Steering Anti-theft Device Problems of Ford Focus - part 1

My cars ignition doesn't work. It will lock me out of my own car. I have to bang my key as hard as I can to get the ignition to unlock.

See all problems of the 2003 Ford Focus 🔎.

Anti-theft steering wheel locked and car won't start - 2nd time.

See all problems of the 2000 Ford Focus 🔎.

I could not but the key in the ignition and the steering column is locked up. It seems like it is stuck in the start position. So now I have to get the car towed.

See all problems of the 2002 Ford Focus 🔎.

Have a 2002 Ford Focus that has had the steering wheel locked up again. Last time I was able to turn the wheel hard enough to get the key to turn and start the car. This time no such luck. Right now it's sitting in the parking garage at work. Guess I'll have to call sam packs Ford to come fix $$$$$.

The 2000 Focus has had many problems with the steering wheel locking. We put the key in and it wont turn. We have been stranded many times and this is costing us al ot of money to have a lock smith fix it, as welll as having it towed and the hassles of trying to get home when it happens in another town(twice). This needs to be fixed by Ford- I see it happens alot with others who own this car.

The contact owns a 2000 Ford Focus. On may 27, 2007, the steering wheel detached from the column while driving 35 mph. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic. The purchase date and engine size was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 130,000.

Key can not turn ignition cylinder. This is the issue every time I try to start the car.

See all problems of the 2001 Ford Focus 🔎.

Steering column and ignition locked up for the second time on 2000 Ford Focus. Left stranded and had to tow vehicle again.

Ford 2000 Focus ignition locked, aaa said this is a huge problem with Focus and no recalls.

I have been having problems with the key and ignition in my 2000 Ford Focus for over 6 months now. The key once inserted into the ignition will not turn the lock, which has resulted in leaving me stranded several times, once in below freezing weather with an infant. Upon research online trying to determine what the problem is I am finding this is an extremely common occurrence, and have been subsequently told by two mechanics that it is a defect in the ignition construction that Ford refused to recall. I have had to have the ignition cylinder replace and re-keyed at a cost of over $400.

: the contact stated the steering wheel locked. The dealership replaced the key cylinder. This did not remedy the problem. The steering wheel locked again resulting in the vehicle being towed to the dealership. The dealership replaced the key cylinder again.

I purchased a 2004 Ford Focus a year ago and the ignition cylinder is going out. I have been stranded places several times in the cold because of this problem which is a known problem to many Ford Focus owners. I am going to have to replace this item soon at the cost to me of $250. There needs to be something done about this since many owners are experiencing the same issues. I have had to jiggle the key so much my hand hurts.

See all problems of the 2004 Ford Focus 🔎.

The contact stated when trying to start vehicle the steering column locked. She had the vehicle towed to a mechanic the first time this happened . Currently, the vehicle experienced the same problem while parked. The repairs will be at contact's expense.

The ignition interlock failed on my 2000 Ford Focus. The key would not go into the ignition, so the steering wheel would not unlock and I could not turn the wheels so that when it was towed ($80) out of the parking space it almost hit another car. They had to drag it up onto the flat bed of the truck. The tow truck driver said that he alone tows one Focus per week due to this problem. I live in a large town and cannot tell me that there are not hundreds of reports of this problem. I was quoted the repair cost of $260 instantly when I called the dealer, how often does that happen. I can see why Ford does not recall this item, it is too much of a money machine!! how many thousands of repair have to be made before they recall this?.

My 2001 Ford Focus ignition swith has locked up leaving my car completely out of service and me stranded, the sterring wheel as well as everything else locks up. This has happened 10 times three times resulting in towing and complete removal and replacement of the ignition switch. Ford has done nothing except replaced the problem part each time resulting in failure again. It is also not covered under my extended warrenty.

I own a 2001 Ford Focus. The ignition key tumbler has been replaced twice in the last year.

My steering wheel locks and will not budge on my 2000 Ford Focus.

I just bought this used 2 weeks ago, thinking it has under 50,000 miles it's good. Well on February 17,2005, I put the key in the ignition and the key wouldn't turn. I tried for at least an hour and nothing,I tried again the nex morning and nothing, the delearship had to tow and here I am without a car, so I deceided to search the web and see if this has happened to other people and sure enough it has, if this is a recall it needs to be fixed.

After washing the vehicle at a car wash steering column locked up. Steering wheel would not move in any direction. Vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed consumer that the steering column was broken , and needed to be replaced.

For the past week, I have had trouble turning the key in the ignition. It's as if the ignition is locked, along with the steering wheel. I had been able to move the key back and forth and have been successful in getting the key to turn (actually turn so the car could start). Today, however, no amount of 'jimmying' did the trick. The ignition was locked and the key would simply not turn - at all (even after I tapped the key into the ignition with my palm as I turned the key as recommended by a Ford service mechanic). Subsequently, I had to have the car towed to the town and country Ford in portland, or so they could replace the entire ignition cylinder. This is costing me around $290!. I have read other similar complaints, and the tow truck driver - who also owns a Ford Focus zx3 - has been having similar problems. Despite this, Ford has not 'recalled' this faulty ignition cylinder and I feel this requires further investigation and, at the least, compensation by Ford.

The ignition lock cylinder locks up, making it impossible to start the car. The ignition key will not turn the lock. If the car is towed in it creates a problem in that the car stays in park and if towed incorrectlywill damage the transmission. Ford motor views this as natural wear and tear.

I own a 2000 Ford Focus that has had the same problem happen to it again. Approx. 2 years ago we had to have the entire steering column replaced because the mechanism had locked and would not allow us to turn the key. It has happened again and there is nothing we can do to get the key to turn in the ignition. This is ridiculous and we think that there should be a recall or something designated to assist with this problem. A 2000 model should not have this many problems with its steering mechanisms. Info below is appropriate to latest incident.

Steering column ignition lock. Key inserted and won't come out, can't turn key - no steering, no power.

I walked to my car one evening after catching up with some friends. When I went to start the car I could not turn the key to start the ignition. The enitre steering column locked up including the brakes. Not only did I had to have my car towed to the nearest Ford dealership, but it was not covered under my warranty. The dealership replaced my "ignition lock". When I went to pay for the work, the cashier said that they have to replace at least one "ignition lock" a day at the dealership. Now my radio has been shorting out. I called the dealership that worked on my car and they said that there is no correlation between the two problems.

My mom drove my 2000 Ford Focus to the shop to have the brakes done. She had no problem inserting the key into the ignition and starting the car. I have never had any problems with ignition sticking or key not turning. When auto mech came out to move the car, the key could not be inserted all the way into the keyhole and would not turn. 2 mechs and my mom tried get to the ignition to unlock. We then called courtesy Ford & were told this is a known problem w/ Focus' & we would have to replace the ignition lock. This cost was est at $260. If this is a "known problem with the 2000 Ford, why are we having to pay for repairs?.

I bought a used Ford Focus 2000 in July 2002, since then the steering wheel locked a lot of times. I cannot start the car and haved to towed to dealership and replace the lock cylinder twice. This problem seems to be repeat every year or so. The lastest incident was yesterday. Since the warranty was over, I have to pay by myself to replace the lock cylinder. I am wondering why Ford doesn't let customer know this problem and provide life-time warranty.

My husband and I bought a 2002 Ford Focus. When I tried to start the car to go to work this morning, the ignition would not turn all the way to start the car. This has been a common problem for the Focus model. I have read many complaints about the same problem on the internet therefore, this should be a manufacturer default and should be fixed. The dealers are charging $450 to fix the problem that wasn't our fault.

When I put the key in the ignition, it would not turn. The steering wheel locked and the ignition switch froze. I had to have it repaired for $300. Apparently the locksmith is making a fortune off the Ford Focus with this problem.

Locking device locked up on the streering column for the second time it was necessary to tow the car and damage occured because towing CO towed incorrectly. Parts were replaced and techs in the vehicle shop say this is a problem that occurs frequently .

Within a 6 day period, oct 7th through oct. 12th (2004), I experienced intermittent problems with my key getting stuck, locked, or not admitted into the key ignition entry. The failure took place, morning oct. 12th, 2004. My key was able to fully enter key ignition area, but was not able to turn the key to start the car. The consequence was I had no immediate transportation and was billed for the replacement part (cylinder lock) and labor (approx. $350. 00). The corrective action was to replace the cylinder lock with strattec part number 707592.

Key will go in ignition, but will not turn. Steering wheel is locked, gear shift is locked.

After work on the evening of September 30th, 2004, I got in my vehicle and put the key in the ignition and was unable to turn the key as to start the car. I thought maybe the steering wheel locked in place funny so I wiggled the steering wheel while trying to turn the key and still nothing. I felt sick because I had no idea what to do. Luckily there were still CO-workers in the bank where I work so I was able to use the phone. First I called the Ford dealership where I purchased the car and spoke with the service dept. They diagnosed the problem in about three seconds. I was told this was a very common problem with my particular vehicle. They said the only thing I could do would be to have it towed to them and it would cost around $400. 00. I thought I would just die. I am a single parent on a very tight budget. I have very little room for such repairs being that I am making payments on a car I bought new to try and avoid repairs on an old vehicle. I had to wait for a friend of mine to drive out from irvine, CA (about 70 miles away) to help me. He had auto club so I was able to tow my car to the dealership. The driver of the tow truck informed me that he tows around 12 to 15 of the same cars with the exact same problem once a month. I told the dealership to not work on it if it was going to cost anything because I don't have the money. They said that they would hold off to see what I was going to do. Over the weekend I researched the problems others were having with their Ford Focus. There are countless websites with hundreds of people writing with the exact same problem I am having. You can call any Ford dealership service dept and inquire about the ignition problem and before you can finish they tell you how common this problem is and that it will have to be replaced for about $300. 00 to $400. 00.

Ingition switch stuck and will not turn at all to turn on the car.

Ignition key will not turn, subsequently I was stranded as I could not start the car. I just bought this car 3 weeks ago, wish someone had told me that this was an issue for these vehicles. Car was bought for our daughter to use for school, we bought this vehicle for reliability now have to worry about her getting stranded somewhere.

Steering wheel locks up and key won't turn in ignition.