general problems of the 2003 Ford Focus

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. The contact stated that all of the doors failed to unlatch without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. The contact stated the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch). After the vehicle was repaired, it was difficult for the rear drivers side door to remain closed. While driving approximately 50 mph the rear drivers side door opened while a child was seated in the rear seat. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed the door latch was extremely corroded. The rear drivers side door would no longer latch. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.

Trunk latch failed at 37,000 miles on 2003 Ford Focus. Could not get the trunk to latch to drive home. Cost over $400 to replace the part which is not in yet. Driving around another week with my only car's trunk tied down.

My key will not turn over and my wheel is locked up. The problems started and I would just turn the wheel and sooner or later it would turn over. Now im stranded in my driveway with the wheel locked up and no turing the key over. Missed work and money. I searched the internet on this and the was over 300 diff people with this problem. I bought this car (Ford) to save gas and money. I think this should be recalled if this many people are having this problem. I dont know why it hasnt yet.

Late night 35 miles from home. Key would not turn in the ignition. Had to get a ride home. Returned the next day and had a locksmith replace the ignition lock with a strattec ignition lock.

Key wont turn in ignition windows down in a bad neighborhood.

The door handles on my 2003 Ford Focus have a recall on them, but only on certain ones and mine isn't one of them, although all four of my handles are broken. The first incident that happened with the door handles was I got out of my car at a store and left my four year old daughter in the car with it running to get a paper, and when I went to open the driver door, the door handle broke and all of the other doors were locked (because they automatically lock when you put the car in gear). I was 8 months pregnant at the time and was stranded at the store with my daughter locked in the car for about an hour. And then, on may 27th 2011, I went to leave my house and I usually keep the driver's side window down because the only doors that we can open are the driver's door and front passenger door and only from the inside. But on this day it had rained so I put the window up and when I went to leave my house I had already went outside and went through the whole "procedure" of getting the back door opened so I could put my 3 month old son in the car and I guess when I went back inside to get him, the drivers door got blown closed by the wind, because whenever I put him in and shut his door, I went around to the driver's door and it was shut and my 3 month old was stuck in the car!! it took 30 minutes for my husband to get to the house (because I had to call him home from work) and he had to climb in through the trunk and manover the carseat out of the way so he could wiggle in there and get the baby out. My son was covered in sweat from head to toe and was having a hard time breathing whenever we got him out because he already has breathing problems and he was in the car with all of the windows up for 30 minutes. I believe that the Ford company should fix our door handles because if that isn't a safety issue, then I don't know what is!!.

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. The contact stated that when closing the right passenger rear door, it would not close completely; making it dangerous to drive. The vehicle was performed under NHTSA campaign id number: 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch), but the failure recurred. The dealer and manufacturer were contacted, but they were unable to provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 91,000 and the current mileage was 95,000.

My 2003 Ford Focus will not start due to the fact that Ford has apparently used defective lock cylinders on the 2003 Ford Focus. I walked up to my local Ford dealership and was told that it would cost 350 to repair the car. (not including charges for getting the vehicle to them) this has prevented me from driving a car that I am still making payments on.

I was holiday shopping on the 23rd, just came back to my 2003 Ford Focus svt in the parking lot of the mall and the ignition would not turn. Tried and tried and tried. No luck, I'm stranded, it's snowing out and it's 10:00pm. Why most I rune a friends evening to come and pick me up because of a faulty ignition switch. $130 dollar tow and an estimate from my Ford dealer to fix it for $490. I've already researched this a little and I can't believe there is not a service bulletin on this problem. How many people have to get stranded for this to get fixed? I just paid off the car and it has 91,000 miles on it.

I have a 2003 Ford Focus zx5 hatchback. It only has 80,000 miles on it, but we have had a huge problem that many others have had with this car. The ignition locks up frequently, and the key will not turn. This problem has left me stranded on many an occasion. It has happened to me 5 times. Each of those times, I have managed to get it working again by violently jamming the key and jiggling it in the ignition, or waiting a while before attempting to insert the key again. Today, however, none of these methods worked, and the ignition seems to be permanently stuck. After careful research on the internet, it seems that this is a common problem with Ford Focus 2001-2003. It has left many drivers across the country stranded in inopportune times and locations, as well as cost them hundreds of dollars each time that the wheel locks up. The sheer volume of people with the same problem indicates that this problem is quite common. It seems that the problem arises from substandard engineering on Ford's part. Please look into forcing a recall.

2003 Ford Focus door latches broken. Doors flew open while driving vehicle on highway and local streets. Someone could have fallen out or another car could have hit the door when it flew open and have caused a serious crash. Ford had a recall on the 4 and 5 door Focus but not on a 3 door which is mine. One door has been fixed $293 at a dealer and the other door needs to be fixed. I feel Ford should reimburse me and fix the other door free of charge. This can cause a serious accident and Ford knows they have had problems with these door latches. If someone gets killed Ford will probably have a lawsuit against them.

I was stranded many miles from a highway because I could not get my ignition key turned, steeringwheel turned or automatic shifter moved. All blocked. Luckily, I was able to get a ride back to where I could use my cellphone. A friend checked the internet on the problem and he found the suggestion to hit the key. Later many taps this actually worked and I was able to drive home.

I own a 2003 Ford Focus and back in February 2006 I took the car in for a recall to fix door hinges that become hard to open or actually break. They completed the work. As I was driving the other day my rear passenger door just swung open and the door will no longer latch. I called Ford and they said since they put some grease or something like that on my door back in 2006 (they never put a new latch on the car) that I am out of luck and have to pay the $336 myself to fix the latch that I feel they should have replaced under the recall in the first place. Two of my other three doors are getting hard to open and I feel it is only a matter of time before they completely break also. I have two children and thank god one of them was not in the back seat the day the car door just decided to swing open.

I purchased a 2003 Ford Focus for my daughter and she was stranded after driving it to work when she couldn't get the steering wheel unlocked to use her key. The dealership told her it is common in Ford Focuses of this year. This has resulted in the shaft needing to be replaced for $500 and there is not guarantee that it won't happen again because of this make/model of car. This is ridiculous since Ford has known about this for years and as far as I know, there has been no recall issued to date. Unacceptable!.

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Focus. The contact stated that both rear door locks no longer functioned. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch). The failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 145,000.

The car has been having issues with the locks for a while now. We can not put the key into the door to unlock it because it wont always work. The handle on the front driver side door has broke once and was replaced. Now the key for the ignition will not turn to start the car. The steering wheel has locked and will not allow the key to turn to start the car.

I have a 2003 Ford Focus zx5 and the rear hatch latch does not always engage so have to slam it down a few times to get it to latch. I noticed the recall, but I live in nebraska and the recall does not apply there. I believe this needs to be expanded. Also the door latches are getting harder and harder to open, is there any recall on them. Also I have a problem with the steering column adjustment lever it will not stay, it releases as you are driving causing the steering wheel to bounce up and down. Not safe.

No initial indications of the problem until it happened, a sudden onset. One day, I got in my car, tried to start the engine, and the key would not turn. I tried turning the wheel to get the key to turn, and still no ability to turn the key in the lock and start the car. I tried a second key that is not used, just in case it was a worn key, but still no ability to turn the key in the column lock. Finally, after about 15 minutes of trying to jiggle and finagle the key to turn, it did. Since then, I have found that if the key is removed, and the steering wheel it turned until a positive clunk is heard and felt, indicating that the steering wheel lock has engaged, the problem repeats every single time. If I remove the key and make sure to not turn the wheel so that the steering wheel lock is not engaged then I can reliably insert the key and turn it in the ignition lock and start the car. I called Ford to attempt to request a "good will repair" because I have been a good and long term Ford customer (I have owned a Ford pinto, a Ford Focus, a Ford contour, and a Ford escape before this Ford Focus) but the agent threw up a load of resistance. Now I am told that they will do nothing until I take it to a Ford dealer and pay for an inspection to verify the problem. This "service" to verify what I can reliably reproduce every and any time, is unnecessary and will cost approximately half of what it will cost me to have my local garage effect the change and make the repair. I am just another one of thousands of people who suffer due to this design defect that Ford must know about.

The lock cylinder froze in my 2003 Ford Focus two months after the warranty expired. The repairs totaled $343.

I got into my 2003 Ford Focus last Sunday and the key would not turn. It had been acting up in recent days but on this day nothing would work. Therefore my car was rendered useless. Long story short. . . Towed it to the dealer they took the lock tumbler cylinder out and sure enough--defective mechanism. Ford refuses to cover it in a warranty or extended service plan and now I am out of pocket $400 plus the tow to even get my car to turn on. Did some "internet research" and we found this is a common issue.

The ignition has locked up on my 2003 Ford Focus each time I have tried to start the car for the past 3 days. I have been stranded in some dangerous places (including a parking structure in downtown los angeles at 1:30am) for up to 40 minutes trying to get the car to start.

On January 22, 2008 the key would not start the car, it would not turn to release the steering wheel lock. This had happened a number of time previously but we were able to turn it after considerable effort. This was an extremely cold day in michigan and could have been a serious problem if I did not get some help from my daughter. We called several locksmiths and finally one mobile locksmith came and replaced the lock.

I have a 2003 Ford Focus. The cylinder and key design is no good. Lots of Focus owners have this problem. They (Ford) say its because the keys were to heavy or something but I only have my car and hosue key on my ring. Now in order to start the car I need to play with the key for 1 to 15 minutes just to get the car started. It would cost me around $275 to get this problem fixed. This should be recalled by Ford. I've only had the car for 15 months. (13 at time of failure).