2002 Ford Focus Electrical System

I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF WORK AND WENT TO LEAVE. I TRIED TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULDN'T MOVE. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, IT WAS MY IGNITION SWITCH. THE GUY AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP NEW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN I CALLED, STATING IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES TO THE FOCUSES. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATED THAT SAME THING. FORD SAYS IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT IT DEFINITELY CAN BE. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN, ESPECIALLY NOT ONE FROM ARCHIE COCHRANE IN BILLINGS, MT. THEY ARE A BUNCH OF MONEY HUNGRY JERKS WHO ARE UNWILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR WRONG DOINGS OR HAVE ANY SYMPATHY FOR A CUSTOMER. *JB

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. *TR

TL*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.

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2003 FORD FOCUS HAD IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER PROBLEMS. SINCE 08/2006 WHEN HE PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IT WOULD NOT CONSISTENTLY TURN OVER. HE STATED THAT FOR THE PAST 4 DAYS THE KEY WILL NOT TURN OVER THE IGNITION, AND HE HAS BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE. HE CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP, AND WAS ADVISED TO TAP ON THE KEY WHILE THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION TO GET THE KEY TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT FOUND ON A WEBSITE CALLED AUTOMOTIVETALK.NET, AND A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS WERE LISTED. THE WEBSITE STATED THAT VARIOUS LOCKSMITHS DESCRIBED THE FAILURE AS THE TUMBLERS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT COULD GET THE KEY OUT OF THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT TURN THE KEY TO GET THE IGNITION TO START. THE CONTACT DID FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER, AND HE WILL HAVE A CASE NUMBER AVAILABLE FOR THE HARD COPY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80000, AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73000.*AK

TL*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. *LJ

FUSE WAS CONSTANTLY BLOWN FOR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, LOSS OF POWER DOOR LOCK FUNCTION VIA THE KEY FOB OR DOOR SWITCHES, FAILURE OF AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK SYSTEM WHEN DRIVING, AND LOSS OF USE OF TRUNK/DECKLID RELEASE USING THE KEY FOB OR DASH SWITCH. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE BROKEN AND SHORTED OUT WIRES LEADING FROM THE SIDE OF THE MAIN BODY OF THE VEHICLE TO THE BASE OF THE TRUNK/DECKLID. REPAIR WAS MADE WITH WIRE SPLICES. NOTE: EARLY 2000 SEDAN MODELS WERE RECALLED WITH A SIMILAR ISSUE. QUITE A FEW HATCHBACK AND SEDAN OWNERS AFTER 2000 ARE EXPERIENCING A SIMILAR ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION, THEREFORE THE VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,000.

IGNITION FAILED , KEY WILL NOT TURN. *AK

I OWN A 2002 FORD FOCUS AND THE KEY GOT STUCK AND I COULDN'T START IT OR TAKE THE KEY OUT. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER SINCE FORD HAD MADE IT SO DIFFICULT FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON TO WORK ON IT. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION AND LEFT A METAL SHAVING MESS IN THE CAR AT MY COST. IS THIS HOW ALL FORD VEHICLES AND DEALERS WERE NOW. I ALSO MISSED WORK DUE TO THIS INCIDENT. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH CONSTANTLY LOCKS UP AND WILL NOT TURN. WHEN SHE PLACES THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT ALSO FAILS TO TURN. SHE HAS HAD THE IGNITION REPLACED TWICE WITHIN ONE YEAR. FORD STATED THAT THE IGNITIONS WERE RE-MODIFIED DUE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY IF SHE WANTED A NEW ONE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 68,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

IGNITION LOCKED WITH KEY IN IT. TOWED TO FORD DEALER AND IGNITION DRILLED OUT AND REPLACED AT AROUND $300. HAPPENED A SECOND TIME. LOCKSMITH CALLED. IGNITION DRILLED OUT AND REPLACED FOR AROUND $50.00. HASN'T HAPPENED AGAIN IN ABOUT 3 YEARS.*AK

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. *TR

IGNITION KEY HAS LOCKED UP AND WILL NOT TURN. *JB

TL*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.

2002 FORD FOCUS IGNITION SWITCH WONT TURN, LOCKED UP. *NM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY HE ATTEMPTED TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL AND IT ACTIVATED AND DEACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF. NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BATTERY CABLES WERE CORRODED AND THE POWER LEAD FUSE PANEL WAS INOPERABLE, THE CABLES AND GROUND CIRCUITS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,300.*AK UPDATED 03/19/07. *JB

1) NO WARNING SYMPTOMS 2) FAILURE IS THAT IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. CAR WILL NOT START. THIS IS A MASS DEFECT, BUT FORT APPARENTLY IS NOT ISSUING RECALL. 3) HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING. CAR WAS TOWED TO MY HOME, AND IS SITTING THERE USELESS. DEALERSHIPS TELL ME IT WILL COST $300 TO FIX, BUT FORD SHOULD REPAIR THIS FOR FREE. *JB

GAUGES HAVE BEEN SURGING ALONG WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS TIME WAS DIFFERENT THOUGH AS THE GAUGES NEVER RETURNED TO NORMAL POSITION AND I DROVE ALL THE WAY TO WORK ( 13 MILES) NOT KNOWING MY SPEED ,MILEAGE NOR TEMP OF MY CAR. AT THE SAME TIME MY RADIO WAS ON AND WHEN I TRIED TO TURN DOWN MY HEAT FROM 4 TO 3 IT TURNED OFF ANY SOUND FROM THE STEREO. WHEN I REACHED WORK I LET MY CAR SET FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES WHEN FINALLY MY GAUGES SURGED ONCE AGAIN AND RETURNED TO NORMAL. I BOUGHT MY CAR A YEAR AGO AND TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT IT THEN (THE SURGES ALWAYS RETURNED TO NORMAL UNTIL THIS EVENING) AND THE DEALER JUST COMMENTED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *NM

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. *JB

I OWN A 2002 FORD FOCUS LX AND I EXPERIENCED A LOCK UP FAILURE IN THE IGNITION SYSTEM THAT CAUSED ME TO BE UNABLE TO USE MY CAR AT ALL. I HAD TO PAY FOR TOWING, REPLACEMENT OF THE PIECE AND LABOR. I UNDERSTAND FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE MASSIVE FAILURE THAT THIS PIECE IN THEIR CARS HAS EXPERIENCED AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO REPLACE THE PIECE. I HAD MY 4 YEAR OLD WITH FEVER AND NEEDED TO GET HIM TO THE HOSPITAL, THE CAR WAS THE ONLY CAR AVAILABLE FOR MY USE, BUT COULDN'T USE IT AT ALL. I WANT FORD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THANKS. *NM

IGNITION JAMS, KEY WILL NOT TURN IN LOCK. INTERNET SEARCH TURNS UP HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE. READ HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_FOCUS.HTML FOR MORE DETAIL. I HAD TO POUND ON THE KEY WITH A FLASHLIGHT TO GET IT TO WORK. PROBLEM GETTING WORSE/OCCURRING MORE OFTEN. I HAD PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED A REPLACEMENT KEY, THINKING THE OLD ONE MIGHT BE WEARING OUT, IT ONLY WORKS IN THE DOORS, IT WILL NOT WORK IN THE IGNITION AT ALL. *NM

THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP IN MY CAR. I HAVE HAD THREE OTHER FRIENDS WITH THE SAME CAR SAY THAT THERE IGNITION SWITCH DID THE SAME THING. *JB

IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 2002 FORD FOCUS WITH 34,000 MILES FAILED. REQUIRED A TOW AND REPLACEMENT. TOTAL COST OF REPLACEMENT WAS $290. FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A QUALITY PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITIONS. THERE ARE LOTS OF FAILURES OF THEM. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED. THANKS TOM ROLLAND. *JB

2002 FORD FOCUS IGNITION LOCKING UP. IT JUST COST ME $285.00 TO HAVE A LOCKSMITH COME TO MY HOUSE WHERE MY TOTALLY DISABLED FORD FOCUS SAT. THE LOCKSMITH COMPLETELY REPLACED MY IGNITION AND SHOWED ME THE DIFFERENCE AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE FORD OEM IGNITION. THE LOCKSMITH TOLD ME THAT HE HAS BECOME AN EXPERT IN FORD FOCUS' IGNITIONS DUE TO THIS FAULTY PART. THERE IS NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT THIS PROBLEM THAT HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY TO SO MANY PEOPLE SHOULD JUST GO AWAY. FORD NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND MAKE IT RIGHT FOR THE AMERICAN FORD CAR BUYING PUBLIC OR WE SHOULD STOP BUYING FORD'S! *NM

2002 FORD FOCUS IGNITION PROBLEM. KEY WILL NOT TURN. MY DAUGHTER, 17 YEARS OLD WAS STUCK IN PARKING LOT, LATE IN THE EVENING! THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *JB