealer has not inspected the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 60,000.

Ignition key has locked up and will not turn.

Two separate 2002 Ford Focus automobiles have had the ignition lock break, making it impossible to turn the key, unlock the steering column, or start the vehicle. Both these incidents occurred within a couple of months of each other. In the first case, there had been a gradual increase in the difficulty in turning the key in the ignition lock. In the second case, the failure was abrupt and complete - normal operation in the evening and total failure the next morning. The two vehicles involved are a 2002 Ford Focus 3-door hatchback (zx3), and a 2002 Ford Focus 4-door sedan (zts), both times it was necessary to have the vehicle towed to a dealership (specifically, veterans Ford in metairie la) and have the lock replaced and two new keys made at the cost of $375 for each occurrence.