Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - DOORS - LATCH | ||||||||||||||||
| 05V030000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | from 04/07/1999 to 09/02/2002 | V (Vehicle) | 589932 | 03/09/2005 | ODI | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 02/01/2005 | 02/02/2005 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | Certain passenger vehicles with four or five doors and originally sold in or currently registered in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, a build-up of corrosion at the pawl pivot area of the rear door latch can cause a binding condition of the pawl that may affect proper engagement of the pawl into the catch. the occupant may experience difficulty opening or closing a rear door, and eventually the rear door may not latch properly. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | If not latched properly, the door may open while the vehicle is in motion. if an occupant fell out of the vehicle, personal injuries could occur. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will have a lower rocker seal added to the door and have the rear door latches evaluated free of charge. a latch that passes the evaluation will be lubricated to prevent future corrosion. a latch that does not pass the evaluation will be replaced. in addition, a sticker will be affixed to the rear doors advising the owners to use the recommended lubricant. the recall began on march 9, 2005. owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Ford recall no. 05s27.customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov. | |||||||||||||||
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - DOORS - LATCH | ||||||
| EA04023 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 08/18/2004 | 02/04/2005 | REAR DOOR LATCH FAILURE | 05V030000 | |
| This investigation was opened on april 8, 2004 as pe04-033 and upgraded on august 18, 2004 to ea04-023.the complainants alleged that the rear door latches failed to keep the doors in a closed position, resulting in rear doors coming open while the vehicles were being driven.some complainants reported that at timesa rear door, or doors, could be difficult to close.others reported that corrosion of the door latch mechanism caused binding of the latch.ford has identified a condition of corrosion in the pawl pivot area of the door latch assembly that prevents proper engagement of the door latch catch to the latch striker on the vehicle body.by letter of february 1, 2005, ford motor company notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall on model year 2000 through 2002 four and five-door focus vehicles registered in, or originally sold in, connecticut, delaware, the district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin. dealers will inspect rear door latches and replace binding latches as required.dealers will also lubricate all rear door latches to prevent future corrosion and binding.a lower rocker seal will also be added to the rear doors. see safety recall 05v030 for details. | ||||||
| PE04033 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 04/08/2004 | 08/20/2004 | REAR DOOR LATCH FAILURE | ||
| This investigation was opened on april 8, 2004, based on 17 reports that one or both rear door latches did not function properly.the complainants alleged that the doors were difficult to closeand that the door latches would not remain latched while the vehicles were being driven, resulting in a door coming open.several of the complainants reported that corrosion of the door latch mechanism caused binding of the latch.ford's response to the preliminary evaluation information request provided 19 consumer reports and 28 warranty claims attributed to the door latch where the doors came open while the vehicles were being driven.three (3) of the 17 opening odi reports were duplicated in ford's response.this investigation has been upgraded to engineering analysis ea04-023 for further study. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | |||
| 08/01/2011 | 103000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the contact stated that the automatic locks were defective and the rear driver side door could not be opened. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 103,000. | |||
| 06/06/2011 | 120000 | ||
| My sixteen year old daughtert has benn stranded three times because her key would not turn the ignition. the first two times she was close to home and was with a friend, so she called my husband and we met her and took turns jiggling the steering wheel and the key until, finally after about ten minutes, the key turned, so the second time, it took over an hour, but did not give up because of the first time. the last time, my daughter was alone,late at night and fortunately, she was able to call us on her cell, but we had to get up out of bed, to rescue her and after over two hours of trying to get that key to work, we gave up. we had to abandon the car and i guess we will have to call a locksmith, but have been told that they have to use the same ingnition and it will most likely happen again. | |||
| 05/20/2011 | 73000 | ||
| The key would not fit into the ignition and would not turn making the car unusable and stranding me for 5 hours while waiting for a locksmith. there was no warning this would happen. the ignition just stopped working. this is a well document defect in ford forcus models. the locksmith replaced the ignition for $300. | |||
| 10/25/2010 | 60000 | ||
| 2000 ford focus, rear doors will not close, currently using duct tape. although there was a recall, i'm told not my vin number. looked online, many other complaints like mine, also not their vin number. it appears to be much more wide spread than ford wants to admit. | |||
| 10/07/2010 | 150000 | ||
| Ignition switch in 2000 ford focus locked up and would not turn. the consequences of this failure were that i missed a very important doctors appointment. nothing has been done to fix this problem because i do not have the $400.00 the ford place said it would cost to fix it. why has this part not been recalled? it has been an ongoing problem. | |||
| 06/25/2010 | 140000 | ||
| My year 2000 ford focus zx3 had been experiencing some ignition issues. i could put the key into the ignition, but it would not turn at all. this was especially the case if the wheel was locked. usually after some jiggling of the key it would turn and i could start the car. the first time this happened was in august of 2004. it began to happen about twice a month. the dealership claims they are the only ones who can fix the issue, by re-making the key and programing the now the key won't turn at all. in shopping around dealerships they believe the price will be around $300 if the cylinder is not damaged (by their own key?) for $500, plus the cost to tow the vehicle to them so they can program the key. a local locksmith has told me that this is a common issue with the ford focus. if so, why has it not been recalled? | |||
| 01/18/2010 | 149862 | 1 | |
| The ignition switch, on our 2000 ford focus, quit working. this is the second time in less than a year. the last time, i had a locksmith repair it. now it isn't working again. i googled it and found that this is a problem with 2000-2003 models but no recall has been issued. i will call the locksmith for another costly repair but would like this issue looked at possibly for some kind of liability by ford motor company. thank you. *tr | |||
| 01/15/2010 | 60000 | 1 | |
| I have a ford focus 2000 wagon with only 60,000 miles on it. within the past three weeks i have had to have it towed because i can not turn the key in the ignition. i am now waiting for it to be towed to my mechanic to fix the ignition. looking online i have seen numerous complaints about this problem and wonder why there has not been a recall for this ignition. *tr | |||
| 11/03/2009 | 1 | ||
| 2000 ford focus key is locked. tried everything possible to get it unlocked. for a while banging on the key itself helped but now nothing works!!! *tr | |||
| 10/26/2009 | 64000 | 1 | |
| The ignition has stuck on my 2000 ford focus. had to call tow company and lock smith. turns out to be a very common problem with this yr and make of veh. *tr | |||
| 08/25/2009 | 143000 | 1 | |
| The car was driving just fine, but when i got home and needed to go and meet my wife, the key ignition switch locked up. this is about the third or fourth time this has happened since i've owned the car. since the car has also stalled before, it sure would be a big safety issue if you couldn't get it started in the middle of a busy intersection. this is ridiculous. come on ford, fix this! now i have to pay big dollars in a bad economy to get this fixed by someone else. since the system is electronic, who knows if it somehow effects other electronics in the vehicle. on an 83 degree day, in black interior, and no way to roll down the electric windows because of being unable to turn the key, it can get quite hot, quite quickly. *tr | |||
| 07/10/2009 | 91000 | 1 | |
| Ford focus key will not turn in lock leaving me and family stranded in the heat until a locksmith comes. happens over and over. *tr | |||
| 03/30/2009 | 60000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. while driving various speeds, the rear door opens and will not remain closed. the dealer stated that there was a recall in 2005 for this failure and the vehicle should have been repaired at that time. the contact has to pay for the repair. the failure mileage was 60,000. | |||
| 01/08/2009 | 60000 | 1 | |
| 2000 ford focus ignition cylinder failed twice in 4yrs. this last time i was stranded in the cold, by myself at 1am. missing work, spending money on tows, parts and labor adds up. not to mention the danger involved with being stranded, all because your key wont turn. *tr | |||
| 11/26/2008 | 1 | ||
| Both doors latch and remote control don't work. *tr | |||
| 12/26/2008 | 118000 | 1 | |
| Never had any issues with the ignition but then all of a sudden my key wont turn and the wheel locks up when trying to start the car. have not fixed it yet. *tr | |||
| 12/10/2008 | 90303 | 1 | |
| Due to a failure of the power lock actuators in a 2000 ford focus se (s/w), the passenger door and the rear passenger door have jammed door locks. the doors can not be opened any longer by key, by inside door opening handle or by the remote fob. the consequences are that the only egress from the particular car is via the 2 driver side doors, making half of the car unusable. passengers who should enter via the functioning doors of the vehicle into the side of the vehicle with the jammed doors do not have an escape route in case of accidents that involve the functioning side of the vehicle. this is an extremely dangerous situation for any driver or passenger. an internet search for focus jammed door or focus jammed door lock returns numerous instances of the same problem, occurring on all ford focus doors including trunk/hatch. drivers enter their vehicles through the passenger side or even through the trunk because some door locks are jammed due to failed power lock actuators, with all safety-related hazards and consequences. the jamming can occur at any time; there is no way to predict it and to take preventive measures. a repair is exorbitantly expensive due to the fact that the doors cannot be opened by key or door opening handle to gain access to and replace the power door actuator that is the cause of the jamming. ford is neither willing to acknowledge this widespread problem nor participate in the cost of repairs, thus forcing people to take unacceptable safety risks. because of the serious safety hazard that the jammed doors present and the unpredictability of an occurrence of the problem, a safety recall action should be initiated by the nhtsa to force ford to make repairs free of charge. *tr | |||
| 10/18/2008 | 91000 | 1 | |
| Ignition switch needed to be replaced numerous times, i bought the car used aug 19, 2008 my daughter was stuck in a isolate area when the key wouldn't go in the switch. i was replaced and 2 months later the key would not come out of the switch it was replaced again. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| The driver side door no longer closes unless it is locked. it cannot be unlocked with a key. *tr | |||
| 11/21/2008 | 120000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2000 ford focus. as most know, winters in the mid-west are very cold. i was out at my grandparents house in new richmond, wisconsin; picking up some boxes in the garage. they travel to arizona for the winter months so they were not home. i went to start my car and the key would not turn over in the ignition. it was completely stuck. i tried everything. i made sure it was in park, tried turning the steering wheel side to side, everything. it would not budge. i was all alone. it was freezing cold. luckily i had my phone so i was able to call for help. i ended up having to pay 200$ to have a locksmith come out and fix it. this problem is clearly a safety hazard and ford knows it. ford knows all the complaints from people having this exact same problem. why should we have to pay for a problem they know exists. what if i hadn't had my phone to call for help, i would of had no way of getting inside and there is no one that lives nearby for at least a mile. ford needs to take responsibility for this and have a recall. *tr | |||
| 11/21/2005 | 1 | ||
| When it first started it was just the passenger rear door that wouldn't open from the outside, you could however still open it if you pushed on a certain part of the door and tried to open at the same time. now that door will not open at all from the out side at all, and the other doors are doing the same thing. the front passenger door will not latch now, you have to lock and unlock about 10 times before it will latch. i have looked at the recalls on this car before and noticed that there is a recall but unfortunately for me i don't live in the states that are affected in the recall. if i was to get this replaced on my own it will cost me about 2000.00. *tr | |||
| 11/03/2008 | 115628 | 1 | |
| Ignition barrel and steering column locking mechanism. *tr | |||
| 03/05/2005 | 176631 | 1 | 12/16/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford focus. the contact stated that the front and back doors would not latch and are being held together with a ratchet strap. while driving 20 mph around a bend, the back doors flew open. currently, the front doors will not open from the outside. in the event of a crash, no one would be able to open the doors from the outside. the contact received a recall notice in march of 2005. the vehicle was repaired according to nhtsa campaign id number 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch); however, the failures persist. the dealer will not replace the latches again. the failure mileage was 176,631. updated 10/03/08 *bf the engine stalled. a new fuel pump was installed. updated 10/06/08. *jb | |||
| 08/25/2008 | 132000 | 1 | |
| The ignition lock cylinder jammed up on me so that i could not start the car. this is the second time it has happened. the lock cylinder had to be replaced as in the past incident. *tr | |||
| 05/20/2008 | 0 | 1 | |
| First the back passenger door lock went out, and then the drivers door lock went out. you can not open with a key, nor the automatic locks. i took the handle off to try to manually unlock the door, and you can't. also the air and fan just went out. it was working great, and then all of a sudden it just stopped working! *tr | |||
| 04/01/2007 | 100000 | 15 | 05/01/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the contact is experiencing the same failure as noted in recall number 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch). however, the dealer stated that her vin is not included in the recall. she experiences difficulty opening and closing the passenger side rear door. the failure has caused the vehicle to fail inspection. the current mileage was 104,423 and failure mileage was 100,000. | |||
| 05/23/2007 | 114958 | 1 | 04/14/2001 |
| 2000 ford focus lx, at first the key would not go into ignition and once in now is stuck in ignition. the ignition cylinder had to be replaced and original key was damaged when the dealer was identifying the problem (although i've found out it is a well known problem to ford) so everything had to be replaced. | |||
| 10/14/2006 | 82175 | 3 | 03/07/2002 |
| In 2004 vehicle's ignition key lock fails to work properly. vehicle is towed to ford authorized repair and they correct the problem. in 2006 vehicle's ignition key lock fails again. vehicle is taken to ford authorized repair and corrected again. both times i was left stranded since the vehicle's ignition key would not turn to start the vehicle and could not be removed from the ignition. vehicle's dash lights suddenly failed while driving at night. lights come on and off. several times during nightime driving the lights fail. vehicle's door power door locks and trunk locks fail and cannot be opened with keyless entry. a fuse continues to fail possibly due to a short in the wiring system. *nm | |||
| 09/22/2006 | 76000 | 4 | 04/01/2000 |
| Dt*: the contact stated all four power locks failed at the same time. the contact's husband changed #63 20 amp fuse located at the back of the fuse panel. after changing the fuse, all of the doors except the driver's side could lock. in order to drive the vehicle to the dealership, the vehicle will have to be driven with the driver's door open. the dealership was not notified, but the contact planned to notify them soon. | |||
| 02/02/2006 | 107000 | 1 | 09/02/2004 |
| I have a 2000 ford focus se. the vehicle has power locks. over the course of a week, every time i would hit the button to unlock/lock the door it would react very lazy until finally the button stopped working. once the power locks stopped working, i was unable to manually unlock the driver door and not only that but i was unable to open the door because it was frozen in the lock position. i had to climb out the passenger side. even if i pulled the handle on the inside of the car on the driver's door, it wouldn't open. the fuse had blown and it wasn't until i replaced the fuse that the drivers door would open again. when the power locks are working the driver's door will open when i pull the handle, but the fuse blew again two days ago and the same thing happened, the door is stuck in the lock position and i have to crawl out the passenger side. this is potentially a dangerous condition because if i had to get out of the car quickly i couldn't because it won't let me out of the car. my mechanic said that somehow the driver door is the master mechanism and that is why it happens only to the driver door. he thinks this is a design flaw and if possible i would like it addressed. *jb | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 34000 | 2 | 08/05/2000 |
| Ignition cylinder froze on 2000 ford focus se requiring car to be towed to dealer to have lock cylinder replaced as the key could not be inserted into the lock. this was covered by warranty at the time. in december 2005, ignition would periodically freeze with key inserted requiring several attempts to turn the key to start the car. car was taken to dealer on january 17, 2006 and cylinder has to be replaced again at a cost of $453 since the car is now out of warranty. i've noted numerous complaints on the internet about other ford focus owners with the same problem. i called ford customer service and they would not do anything other than note the complaint. this is a safety issue if the lock fails when the car is needed in an emergency situation. since this is a recurring problem, why has ford not been required to fix the problem? *nm | |||
| 07/16/2005 | 119866 | 1 | 02/14/2004 |
| The ignition cylinder seized for no apparant reason. i was over an hours drive from home. had to call a tow truck there was no way to start the car, the key would just not turn. after a costly repair, almost $500cdn i researched this problem on the internet. it turns out i'm not alone. http://www.autowhiz.com/messageboards/message.php?id=1784 this is just one site with many complaints on this problem. even the service advisor at the ford dealer said she thinks there could eventually be a recall on this because they have to fix so many of them. | |||
| 07/09/2005 | 1 | 07/14/2001 | |
| The key would not turn in my 2000 ford focus, despite all efforts. my husband was stranded for hours. a locksmith had to be called to come fix it, costing us money. | |||
| 06/22/2005 | 1 | ||
| I went to insurt my key into the started and my car would not turnover after the wrong key was partly insurted, i thought that that pats system tripped, but after researching the issue further, i realised that numerious people ahve been having this issue with ford focuses, that their is a know problem with this part of the car, i am going to have to pay 300 dollars or more to fix a known issue from ford. | |||
| 01/03/2002 | 3 | ||
| Three of the windows from my vehicle fell. the windows fell in three seperate incidents. first the rear passenger widow fell and almost broke and could have caused the glass to break in my two-year-old son's face. approximately two months later the front driver side window fell, hitting me in my left middle finger. lastly about two weeks ago the rear passenger side window fell with no incident. i only have one working window and i am affraid that if i have a passenger, the window might break and cause severe damage. at this moment i have not repaired the windows, but i was looking for a recall from ford. i have also noticed several other vehicles with the same problems. vehicle: 200 ford focus. | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 116000 | 1 | 09/05/2001 |
| The consumer stated 3 of the doors on the car won't open from the inside or the outside.*ak the vehicle has developed or contained a defect in the electric door locking system which does not allow the owner to unlock 3 of the doors . this situation represents danger to the health and safety of the automobile's occupants. *bf | |||
| 04/09/2005 | 2 | 03/21/1999 | |
| My 2000 ford focus's ignition key cylinder became frozen (steering wheel also locked) and the entire kignition key cylinder had to be replaced at 9,902 miles (6/06/03). today, the same problem has occurred (less than two years and 12,000 miles later.) on 6/13/05 i will take the car to the dealer and again have to replace the entire ignition key cylinder (both times i've had to pay for everything). i got news of your website through a website which is entirely filled with entries from other ford focus owners with the same defect. many have had to replace this cylinder 3 and 4 times. it seems the replacement part ford uses is exactly the same defective part as the cars are built with. you may not think this issue is so insignificant but remember, there is a fuel injection recall on this car they have yet to figure out how to correct and if this car were to stall while driving, the owner might not be able to restart or steer the car if the wheel locks and the key is frozen due to this defective cylinder.*ak | |||
| 10/21/2004 | 63478 | 30 | |
| While driving doors will intermittently unlock by themselves. consumer took vehicle into the dealer several times, and dealer told the consumer they could not duplicate the problem, and that there was nothing they could do. *ak | |||
| 01/06/2005 | 59001 | 2 | 04/02/2000 |
| While leaving work a little over a year ago, my 2000 ford focus' key became stuck in the ignition. upon inserting the key in the ignition, i could neither get it to turn in the cylinder nor remove it. the car was towed to airport marina ford in los angeles and repaired free of charge, as it was still covered under it's standard 3 year/30,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. (unfortunately, i have lost my service paperwork during a recent move. i will attempt to retrieve the information from either airport marina ford or ford motor company to confirm the date, work performed and the mileage of my car at the time.) my car had not given any indication of possible failure prior to this event. on january 6, 2005, while on an errand for work, the ignition cylinder became stuck. this time, i was able to remove the key and reinsert freely but could not turn the key. the car was towed to sopp ford in los angeles and repaired at my expense. the old ignition cylinder was removed and a new cylinder was installed. i also received a new key and was advised not to use the old one. parts and labor resulted in a bill for $400.39. i called ford motor company's customer service hotline to find out if there had been a recall for this defect and to find out if i was eligible for any remuneration. the operator took my information, told me that there was no recall for this defect (which they officially do not recognize) and informed me that i might be eligible for remuneration if a recall was issued at a later date. i was also informed that repairs provided by ford are warrantied for either 12 months or 12,000 miles. i did not ask for nor was given the old ignition cylinder due to the fact that the process of removing it required drilling it out; there was not much left of the old cylinder except for some metal filings. i lost a day's wage as a result of not having transportation.*ak | |||
| 12/01/2004 | 2 | ||
| Ford focus concerning the rear door latch failure that allows the door to open while the vehicle was in motion. *bf when the brakes were applied, both rear doors would open. the rear hatch opened once per week. the consumer was informed that the 14 month old latches were worn out. *sc *jb | |||
| 02/01/2004 | 15000 | 5 | |
| While driving the dash light began to flicker then the vehicle shut down suddenly while in gear. *nm campaign id number : 00v411000. the consumer was told that the power cable to the battery was the result of the problem. campaign id number : 02v288000. the consumer was told by the service department that this is a problem because the vehicle could explode. the warranty company turned the consumer down stating that the problem was not part of the warranty. the key gets stuck in the vehicles ignition and would not come out. the doors would not close properly and remained open while the vehicle was in gear. when the tire was removed the consumer noticed that the wheel was missing a lug nut. campaign id number : 00v303000 the air vent did not stay open when the a/c was on high. the brakes howled like a wounded dog from the time of purchase. pads and rotors needed to be replaced. *tc | |||
| 10/21/2004 | 56000 | 1 | 01/06/2000 |
| The ignition lock cylinder failed in my 2000 ford focus zx3, leading to inability to start the car. apparently this is a widely known but unacknowledged issue with the focus line. *ak events leading up to the failure: normal use of the ignition to start and stop the car. failure: the tumblers in the ignition switch broke or jammed such that i was unable to insert my ignition key more than 50% into the ignition switch, thereby making me unable to start the car or even unlock the steering wheel. i had to have the vehicle towed to my house in order to get it out of a shopping mall parking lot. remediation of failure: i am either going to remove the tumblers in the ignition switch as detailed in http://www.automotiveforums.com/t158426.html or i will have to pay the ~$300 cost to get a new one from a dealer who won't acknowledge this as a problem. | |||
| 10/16/2004 | 32927 | 05/16/2000 | |
| We purchased the car in may 2000. in january 2002 the lock stuck several times. in september 2003, the lock began to stick again. we took it to the ford dealership where we purchased the car. we were told we had to pay for the repair ourselves because the car was out of warranty (over 3 years old but with only ~26,000 miles). we ended up paying ~$75. october 16, 2004 the same thing happened again. the car now has 32,937 miles on it. after a call to the same dealer we are informed that the repair was only warranted for 12 months. if only the part had broken a month sooner! we ended up calling a locksmith who drilled out the lock and replaced it for $116. the locksmith told my wife that this is a common problem with the ford focus and two other ford models. the locksmith repairs about four fords a month. i did some quick math on the problem. using our county of lancaster pa, i took an estimated population of 250,000. i next assumed one car for every two people. finally, i guessed that 5% of cars sold are these ford models with ignition lock problems. if you assume there are four ford dealerships in the county, four locksmiths in the county, and four independent garages&and assume each business repairs four cars per month, you get a failure rate of over 9%. i find it unacceptable that i paid for two repairs for a problem that clearly is specific to this car and likely a result of faulty design or manufacture. | |||
| 12/09/2003 | 83500 | 2 | 06/22/2000 |
| I'm writing to you about (part # xs4z*11582*aa cyl assy strg col ignition lock) i've had it replaced 2 times and it's at ford as i write this for the third time. two times it was covered under my ford esp (extented warranty) at a $200 deductable.i can't find paper work on first time but second time was (dec. 9, 2003) 74960 miles on car. this time it hasn't been 12 months or 1200 miles (current date and offically at ford service center july 17, 2004 (83500 or so miles) i don't think i'll be charged this time because it's within the warranty time but i won't be sure till monday. i know several people that have had the same problem. my neighbor just went through this a week ago and message boards online are teaming with hundreds if not thousands with this same problem. this is definitly a part problem that ford refuses to own up to. ford does not give old parts back. a soon as i find paper work i will update first incident unless it could be gotten from ford. i should be in there computer data base. | |||
| 06/25/2004 | 84000 | 10 | 04/08/2002 |
| When inserting the key into the ignition the key will only enter half-way and the key cannot be turned or the key can be fully inserted, but cannot be turned. *ak | |||
| 02/02/2004 | 100000 | 2 | |
| The front/rear door/trunk manual locks became stuck intermittently. this made it difficult to enter/exit the vehicle. the dealerships mechanic was notified and attempted to repair the problem, however the problem recurred. please provide more information. *nm | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 40000 | 1 | 12/06/2000 |
| Key lock mechanism on steering column fails (won't accept the key). this leaves the motorist and his (her) passangers stranded. i've seen many identical problems reported in numerous posts on the internet. probably a manufacturing refect.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2003 | 0 | 04/01/2001 | |
| I have a 2000 focus. i experiance hesitation when the fuel tank is about 1/4th full, it died once while turning around an offramp cloverleaf. also when coming to stops it idles rough. when starting and waiting while in or out of gear, idling is rough. turning corners i occasionaly get creeks from the front and rear. sometimes i hear thumps from the rear when riding over bumps on occasion. i hear and feel a growl while the engine is running regardless of being in or out of gear or in or out of motion. it feels more prominent when the temp. is below 60 degrees. i can feel it vibrating in the steering wheel while turning and it seems to stop while turning left but continues when the steering reaches center. while going up or down inclines or small depressions in the road it becomes even more noticeable and you can feel it in the floor. the drivers side rear door lock sometimes clicks in and out of the lock postion erratically when the electronic door lock/unlock button is depressed. this handle is also extremely tough to open. sometimes power is lost to the radio, i remove the detachable aniti-theft piece and replace it, sometimes it works, sometimes i need to do it numerous times before the radio will turn back on. i had experianced warped rotors on the front when i first bought the vehicle numerous times, but i switched them with slotted rotors so i no longer have this problem. my rear brake drums are stock (but the pasds are not) and they squeal quite frequently, possibly due to excessive dust. i had noticed that sometimes the power window control would not work for windows other than the drivers. this has not happened in about a year or 2. i have just recently experienced water in the passenger well. last, occasionally the transmission will hesitate while driving. it almost feels like the transmission is shifting into neutral, but more like it was a human with a cluthc out a bit who cannot make up their mind about what gear to use. | |||
| 4 | 12/15/1999 | ||
| Intermittent stalling. also, the brakes, power locks and windows failed. *ak *jb | |||
| 04/18/2003 | 32655 | 4 | 06/05/2001 |
| Stalling problem-check engine light-cracked cylinder head at 32655 miles also leaking transmission line, brake dust, broken trunk lock and malfunctioning keyless entry on driver door. *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| The driver and passenger doors did not unlock from the outside. *jb | |||
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - DOORS - LATCH | |||
| 02/11/2009 | 100000 | 1 | 07/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the contact stated that the rear doors would not remain closed and randomly opened while driving at any speed. the rear driver's side door stopped working first and was repaired by the contact. currently, the failure is occurring to the rear passenger side door. through online research, he found nhtsa campaign id number 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch). the ford manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in the recall; therefore, the contact would be responsible for the repairs. he believes that the vehicle should be included in the recall since the failures were identical. the failure mileage was 100,000 and current mileage was 105,000. updated 8/10/09 *cn updated 08/13/09.*jb | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 125000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the contact stated that the front and rear driver's side doors would not close and the locks failed. the failure has been occurring since january of 2009. in may of 2009, the doors opened while driving approximately 5 mph. the manufacturer and dealer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages: doors:latch) and it would cost $100 to diagnose the vehicle. the manufacturer would not assist. the failure mileage was 125,000 and current mileage was 130,000. | |||
| 10/31/2007 | 12500 | 20 | 04/10/2001 |
| On 10/23/07 i inserted key into ignition of my ford focus and immediatley the lights and gauges went haywire-vehicle failed to start. to make a long story short ,after unpluging the battery cables and going back to the stranded car the next evening, it started . 2 days later my wipers came on by themselves and would not stop until i turned the car off and restarted. on 10/31/07 while driving my daughter home, the vehicle began accelerating and deccelertaing uncontrollably. i pulled of the highway and when i opened the drivers door, the seatbelt light began blinking and making a loud ticking noise. this had happened the night prior, but i thought maybe the button was depressed. my dome lights make a screeching noise and blink on and off. this is a serious problem that needs to be looked into. whenever something like this happens i am driving home late at night and of course the dealer is not open to help me . my car is almost paid off and i will not invest more than what it is worth, which is only about $2,500.too bad i have paid about $18,000 for it. i would also like to know why i have not received recalls for the following problems: 1. 1st month after purchase, electrical system running airbags, mirrors, doors etc. failed. 2. 37,000 miles- transmission failed 3. 42,000 miles- power door locks failed and soon after passenger doors stuck in the lock position. 4. all window tracks have failed. 5. wheel bearings replaced. 6. trunk latch failed 7. ignition failed and was replaced and is going again. 8. brought in for 1 recall (fuel filter) and still didn't correct problem with vibration and lurching. this is a vehicle that exceeds highway saftey ratings? something will be done about this if i must hire an attorney- i am out a lot of money and no vehicle. *tr | |||
| 10/22/2007 | 25 | 10/20/2001 | |
| I am having a problem with my doors latching and closing. sometimes i am able to open the car doors from the outside and other times i have to enter through the trunk. if i am able to enter from the outside driver or passenger door i them enter the car and close the door and it does not latch and close therefore the doors are open and not securely latched and closed and may cause harm if i am driving. *jb | |||
| 06/01/2003 | 8000 | 6 | 03/01/2000 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. when the key was turned in the ignition, the vehicle would not start and the steering wheel locked. the key that is used to start the ignition is also used for the doors. the key stopped working for the passenger side door and the trunk. the vehicle does not have power locks. the dealer stated that the ignition switch needed to be replaced, however, they did not suggest a remedy for the doors. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 17,000. update 01-15-08. *kb updated *jb | |||
| 07/12/2007 | 100000 | 3 | 11/01/1999 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the contact stated that only the front passenger side door opens. the other doors fail to open with the key or remote. the doors also fail to open when she is inside the vehicle. she stated that she is seventy-five years old and needs to be able to exit the vehicle from the front driver side. the failure has been occurring for a week. the purchase date and powertrain were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 100,000. updated 09/05/07. 8jb | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 50000 | 120 | 11/01/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the contact was unable to latch the rear doors, therefore they would automatically open without warning. recall # 05v030000 (latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch) was found. the dealer inspected, oiled, and cleaned the latches in 2005, however, that did not prevent future failures from occurring. the manufacturer advised the contact to speak with the dealer for a resolution. the current mileage is 136,000 and failure mileage was 50,000. the consumer stated he believes the failure in the cables operating the latch, in order to fix the defect everything has to be fixed the door latch, handle, cables and door assembly. the consumer stated this will cost $500 per door which should be fixed at the manufacturer's expense. updated 07/23/07 *tr | |||
| 01/11/2007 | 100000 | 1 | 03/10/2004 |
| My power door locks started acting up and then stoped working within min. of each other.then the passenager rear door would not unlock manualy so i took it to dealership.the ford dealership informed me that they would have to break door and redrill door hingers to correct door because it can not be unlocked!!!! | |||
| 12/21/2006 | 1 | 09/20/2004 | |
| Ignition lock cylinder won't turn,front tires locked, car had to be towed in. dealership had to put the car on a jack to get it into the shop, removed steering column trim, had to drill out broken ignition lock cylinder assembly, had to set up new lock cylinder so the same keys would work. so not only am i stuck without a vehicle till after christmas, i had to pay a towing charge, plus the cost to have the car fixed. back car door latch on passenger side continually stuck and does not allow anyone to exit the vehicle from that side. rattling noise under the carriage is unexplainable - what is next? *nm | |||
| 12/26/2006 | 65000 | 1 | |
| Tl* - the contact stated that she received a recall 05v030000 for rear door latch. the contact took the car to the dealer ,they fixed the rear doors, but not the fifth door which did not open. the contact said that the recall covered all five doors.*ak updated 1/19/2007 - *nm | |||
| 09/11/2006 | 100000 | 4 | 01/03/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated all four power doors failed to lock from the inside and/or outside intermittently. also, the rear passenger and driver's side windows would not roll down. the driver and passenger's side front windows rolled up/down intermittently. sometimes the horn failed to sound. the manufacturer determined the problem was because of excessive dirt and dust around the contact's residence. the drivers door would not open. updted 09/22/06. *jb | |||
| 08/24/2006 | 2 | 02/21/2000 | |
| Door lock failure. first was unable to lock passenger side door. back doors unable to unlock and driver side door only locked with key. was determined short in passenger door blew door lock fuse. passenger door lock was disabled so fuse would not blow. remote lock worked all lock at that point but power button still did not work, however the rocker button on drivers door worked. after about a week the drivers side door no longer worked. unable to lock the drivers side door by remote, power switch or rocker button. none of the other locks will unlock except for the trunk with the key. my concern is that one may either become looked in the car or that it may become stolen, possibly being used for a crime or causing an accident. *nm | |||
| 08/22/2006 | 1 | ||
| Vin: 1fahp38311w302609 number of items: 2 item id: 02s42 recall date: title: pinch bolt torque and zetec engine battery cable routing item id: 05s27 recall date: title: rear door latch corrosion. *nm | |||
| 12/30/2005 | 12 | ||
| Problems with car stalling, overheating, and the oil dip stick dislodging, car doors do not open properly from the inside or outside, possessing airbag was ejected. *jb | |||
| 08/03/2005 | 80000 | 2 | 12/30/1999 |
| Received ford recall # 05s27 early in 2005. called local ford dealer to schedule an inspection/repair. parts were back-ordered ( stated by service writer). began experiencing difficulty with rear doors latching and locking during period of waiting for parts. in late july, while operating power door locks, an electrical fuse blew. it was determined by an independent repair person that due to excessive corrosion to latch/lock mechanism (all one unit), this was causing an excessive ampere draw, thus causing the fuse to blow. aug. 3, 2005 had vehicle serviced at prince frederick ford in prince frederick, md. called approx. 2 hrs later to state vehicle was complete and the door latches were found to pass inspection. when vehicle was taken to shop, power door locks worked. when returned, the fuse was blown. when i inquired about the power door locks in regards to the excessive corrosion, the service manager told me the two items were not related. two separate units entirely. this is not correct. the door latch and lock is the same unit. i did not feel as if the recall was performed correctly as they provided me with inaccurate information and were not willing to investigate further. i physically showed the service manager my concerns on the car and pointed out the excessive amount of corrosion the door. he stated there was nothing more the dealer was willing to do. on monday 11/28/05, i filed a complaint with ford customer care dept. they filed the complaint but were unwilling to re-evaluate my vehicle for possible errors in diagnosis or provide a second opinion from a different ford service center. *jb | |||
| 01/21/2005 | 1 | 11/01/2000 | |
| Dt: the contact had a problem with the rear door latch. she had it repaired at her own expense. she later received a recall 05v030000. when she contacted ford, they informed her the recall was not for her vehicle. she called a second time and informed them of the recall letter, and they stated the paper work had to be in by april 1, 2005. the recall letter was post marked march 21, 2005 and said nothing about a time frame. *ak | |||
| 09/29/2005 | 104050 | 1 | 06/15/2001 |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. automatic door locks locked and no one could get out of the vehicle. the door latches were part of a recall and were fixed on august 25, 2005. 30 days after recall repairs were done on the door latches the door locks tore . all four doors were affected by the automatic door lock failure .consumer contacted the service department sales department and the sales manager . the local dealership told the consumer that the problem could be fixed for $1, 200. no crashes. no police reports. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2005 | 30000 | 2 | 10/30/1999 |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. the contact received nhtsa recall 05v03000 regarding rear door latches. when he took the vehicle to the service dealer they would not honor the recall. when the consumer contacted the manufacturer , they told him that this specific vehicle did not fall under this recall campaign. the consumer had to replace both rear door latches on the vehicle at his own expense.*ak | |||
| 07/15/2005 | 70000 | 3 | 08/31/2001 |
| Dt: had sererall issues with the vehicle its metal causes premature failure. the coil springs had to replaced .they broke and the rear door latches were in the process of disingrating . they put in weather stripping. the rear wheel bearings malfunctioned. contacted ford, they did two after warrenty repairs to the vehicle. ford said it needed a new axle. this started on july 15, 2005. there was a real high pitch whining noise before determining the problem with the axle. *ak *jb | |||
| 07/19/2005 | 83500 | 1 | 06/05/2002 |
| Dt: consumer states that the power locks do not work on 2000 ford focus. this applies to all the 4 doors and the trunk. they get jammed, and consumer cannot get in and out of the car. the key will not open them. therefore the trunk will not open. if lock them manually they also get jammed. the dealership has seen a lot of this. it is an actuator inside the door, and it will cost $610.00 just to test to see which door it is in. she has just been happening since last week on 7-11-05. she did replace a fuse ,and the fuse blew within one day. the dealer told her if she put another fuse in, it would also blow right away. she has not talked to the manufacturer.she received a recall letter around march-05; recall tch and was having the lock on the driver's side back door fixed today.*ak | |||
| 04/09/2000 | 37 | 3 | 04/06/2000 |
| Dt: the turn signal do not cancel after a turn. the spring broke three times. the trunk does not latch properly. dealership has taken care of both issues, but the problem recurred. in cold weather the idle speed was too high. when put into reverse it backed out like a rocket. this caused an accident on april 9, 2000. the consumer was backing out with the back door open. it happened so fast he did not have a chance to put on the brakes. the car door hit the garage post. there was no police report. consumer stated he had mental injuries and lost his job. vehicle was still idling high in cold weather.*ak | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2000 ford focus experiencing problems with the back door.***no answer required***. *mr the back door would not open. the entire door assembly has to be replaced. consumer believes this failure may be part of a latch recall. *tt *nm | |||
| 03/23/2005 | 1 | ||
| Dt: caller received recall 05527 but dealer doesnt have the parts. caller has not been able to reach manufacturer. caller has 5 vehicles under the recall. the vins are 1fafp33px2w316396, 1fafp36pxyw282769, 1fafp34p9yw282765, 1fafp33p42w320928. these are company vehicles ,all are ford focus cars.*ak | |||
| 05/24/2005 | 3 | 06/25/2000 | |
| Oh my gosh i need your help once again. i had e-mailed you months ago in regards to my ford focus. the back door latches are defective. someone at your office had called me about this issue. that someone said there will be a recall coming out shortly in regards to the ford focus back door flying open. well i couldn't wait to get my recall. it came in the mail. i went to the dealership yesterday to get the latches replaced. my door flew open with a passenger in the back but safely seatbelted in. thank god... well it also happened where the door flew open on left turns. so i would consider this defective and dangerous. well the dealership said in fords policy all that needs to be done is the latches lubed and a install a lower rocker seal. oh my gosh.... i don't need the darn thing lubed i need it replaced. i don't know where to go for help. i got in a nasty argument with the manager of sales at ford #651222-0511. the car is not safe. i don't let anyone else drive it. the car has had 12 recalls on it. i just want new latches installed. isn't that why the recall was put into place? i also called ford customer service line. they said the dealership did what they were suppose to do. lube the latches....... i could have done that myself. i feel no safer with some lube on the latch..... oh my goodness what is a consumer suppose to do. no one wants to take responsibility for there defective products... please help me if you can. have a wonderful day and thanks for listening..... :-) | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 3 | ||
| 2000 ford focus experienced problems with door latches similar to the problems stated in the recall notice. *mr the dealer spray lubed the latches and instructed the consumer to buy a spray lube for his own use. the consumer has not been able to open the passenger rear door for the past three years. the driver door was unable to be closed. the door may fly open when the vehicle was in motion. recall campaign# 05v030000. *sc | |||
| 01/28/2005 | 91500 | 1 | 03/15/2000 |
| Front door latch failed. (could not close door) paid $80 for dealer to unstick and lubricate. | |||
| 04/05/2005 | 52222 | 2 | 03/20/2004 |
| I owe a 2000 ford focus se(wagon ) and have incurred a problem with the trunk latch and drivers side door latch. have been instructed that my vehicle was not covered under the recall due to vin even though the problem was the same as mentioned in the recall. also, vehicle was not covered under my extended warranty because it was not an electrical problem. i am suppose to be responsible for the $456.00 repair for the driver's door latch, and $148.00 for trunk latch repairs. i have owned the car for 1 year , this was the 4th ford, and the last i will ever purchase. my complaint stated that if there was a recall on a part it should be replaced at dealer's expense . i should not be required to pay for a problem i did not cause. i take very good care of my vehicles and should not have to suffer .*ak | |||
| 03/30/2005 | 120000 | 15 | 05/04/2000 |
| Driver side door refuses to latch. have to keep it locked and enter car through passenger side! dealer estimate to fix: $225. car is 5 yrs old in may.*ak | |||
| 03/10/2005 | 80000 | 1 | 07/27/2002 |
| My rear door locks no longer open by simply pressing the unlock button on the keypad or the front doors. the rear door locks cannot be manually unlocked either. nothing was done to bring on this problem, i just went to unlock the doors and the back doors did not unlock. the only way to open the rear doors is to press the unlock button on the keypad or front doors and pull the door handle at the same time. this is a problem for both rear doors and started at the same time. two mechanics from the local ford dealership stated that they had never heard of this problem. i tried contacting a few other mechanics in the area who told me that ford should know what to do. unfortunately they don't so i'm stuck in this situation until i can find someone who knows what the problem could be. also, i asked the mechanics at ford if this could be related to the door latch recall and they said no.*ak | |||
| 03/25/2005 | 1 | 02/15/2003 | |
| Recall campaign 05v030000 concerning rear door latches. unable to get the dealer to honor the recall. dealer informed the consumer that no parts would be available until mid may 2005. *ak | |||
| 03/05/2005 | 1 | ||
| Nhtsa recall campaign 05v030000 concerning rear door latches. consumer contacted the dealer, and was informed that the parts would not be available until sometimes in june. *ak | |||
| 02/07/2005 | 50 | 06/09/2000 | |
| Tried to shut the driver's side front door and the door would not stay closed, whether i was in the vehicle or not. i had to drive holding the door shut on several occasions. several times i tried to engage the power lock in order to get it to shut. | |||
| 02/12/2005 | 1 | ||
| Front door driver's side does not shut. the only way it will shut is to get in the car, lock the door then shut the door. took to the dealership in regard to recall announced on 1/31/05 (nhtsa campaign id number: 05v030000). it was determined that the cause is identical to the recall...however, the recall is only for the back doors. we have to pay $250 to fix it. this recall should apply to all doors, mechinisms are all the same.*ak | |||
| 02/10/2005 | 1 | ||
| Rear door latch will not open, has remained that way for about 4-5 months. i had an estimate done at the ford dealership where they quoted me at around $300 to repair the door. *jb | |||
| 07/16/2004 | 60000 | 5 | 10/01/2000 |
| I was having problems closing my rear door and keeping closed. it had opened more then twice when i finally called ford. they said they do not cover locks and that it would cast upwards of $275. needless to say that is unheard of. i wd40 the latch to get it shut and have not used the door since, and when i use the other doors they all make a very loud creaking sound, it's awful. with all the problems and recalls to my 4 year old 2000 focus i am disscusted that i even bought the car. now there is a recall on the part..... go figure... *ak | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 7 | ||
| Upon entering and exiting the vehicle the door locks became inoperable. on the right rear door consumer had to press the lock from the inside, which was inoperable. on the front passenger and driver's side consumer had to use the key, which also became inoperable. consumer contacted ford dealer, and manufacturer. *ak | |||
| 10/10/2004 | 2 | ||
| Consumer noticed that the rear passenger door does not latch properly. while driving the door opened on its own. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. the cause has not been determined at this time. this information was provided by steven's daughter rachel. *ak | |||
| 02/06/2005 | 69000 | 1 | 09/10/2002 |
| 2000 ford focus - rear door latch issue. door came open while driving and will no longer close. i have not repaired it yet. *jb | |||
| 08/07/2004 | 101000 | 15 | 12/01/2000 |
| About six months ago, while i was driving on the highway going about 65mph, my back door opened. this situation progressively got worse, and started occuring more often, and now with both doors. i notified the dealer, where i bought the vehicle, and they informed me that there was no problem that ford was responsible for, and suggested that i spend almost $1000 to have this repaired. i also contacted another dealership, and ford motor companies 800 number, and they advised me that there were no problems with the back door locks. i can close the doors, although they will not stay closed, nor lock. *ak | |||
| 01/13/2005 | 3 | 05/01/2001 | |
| Rear door opened by itself,would not lock again. *nm | |||
| 01/03/2005 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle was parked and consumer was unable to unlock all four doors to gained entry inside of the vehicle. consumer will contact the dealer the next day for an appointment. *ak | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 1 | 07/01/2000 | |
| For several weeks my driver side passenger door would engage sporadically. at times it would not engage at all. finally, the door opened while i was making a right hand turn and while my three children were occupying the back seats! fortunately no one was hurt because we use seat belts. the interior latch mechanism was replaced at our expense (276.18); however, the mechanic said to keep our receipts because he had seen many such cases and it should be recalled. to date it has not, and if this is not a safety issue i don't know what is. also, this is not a matter of maintenance so such a young (4 year old) car should not have problems such as this or others i have encountered. *jb | |||
| 06/01/2003 | 37000 | 100 | 05/05/2000 |
| My 2000 ford focus se has faulty rear door latches. they will not stay closed. they started to become difficult to latch in 2003. ford was notified but refused to pay for fixing the doors. now i use bungee cords to keep the doors closed while driving.*ak | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 71100 | 1 | |
| Consumer states rear door child locks will not disengage. consumer referred to the owners manual which stated that a special key was needed to disengage child locks, however dealer did not provide consumer with a key for that purpose. consumer was concerned that in event of an emergency passengers will be trapped. *ak | |||
| 02/01/2003 | 1 | 05/23/2001 | |
| Rear doors do not latch properly and power locks do not work.*ak | |||
| 08/19/2004 | 1 | ||
| Rear door problem experienced with 2000 focus door latches. *bf while making a left turn into a driveway the right rear door flew open. a passenger was sitting in that seat and was luckily wearing the seat belt. the consumer has had problems with the doors prior to this incident. the consumer has had to slam the doors several times for them to close properly. the consumer also noticed while driving the door ajar light would illuminate on the dash. *nm | |||
| 10/19/2004 | 1 | 09/15/2000 | |
| 2000 ford focus driver's side back door doesn't stay closed. very difficult to get the door to stay shut. door has opened while driving. this has been happening over the last several months. the vehicle has 44,000 miles on it. our school has 3 2000 ford focus vehicles that are used with a family program and does transport children and families. took vehicle to local dealer who replaced drivers rear door latch and cable. *ak | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 68500 | 1 | |
| Upon trying to shut the rear left door it will not shut, the latch does not catch. consumer had to continuously slam the door to get it shut. *ak | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 09/01/2000 | ||
| Doors not latched properly and swinging open while driving. *bf right door sticking as well. consumer unable to drive the vehicle because of the risk of door swinging open. *tc | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 95000 | 1 | 02/01/2004 |
| The rear doors do not latch. as a result when making a right hand turn rear passenger side door opened without warning. *ak *tc | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 96000 | 2 | 02/08/2001 |
| Both rear door latches do not close, causing doors to swing open on turns. this is consistent with your investigation ea 04-023. as i understand,this investigation has been upgraded on 8/24/04. will there be a recall?*ak | |||
| 06/07/2004 | 69000 | 1 | |
| Rear driver's side door did not latch. as a result, the door did not shut properly, and consumer had to tie a rope around it. *ak | |||
| 09/26/2004 | 31900 | 1 | 11/12/2001 |
| On 09/26/04 opened the driver's side back door of my 2000 ford focus sedan to place something in the back seat. i closed the door and proceeded to start the car and drive away. it was then i noticed the door ajar light on and pulled to the side of the road. found the driver's side back door would not latch. the latch would lock sometimes if pushed with my finger but not when closing the door normally. at that point i drove home with my son holding the door closed until we could use a bungee cord to hold it shut. the car is presently at elyria ford in elyria, ohio being repaired. i have called ford motor co and filed a complaint also after investigating on the internet and finding that a probe has been launched into failing door latches on 2000 ford focus the vin no is 1fafp33p3yw249276, mfg date 02/00. the car has 32000 miles on it.*ak | |||
| 09/27/2004 | 140000 | 1 | 09/27/2004 |
| While driving passenger 's side door opened unexpectedly. the door latch was stuck in the open position. the dealer replaced the latch. *ak *nm | |||
| 03/12/2003 | 142000 | 40 | 06/22/2000 |
| Rear doors were very difficult to close. it would take a half hour to get the door closed and latched.*ak | |||
| 07/15/2004 | 41000 | 1 | 08/01/2003 |
| While driving, the consumer noticed that the rear passenger door opened on its own. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle , and pulled over. the consumer closed the door and the door opened on its on again. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, the mechanic determined that the locking mechanism needed to be replaced. *ak the consumer stated both rear doors were inoperative. *jb | |||
| 04/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| Rear door on the driver's side does not latch correctly. once opening the door it does not shut. *ak | |||
| 08/17/2004 | 50300 | 2 | |
| Opened rear (drivers side) door and placed groceries on back seat. closed doors and left grocery store lot. upon making a turn, en route, the rear door swung opened and some items tumbled out! pulled off the road and tried to close rear door. was unable to. got home and used a screwdriver to work the latch to the open position. was difficult to get the door to stay closed. i try not to use this door even now.*ak | |||
| 07/13/2004 | 31923 | 2 | 04/10/2000 |
| The door latch on the rear driver's side seized up and the door would not open. due to this the latch, the door handle and reinforcement had to be replaced. the handle still would not open the door due to ford providing them the wrong part number to be ordered for the latch. once the car dealership was able to find the correct part number to order the latch the door was fixed, but the handle still comes lose on the inside of the door. the only way to fix this is to hit the handle.*ak | |||
| 01/08/2004 | 60000 | 3 | 06/04/2000 |
| Three different instances where the passenger back door flew open when making a turn. the door was properly closed and the doors were locked but the door flew open. no one was hurt thank goodness because they had their seat belt on. they could have been thrown from the car. if you had a pet in the car they would have fallen out. another time my daughter was driving the car and the door flew open. she is an inexperienced driver being only 16years old. she could of had a accident. i no longer let her drive this car. it is a 2000 ford focus. i called the dealership and they said they would have to look into the problem. i said will i be charged they said possibley....*ak | |||
| 01/05/2002 | 6 | 06/09/2000 | |
| I have several defects in my 2000 ford focus 4 door. first one is my left passinger door does not latch closed, 2nd is my cylinder lock in the ignition failed and i had to have it replaced , 3rd when it rains the front passinger floor fills to top with water, 4th the cd player turns off and blinks buy itself, 5th my check engine light stays on after repetedly taking it to machinic to see why and having it reset even though there is no reason it should be on and last the only way i have heat or ac is on level 4 -1, 2 and 3 do not work . *ak | |||
| 09/25/2003 | 1 | 03/24/2000 | |
| Rear driver's side door came open on it's own (with a child in the back), safety locks were engaged and there was no indication from the sensor light that the door was not latched properly. soon afterwards i began having more frequent difficulty getting same door to stay latched. door is now inoperable as it will not latch once opened. the other three doors do not latch smoothly and i often have problems getting the trunk to latch properly. on one of my numerous recall trips to the service center, i asked if there were any recalls on the doors and was told no. since the car is no longer under warranty, i cannot afford to get it fixed but neither can i safely transport anyone in the rear seat. this is absolutely ridiculous. the entire car should be recalled and replaced!*ak | |||
| 07/26/2004 | 1 | ||
| My 2000 ford focus has a defective left rear door latch. the vehicle has not been involved in an accident. my dealer, lighthouse ford in falmouth, ma, examined the latch and advised that it was rusted beyond repair and that a replacement latch, costing over $200, would not be covered by my extended warranty. since the door somehow seems to secure itself (without the function of the latch), i opted not to install a new latch at my expense. is the door a hazard? please advise. *ak | |||
| 05/10/2004 | 3 | ||
| While driving consumer noticed that the rear passenger side door opened on its own. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and pulled over. consumer closed the door, and the door reopened on its own. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic was not able to duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| Problems with 2000 ford focus rear door latches. *mr (the rear door opened while the vehicle was in motion) the fuse was broken making the latch freeze. the vehicle had a faulty part in the left side driver's door actuator. this made the front door and passenger side door useless. the door could not be opened from the inside or outside, not even with the unlock button from the inside, the key or even the remote. *sc *jb | |||
| 08/05/2004 | 87100 | 2 | 02/28/2001 |
| 1. no indication that failure would occur at any time. 2. failing door-actuator. 3. consequences: door cannot be open at all, key, inside/outside door handle can be operated but will not unlock the door. the remote opener is rendered useless. there is no prior warning it happens all at once. this is the second time that this has happened to this vehicle in less than one year. my daughter who is eight month pregnant had to crawl over to the passenger side to be able to exit the vehicle (in 96 degrees weather). quite a chore in a small car like this. the dealership refused to fix this under warranty and expects me to pay $574.00 for the repair. in order to get to the mechanism i was told they most likely will have to break out the door panel, which would also be my responsibility. in my 30+ years of driving i have never had anything like this happening to any of the cars i have been driving. first of all - in my opinion, this is a safety hazard and it is the manufacturer's responsibility. even if the remote access fails, one should still be able to open the door manually. the key will turn counter-clockwise to the 10 o'clock position and clockwise to the 1 o'clock position. i called the ford customer service number and was brushed off (out of warranty). also,the ford representative acknowledged that ford does not consider this a safety hazard. i asked for the name of the manufacturer of the door activator and was denied this information. then i asked to talk to the next person in the supervisory chain and was told that i could not talk to anybody else about this problem. i checked the complaint section on this problem and this is the 53rd complaint on this model car regarding door locking/unlocking problems. when is somebody going to do something about this? i was under the impression that this agency is here to protect the consumer, or is it just a sounding board?*ak | |||
| 07/14/2004 | 64000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle's back doors open while the consumer is driving. they are automatic locks, and they still fly open. someone has to sit in the rear to keep the doors from opening.*ak | |||
| 07/26/2004 | 55000 | 15 | 01/28/2000 |
| For no apparent reason, the rear doors on my 2000 ford focus se do not stay latched. this problem is intermittent but has been happening with greater frequency. additionally, the right rear passenger door will not open from the inside, unless the door never latches at all. i have three children i reansport in this vehicle and i no longer consider it safe. this problem has appeared on several other 2000 focus cars and i consider it to be a defect that should be recalled.*ak | |||
| 07/25/2004 | 1 | 07/08/2000 | |
| The rear driverside door of my car would not stay closed. it popped open while i was driving. luckily the back seat was empty. my son and his friends usually travel back there along with the family pet. it was sunday so service centers were not open. we had to take apart the entire door to get the mechanism inside the door to work enough so i can lock the door. the other side doesn't appear to look any better.*ak | |||
| 07/20/2004 | 88000 | 1 | |
| Both rear door latches failed. as a result, while driving at highway speed, the rear passenger door flew open. *ak children were in the back seat when the doors flew open. the door would not re-latch. *sc *jb | |||
| 07/08/2004 | 85400 | 1 | |
| The consumer stated the automatic locks and the doors failed to latch . the consumer had to tie the doors up with rope, because on one occasion the door flew open. *jb the rear passenger door would open on left turns. *sc *jb | |||
| 09/09/2003 | 2 | ||
| Both locks in the rear doors in my ford focus have failed. my doors are now held closed with bungee cords. *jb | |||
| 07/06/2004 | 2 | ||
| While driving driver's door opened and closed on its own. vehicle was taken to the dealership on june 30 , 2004, dealer repaired and replaced hinges and electrical motor at consumer's expense of $700.00, but problem recurred. *ak | |||
| 05/17/2004 | 95000 | 4 | 09/25/2000 |
| Left rear passenger door latch has failed to function. door will not latch rendering the vehicle unsafe to transport children. this is the latest in a history of recalls and component failures that lead me to consider suing ford under ny's lemon law. i was in the process of trying to sell this vehicle and am now unable to due to this latest problem. *ak | |||
| 05/17/2003 | 04/02/2000 | ||
| On the ford focus the door lock either don't lock or you can't get them to unlock. the lock on my car will not lock at all on the back passanger side. | |||
| 01/06/2004 | 131000 | 1 | 04/01/2000 |
| Problem is that i made a right hand turn and the rear driver side door flew open, with my son in the back seat. upon futhur investigation i found the door latch on my 2000 ford focus to be at fault. i had to replace the unit. i contacted ford with my concerins of this happening to other vehicals with no response. i feel that this is a very very unsafe as to my self and my family, they could have been servierly injured. i have owned several car in my lifetime and never had a door latch fail. nor did the child restrant locking system on the latch work and it was engaged. | |||
| 03/16/2004 | 95000 | 1 | |
| The consumer is unable to open the vehicle doors with the remote. the consumer would have to manually use the key to enter the vehicle. the dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *mr | |||
| 03/05/2003 | 40000 | 25 | 10/15/2001 |
| Rear doors failed to stay closed. doors would fly open while driving, even if they were locked. as a result, consumer was unable to transport their children. dealership could not locate the cause of the failure.*ak consumer looked on numerous recalls on vehicle but dealer said that they don't pertain on vehicle. *la | |||
| 08/10/2003 | 35000 | 1 | 02/07/2000 |
| There was a short in one of the locks on my 2000 ford focus. this caused the passenger side door to be unable to be opened either manually or electrically, from the inside or the outside. this seems to be a common problem in the focus, and has the potential to result in being trapped in the car in a dangerous situation. the manual locks should at least be able to override the electrical ones, so that the doors could be opened in case of a short. *ak | |||
| 02/05/2004 | 64000 | 1 | |
| The owner could not unlock the front passenger side or rear driver side doors from the inside or outside of the vehicle. the dealer was notified. *nm | |||
| 01/06/2004 | 30000 | 1 | |
| When the vehicle was parked or running, the front driver and passenger door locks did not unlock. *jb | |||
| 11/30/2002 | 1 | 07/10/2000 | |
| I noticed the doors squeaking soon after i purchased the car. the noise became progressively worse over the next year. the dealership brushed off my questions telling me the doors just needed grease. now that the warranty is up they tell me it will cost $405.00 for them to fix. the doors have not squeaked for over a year, now they don't lock and both rear doors fly open when i take a corner so i keep them tied shut with bungee cords and ropes. all the junk i used to keep in the back seat is now gone, it flew out of the car while i was getting on the highway. thank god i didn't have passengers. i have had trouble with the gas gauge since i bought the car, and the ignition locked and had to be replaced. the tow truck driver knew what kind of car i had before i told him-he said they pick up a few ford focus's every week due to the ignition problems. i have also gone through brakes and tires at an alarming rate. the accumulation of brake dust on the front panels is unreal all i do now is wash this car and write checks to pay for repairs. *la | |||
| 11/04/2003 | 46000 | 2 | 12/15/1999 |
| I had two problems occur concurrently on my 46,000 mile car--and the mechanics at the dealership i brought it to told me that they're seeing a large number of these same problems. 1) the ignition barrel goes stiff with little warning, and apparently leads to a jam, early in the useful life of the car. 2) the automatic door lock suddenly stops working, apparently due to the defective actuactor in one of the rear doors, so that the car no longer locks *la | |||
| 10/22/2003 | 54400 | 2 | 12/07/1999 |
| Both rear door locks do not latch and swing open when rounding a corner. must tie down with bungee cord. mechanic shows locks corroded and defective. locks replace for $350. a very dangerous failure which could have caused serious injuries to rear seat occupants. *la | |||
| 10/21/2003 | 1 | 06/30/2001 | |
| I have had this focus for about 2 years. when i purchased it, i was not told of any of the possible mechanical problems that may be associated with the model. since then, i have had 4 recalls repaired. recently, the door handle on the driver's side door was getting stuck. now, the factory installed security system will not work. i cannot lock the driver's side door at all and i must lock the other 3 doors manually. my key chain door locker does not work at all. the inside button for unlocking the trunk will not work either. the front console is too big for the car and coffee cups will not fit into it. i also seem to have trouble seeing behind me when trying to look to the left from the driver's side due to the placement of the headrest. *la | |||
| 1 | |||
| Rear passenger door on driver's side inadvertently opened while driving on the freeway at approximately 55 mph. rear passenger door also opened inadvertently while vehicle was turning onto the off ramp. although the child safety latch was on, the rear passenger door again came ajar. *ak child hit door with elbow causing the door to open, also a bag of groceries fell against the door causing the door to open. *ts tire rolled against the door while on the off ramp and rolled out the door onto the highway. consumer had to stop and chase it down. *ph | |||
| 1 | |||
| Two rear doors do not close all the way and pop open. dealer attempted to fix the problem by lubricating the latch, but the problem has returned. *ak | |||
| 08/11/2003 | 50000 | 1 | |
| Both rear door latches are not working. door flew open while driving on a highway. consumer has to use rope to tie both doors. dealer notified, it will cost $450.00 to fix problem. my son changed the latches and found that they were heavily corroded. | |||
| 08/04/2003 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated that while driving and without warning door would automatic lock ,and it would be hard to unlock the doors to enter or exit the vehicle. dealer notified. *ak | |||
| 44000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states while turning a corner rear passenger side door flew open. no warning chime illuminated. consumer feels very unsafe when small passengers are riding in the rear. *ak | |||
| 07/07/2003 | 75200 | 5 | 07/29/2000 |
| 2000 ford focus lx 4-door sedan - numerous complaints: 1) currently have 75,200 miles on car and have gone through 5 (yes five!) complete sets of tires.2) engine stalls at any speed with no warning lights or indications, car bucks and gas pedal can be depressed to floorboard and car will not move - barely avoided three accidents (two of which would have involved my two small children) 3) all four doors will stick - really need to pull to open - and once open, they will not close again (you need to try to close the doors repeatedly before they finally latch). they also popped opened while driving. afraid one day one of my children or a passenger or myself may be injured. they are manual door locks and latches. 4) same with trunk - often needs repeated tries to close and latch 5) leak in front passenger footwell - when it rains, or when going through carwash 6) front brakes have been replaced twice at my cost - horrendous, irritating, embarassing squealing is incessant - brake dust accumulates every day! in some instances, brakes need to be applied very firmly to stop vehicle (again, i do not feel safe with my children in car). 7) extremely foul smell when air conditioning use is attempted. 8) stereo was replaced - original factory installed would not work after 2 months of ownership. 9) paint is flaking off of skirts - i was informed by ford that this is sandblasting and that i must drive on dirt roads all of the time - i live on an asphalt street, drive on asphalt roads and asphalt highways - not dirt! 10) fuel pump was replaced once already - was told i must be buying dirty gas - if it is dirty gas, is that my fault? i don't exactly run the gas stations, and i don't buy fro one specific station - i fuel up when i'm low, wherever it is convenient. 11) i have had three alignments to try to stop the horrible shaking of the car - the steering wheel vibrates so badly that my arms are sore by the time i get to my destination. *ak | |||
| 06/17/2003 | 66000 | ||
| Vehicle has a major electrical problem. while driving vehicle gauges will go beserk. door chime activates, all lights flicker on and off, transmission changes gears,and the vehicle stalls.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving driver's side back door came open. latch broke, and the door will not close. *ak | |||
| 87000 | 1 | ||
| The drivers side rear door failed to stay closed. the door flew open while driving. the consumer had to purchase a new latch. *ak *cb *jb | |||
| 03/14/2003 | 40256 | 02/19/2001 | |
| Ignition won turn and rewire and replaced passenger door power latch. *nlm | |||
| 03/25/2003 | 1 | ||
| The door locks failed to unlock. *jb | |||
| 03/25/2003 | 1 | ||
| The door lock failed to unlock. *jb | |||
| 11/15/2001 | 25000 | 1 | 05/14/2000 |
| I sent this letter to ford in may of 2000 i purchased a ford focus, thinking it would be a safe, low maintenance car, considering it had been in europe since 1997. i would think this would be plenty of time to work out any bugs you may have. or, should i call them recalls. i think a car that has 16 recalls, most of them which i would consider safety issues, should be recalled entirely. i have had other issues with this car as well. my key would not turn, seat belts locking for no reason, door handles not opening the door (this is all happening again). and one that has not been addressed, brakes. i am now on my third set of front rotors since i have purchased the car. the same thing has happened every time. the driver side rotor and pad will wear completely down yet the passenger side will be just fine. i have talked to other focus owners and the same thing is happening. i still have my last set of rotors just to prove it. i got smart this time and bought replacements that were not made by you. stop tech cross drilled rotors and ebc greenstuff kevlar pads. i also replaced the driver side caliper with a non-ford replacement. i want out of this car because i feel it is unsafe. i also would like to warn other focus owners that this car is unsafe. you also had better not send me to the dealership again. what does the dealership have to do with the production of an unsafe car? nothing, except that they sell it. i am not putting up with ford pushing me around or giving me the run around either. this car is extremely unsafe and should not be on the road. i did not do this before but this time you leave me no choice. this letter will be sent to as many bad product websites as i can find. it will also be sent to nhtsa, consumer reports and the better business bureau. you did not do anything with my previous complaint and now there are more issues with this product that not only concern safety, but the life of the car. something will be done.*jb | |||
| 72000 | 1 | 11/01/2000 | |
| The rear door latches would not keep the doors shut; they flew open when turning the vehicle. the doors had to be held with bungee cords. now one of the rear door seized and wouldn't open. a ford dealer wants $400 per door to fix the latch. | |||
| 12/31/2002 | 7 | 06/12/2000 | |
| I bought my ford focus 2000, brand new in july of 2000. since then, i've had the wheel bearings replaced twice, the rear door stopped latching and i had to drive it to the dealer with my son holding the door shut, my alternator had to be replaced and still the lights get dim when i turn on the heater, the plastic and rubber door molding started coming loose and falling off right after i bought the car, the brakes have never stopped squealing, and now my key is stuck in the ignition and it won't come out. every time i take my car to a dealer, they always say the same thing oh, that is common with the ford focus. after reading all of the consumer complaints, i guess you could say these problems are common with the ford focus. i've had nothing but problems with this car and expect to experience many more because so far the track record for the ford focus is extremely poor. after reading the numerous complaints, i hope ford is forced into recalling the ignition cynlinder or switch whichever is to blame for the key to becoming stuck in the ignition and the wheel not locking while the car is in park. ts | |||
| 09/01/2002 | |||
| Consumer stated that the child safety lock on the driver's rear door can not be disengaged. consumer is very concerned that in the event of an accident the rear seated passenger may not be able to exit from vehicle. ts | |||
| 1 | 04/08/2000 | ||
| The latches of the back doors will not release from the locked or unlocked position. this makes it impossible to keep the doors closed even while in motion. consumer uses a bungee cord to keep the doors from opening. consumer is unable to get any satisfaction from ford company. *jg | |||
| 07/22/2002 | |||
| Front and rear passenger side doors do not open because locks are inoperable. also, doors will not unlock manually or with the keyless entry. dealer and manufacturer have been notified. please provide additional information.*ak | |||
| Back passenger's door flew open while vehicle was going 20mph around a curve. consumer had to use a telephone cord to tie front passenger headrest to the door handle to keep door closed. dealer notified. please provide more information.*ak | |||
| 07/12/2002 | |||
| While driving left rear passenger door came open without warning, resulting in an animal falling out of vehicle. vehicle was checked by dealer, who determined that door latch was rusted and had cracked. manufacturer blamed consumer because she lived in an area where she frequently drives on dirt roads.*ak | |||
| 12/01/2001 | 3 | ||
| When washing vehicle in cold weather driver's door will not close or stay shut. dealer and manufacturer were notified. *ak *yh | |||
| 02/25/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated the gas gauge failed, the brakes were squeaking, the mirror was torn off by repeated car washes, gas leaked on the both driver and passenger side carpet, and the truck latch was broke, also the fues burst on locks. *yh | |||
| 12/08/2001 | 2 | 02/01/2000 | |
| Door locks are inoperable, specially the driver side which cannot be opened from the outside or the inside. the keyless entry does not work nor does the key or the lock latch. it is impossible to open the car door at this time. the only way to get into drivers side is by climbing through the passenger seat. this is a serious safety hazard while driving or in the case that vehicle should get into an accident. living in louisiana this poses a serious threat if the vehicle should fall into a drainage canal exit from the car would be impossible.*ak | |||
| 02/12/2001 | 2 | 07/01/2000 | |
| Left rear door would not open. dealer fixed and 5 months later it would not open again. *ak | |||
| 03/13/2001 | 1 | 01/27/2001 | |
| Had activated child safety lock from inside. unable to open door from outside. consumer states that the system activates inside, door must be opened and have car key available to engage lock. *slc | |||
| 1 | 04/01/2000 | ||
| The door locks freeze/stick, the consumer has been issued 3 recalls on this vehicle, is not satisfied and believes this vehicle is not dependable. nlm | |||
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE - LOCK | |||
| 01/01/2006 | 1000 | ||
| Hatch became unusually difficult to latch. the plastic inside the latch at bottom of assembly broke. then we had to use an array of things to keep it wedged shut,yet it would still pop open while driving, things sometimes fell out, my dog was almost one. light stayed on along w/blinking security led, my battery is now dead and have to push start. the hatch latch has been purchased used, but now the lock has to be exchanged to fit my own key, i do not know how to do this myself, cannot afford locksmith. part was hard to find and expensive. i have to buy the entire hatch door. i got lucky! once! *jb | |||
| 12/23/2004 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Rear hatch on wagon did not engage, had to reshut it on a number of occasions. last december(04) it jammed and i was unable to open it at all. i took it to the dealership who ordered a new latch component and replaced it in january 05. i recently went on line and discovered that this was a problem with this vehicle in other states but so far not alaska. the latch lft/gt was replaced and the fastner. i do not have the parts, but i do have the invoice. *nm | |||
| 11/09/2004 | 1 | ||
| Rear window defroster opens up back hatch when on highway. did not use rear defrost. *jb | |||
| 07/24/2004 | 64400 | 1 | |
| Consumer stated that the power accessories were defective. the power door locks were ineffective, the key won't work in the door. the doors did not open manually from the inside, the hatch button from the inside will not work either. once the actuator froze, it blew a fuse, preventing the doors from opening. consumer contacted the manufacturer, who was not willing to do anything about the problem. *ak | |||
| 04/15/2004 | 42000 | 100 | 01/15/2000 |
| I own a 2000 ford focus station wagon. the hydralic lifters to the rear door (back door) have failed so that it requires two people to place items in the wagon, one to hold the door up and the other to load. i consider this a safety item as the door is inoperable as it is intended. ford does not.*ak | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 39000 | 1 | 03/01/2000 |
| My wife and i purchased a new ford focus back in 2000. we loved the look and i have had ford cars before and have always been pleased. to get right to the point, we have been completely dissatisfied with our purchase. we have had recall after recall on this car and to top it off we have a new situation. about 10 days ago my wife mentioned that her power locks were not working. we decided to bring it in to the dealer on our next day off to have it looked at. the next day after the locks stopped working, the doors would not open at all on the passenger side. the lock mechanism apparently had seized up. after being in the shop for a few days i was notified that the other side was about to seize up as well. that of coarse is being repaired at my expense as well. now being a consumer that is a bit disheartening. being a father and knowing that my 3-year-old son rides in that car, makes me irate. i cannot believe that there would or could be any way that a car built by ford would have a problem like that which essentially turns the car my son is transported in into a death trap. it makes me think what if all 4 doors seized? what if my wife and child were in a car accident and drove into a river or lake? i hope you see were i would consider this a potential disaster in waiting. of course i am out of the warranty period so to add insult to injury i am paying approximately $520.00 to fix this problem. there is no way that anyone can guarantee me that this will not happen again. if it happens again, all the what ifs are back in play. i do not know if this is a regular problem on these cars, but i hope that this is something that will be addressed in future production considerations. i unfortunately will not purchase another ford vehicle or any affiliated with ford due to this major problem. additionally i will mention this problem that ive had every time i hear anyone around me speak of buying a new car. *ak | |||
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - HOOD - LATCH | |||
| 02/11/2001 | |||
| Hood flew off while traveling 45mph and it cracked windshield. consumer didn't see, and ran into a lamp post. airbags didn't deploy in front. damages were to passengers side door, it would partially open. alternator/ engine block, and radiator were all damaged. consuemr will contact dealer before insurance company repaired it. *ak | |||
| While trying to lock hood the latch broke off in consumer's hand. dealer has been contacted . please provide further information. *ak | |||
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - TAILGATE - LATCH | |||
| 06/29/2005 | 76473 | ||
| 2000 ford focus station wagon. the rear tail gate latch kept popping open-would not close. | |||
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - TRUNK LID - LOCK | |||
| 01/01/2001 | 100 | ||
| Trunk latch fails to catch 95% of the time. trunk key fails to turn lock most of the time. this problem has existed since the car was purchased in 2000. there was no event leading to this failure. i believe the trunk lock materials are corroding just like the rear passenger doors which were recalled. the trunk lock should be recalled. this problem is clearly the result of faulty manufacturing materials. i requested dealerships perform repairs and they told me that ford headquarters has failed to issue a recall . why? nhtsa should make this happen. the consequence of a failed trunk lock/latch is that the trunk door will pop open -- allowing things to fly out of the trunk and fly into on coming traffic endangering others as well as block rear window vision. this could cause fatalities to both the vehicle driver and near by vehicles. . the hubcaps have cracked and broken off in pieces during cold weather while parked (ie., the hubcaps were not struck by exogenous rocks or anything else). this is clearly the fault of substandard manufacturing materials. ford motor company employees at headquarters have stated this to me. ford motor company should replace the hubcaps at no charge to the customer. exogenous materials can hit the unprotected tires, cause a blow out. it is not right to make the customer pay for substandard materials. i could take a wild guess that the wheel wells -- on my car -- replaced directly by the vice president of engineering from the warren plant -- did not look at the stress and hair line cracks he faulty wheel wells placed on the original hub cabs. it's time to finish the job! ford motor company's employees have stated to me that the 2000 year model (the first year this vehicle was transitioned from european manufacturers) manufactured in the warren plant did not perform the necessary quality control to ensure that these materials functioned in cold weather climates. *tr | |||
| 02/26/2005 | 70000 | 1 | 02/02/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford focus. when the key was placed in the ignition, it would not turn at all. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and the ignition was replaced. the cause of the malfunction was unknown. prior to the failure, the vehicle was experiencing difficulty starting and the key had to be turned several times. the trunk lock failed and needed to be replaced. the failure mileage was 70,000 and current mileage was 160,000. | |||
| 10/31/2007 | 12500 | 20 | 04/10/2001 |
| On 10/23/07 i inserted key into ignition of my ford focus and immediatley the lights and gauges went haywire-vehicle failed to start. to make a long story short ,after unpluging the battery cables and going back to the stranded car the next evening, it started . 2 days later my wipers came on by themselves and would not stop until i turned the car off and restarted. on 10/31/07 while driving my daughter home, the vehicle began accelerating and deccelertaing uncontrollably. i pulled of the highway and when i opened the drivers door, the seatbelt light began blinking and making a loud ticking noise. this had happened the night prior, but i thought maybe the button was depressed. my dome lights make a screeching noise and blink on and off. this is a serious problem that needs to be looked into. whenever something like this happens i am driving home late at night and of course the dealer is not open to help me . my car is almost paid off and i will not invest more than what it is worth, which is only about $2,500.too bad i have paid about $18,000 for it. i would also like to know why i have not received recalls for the following problems: 1. 1st month after purchase, electrical system running airbags, mirrors, doors etc. failed. 2. 37,000 miles- transmission failed 3. 42,000 miles- power door locks failed and soon after passenger doors stuck in the lock position. 4. all window tracks have failed. 5. wheel bearings replaced. 6. trunk latch failed 7. ignition failed and was replaced and is going again. 8. brought in for 1 recall (fuel filter) and still didn't correct problem with vibration and lurching. this is a vehicle that exceeds highway saftey ratings? something will be done about this if i must hire an attorney- i am out a lot of money and no vehicle. *tr | |||
| 11/18/2006 | 35935 | 1 | 05/06/2002 |
| The trunk latch has been trouble from the day i got the car (not closing, it would take 2 to 3 times to get it to close). now it will not open. *jb | |||
| 07/01/2006 | 81000 | 1 | 05/22/2001 |
| Rear trunk latch failure results in not being able to open trunk and work on brake lights. no inside seat release on 4 door sedans. dealer attempted extortion by estimating cost of replacing one tail light bulb at 400.00 in order to pass state inspection. *nm | |||
| 02/06/2006 | 88330 | 1 | 01/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the trunk lid would not open. the vehicle was seen by an authorized dealership. the service department made several attempts to open the trunk lid, later however they were successful after removing the quarter panels and rear taillight assemblies. the dealer discovered there were no emergency release latches inside the trunk. the dealer installed trunk release latches and the trunk began to function properly. the manufacturer was alerted, but could not determine if the vehicle was manufactured with or without those trunk lid latches. updated 03/09/06. *jb | |||
| 03/07/2005 | 1 | ||
| Trunk latch fails to lock,allowing trunk to open without warning.*ak | |||
| 02/06/2005 | 1 | 04/01/2003 | |
| The latch on the trunk on my ford focus zx3 does not like to latch. there is often times when the trunk makes a clunking noise as if it were going to open. i have a newborn baby in the backseat if the trunk were to open i am afraid she will be injured. i am sure the part will have to be replaced asap. *nm | |||
| 12/08/2004 | 10 | ||
| This complaint is concerning clarification of our previous complaints to nhtsa regarding the 2000 ford focus : #10104088 and #10107840. i am extremely concerned about the misinterpretation of data collected by your agency and posted for public review. deaths are not posted, nor are they included as injuries. this misrepresents the seriousness of the vehicle and equipment failures reported. *jb | |||
| 12/08/2004 | 1 | ||
| Fatality vehicle fire, dec. 8 2004. my husband is the original owner of a 2000 ford focus, subject to numerous service visits to bill brown ford, livonia mi for: ignition, steering column, wheel bearing, brake, rear window control, seat belt &trunk latches, overhead light and engine light. the vacuum line & fuel pump & valve assembly were replaced 2/03, followed by stalling. in 6/03, a/c compressor & manifold line replaced. fuel line & pump failure in 8/03, resulted in gasoline spill on residential street minutes after parking. bogging followed repairs, pcm reprogrammed & leaking pvc tube replaced 1/04. fuel pump again replaced. in 8/04, our 24 year old son took ownership of this problematic car. we are uncertain as to whether vehicle malfunction caused a 35 mph collision with a fire hydrant. an immediate engine explosion and fuel fed fire trapped my son and his passenger. described by police as a relatively minor crash which would not be expected to claim lives, the subsequent unexplained engine fire claimed two young lives. a malfunctioning driver's airbag was also detected. this incident was originally reported to nhtsa by my husband (#10104088). i am supplying these additional facts for your clarification. please correct your posting of 0 injuries as there were 2 fatalities. please take effective action to save lives, as these trouble plagued vehicles seem to become more lethal as they age. confirmation of receipt of this information is requested. *nm *sc *jb | |||
| 12/10/2004 | 39308 | 1 | 11/07/1999 |
| Trunk lock malfunctioned, had to replace entire locking mechanism ($100) after several hours trying to gain access into the trunk, this problem is all over the internet, thought it needs to be reported here. the old part is available.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2000 | 13000 | 1 | 03/07/2000 |
| Defective front brake rotor. *ph during the inspection the consumer was told that the defect was not covered under the vehicle's warranty. other vehicle components also malfunctioned. the vehicle's trunk latch broke, the check engine light illuminated twice, the cd player became inoperative and the steering wheel locked up. *nm | |||
| 09/11/2004 | 1 | 08/17/2003 | |
| I own a 2000 ford focus. i noticed that sometimes the trunk wouldnt latch so i would have to go back and try it again. through time it eventually wouldnt latch shut at all. i was then unable to lock my trunk completely. in the process of all of this somehow my trunk hood got bent. i assume that since the latch was broken,everytime i tried to shut the trunk it bent the hood slightly. to fix the problem i had to purchase a new trunk mechanism and install it myself. i quoted the cost to fix it at a repair shop, and it came up to over $100. doing it myself saved me about $20. | |||
| 11/12/2003 | 58776 | 6 | 01/20/2000 |
| Leaking water into passenger foot-compartment. isolated problem to plastic cover that sits beneath windshield, and is mostly accessible with hood open. the problem is that the plastic comes away from windshield due to some buckling in the plastic. fixed problem by applying pressure to plastic to bend it back to shape so it snagged-up closer to windshield. not seen problem since. mastic to adhere plastic to windshield might be an option to other people. the fuel gauge sometimes refuses to work. found this to be case when key is put into ignition and key-turned to start engine was done too quickly. if entering key into ignition and then turning key each click, giving each click a half-second, then gauge appears to be more reliable. when engine goes into slow-idling state, engine idles very erratically and is not smooth. sounds like only some of cylinders are firing. this has only started to occur today and since reading comments on this website, i'm concerned. have tried adding fuel-injector-cleaner to fuel tank, awaiting results of that. the trunk would not close. the problem here was fixed by removing the locking assembly from the trunk-lid and simply dowsing the mechanisms with wd40 and then bending some spring-loaded components.. there are 2 moving components in the lock. first is shape of a loop that you can easily move with finger/screwdriver. this component locks onto stub that you can see when opening trunk. the other component is hidden within casing and moves in front of other component to hold it in a locked position. problem was with this component. problem was component had somehow gotten bent and not free to leave casing and block other component. bending this to a position freeing it of casing fixed problem. engine lacked power when under load when accelerating, vehicle would shudder and decelerate instead of accelerate. problem resolved when ford dealer replaced spark-plugs plus leads and a full engine tune-up. $230 plus but fixed problem. *la | |||
| 10/21/2003 | 1 | 06/30/2001 | |
| I have had this focus for about 2 years. when i purchased it, i was not told of any of the possible mechanical problems that may be associated with the model. since then, i have had 4 recalls repaired. recently, the door handle on the driver's side door was getting stuck. now, the factory installed security system will not work. i cannot lock the driver's side door at all and i must lock the other 3 doors manually. my key chain door locker does not work at all. the inside button for unlocking the trunk will not work either. the front console is too big for the car and coffee cups will not fit into it. i also seem to have trouble seeing behind me when trying to look to the left from the driver's side due to the placement of the headrest. *la | |||
| 04/02/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving, the trunk opened by itself, because the lock no longer worked. *jb | |||
| 04/14/2003 | 7 | 04/14/2003 | |
| -2000 ford focus lx - bought used on april 14th. both interior and exterior of car in excellent condition, ran extremely well, one owner repo, clean title. -was rear-ended in very low speed, low impact collision, no frame buckling, bending, or damage to car other than scratched rear bumper - truck lid will not latch now. multiple mechanics and appraisers - unable to find problem. -while driving, dash gauges and car speakers will suddenly stop working (speedometer goes to 0, odometer goes blank, fuel gauge goes to 0) and then spontaneously come back on with no after effects. car stalled while stopping after one of these episodes. occasionally when car is started, the odometer will spontaneously reset without prompting (not the main one, the resetable one). -random codes being thrown to computer - car has had two diagnostics run in two weeks, the first for two codes: 1. a mechanical issue, 2. for electrical difficulties in the dashboard - the car was thoroughly inspected and no defects were found. seven days later the computer reported an evaporative system leak - once again the car was thoroughly inspected and no defects were found. after the first diagnostic, a rear brake light went out - after removing the light and fiddling with the wiring, the mechanic got its normal function to resume. -the car has 36,000 miles, i had the brakes inspected the day after the car started shaking violently when i pressed the brake pedal. the rotors are warped terribly and i will have to have the entire brake system replaced, including the rear drums - i do not consider this normal, especially in such a young car. -it has had two recalls filled in the last month, one for a pinch bolt and the other for a wheel bearing. no other recall campaigns were open. these problems have continued since the recalls were completed. -i've owned this car for less than a month. the cars pre-purchase inspection came up clean. the car is no longer under any kind of factory warranty.*jb | |||
| 02/05/2003 | 30 | ||
| After about 10 days of buying my 2000 ford focus the problem. started and one year later the problems are still coming like clock work. first my breaks were squealing i called the dealer, he said not to worry about it until i had time to come in. 1 to 2 months later, after several calls asking if it was still okay to drive, i took my car in and the routers and breaks were bad, they sd i should have brought my car in sooner. well per there request i took my time. i had to pay the get this taken care of. it didn't stop there, my tires kept getting flats so i has to once again replace at my own expenses. now the real problems start, my cruise control was just out of control, my car would accelerate every time i would put in on cruise. the windshield wipers would not work and my radio kept turning off by itself. i had once again at my own expenses replace my windshield wipers calling the maintenance. dept. at meridian ford. they fixed the problem. with the cruise control and it was working fine for about 2 months it is now happening again! now i have problems with the key getting stuck and will not turn, the trunk will not shut, and my car will shut off when the car is in idle. it turns off if in park or drive after about one min. idle. this is very frustrating. and has caused so many financial and stress problems. i don't feel safe in this car and i feel cheated! i was sold a lemon! a list of what was wrong with my new car..bad breaks, bad routers, bad windshield wipers, bad cruise control, bad trunk, bad tires, the key gets stuck and will not turn, and now it turns off while in idle. all these things are still wrong with it and its costing me money, stress,time and it is costing me to be late on my car payments and other bills because i have to pay for all this crap to be fixed! why is this happening! do i need to get a lawyer or do you need to replace or fix my car at your expensive. i have lost so much and feel helpless. i hope this does not fall on deaf ears. *nlm | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 25000 | 10/20/2000 | |
| Ignition failed, had to be replaced, tires wear incredibly fast (4 sets of tires at 45000 miles), radio cut out, had to be replaced twice, brakes failed at least three times causing two accidents, dealership said they replaced them, but lied and never did, was forced to spend $500 having them replaced, trunk doesn't close, bad suspension, spun out on an exit ramp | |||
| 11/12/2002 | 1 | 02/01/2001 | |
| Consumer was exiting a parking garage and placed vehicle in reverse. without warning, car suddenly accelerated and rear tail spun around 2 times then hit a parked vehicle. consumer did apply brakes with no success. ph insurance company informed dealership that there were two recalls that dealt with a defective throttle and speed control which was not performed on the vehicle prior to the accident. other problems included weezing noise while turning. power steering racked failed and replaced. lack of power steering in steering wheel. rear brake pad replacement. rear wheel bearing noise. defective wheel bearings replaced. tire punctured and replaced. hesitation on acceleration. fuel pump and gasket replaced. tires rotted out. key stuck in ignition. replaced malfunctioned shifter assembly. trunk lid wouldn't latch. latch replaced. *tt | |||
| 06/10/2000 | 2 | 04/01/2000 | |
| Multiple problems: replaced cd player once, three brake jobs, multiple trunk latch repairs, replaced transmission at 40000, 3 recalls, ignition switch locked up. the 2000 focus is clearly a lemon! *ak | |||
| 05/05/2001 | 2 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Purchased my car in 2000. my car currently has 51,000 miles on it now. since that time, i have purchased two brand new sets of tires and have had my car aligned two times.. ihave also needed my trunk latch replaced and although my brakes have been replaced they continue to squeal. recently, whilr driving on an interstate mt car sputtered and shut down. i waited two hours at which point it was able to be driven. i took it to ford and they believed i need my fuel pump replaced. this occurred one more time approximately three days later.*ak | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 30 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Since the purchase of my ford focus 2000, it has been subjected to recalls for wheel bearings, paneling, and the master cylinder. additionally, the trunk latch had to be replaced and the computer reprogrammed. since late sept. 2000, the engine dies at approx. 45/mph when i press the clutch to downshift from 5th gear, slowing from a higher speed. on aug. 21, 2001, i took the the car to maroone ford in margate, florida because it had stall (died) twice in one day. the mechanic said there was nothing wrong with the car and said that i didn't know how to drive it properly. i contacted ford motor dispute settlement board and they came out and drove with me. the car did not stall at that time, and he advised me that i didn't know how to drive the car! i believe i have been lied to by ford and by their representative, maroone ford, margate. i have copies of letters that i sent to maroone ford, and to the board of directors at maroone ford as well as a copy of the initial dispute settlement board application. i have complained over and over again that i fear for my safety, and that i want ford to either fix my vehicle or give me a safe car. i was a full-time nursing student at florida atlantic university in boca raton, florida when this started, i am now a registered nurse still driving an unsafe vehicle. i would appreciate your help.*ak | |||
| 02/25/2002 | 0 | ||
| Consumer could not open the truck from inside of vehicle. has to get out and open it manually. before use to do it from inside of vehicle. dealer was contacted. please provide more information.*ak | |||
| 02/26/2000 | 7 | 02/01/2000 | |
| 7 new stereos, 2 ignition cylinders, a few trunk latches, transmission trouble(dealer cannot duplicate), 20,000 miles i have to replace 4 tires and 4 brake pads, horrible grinding noise when stopping, shakes on the freeway when braking, misassembled interior rails, and many others. i am completely dissatisfied with this vehicle, i will never, ever buy another ford vehicle and i will certainly never reccomend a ford to anyone. | |||
| 01/02/2001 | 11/01/1999 | ||
| Truck latch not working properly. cj | |||
| 1 | |||
| Trunk latch mechanism broke. nlm | |||
| 1 | |||
| The trunk lock will not release. *mjs | |||
| 11/10/2000 | |||
| While trying to stop at a stop sign brake pedal went to floor. also, trunk latch did not work properly. *ak | |||