2001 FORD FOCUS Complaints

I OWN A 2001 FORD FOCUS. ON OCTOBER 31, 2005, I NOTICED THAT MY CAR KEY WOULD NOT FIT INTO MY IGNITION ALL THE WAY AND MY KEY WOULD NOT TURN. MY STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO LOCKED IN PLACE. THERE WERE NO PRECEDING SYMPTOMS TO WARN ME OF THIS FAILURE. I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD COMPANY, WHICH EXPECTS ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND TOWING. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH FOCUS OWNERS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE, ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS, IF YOU CAN. IT IS A SERIOUS INCONVENIENCE, TIME WISE AND FINANCIALLY. *JB

POORLY DESIGNED IGNITION CYLINDERS. THIS CAUSES THE TUMBLERS TO FAIL RESULTING IN A LOCK-UP OF THE IGNITION. THE OWNER CANNOT TURN THE KEY TO START THE CAR AND AS A RESULT, HAS TO BE TOWED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDERS IN THE 2000 AND 2001 FOCUS WERE THE EUROPEAN DESIGN. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY CYLINDER TWICE. ONCE IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, THE SECOND TIME IT WAS NOT AND I HAD TO PAY $200. THERE ARE OTHER FOCUS OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. SEE THE WEBSITES BELOW. HTTP://WWW.AUTOWHIZ.COM/MESSAGEBOARDS/MESSAGE.PHP?ID=1784 HTTP://CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_FOCUS_IGNITION.HTML HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.EEA6DD2/286 AMONG MANY OTHERS I WAS TOLD THAT THEY PUT AN ENGINEER IN THE POSITION TO SPECIFICALLY RE-DESIGN THE IGNITION CYLINDER. SO WHILE FORD CONTINUALLY CLAIMS TO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM, IT IS APPARENT THAT THEY DID. WHILE THERE WERE NO DEATHS NOR INJURIES, IT IS NOT UP TO THE PEOPLE TO PAY FOR FORD'S POOR QUALITY. *NM

THE IGNITION IS LOCKED UP IN MY 2001 FORD FOCUS. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE FOR POSSIBLE REMEDIES, I HAVE FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCHES ON MY MODEL CAR DATING BACK FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THE STANDARD RATE FOR THESE REPAIRS SEEMS TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $350 WHICH TO SOMEONE DRIVING A LOW COST VEHICLE LIKE THE FOCUS IS A LOT OF MONEY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS ADMITTED PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL AND INSTEAD IS CREATING A BOON INDUSTRY FOR THE DEALERS HAVING TO REPLACE THESE PARTS? HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE TO GET SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS? I HAVE OWNED FORD CARS MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I CANNOT SEE A REASON TO CONTINUE TO BUY THEM IF THIS IS THE TYPE OF PRODUCT AND SUPPORT THEY ARE GOING TO START TO PRODUCE. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH WHEN HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER HEAD, AND WHEN SHE DID SO, THE AIR BAGS THEN DEPLOYED. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES SINCE SHE WAS WEARING SEAT BELTS. A POLICE AND INSURANCE REPORTS WERE TAKEN. *AK.

KEY STARTED GETTING HARD TO INSERT INTO IGNITION SWITCH. KEY WOULDN'T TURN OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, BUT ALWAYS MANAGED TO WIGGLE IT TO GET IT STARTED. IT FINALLY FAILED COMPLETELY RESULTING IN A MISSED DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT FOR MY 69 YEAR OLD MOTHER. MATTHEWS FORD IN ASHEVILLE, NC SAYS THAT THIS HAPPENS OFTEN AND THEY REPLACE THEM ALL THE TIME. WILL COST AT LEAST $250 TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED AND MORE FOR A TOW. *JB

THERE IS A RECALL PROGRAM ON THE 2001 FORD FOCUS THAT I OWN WHICH I WAS NOTIFIED OF IN WRITING BY LETTER. (03N01) THE LETTER STATES THAT THE FUEL PUMP IS FAULTY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IF THE CAR IS EXHIBITING STALLING, SPUTTERING, CUTTING OFF, ETC. MY CAR DID ALL OF THOSE THINGS. THE LETTER ALSO STATES THAT THE REPAIR SHOULD TAKE 1/2 DAY. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO BE REPAIRED THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND REPAIRED SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT AT MY EXPENSE DESPITE THE FACT THAT I HAVE A LETTER. THE REPAIR THEY DID ALSO TOOK 4 DAYS. I WAS OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR. THE CAR IS NOW STALLING AND CUTTING OFF CONSTANTLY PUTTING MY FAMILY AND MYSELF IN A GREAT DEAL OF DANGER. I CALLED THE NUMBER ON THE LETTER I RECEIVED ABOUT THE RECALL. THE REPRESENTATIVE NAMED MOHAMMED WAS OF NO ASSISTANCE TELLING ME THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AT THE DEALERSHIP. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I DID ALREADY TAKE THE CAR AND HAVE IT DIAGNOSED WITH THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED ON THE LETTER PAID FOR THE REPAIR THAT WAS DONE THOUGH THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP. I AM AFRAID THAT IF THE CAR IS NOT REPAIRED SOON, AT FORD'S EXPENSE THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF DANGER TO MY FAMILY OR MYSELF. LYNDON, MOHAMMED'S SUPERVISOR ALSO SPOKE WITH ME AND REPEATED THE SAME THINGS I TOLD HIM OVER AND OVER OFFERING NO ASSISTANCE. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A NOISE FROM THE REAR END. THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER OVER THE PAST WEEK. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER, WHO NOTED THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE WHEEL BEARINGS. THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED UNDER A SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN IN 2003 ON A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM. THE NETS, 01I017. THIS WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER RECALL OR ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY THE SECOND TIME AROUND. THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE CRACKED AND THE BEARINGS WILL NOT BE COVERED BY THIS AGAIN. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FORD DEALER MANAGER, AND FORD MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO HAVE THIS REPLACED. *AK

MY 2001 FORD FOCUS' IGNITION CYLINDER STRIPPED AND BROKE. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FOCUS'. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE PARTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS BE MADE. *NM

MY SON WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 FORD FOCUS WAGON ON 10/14/05 WHEN HE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. HE SUSTAINED 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON HIS LEFT ARM, FROM WRIST TO ELBOW, DUE TO THE AIRBAG CHEMICALS VENTING IN AN IMPROPER WAY. HE IS BEING TREATED BY A PHYSICIAN FOR HIS INJURIES. THE VEHICLE IS NOT BEING DRIVEN AT PRESENT. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. THERE IS NHTSA RECALL 03V482000 REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. . HE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE STALLED FOUR TIMES. THERE WAS HESITATION AND A VIBRATION WITH BEFORE IT LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE STALLED APPROXIMATELY 50 TIMES BEFORE THE CONTACT COULD ACTUALLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE AFTER IT WAS PARKED. THIS USUALLY HAPPENED AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED OVERNIGHT. BUT IT DOES HAPPEN SOMETIMES AT RANDOM. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. . THE SERVICE DEALER STATES THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND CAN NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE IT HAD A DIFFERENT FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. THEY REFERRED HIM TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT HIS OWN COST. *AK