Table 1 shows one common unknown or other related problems of the 2003 Ford Focus.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other problems |
Key would not turn in the ignition, so vehicle was unable to start and had to be abandoned.
I purchased a used 2003 Ford Focus se/4 door/automatic. The ignition key cylinder has been acting up for sometime. On three different occasions the cylinder with the key when turned to the off position will completely come out of the steering column when removing the key. Again, this has happenen on at least three occasions and could happen at any time. I have not been to a dealer to repair the problem yet. But that is my next stop. I am wanting Ford to issue a recall and repair this problem. Thousands of other Focus owners have had similar or same problems. This has happened to so many people who have become stranded because of this malfunction. Not to mention, this is an obvious safey issue due to the possibility of injuries in a moving vehicle.
2003 Ford Focus key not able to turn ignition issue that has been reported previously. Vehicle stranded until ignition lock assembly removed and replaced.
My ignition key cylinder has gone bad. My key will not turn therefore I cannot drive my car. Being that I am a young female, I found this experience to be horrific and highly unsafe. My county has one of the highest murder rates and being stuck without a way to get away from a troubling situation has left me to highly regret the purchase of my Ford Focus. I see on your website that hundreds of people have complained about this issue. I don't understand how a defect in a car cannot be recalled! this venture is costing me over 600 dollars which I like everyone else do not have to spare. I find it a shame that Ford does not own up to their mistake. It makes you question the quality the american auto industry puts forth. I have always been a believer of supporting our local business and industry however I have learned that american industry like to burn people and sell unsatisfactory products. I appeal to you to recall the Ford Focus cylinder before someone makes the ultimate sacrifice to prove that this is indeed a high risk safety concern!.
Failure to be able to turn ignition. Had to take it to a dealer and spent $400! inconvenience? yes!.
I was out doing errands and the key would not turn in the ignition even with the steering wheel loose. I tried a few times and it finally turned. Later that evening when leaving the key would not turn again, except this time it did not ever turn and I ended up having to borrow a car from my in-laws. We are in the process of getting quotes to have it looked at and fixed or replaced.
Key will not turn the ignition on.
Today, June 24/05 my 2003 Ford Focus with 22000 miles on it, had a problem. I went to start the car, and the ignition was totally locked up. I happened to have stopped at a gas station, and the garage man gave it a try and couldnt' do anything so I called Ford roadside. La's all city tow, stopped very shortly, and told me that they knew very well that all the Focus' did this and he was able to slam on the keys just so to force the faulty ignition lock pin to turn and the car started so I was able to get it to the dealer. The head of service at hollywood Ford acknowledged that they all knew about the issue and repaired it. However by that time I had missed work. I just shudder to think about some poor person somewhere stopping in the wrong neigborhood and unable suddenly to start thier car, particularly if they have a child with them. Ford customer service rep acknowledged that there had been complaints about this issue and confirmed that no recall had been issued.
The consumer believes the vehicle had a manufacturing defect.
My husband and I bought our Ford Focus in may of 2003. In sept. Of 2003 we paid it off. We have been having problems with an odor coming out of the cooling/heating system. It smells like mold/mildew. We have taken it to bob bell Ford in glen burnie, maryland on three separate occasions but to no avail. They only put some kind of deoderizer in the system that lasts a few days, and then the odor comes back again. The last time we took it there, my husband was insulted by one of the service managers. They still haven't fixed the problem. We got our car back on Saturday, 5 days after taking it to them, only to be told that the 'service manager' had it detailed, and suggested that the odor was due to the car being dirty. Granted, the car needed a good washing on the outside, but come on now, please, that won't cause an odor on the inside. It is either a condensation problem or an improper water draining problem that we are experiencing and they won't correct the problem properly. For some reason, after it rains, we smell this horrible odor when we use our cooling/heating system. It doesn't matter how many times they deodorize the system the odor comes back. It is a "health hazard" breathing this horrible odor. Hopefully filing this complaint may help our situation before we are forced to go any further. If they don't soon correct the problem , we will be calling the bbb and contacting our lawyer.
My husband and I bought our Ford Focus in may of 2003. In sept. Of 2003 we paid it off. We have been having problems with an odor coming out of the cooling/heating system. It smells like mold/mildew. We have taken it to bob bell Ford in glen burnie, maryland on three separate occasions but to no avail. They only put some kind of deodorizer in the system that lasts a few days, and then the odor comes back again. The last time we took it there, my husband was insulted by one of the service managers. They still haven't fixed the problem. We got our car back on Saturday, 5 days after taking it to them, only to be told that the 'service manager' had it detailed, and suggested that the odor was due to the car being dirty. Granted, the car needed a good washing on the outside, but come on now, please, that won't cause an odor on the inside. It is either a condensation problem or an improper water draining problem that we are experiencing and they won't correct the problem properly. For some reason, after it rains, we smell this horrible odor when we use our cooling/heating system. It doesn't matter how many times they deodorize the system the odor comes back. It is a "health hazard" breathing this horrible odor. Hopefully filing this complaint may help our situation before we are forced to go any further. If they don't soon correct the problem , we will be calling the bbb and contacting our lawyer.
My 2003 Focus station wagon will violently shake (the entire car) at speeds above 55 - 60 mph when both rear windows are open all the way and all other windows shut, causing the driver to become alarmed at high speeds. This seems to be a design flaw w/air flow, which causes the entire car to resonate.
When running the ac on the car, there is an extremely bad odor which can be smelled both inside the car and out. It appears to be some kind of burning or chemical odor. It will actually affect the body by making your eyes burn and making you feel sick. It can not be driven. We have taken it to the dealership three times with the problem unresolved. The third time, we were told that the car was fixed; however, upon testing at the dealership, it was clear that the problem was unresolved. We have been told that Ford's engineers are coming in to assess the problem, as the service manager pulled three new cars off the lot and found the same problem.
For the past few months my car ignition has been getting stuck, making it very difficult to start my car. This past weekend my key would not turn at all stranding my family away from home while trying to visit my grandmother in the hospital. Luckily we were not her means to get to the hospital as it seems that I have purchased an unreliable car. As I have done my research on this problem, I have discovered that it seems almost all Ford Focus owners are encountering this problem. I have even read that this is not a safety concern hence the lack of recall! I like billions of americans rely on my car in good times and bad. I hope to god that I do not have a Ford Focus if anything desperate should become of me and I need safety because apparently they don't like to even start!.
After leaving my auto, I returned to find the rear window shattered, but in tact/in place. There no signs of any impact or attempted entry. The police were called and they said they could not find any evidence of anything striking the window and appeared it might be a faulty window. Upon bringing it to the dealer's sevice shop, the manager said he would notify his Ford rep of this problem. He said normally they would not do anything but since the auto was so new, he would try to see what he could do. Upon investigating if there was a Ford recall or similar regarding this problem, I came accross at least one other occassion where the window just shattered and was replaced by Ford under warranty. The individual said Ford claimed it was due to welding irregularities and such. When I was speaking to the service manager at Ford, he claimed that the 2003 Ford Focus rear defroster was changed and they had given it a higher amp to make it hotter. Since it has been about 6 dgrees outside, it could have been hot and shattered when cooling quickly - he did not know and was just searching for answers. Regardless, the auto had 440 miles on it and was only about 10 days old when this occurred. It could have been serious if this windowed shattered and blew out while driving, possibly causing harm to any passengers in the back - or anywhere for that matter. I believe this needs to be checked out to prevent any possible harm to anyone. The auto is a 2003 Ford Focus se sedan. Thank you, michael maleto.