Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||||
| 18581 | 04/01/2005 | 10017884 | Erratic instrument cluster gauges and/or warning indicators - service tip. *tt | 12/06/2005 | |
| 18379 | 01/01/2005 | 10013318 | Brake and anti-lock brake system lights on after hec (hybrid electronic cluster) replacement. *tt | 04/14/2005 | |
| 04174 | 09/06/2004 | 10013116 | Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illuminated - system lean diagnostic trouble codes (dtc's) - service tips. various models including 2004 f-series. *tt | 04/08/2005 | |
| 18411 | 02/01/2005 | 10012969 | Malfunction indicator lamp on with diagnostic trouble code p0133, p1131 or p2195. *tt | 04/05/2005 | |
| 04111 | 06/14/2004 | 0431 | 10008252 | Streamlined diagnostic procedure for vehicles with malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on and diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0401, p0402, p1400 or p1401. additional symptoms may include runs rough, lacks power, surge, poor fuel economy. | 07/23/2004 |
| 03223 | 01/26/2004 | 0431 | 10007360 | Streamlined diagnostic procedure for vehicles with malfunction indicator lamp on and diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0401, p0402, p1400 or p1401. additional symptoms may include runs rough, lacks power, surge, poor fuel economy. *tt | 06/16/2004 |
| 17282 | 10/01/2003 | 10004926 | Harsh transmission engagement with possible malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on and diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p0705 (tr circuit failure). *tt | 01/20/2004 | |
| 031911 | 09/29/2003 | 10004040 | Hard start, no start, battery lamp flicker. *tt | 11/14/2003 | |
| 03181 | 09/15/2003 | 10004027 | Remote keyless entry (rke) - service tips. *tt | 11/14/2003 | |
| 03152 | 08/04/2003 | 10003185 | Diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) p0402 and/or p0403 or runs rough in wet weather conditions. *tt | 10/10/2003 | |
| 030301 | 02/01/2003 | 10002515 | Electrical - horn inoperative - vehicles equipped with 2.0l engine only. *tt | 09/04/2003 | |
| 020901 | 05/17/2004 | 0491 | 637615 | Rough idle, low power and / or stall at idle, a malfunction indicator lamp illuminated and diagnostic trouble codes p0300 through p0304 stored in memory. *tt | 12/03/2002 |
| 15710 | 03/01/2002 | 636348 | Information on vehicles with programmable modules. *tt | 11/07/2002 | |
| 15558 | 01/01/2002 | 630093 | Information regarding diagnostic trouble code b2496 (panic feature does not operate correctly). *yh | 04/12/2002 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||||
| 0245 | 03/04/2002 | 636065 | Information regarding discharged battery charging service tips and guidelines. *tt | 11/05/2002 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||||
| 18413 | 02/01/2005 | 10012971 | Unable to remove ignition key - service tip. *tt | 04/05/2005 | |
| 02182 | 09/16/2002 | 10008591 | Trim-ignition lock cylinder difficult to turn, unable to remove sticking ignition key-ignition lock cylinder removal procedure. *mj | 08/09/2004 | |
| 15421 | 11/01/2001 | 630440 | Some vehicles may exhibit a difficult to turn, unable to remove, or sticking ignition key. *tt | 04/17/2002 | |
| 15308 | 10/01/2001 | 630216 | Some vehicles built after 10/01/2001 may exhibit a difficult to turn ignition key. *tt | 04/15/2002 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||||
| 15828 | 04/01/2002 | 637571 | Some vehicles may exhibit diagnostic trouble code b1213, b1342, b1601, b2431. *tt | 12/03/2002 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||||
| 04147 | 06/01/2005 | 051612 | 10017923 | Service wiring harness replacement guidelines - service tips. *tt | 12/07/2005 |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | ||||||
| EA02014 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 07/31/2002 | 11/13/2002 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | 02V288000 | |
| Alleged engine compartment fires on the driver's side in the area of the battery | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 12/15/2012 | 132500 | 1 | |
| Vehicle runs fine when we go into school/business or what ever we park and come out and the vehicle does not start, after 1/2 hour to an hour the vehicle starts and no problems. it turns over but does not fire. new battery did not change it. tune up by a certified mechanic did not fix issue, plug it into a test machine no codes given. this does not happen all the time, every once in a while. issue is that a young lady drives the vehicle, if she is stuck in the wrong parking lot who knows what can happen. god forbid. *tr | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 1 | ||
| Battery cables shorted out causing small fire on battery cables and melting on both battery cables. *tr | |||
| 07/22/2012 | 135000 | 1 | |
| I drove my ford focus about 6 miles to a stop light. when it turned green, i pressed the gas. the car stalled like it was out of gas, regained partial power, and displayed the airbag light. it made it to the next stoplight, and i pulled it over to the side and turned it off and removed the key. at that point a plume of white smoke shot out of the driver's side hood. i told my son to get out because i knew the car was on fire. we walked away, and as we did, the amount of smoke increased exponentially. within minutes, the front end of the car was totally engulfed in flames. the windshield shattered and melted, the hood was charred and black, the plastic parts of the fenders and bumpers melted away, and part of the body metal burned away on the hood and the fenders. everything under the hood was melted, distorted, or otherwise destroyed. i kept the car very well maintained, making sure to fix everything that was ever wrong with it immediately upon discovery. i kept up on all oil changes. it is perplexing that a car which is so well kept would spontaneously self-ignite, however there have been accounts of fires in the ford focus since 2000, and many since. now i have added one more. the car, obviously, is a total loss. *tr | |||
| 07/30/2012 | |||
| Battery cables shorted out causeing small fire on battery cables and melting on both battery cables | |||
| 07/22/2012 | 135000 | 1 | |
| I drove my ford focus about 6 miles to a stop light. when it turned green, i pressed the gas. the car stalled like it was out of gas, regained partial power, and displayed the airbag light. it made it to the next stoplight, and i pulled it over to the side and turned it off and removed the key. at that point a plume of white smoke shot out of the driver's side hood. i told my son to get out because i knew the car was on fire. we walked away, and as we did, the amount of smoke increased exponentially. within minutes, the front end of the car was totally engulfed in flames. the windshield shattered and melted, the hood was charred and black, the plastic parts of the fenders and bumpers melted away, and part of the body metal burned away on the hood and the fenders. everything under the hood was melted, distorted, or otherwise destroyed. i kept the car very well maintained, making sure to fix everything that was ever wrong with it immediately upon discovery. i kept up on all oil changes. it is perplexing that a car which is so well kept would spontaneously self-ignite, however there have been accounts of fires in the ford focus since 2000, and many since. now i have added one more. the car, obviously, is a total loss. *tr | |||
| 12/29/2011 | 87000 | ||
| Key would not turn in the ignition lock cylinder. ignition key could be inserted all the way into the lock cylinder, but key would not turn forwards or backwards to either engage the starter or turn on accessories. tried moving the steering wheel to free up the cylinder and made sure the car was in park to try and turn the cylinder. nothing. was told by the aaa mechanic that this is a common issue with early model year ford focuses. the issue, per the aaa tow truck operator could be temporarily resolved by using some wd40 on the key and a couple of quick taps to the key while in the lock cylinder. this fix did not work at this time. had to have my car towed to the dealer since this was not a fix i could make on my own (i could replace the cylinder myself, but the car's passive alarm would need to be re-set by the dealer). resulting charge was $378.50 for a part i could have fixed for $60-70. my lock cylinder needed to be re-keyed by the local ford dealer. safety issue: could have been stranded. car failure occurred on very cold day. | |||
| 03/18/2012 | 115000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact attempted to start the ignition numerous times however, the ignition key failed to turn in any direction. the key was eventually released from the ignition switch. the contact planned to have the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and repair. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 115,000. kmj | |||
| 03/18/2012 | 115000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact attempted to start the ignition numerous times; however the ignition key failed to turn in any direction. the key was eventually released from the ignition switch. the contact planned to have the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and repair. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 115,000. js | |||
| 01/04/2008 | 80000 | ||
| The motor on the sun roof went out while the vehicle was still under warranty i had it fixed then after the warranty expired it went out again and i couldnt afford to get it fixed, the motor for the rear windows went out (both passenger sides) the front passenger door does not lock because the motor went out, and know the drivers side window is starting to make a noise like it going to go out also and the door lock is making nois like its going to go out. this is a huge safety issue first of all when carrying small children in the back and another safety issue with the doors not locking makes it much easier for someone to car jack you. i have never had a vehicle that the electric windows and doors and the moon roof went out this has to be a defect i have gone to the dealership to complain after the warranty had expired and i was told that there are no recalls and they can't help me unless i pay. i can't even lock the door using a key because it doesn't work | |||
| 12/09/2011 | 96000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. while parked, the vehicle ignited into flames. the fire department extinguished the massive flames and informed the contact that the fire originated within the battery. the vehicle was declared as destroyed. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 96,000. kmj | |||
| 01/04/2008 | 80000 | ||
| The motor on the sun roof went out while the vehicle was still under warranty i had it fixed then after the warranty expired it went out again and i couldnt afford to get it fixed, the motor for the rear windows went out (both passenger sides) the front passenger door does not lock because the motor went out, and know the drivers side window is starting to make a noise like it going to go out also and the door lock is making nois like its going to go out. this is a huge safety issue first of all when carrying small children in the back and another safety issue with the doors not locking makes it much easier for someone to car jack you. i have never had a vehicle that the electric windows and doors and the moon roof went out this has to be a defect i have gone to the dealership to complain after the warranty had expired and i was told that there are no recalls and they can't help me unless i pay. i can't even lock the door using a key because it doesn't work | |||
| 12/09/2011 | 96000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. while parked, the vehicle ignited into flames. the fire department extinguished the massive flames and informed the contact that the fire originated within the battery. the vehicle was declared as destroyed. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 96,000. kmj | |||
| 01/04/2008 | 80000 | ||
| The motor on the sun roof went out while the vehicle was still under warranty i had it fixed then after the warranty expired it went out again and i couldnt afford to get it fixed, the motor for the rear windows went out (both passenger sides) the front passenger door does not lock because the motor went out, and know the drivers side window is starting to make a noise like it going to go out also and the door lock is making nois like its going to go out. this is a huge safety issue first of all when carrying small children in the back and another safety issue with the doors not locking makes it much easier for someone to car jack you. i have never had a vehicle that the electric windows and doors and the moon roof went out this has to be a defect i have gone to the dealership to complain after the warranty had expired and i was told that there are no recalls and they can't help me unless i pay. i can't even lock the door using a key because it doesn't work | |||
| 12/09/2011 | 96000 | ||
| T-the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. while parked, the vehicle ignited into flames. the fire department extinguished the massive flames and informed the fire originated within the battery. the vehicle was declared as destroyed. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 96,000. js | |||
| 08/03/2011 | |||
| Vehicle failed to start after completing a 30 minute drive and being turned off for about 5 minutes. clicking noises like starter failing to engage or low battery ensued. when hood was lifted and battery cover removed and cables and connections were inspected, it was observed that the positive cable off the back of the positive battery harness was exposed, the insulation being almost completely melted. the exposed wires showed signs of fraying and burning. after attempting to jump start the vehicle about 3 times and waiting about 20 minutes, the vehicle started. the vehicle was driven about 20 miles to a service station and inspected by their mechanics. it was decided for safety reasons(fire hazard) to leave vehicle. in 45 years i have never known a battery cable to melt even though i have had bad connections, corroded terminals and harness to the battery and even bad starters. all of the above reasons were the only solutions offered to me. | |||
| 01/08/2010 | 69411 | ||
| At 69,411 miles my 2002 ford focus battery cable was defective and had to be replaced. there were battery cable recalls on other ford focuses for this problem that caused fires. of course ford would not pay for mine. | |||
| 02/08/2011 | 59000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the ignition key would not turn within the ignition switch. the vehicle was towed to the residence. the authorized dealer was notified and they informed that the ignition switch would need to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was 59,000. js | |||
| 11/12/2010 | 22000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. when the key is in the ignition it does not turn the engine on. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the cylinder and the key switch for $400. the manufacturer was contacted who offered no assistance with the failure. the vehicle is being repaired by the dealer. the failure mileage was 22,000....mw | |||
| 08/18/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I own a 2002 ford focus zx5 wagon, the brake lights stay on constantly while i'm driving, regardless if i'm pressing on the brake or not. this is a huge safety problem as the brake lights are no longer functional if they are constantly on. there seems to be a recall on the 2000 ford focus on a decklid wire harness, however this should be expanded to cover all the ford focus hatchbacks/wagons as the problems are still evident beyond the 2000 year. i've had this problem since august 2010 and now september 2010 i've finally found the problem to be the exact problem as the recall in the year 2000 models. there should be an investigation on this issue, it's very dangerous to be driving with the brake lights on at all times. this defect needs to be recalled asap | |||
| 09/11/2010 | |||
| I have 2002 ford focus the ignition or starter is giving me problem the car want start at times i get stranded sometimes it takes over five minutes to get started | |||
| 06/05/2010 | 83000 | ||
| Ford focus zx5 2002 power cut out completely while i sat in vehicle with air conditioning running; smoke billowed out from under the hood. i turned off the ignition immediately and pulled the key out of the ignition. the car ignition turned the vehicle back on all by itself. the car began to rumble and smoke spewed from under the hood everywhere. i jumped out of the vehicle and grabbed my two dogs from the back seat. i ran into the lawn care business and announced my car is on fire -- call 911. two employees came out, one with a fire extinguisher; the other asked me for the ignition key who jumped in the vehicle and tried to turn the car ignition off--the car ignition went off but turned on again even after the key had been removed. he pulled the hood latch so the other employee with the extinguisher could use the fire extinguisher. when that person opened the hood, flames shot everywhere. the fire department and police came. the fire department said that the car would have exploded within 2 minutes had the employees not used the fire extinguisher. the fire department sprayed the vehicle with additional fire retardant and stated that the vehicle is totaled. | |||
| 06/08/2010 | 175778 | ||
| Engine compartment fires on the driver's side in the area of the battery burning all the wires and the left headlight | |||
| 05/02/2010 | 49000 | ||
| I bought my 2002 ford focus just 5 months ago (december 2009). when trying to start my car at a restaurant the steering wheel was completely locked, and the key would not turn in the ignition. after a full hour of trying to fix it, i had to have the car towed to a ford dealer, who replaced the ignition with a ford part that i fear has the same problem. the replacement ignition cost me over $400, and does not appear to be a long-term solution. according to many online complaints, the new ignition will fail to the same problem in time. i am limited by other options, as non-ford parts and locksmith work does not come with the 12 month-warranty that ford offers. my best option is to sell the car again before it happens, or before my warranty is up-- neither of which are a solution, but putting the problem onto someone else. this is a serious tragedy and in faulty design. i was lucky to have friends to help me in this situation, but the embarrassment and fear of it happening again are not worth it. this part needs to be recalled! | |||
| 07/15/2006 | 1 | ||
| 2002 zts had problems where ignition got stuck could not remove or start the car had to had the ignition replaced it cost me in excess of $300.00 evidently this is a major problem that ford is not dealing with. *tr | |||
| 12/08/2009 | 20000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford focus battery cables was burning i was smelling a burning scent when i stated the vehicle an well when i drove the car. i had to take it to the shop who informed me that the battery harness in this car frayed and it had to be replaced as well as the alternator. ford said this was not a recall part. *tr | |||
| 11/29/2009 | 1 | ||
| Parked my 2002 ford focus on the street, when i came back the key wouldn't turn in the ignition and the wheels were completely locked up. called the ford dealer and they told me to yank on the wheel as hard as i could while turning the key, this worked after about 10 minutes, but after i turned it off, it happened again, yanking the wheel for 10 mins it worked. now i have to leave the keys in the ignition so it wont lock up on me. i am literally scared to turn on my car because when i turn a corner it feels like i have to turn the wheel way around. i am a young woman who works late, and i rely on my car to get me home safely..i am very upset because i cant afford to get it fixed. never buy a ford again! *tr | |||
| 05/19/2009 | 120000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford focus wagon rear hatch wiring harness frayed wires and no brake lights. *tr | |||
| 06/02/2009 | 119000 | 1 | |
| Drove to the store, turned the car off but the key was stuck in the ignition. *tr | |||
| 01/15/2009 | 81085 | 1 | |
| Upon insertion of the key into the ignition, the ignition switch fails to allow the key to turn, the steering wheel will not unlock, if it is locked. tapping the key into the ignition will allow the car to start and the steering wheel to unlock. cursory internet searches reveal that this is a very common problem for owners of this make and model. some owners report having had the switch replaced 4 to 5 times at the dealership with the same results. this indicates that ford has made no effort to correct the problem, even at the cost of the owner. *tr | |||
| 01/17/2008 | 65000 | 1 | |
| It was 11 o'clock at night in freezing weather when i had gotten into my car that had been sitting all day.(which i had started with ease 13 hours before) the key would not turn in the ignition. i tried turn the key back and forth for an hour before my boyfriend's mom came to pick me up at 1:00 in the morning. if she wouldn't have been there for me i would have had to walk 10 miles in dangerous cold to get home, because i didn't have any money on me for a cab. i paid $450 to tow the car 4 miles to the closest dealership and replace the ignition cylinder. the part is under a one year warranty. since december 20, 2008, my ignition cylinder has not been working properly with my key. i insert the key and i have to wiggle the key to turn, insert, and remove it from the ignition. i will be visiting the dealership where i had it replaced last year this week. at least this time it showed signs of malfunction probability. this should be considered a safety issue. if someone is driving the car and it stalls on a railroad track (or any other hazardous location) and cannot restart or move the car because the ignition won't turn. there could be deadly consequences for the driver, passengers, and others close by. *tr | |||
| 12/07/2008 | 136000 | 1 | |
| The key would not turn in the ignition. i had to hit the side of the steering column then try and turn the key again. this no longer works and i have to hit the key in to the ignition further for it to turn. i am going to ford this week to get it fixed if it does not cost a fortune, but had to wait to get it fixed until my break from school. *tr | |||
| 11/29/2008 | 1 | ||
| The key would not turn in the ignition at all. a locksmith was called out to see if he could fix the problem. he told me that this happens very frequently ford focuses. *tr | |||
| 05/16/2007 | 65000 | 1 | |
| Keys wont release from ignition , replaced ignition switch and still continues to not release key, its evidently an electronic problem since when i disconnect the electrical connection to steering column the keys release. *tr | |||
| 10/23/2008 | 121000 | 1 | |
| I was stranded when my key was inserted into the ignition and it would not turn. this was a serious incident because i needed to be home to get my 6 year old off the bus and let him in the house. i was unable to do so and my son was extremely distraught. and then i find out this is not an isolated incident but this vehicle has a history of this. very disappointing. *tr | |||
| 07/05/2007 | 126000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. when the contact attempted to start the vehicle, the key would not turn inside the ignition. as a result, the vehicle would not start. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the ignition needed to be replaced. the contact did not notice any differences beforehand. the current mileage was 147,000 and failure mileage was 126,000. | |||
| 06/25/2008 | 108000 | 1 | |
| I have only owned this car for four months. first the oxygen sensor failed after two days. then a month later i began having different lights come off and on with loss of power. i took it in to dealership and to ford who could never repeat the codes. i replace the battery and this stopped for a month. it is now doing the same thing again. stalling or acting as if it will. i have to pull over and restart it several times to reset the computer to get it to drive correctly. i am frustrated because no one can find out what is wrong. this occurs intermittently but when it does it can be over 10 times a day. *tr | |||
| 09/16/2008 | 130000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. when the contact attempted to start the vehicle, the ignition appeared to be locked, but there was power. he attempted approximately 25 more times to start the vehicle and also disconnected the battery, but the failure persisted. the steering, transmission, and ignition switch locked. the dealer and manufacturer have not been notified. the current and failure mileages were approximately 130,000. | |||
| 08/19/2008 | 164000 | 1 | |
| With no prior warning signs, key will not turn ignition. i was unable to get to work and subsequently lost $96 in wages, minus taxes. i cannot afford $200-$500 to fix something that will be replaced with the same faulty part, thus having to fix it again in the future. i searched the internet and found thousands of references to this problem, which makes me wonder why there is no recall. if so many people are having the same problem, wouldn't that indicate a faulty part, installed by ford itself. some people report having to replace the ignition numerous times, and that ford has not redesigned this part, nor have they admitted it is faulty or offered a recall. what a disappointment to thousands of consumers, which surely will affect future ford sales. when will ford own up to this problem???*tr | |||
| 08/12/2008 | 44586 | 1 | |
| My car has frequent problems with the steering column, ignition locking which became problematic when i stalled in traffic and nearly caused a multi car accident because i could not start the car. *tr | |||
| 05/21/2008 | 104000 | 1 | |
| Key gets stuck in ignition. *tr | |||
| 01/29/2008 | 86302 | 2 | 05/18/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact stated that the gear would not shift out of park. the failure occurred twice in three weeks. he allowed the vehicle to run for over an hour; however, the gear would still not shift out of park. the vehicle can only be driven if an emergency button is engaged, which also does not allow the gear to shift out of park. an independent mechanic stated that the failure was electrical and a wire that connects to the brakes needed to be repaired. the vehicle was purchased in may of 2007 with a 1,000 mile or 30 day warranty. the fuel system was unknown and the vin was invalid. the current mileage was 86,332 and failure mileage was 86,302. | |||
| 08/10/2007 | 99000 | 6 | 12/28/2006 |
| 2002 ford focus se 4 cylinder shutting down while driving. dash board goes out and then the engine shuts down. battery was replaced and it is still doing it. sometimes it starts back up if i let it sit for awhile, but sometimes i have to get it jumped. very unsafe and scary when it shuts down while driving on the road. *tr | |||
| 01/22/2007 | 4 | ||
| Gauges have been surging along with the headlights. this time was different though as the gauges never returned to normal position and i drove all the way to work ( 13 miles) not knowing my speed ,mileage nor temp of my car. at the same time my radio was on and when i tried to turn down my heat from 4 to 3 it turned off any sound from the stereo. when i reached work i let my car set for a few more minutes when finally my gauges surged once again and returned to normal. i bought my car a year ago and told the dealer about it then (the surges always returned to normal until this evening) and the dealer just commented that there was nothing they could do. *nm | |||
| 03/11/2006 | 81007 | 1 | 02/24/2006 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle had problems with the electrical system while driving 35 mph. the vehicle stopped and could not be restarted after numerous attempts, neither the air conditioner nor the power windows worked. the vehicle was taken to the dealership several times but could not duplicate the problem. the contact expressed that the electrical problem was getting worse because the vehicle was not getting the necessary power and became slower. there was not a regular response when the gas pedal was depressed hard.*ak | |||
| 07/31/2006 | 10 | ||
| The first week of me purchasing my car at garnet ford in chaddsford, pa, i noticed i was having problems with my car not starting. this has only continued to happen more. also, my car seems to want to stall at times upon slowing down or when i'm stopped. the car will start riding rough and shaking indicating the car is going to stall. i brought this to the dealers attention on many occasions and they told me that because the problem was intermittent and they could not re-create the problem there was nothing they could do to correct it. these are problems that started during the first week of me owning the car. the car was given to me this way and garnet ford is saying the problem is with my iac and throttle body sticking but those two things are age related problems and i advised them that this problem has been happening since day one. they have refused to look into this problem further and they are not taking responsibility for what is happening to my car. i'm very upset with garnet ford for giving me a car with these problems and i expect them to look into what is causing the problem and fix it on their dime not mine. if this does not happen, i will seek other ways at getting their attention. *jb | |||
| 07/31/2006 | 1 | ||
| I am having problems with my car not starting on occasion. also, the car seems to want to stall at times upon slowing down or when i'm stopped. *jb | |||
| 07/21/2006 | 3823 | 1 | 12/01/2001 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, it was unresponsive. the vehicle was towed to the dealership, where they determined a connector in the ignition needed to be replaced. | |||
| 06/30/2006 | 40000 | 4 | |
| Dt: the contact stated while driving 20-25 mph on a major roadway, the vehicle began to jerk as if it were going to stall. the accelerator pedal was depressed causing the vehicle to travel through an intersection however it eventually completely stalled. the vehicle would not restart and all the lights on the dashboard were completely darkened. a new battery was installed by the contact and the vehicle driven home. about four hours later, the vehicle began to jerk again and stalled. the vehicle stalled four times throughout the day. when this occurred with the vehicle about a year ago, the vehicle was taken to a dealer who determined the cable wire was not connected properly. the contact expressed that the cable wire may not be the problem and will check to see if the alternator may be the source of the problem. *nm | |||
| 06/16/2006 | 49000 | 30 | 07/15/2003 |
| I have 2002 ford focus se that cuts out and stalls while making right hand turns. i took to the dealer 18 months ago and they couldn't find anything wrong. now it is doing it 5 times a day and other focus owners are saying that theirs cuts out as well. ford has no tsb that i could find for it but it is very. *nm | |||
| 05/01/2006 | 45000 | 1 | 01/01/2002 |
| Turned on my light switch to drive home at night and noticed my dash lights were non-operational. got out of my car and did a walk around and found that my tail lights were not working either. i did an internet search and found postings regarding this failure on other focuses. i've provided a link http://forums.focaljet.com/team-tech/457187-taillights-out-problem-found-serious-safety-hazard.html?highlight=dash+lights+tail i called ford they did not care and would not help. i am the original owner and the car has 45,000 miles on it. *jb | |||
| 09/01/2005 | 65000 | 10 | 04/01/2002 |
| Ford focus 2002 zx5 over 65,000 miles recent ofl change approx. 3 weeks ago. engine cutting off after turning over when shifting from park into drive almost every day. engine cutting off while driving at any speeds but most notably during or after a turn - with loss of power steering - able to restart in neutral while in motion - this happens an average of every 3-4 days. constant noise from the rear left tire assembly. front brakes replaced about 1 and half years ago. right rear brake assembly replaced 4 months ago along with cracked thermal housing that had developed a leak - over $900 repair w/labor. car has not been in an accident that i am aware of- other than loss of driver side mirror while it was parked 2 years ago. other issues with this vehicle have been w/the shifting. unable to shift out of park - w/o using the shift release. replaced shifter and still having problems with it. can not afford to take car in at this time - was told by service rep that the diagnostic would cost approx. $80 alone just to see if they could find the problem. original owner. taking car to dealer this weekend. any help would be appreciated. *nm | |||
| 08/30/2005 | 58000 | 100 | 02/25/2002 |
| The speedometer consistently will drop to zero while driving in all types of conditions (high speed to low speed). the odometer will not move while the speedometer is at zero and often will blank out. an obvious sound difference in the radio is also noted when this all occurs. brought it into team ford two times for this problem and all they did was replace the speed sensor which did not solve the problem. was told they don't know what it is and i would basically have to deal with it. *nm | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 20000 | 25 | 10/01/2003 |
| Exactly same complaints as complaint # 10056383, engine stalling while driving at slow speeds. radio cuts out, headlights start flickering and sometimes speedometer goes grazy and seems to reset itself. dealership has had the car for three weeks and was not able to solve the issue. no fault codes were registered, and since the issues happen infrequently and shortly no electrical measurements were possible. as soon as i pick up the car it stalls on me. still trying to work thru the dealership, although i'm getting desperate. dealership told me my2002 has already the upgraded fuel pump, according to some focus forums then the problem could be egr related. dealership is not willing to replace components without knowing what is causing this safety and possibly environmental issue... | |||
| 06/26/2005 | 1 | 07/03/2002 | |
| Dt: consumer said that over the course of time vehicle lost power. consumer was exiting freeway when the engine stalled and everything on vehicle failed. there were no lights working or any kind of power. same thing happened again last sunday going into san fransisco. consumer stated that radio will work sometimes and not other times. also, sometimes she could not lock doors. al battery had to be replaced after just one year due to the electrical problem, battery was a three year battery. in addition, one time the left turn signal went out. consumer s believed that these problems were electrical.*ak | |||
| 04/30/2005 | 07/05/2002 | ||
| Vehicle was parked at state employee's residence for about 10 hours when it suddenly caught fire. fire dept. responded and extinguished fire. vehicle is a total lose. | |||
| 03/07/2005 | 46000 | 5 | 11/01/2003 |
| I have a 2002 ford focus 4-door sedan. i have approximately 45000 miles on the vehicle. when driving the vehicle, it stalls particularly when the electric parts are turned on. you can jump the car and get it to start, but the same thing keeps happening. *ak also, when you turn on the radio, it makes a buzzing noise as if there is interference from the motor. the problem appears to be getting worse. also, there seems to be some sort of a noise coming from the back of the vehicle when stopping. it is not the sound of worn-out breaks but as if there is an axle problem. i have had my rear right tire replaced twice. | |||
| 11/01/2003 | 15000 | 20 | 08/28/2003 |
| Car will randomly not start. this occurs both when engine has been cold for several hours and after engine has been running a while and then shut off and restarted. car will eventually start usually after waiting about 30-40 minutes. dealer says cannot replicate problem but they will not keep it long enough to really try. if we were to tow to dealer, car would be starting by the time it got there. occurs at random, about 1-3 times per month since november 2003. has been to dealership 2 times. first time, loose wire in steering column was corrected but they said nothing was wrong with car. second time they replaced a part in ignition switch but said nothing was wrong with it to start with. still having no-start problem. returning to dealeriship tomorrow.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer had concerns about her vehicle. *ph the consumer received a fuel pump recall letter that was fixed under warranty. *sc the consumer stated the vehicle experienced electrical problems in the past.*jb | |||
| 08/29/2003 | 21344 | 1 | |
| After having my 2002 ford focus for 4 months the engine began to stall wile i was driving. when this happened the radio would cut out, the headlights began flickering on and off, and sometimes the speedometer would drop to zero and pop back up while i was driving on the interstate. the problems got worse after aweek or so. i took it to a local dealership and they said it wouldn't do it for them so they couldn't do anything to fix it. it would stop doing it for a month or so and do it again once or twice then stop again, but eventually it gets progressively worse. i have taken it in three times and they refuse to admit anything is wrong. i have spoken to an attorney and am begining lemon law proceedings against ford.*ak | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 3452 | 2 | 03/29/2002 |
| 2002 ford focus zx5 hatchback model was purchased new from lafres ford. the check engine light keeps coming on and stays on. various electrical problems have occurred and various parts have been replaced (documented on all service reports) the check engine light has been a problem from day one and i have experienced other parts burned and replaced in the past, ie cooling fan harness and resistor burnt, burn smell when a/c is in use or the heator, replacement of battery. (car is still under warranty) i continually take the car back and forth to the dealer to have the check engine light corrected. (no reimbursement of toll/bridges and days off from work to have this car properly serviced, no reimbursement of rental cars) when i get the car back the check engine light is off and two days later it is back on again. i periodically call my service advisor at the service department telling him that i just picked up the car and within 24 hours the check engine light came on again. my service advisor tells me that the check engine light does not mean anything and i could drive around with the light onindefinetly althought the light is a nuisance. on 12/11/03 while driving, the check engine light which was already on, the battery light indicator came on, i immediately called the dealer service department and explained to my service advisor of the problem, it was late friday afternoon, he stated that was not a good sign and advised me to seek service at a ford service station. took car to universal ford. the car began to emit a burning smell i arrived at the dealer service stations and was told that my alternator was no good and that the harness hand burned and all the wires had melted. that is truly an unsafe car, this problem could have caused the car catch on fire and i could have been seriously injured, or become a fatality or others could have gotten hurt. the car is currently at the universal ford dealer service station.*ak | |||
| 12/02/2003 | 12000 | 5 | 02/27/2002 |
| My 2002 zx3 began having problems after only owning the vehicle for six months. the first problem was with the locking mechanism which would make a very loud buzzing noise when the doors would lock. the second problem began last winter when the car would not start after sitting outside overnight. i have taken the vehicle to the dealership five times over the last year for this problem and each time they inform me that the problem is fixed. however, the problem is not fixed and my vehicle continues to be unreliable. *nlm | |||
| 11/12/2003 | 14000 | 4 | 07/10/2002 |
| While driving i lost all power to the car. it completely shut down and i could not start it. it has been towed to dealership to be fixed twice. i do not feel safe driving this car with my kids in it. i don't think the problem is fixed and i'm waiting for this to happen again. now i need to take it back to the dealership again because there is a bad vibration in the front end. i had it there previously for this also, and they said it needed the tires rotated and balanced. even though it is still under warranty, they charged me $36.00....the vibration is worse now so obviously that wasn't the problem. oh i forgot to mention that the trunk won't latch properly and the windshield wipers won't go the whole way down when you turn them off. this car is not safe to drive. the dealership acts like they haven't had any complaints with this car! *la | |||
| 07/21/2003 | 20678 | 9 | 06/10/2002 |
| I have a 2002 ford focus zx5 4 dr hatchback my problems started on 7/21/03 when my brakes lights, headlights, turn signal and radio stopped working. i took it into the dealership and it was repaired however now the radio will no longer response to me turning the vol. up or down as well as i only only set the time on military time. now on 9/7 my brakes have started to grind. on 9/11 my car now vibrates when i accerate at 60 mph +. in the past week i have also noticed that my car will accellerate and hesitate when in motion. in the last three months my gas mileage has slowly declined as well. i am taking it into the dealership tonight - but thought i need to report. seems there are many others like me. | |||
| 11/11/2002 | 4400 | 1 | 05/31/2002 |
| While the vehicle was running, the engine caught on fire. the fire started under the hood, due to an electrical short. ts scc | |||
| 03/01/2002 | 6 | 10/12/2001 | |
| Consumer states while driving vehicle will just stall without any warning, will start back up after sitting for about half an hour. contacted dealer. cannot fix problem.*jb consumer stated that all electrical parts fail to operate when the vehicle stall. the dealer replaced many parts but the problem was not solved. *yh | |||
| 03/04/2002 | 1 | 03/12/2000 | |
| While driving 45mph, in the snow vehcle suddenly lost all power, including electrical. vehicle was able to be restarted. took to dealer, and vehicle was placed on both the diagnostic and data recorder machine, nothing was found to cause power lost after one week.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | |||
| 03/21/2010 | 50000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. while driving at speeds of 30 mph, the vehicle would not shift gears. the vehicle felt as if it was attempting to stall. in addition, the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. the dealer was contacted and advised there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the vehicle was diagnosed by a second mechanic who advised replacing the alternator. the alternator was previously replaced a total of 3 times. there were no additional repairs made to the vehicle. the failure mileage was 50,000 and current mileage was 83,000. | |||
| 02/03/2006 | 62000 | 3 | 12/29/2001 |
| Three instances. vehicle electrical system (dash, gauges, lamps, etc) suddenly go dead. engine then surges and stalls. power steering and power brakes fail. vehicle fails to restart. 1st instance (12/2004): dealer had failed to properly reconnect electrical connectors after recall service. accident occurred, minor injuries. 2nd instance (1/22/2006): dealer found no problem. vehicle restarted. 3. 3rd instance (2/3/2006): dealer found faulty alternator/alternator wiring. *nm | |||
| 04/18/2005 | 41000 | 5 | |
| While driving at 30 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealership. the battery cable melted and the alternator was bad and needed replacement. a week prior, the check engine light came on and smoke had come from the engine compartment. the fourth gear went out because it's wire connection melted. the consumer felt the failures were due to the engine misplaced cable problem as stated in recall 02v288000. *ak *sc *jb | |||
| 03/10/2005 | 2000 | 5 | 07/08/2004 |
| My car stalled when driving anywher from 20 - 70mph. the gauges go haywire the light cut off and on , the clock resets, the speedometer goes crazy, and i have a young daughter that rides in this car. this started in october and is still going on to date. my car is still under warranty. *ak | |||
| 01/03/2005 | 2 | ||
| Multiple failures; continual issues with brakes. correct water leak and patch tire. *bf the alternator needed to be replaced. *jb | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 3452 | 2 | 03/29/2002 |
| 2002 ford focus zx5 hatchback model was purchased new from lafres ford. the check engine light keeps coming on and stays on. various electrical problems have occurred and various parts have been replaced (documented on all service reports) the check engine light has been a problem from day one and i have experienced other parts burned and replaced in the past, ie cooling fan harness and resistor burnt, burn smell when a/c is in use or the heator, replacement of battery. (car is still under warranty) i continually take the car back and forth to the dealer to have the check engine light corrected. (no reimbursement of toll/bridges and days off from work to have this car properly serviced, no reimbursement of rental cars) when i get the car back the check engine light is off and two days later it is back on again. i periodically call my service advisor at the service department telling him that i just picked up the car and within 24 hours the check engine light came on again. my service advisor tells me that the check engine light does not mean anything and i could drive around with the light onindefinetly althought the light is a nuisance. on 12/11/03 while driving, the check engine light which was already on, the battery light indicator came on, i immediately called the dealer service department and explained to my service advisor of the problem, it was late friday afternoon, he stated that was not a good sign and advised me to seek service at a ford service station. took car to universal ford. the car began to emit a burning smell i arrived at the dealer service stations and was told that my alternator was no good and that the harness hand burned and all the wires had melted. that is truly an unsafe car, this problem could have caused the car catch on fire and i could have been seriously injured, or become a fatality or others could have gotten hurt. the car is currently at the universal ford dealer service station.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||
| 08/30/2006 | 100000 | 9 | 07/15/2002 |
| I have a 2002 ford focus zx5 that is well maintained. within the first 2-3 years, i have had to replace the front brakes and rotors. in 2004 i had to replace the battery. in 2005 i had to replace the right rear window motor. presently the left rear window motor isn't working; the window will not go up. the rear front window is not working properly and the air bag light comes on each time the car is started and stays on. the cd player had to be replaced in 2005. in 2006 all four tires had to be replaced because of factory dry rot. i regularly service and maintain the car, and have approximately 28,000 miles on it. i take excellent care of my vehicle and feel this car is not made with quality parts and that it is not safe. although i drive at normal speeds, it does not get the mileage stated on the sticker. *jb | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 2000 | ||
| There is a line that went straight into the engine's intake that has been leaking fluid since 2,000 miles and was inspected by deler who told to me that it was nothing. but the engine case should not have a large leak of fluid that soon. finally now, they have done something on this and replaced the hose, as it was seen once more and knows of all the times reported. i hope this is just not a easy fix or this now hasn't caused any damange to the inside of the engine itself, as the engine has been in the shop for riding rough. they told me last time that the part of the transmission that was fixed would fix this. i think it is due to the oil leak on the top of the engine case since it was new. a new car should never have a oil leak on a engine case. | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 3452 | 2 | 03/29/2002 |
| 2002 ford focus zx5 hatchback model was purchased new from lafres ford. the check engine light keeps coming on and stays on. various electrical problems have occurred and various parts have been replaced (documented on all service reports) the check engine light has been a problem from day one and i have experienced other parts burned and replaced in the past, ie cooling fan harness and resistor burnt, burn smell when a/c is in use or the heator, replacement of battery. (car is still under warranty) i continually take the car back and forth to the dealer to have the check engine light corrected. (no reimbursement of toll/bridges and days off from work to have this car properly serviced, no reimbursement of rental cars) when i get the car back the check engine light is off and two days later it is back on again. i periodically call my service advisor at the service department telling him that i just picked up the car and within 24 hours the check engine light came on again. my service advisor tells me that the check engine light does not mean anything and i could drive around with the light onindefinetly althought the light is a nuisance. on 12/11/03 while driving, the check engine light which was already on, the battery light indicator came on, i immediately called the dealer service department and explained to my service advisor of the problem, it was late friday afternoon, he stated that was not a good sign and advised me to seek service at a ford service station. took car to universal ford. the car began to emit a burning smell i arrived at the dealer service stations and was told that my alternator was no good and that the harness hand burned and all the wires had melted. that is truly an unsafe car, this problem could have caused the car catch on fire and i could have been seriously injured, or become a fatality or others could have gotten hurt. the car is currently at the universal ford dealer service station.*ak | |||
| 11/03/2003 | 21470 | 1 | 08/22/2002 |
| Engine stalled after i had driven two miles with no warning. i had just down-shifted into 2nd gear as i was slowing to make a turn and the car stalled across two traffic lanes and would not restart. the oil light, battery light, and one other light came on (alternator i think). the car was manually pushed out of traffic lanes in neutral gear by two motorists who stopped to help. they were also unable to restart the vehicle. after approximately 10 minutes the engine started. i had the car towed and after 5 days the dealership still cannot find anything wrong. apparently the onboard computer did not capture the problem. i am extremely concerned because the car stalled without warning at approximately 25 miles an hour. had i been on the interstate as scheduled (i was running late and had to drop my daughter off before going home to pick up my laptop) i would almost certainly have been involved in an accident because i had no time to maneuver out of traffic after the engine stalled. it was 75 degree day (monday 11/3/03) so outside temperature could not have been a factor. *la | |||
| 12/25/2002 | 16000 | 4 | 06/15/2002 |
| It all started on christmas day of 2002. my car was only 6 months old and the starter went out. about four months later i began to have problems with the automatic locks. sometimes the doors would lock all by themselves and at other times they would not lock at all. i reported this problem to the dealership and the service rep informed me that they could do nothing about it unless it was acting up at the time i brought it in. well, by the time i would get to the dealership everything was ok again. on the 7th of july i took my car to have the oil changed. when i left the dealership all the gauges on my dash were flipping all the way to the right and coming back again. and my battery light was on. i went right back to service dept. they drove the car and (surprise!) it would not do it again. they said they may have spilled some coolant on the belt and it was just losing voltage. as soon as the coolant wore off it should not do it again. on july17 i was driving my car and i looked at my gages and none of them were working. it was just like the car was not even started. i made a u-turn and went to the service dept. they told me to bring in the next day and they would give me a rental car until they could find the problem. the same afternoon they call me and tell my car is ready. i ask if they have fixed the problem and the rep informs me that they could find nothing wrong with the car (after only one day with it!). well they must think i'm some kind of hypochondriac for my car! i told her that i was not coming to get that car until they found the problem and fixed it. i can not tell how fast i am going and i'm sure they wouldn't like to pay for any speeding tickets.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY - CABLES | |||
| 02/22/2007 | 117300 | 2 | 02/28/2003 |
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. while driving 55 mph on the highway he attempted to use the cruise control and it activated and deactivated without warning. the vehicle lost power and shut off. no warning indicator lights illuminated. the contact was unable to restart the vehicle and it was towed. the road conditions were clear. the dealer informed the contact that the battery cables were corroded and the power lead fuse panel was inoperable, the cables and ground circuits needed to be replaced. the mechanic repaired the vehicle. the failure and current mileage was 117,300.*ak updated 03/19/07. *jb | |||
| 07/18/2006 | 3823 | 3 | 12/12/2001 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle would not start on three different occasions. a new battery was installed but the problem persisted. the vehicle was taken to the dealership who determined the battery connector cable to the motor was the source of the problem and a new connector was installed. the contact was aware of recall #02v288000, pertaining to the electrical system:battery:cables which described the vehicle's electrical defect. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin. updated 8/31/2006 - *nm | |||
| 08/05/2006 | 47000 | 10 | 07/17/2005 |
| My 2002 ford focus se wagon has had innumerable problems. firstly..melting battery cables due to poor and faulty wiring that could have caused an explosion of the battery had i not had to pay to get it fixed along with purchase of two new batteries thanks to the melting battery cables causing a short in the system. it subsequently killed the alternator which had to be replaced. it also subsequently killed the thermostat and the solenoid switch which caused overheating and dying problems with the car while driving. most recently the passenger side wheel bearing went out and was causing driving problems unable to control car. now more recently, it had to have a faulty tie rod placed which nearly caused me to have an accident. and as of last friday, its back in the shop again this time for engine stalling at 65 miles per hour which nearly caused yet another accident because i was passing another car and mine suddenly began vibrating so bad and then lost power and i had to struggle my way to the median. this car is dangerous and ford refuses to do nothing about it. i have paid out nearly 2000.00 on all these problems which were similar to issues already recalled and yes i am mad. i have called ford and complained but to no avail. *jb | |||
| 08/24/2005 | 45116 | 1 | 10/24/2001 |
| Battery cable failure identical to those recalled in 2000-2001 ford focus (02v288000) in a vehicle manufactured very early in 2002 model year. failure initially caused engine to miss while driving, causing it to lurch severely with a loud 'bang'. dealer (berge ford, mesa, az, 8/05/2005) had vehicle 3 days, found no problem. vehicle became incapacitated 8/24/2005, cable was replaced at dealer (holmes-tuttle ford, tucson, az, $500 battery cable!), but not returned to us. *jb | |||
| 08/18/2005 | 62100 | 10/01/2001 | |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2002 ford focus and she was having problems with the electrical system . horn failed three times in one year, but the main problem was that on 8-18-05, when she started the car, it was slow to start then it just would not start at all. she thought the battery was bad, but it was good and the alternator was good. she took it to a mechanic and they told her the wire that connected the battery on the left side was burned out. they would not let her drive the car because they said the car could catch on fire. she had it towed to ford. who told her that there are no recalls. the contact cited recall 02v288000; regarding the electrical system/ battery cables. *ak | |||
| 04/18/2005 | 41000 | 5 | |
| While driving at 30 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealership. the battery cable melted and the alternator was bad and needed replacement. a week prior, the check engine light came on and smoke had come from the engine compartment. the fourth gear went out because it's wire connection melted. the consumer felt the failures were due to the engine misplaced cable problem as stated in recall 02v288000. *ak *sc *jb | |||
| 08/25/2004 | 36124 | 3 | |
| 1. car stalled 1 day while going around a right corner. car also stalled another day. on aug. 25 car stalled while driving down the road. everything electrical went out. when pulled over noticed smoke coming from hood then through the air vents. car was towed to a ford dealer and the battery, the battery cover and the battery cables were replaced at no charge.*ak | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 3452 | 2 | 03/29/2002 |
| 2002 ford focus zx5 hatchback model was purchased new from lafres ford. the check engine light keeps coming on and stays on. various electrical problems have occurred and various parts have been replaced (documented on all service reports) the check engine light has been a problem from day one and i have experienced other parts burned and replaced in the past, ie cooling fan harness and resistor burnt, burn smell when a/c is in use or the heator, replacement of battery. (car is still under warranty) i continually take the car back and forth to the dealer to have the check engine light corrected. (no reimbursement of toll/bridges and days off from work to have this car properly serviced, no reimbursement of rental cars) when i get the car back the check engine light is off and two days later it is back on again. i periodically call my service advisor at the service department telling him that i just picked up the car and within 24 hours the check engine light came on again. my service advisor tells me that the check engine light does not mean anything and i could drive around with the light onindefinetly althought the light is a nuisance. on 12/11/03 while driving, the check engine light which was already on, the battery light indicator came on, i immediately called the dealer service department and explained to my service advisor of the problem, it was late friday afternoon, he stated that was not a good sign and advised me to seek service at a ford service station. took car to universal ford. the car began to emit a burning smell i arrived at the dealer service stations and was told that my alternator was no good and that the harness hand burned and all the wires had melted. that is truly an unsafe car, this problem could have caused the car catch on fire and i could have been seriously injured, or become a fatality or others could have gotten hurt. the car is currently at the universal ford dealer service station.*ak | |||
| 06/20/2003 | 0 | 10/18/2002 | |
| My 2002 ford focus caught on fire late one night. the vehicle is no longer able to be driven. a engine compartment fire on the drivers side in the area of the battery is where it started. the dealer refuses to cover the loss. the date of the incident listed below may be incorrect i can provide you with the correct date soon.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | |||
| 02/22/2007 | 117300 | 2 | 02/28/2003 |
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. while driving 55 mph on the highway he attempted to use the cruise control and it activated and deactivated without warning. the vehicle lost power and shut off. no warning indicator lights illuminated. the contact was unable to restart the vehicle and it was towed. the road conditions were clear. the dealer informed the contact that the battery cables were corroded and the power lead fuse panel was inoperable, the cables and ground circuits needed to be replaced. the mechanic repaired the vehicle. the failure and current mileage was 117,300.*ak updated 03/19/07. *jb | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 3452 | 2 | 03/29/2002 |
| 2002 ford focus zx5 hatchback model was purchased new from lafres ford. the check engine light keeps coming on and stays on. various electrical problems have occurred and various parts have been replaced (documented on all service reports) the check engine light has been a problem from day one and i have experienced other parts burned and replaced in the past, ie cooling fan harness and resistor burnt, burn smell when a/c is in use or the heator, replacement of battery. (car is still under warranty) i continually take the car back and forth to the dealer to have the check engine light corrected. (no reimbursement of toll/bridges and days off from work to have this car properly serviced, no reimbursement of rental cars) when i get the car back the check engine light is off and two days later it is back on again. i periodically call my service advisor at the service department telling him that i just picked up the car and within 24 hours the check engine light came on again. my service advisor tells me that the check engine light does not mean anything and i could drive around with the light onindefinetly althought the light is a nuisance. on 12/11/03 while driving, the check engine light which was already on, the battery light indicator came on, i immediately called the dealer service department and explained to my service advisor of the problem, it was late friday afternoon, he stated that was not a good sign and advised me to seek service at a ford service station. took car to universal ford. the car began to emit a burning smell i arrived at the dealer service stations and was told that my alternator was no good and that the harness hand burned and all the wires had melted. that is truly an unsafe car, this problem could have caused the car catch on fire and i could have been seriously injured, or become a fatality or others could have gotten hurt. the car is currently at the universal ford dealer service station.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||
| 02/12/2010 | 1 | ||
| Faulty ignition in 2002 ford focus was stranded for five hours have not yet fixed the problem due to fords high cost to fix there defect. *tr | |||
| 02/27/2010 | 130000 | 1 | |
| Ignition locks up, will not turn regardless of effort, pushing, pulling, beating, or twisting your tongue just the right way. however, one tap on the edge of the key while it is in the ignition works. no amount of wd-40 or parts cleaner fixes the problem though. *tr | |||
| 07/24/2009 | 1 | ||
| Ford focus 2002 zts key ignition failed at 80,000 miles for over a year before the total failure there were at least 12 times that the ignition failed but finally worked after a few tries. i was left stranded on more then on occasion due to this failure and last time had to have my car towed to the dealership. the problem was fixed at the ford deal ship and cost me 450.00. i had to get a new key and a new ignition. i can feel that once again the key is rubbing the ignition the way it was before this problem was fixed and am sure that in the future i will have to replace the part once again. i just hope this time i won't be stranded. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 67000 | 1 | |
| My 2002 ford focus key will not turn in the ignition! i see that this is an ongoing problem with thousands of people. it should be a recall as it could be a safety issue especially when you are stranded with young children in the car on a blustery winter day! i called ford motor company and they basically said it was my responsibility to fix it. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 70000 | 1 | |
| Key stuck in ignition, unable to remove it. this is a huge problem for the ford focus cars, resulting in not being able to lock you car having to leave the key in the ignition. replacement ignitions don't fix the problem, they fail also. *tr | |||
| 01/30/2010 | 99500 | 1 | |
| The ignition in my 2002 ford focus is locked up and i cannot turn it over at all. this is the second time this has happened in the past year now! the first time this occurred, my husband bought a new ignition online from an authorized ford dealership, drilled out the old one and installed the new one himself. the new ignition we bought was supposedly free of the defect that was causing the ignition failure. we have thoroughly researched the issue and the amount of focus owners affected by this is widespread. the second time this happened i was left stranded on one of the coldest days of winter with my 4 year old son. ford will not cover these repairs because my car is obviously out of the standard warranty period, however, i'm left to pay for the same costly repair time and time again. meanwhile, remaining constantly worried all the time if my car will leave me stranded. please help us ford focus owners and push ford to recall this apparent and immediate safety defect!!! *tr | |||
| 12/28/2009 | 90000 | 1 | |
| I drove my car (a 2002 ford focus) to a restaurant on dec. 28th, 2009 at 7:15 pm. when i got back into my car, the key would not turn in the ignition. i turned the wheel to release it from the locked wheel position, but the key still would not turn. i waited in my car for several minutes, then attempted to turn the key once more in the ignition with the same results. i was forced to call a friend and wait in my car with no heat. the temperature was approximately 27 degrees fahrenheit as i waited for nearly half an hour to be picked up, then dropped off at home by a coworker. he will have to pick me up for work tomorrow as all repair facilities are closed for the evening. i did some research online once i got home and found that this is a common problem with fords and specifically ford focus models from 2000-2003 yet there has been no recall posted and i will have to pay for repairs to an inferior part that is out of warranty. *tr | |||
| 11/17/2009 | 1 | ||
| The ignition on my 2002 ford focus locked up. it happened out of nowhere. i was completely stranded and it took me a while to get someone to come help me. after some investigation on the internet, it became clear that this problem is well documented and known about. i would hope this would be considered for a recall since it poses the potential to strand people in less than desirable conditions when the only problem present is the ignition. *tr | |||
| 11/04/2009 | 94726 | 1 | |
| I went to my babysitters to pick up my child and i turn off my car which is a 2002 ford focus tot go inside. i come back out 5 mins later and try to start it and the ignition was stuck. so it was towed and fixed for 400 dollars. and just a big pain in the | |||
| 09/21/2009 | 160000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2002 ford focus wagon, the key will not turn the ignition, therefore the car will not start. this has been going on for about a month. today oct 12, 2009 the key would not turn the ignition and the car would not start so my child missed school today because of this. this is getting frustrating i have only had the car since april of 2009 and this is causing me grief. i will not buy another ford focus due to this frustration. *tr | |||
| 10/04/2009 | 120000 | 1 | |
| Ignition is locked. key will not turn, brakes are locked, gears are locked. costs hundreds of dollars to be replaced and i was stranded for hours waiting for someone to help me. ford replaces the ignition key with the exact ignition key as before, creating dejavu for most customers. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| The key in my ford focus will not turn in the ignition. this has happened once before and was fixed after hours of playing around with it. now it has happened again, without as much luck. luckily, i have been close to or at home when this has occurred. however, i am concerned that this could easily make me stranded one day. no warranty is available and my only option is to have the ignition replaced. *tr | |||
| 01/07/2009 | 87000 | 1 | |
| No hint the ignition was going to lock up. stranded my wife in freezing weather until i get there. thank god for cell phones. this ignition issue is well documented with ford focus vehicles 2000 to 2003. *tr | |||
| 08/28/2009 | 60000 | 1 | |
| A little over a month ago on august 23, 2009, we purchased a used 2002 ford focus from a ford dealership on oahu, hawaii. on the night of august 28, 2009, after filling the car with gas, we tried to start the car, but the key just wouldn't turn. we tried for about 2 hours to get the car started to get home (and to move out of the way of the gas pumps so other people could pump gas). we had several people help us, but the key just wouldn't turn, and we couldn't push the car because the wheels were locked. we finally called a tow truck, but luckily, my husband was able to whack the key real hard (for the umteenth time) and turn the ignition, at which time the car finally started. we got home, searched online and found out that this was a common problem with these cars. now it'll cost us about $200 to get the ignition replaced at a locksmith. i will not return to ford to do this as it'll cost double what the locksmith cost. what's sad is that ford knows that this is a common problem, yet they won't do recalls to fix it. we used to be a ford family (purchased at least three ford explorers), but i don't think we'll be buying anymore ford cars. *tr | |||
| 09/08/2009 | 1 | ||
| I own a 2002 ford focus. last night i was at school , a very late class that ends at 10:15pm, and when i went to turn my key it was stuck. after many failed attempts in a parking lot that is basically empty by that time and being so close to downtown and the light rail i was very afraid of being stranded in alone as i did not have my cell phone on me. finally security came around after about 1/2 hour and let me call my husband and also looked on the internet to see if this had been reported before by any car owners. turns out that this is the most common problem in 90% of ford focus years 2000-2003. i am amazed that this is public knowledge and ford themselves even acknowledge this and there has been no recall? maybe it will take something really bad to happen to someone before ford realizes how dangerous this can be? i sure hope that someone will realize this is a huge issue because had that security officer not come buy i would have been stuck there since my husband works nights. the next day ,today, i am not able to turn the switch once again but this time i am in the comfort of my own home. please i hope you are able to see the safety hazard in this issue that ford fails to see and ask that a recall be made. *tr | |||
| 09/03/2009 | 37000 | 1 | |
| Sudden onset, got in my car, put my key in the ignition and the key would not turn to start the car no matter what i did. researched the problem, tens of thousands of complaints from 1999 to present, owners are stranded in diff. situations, freezing cold, extreme heat, with babies/children, stranded without the ability to communicate, young women (as in my case), at night, etc. cost to repair up to $750. am trying to fix it on my own, can't afford a dealer repair! ford is aware the problem is with poor quality metal used to make the part. i wrote to ford, they say bring my car in to have it looked at but qualify, saying: it is not a warranty repair and to have it examined may cost me. many other owners have posted temporary and lower cost fixes on-line as ford is not willing to do a recall stating it is not a safety issue. this is a safety issue. if someone is stranded in extreme heat or cold or a young woman is stranded because a key won't work, we are at risk and unsafe. a young child could die from exposure, become sick, a young woman could be raped or killed. ford is risking our safety and is at fault particularly because they are aware there is a problem and can do something proactively to fix the situation. that this documented situation has gone on for years is outrageous. it's frightening to get in your car at night, not have your key work, not know what's wrong or be able to do anything! when we are stranded because ford willingly put substandard parts in a vehicle, we are unsafe. prior to owning this car i had a 1973 vw bug, my key always worked with the original parts. to be expected to pay upwards of $750 for a part and labor for something that should last the life of the vehicle, that's tied to safety is unacceptable. our cars are unsafe, risking damage waiting for repair depending on where they are stranded! my safety is not important nor an issue for ford, they don't care about my car, my trust was misplaced, my car was not built tough. *tr | |||
| 07/22/2009 | 1 | ||
| I own a 2002 ford focus , the key fails to turn in the ignition over and over again. i'm a young woman working late hours 45 miles away from home 5 times a week and i've been stranded several times. i've been dealing with this problem for years. to my knowledge, there are over 3, 045 complaints online. there is also a petition. this is a safety hazard and should be recalled. it's dangerous not being able to start your car late at night or anywhere at anytime for that matter. even when you replace the ignition cylinder, it happens again and again. it's a defect. please help us! it's really inconvenient , unsafe and very disappointing.*tr | |||
| 06/27/2009 | 53000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford focus, key would not turn in the ignition, stranding my son some distance from home. had to have the car towed to a dealer and paid $285 to have this fixed (not including towing). *tr | |||
| 06/14/2009 | 91002 | 1 | |
| On the 2002 ford focus, the key won't turn in the ignition switch and thereby locks the car in its present position. the car can't be moved so the driver is prone to be stranded and the car could be towed or vandalized if allowed to remain in a city street parking space. this could also be dangerous if there is an emergency and the driver needs to get somewhere quickly. ford should issue a recall. *tr | |||
| 04/18/2009 | 1 | ||
| The ignition lock on my 2002 ford focus is defective. it takes a lot of jiggling of the key to get it to turn. sometimes it takes up to 10 minutes to get the key turned. i'm afraid at some point i won't be able to turn it period. i have read many reports online about ford focus between 2000 and 2003 having the same problem. *tr | |||
| 04/04/2009 | 87640 | 1 | |
| Faulty ignition cylinder lock, fails without warning. i had it replaced 12/15/07 and it is now defective again on 4/6/09. i had it fixed last time for $200, but it can cost up to $400. how this isn't a safety issue is beyond me. then again the pinto's exploding gas tank wasn't deemed a safety issue by ford, either. *tr | |||
| 03/27/2008 | 87400 | 1 | |
| 2002 ignition locks up with key left in it. the failure occurs everytime i drive the vehicle. i am going to have to hire a locksmith and pay over $400.00. *tr | |||
| 03/11/2009 | 85000 | 1 | |
| The key does not turn in the ignition so the car won't start. my teenage daughter drives this vehicle which can be very dangerous if it occurs in an remote area especially on a cold day/night such as tonight. fortunately, the car is in our driveway but it was pure luck that it happened there instead of somewhere else that could have left her stranded indefinitely in sub-freezing temperatures or in a secluded area. *tr | |||
| 01/14/2009 | 122700 | 1 | |
| I own a 2002 ford focus and my ignition has locked up and i have to leave my key in the ignition or it will lock up. i am presently searching for a mechanic or locksmith who can help in fixing this problem. *tr | |||
| 01/02/2009 | 92000 | 1 | |
| The key ignition locks up and will not turn. there have been several complaints online. this should be considered a manufactured problem. the lock will not recognize the key and turn. i am stuck. *tr | |||
| 12/31/2008 | 1 | ||
| My 2002 ford focus ignition is locking up with the key inside. constantly occuring. i'm going to research repair costs but have heard its very expensive and i thought since there were many complaints with this, maybe there would be a recall. *tr | |||
| 12/21/2008 | 89000 | 1 | |
| Key is stuck in the ignition. it happened suddenly, with no prior warning of impending problems. *tr | |||
| 12/16/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2002 ford focus. i replaced the ignition on 1/16/07 when i had 51,910 miles. i now have $80,000 miles and the ignition is locking up again. i was stranded at work and my 18 year old son is now using the car and i don't want him getting stranded in flint michigan. ford motor company is aware of this problem. *tr | |||
| 11/29/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Ford focus 2002 - ignition failure. happened three times. the third time was stranded in the cold weather with 9 month old baby until i could get help. my husband was able to start the car and i drove it to the dealer. it cost 350 to get fixed. i don't feel an ignition should break and then be replaced with a poorly manufactured ignition. i have read thousands of complaints online about this. this is a problem and ford should issue a recall. *tr | |||
| 11/18/2007 | 67000 | 1 | |
| Key locks up in the ignition and will not turn. the car would not start. *tr | |||
| 11/08/2008 | 1 | ||
| The ignition key continued to get stuck in the steering column and refusing to turn until i'd continue to fiddle with it, sometimes for over 30 minutes. very frustrating. the key has finally quit turning at all. the car is currently at howard's towing being repaired. the entire column is being replaced. very expensive. very unhappy. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| I drove my car to downtown as i normally do except this time i has the company of my 3 sons. it was 4 am in the morning. i parked the car taking the key out of the ignition and exited. at about 5:15 i tried to start the car by placing the key in the ignition and trying to turn it. the key would not turn. i tried again but again the key would not turn. i called aaa and the rep asked me to try to turn the steering wheel a little and then the key, this still did not work. he called a tow truck to come out to help. meanwhile my children and i were left to sit in the cold and wait for the tow truck driver. while waiting i pressed on the brake really hard and pulled on the steering wheel and tried the key again, luckily it worked. spoke to the aaa rep again and cancelled the tow. i woke up this morning to try the ignition again and it stuck again so i did the same thing that seemed to work yesterday, but it did not. fortunately i was at home this time and not on a mountain somewhere with my children. this is a scary thing to happen especially when you are with your children in a strange place. what if i were somewhere without a cell phone signal? would we have to wait until someone happens by or walk in the cold to get a signal. this is something that should not happen to anyone. *tr | |||
| 10/26/2008 | 72100 | 1 | |
| Ignition key lock. the steering wheel of the car locks up and the key will not turn the car on. jiggling the steering wheel column and turning the key at the same time does not work. the ignition cylinder was replaced. *tr | |||
| 10/07/2008 | 66720 | 1 | |
| The ignition switch on my car will not turn over to start the car. *tr | |||
| 09/09/2008 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2002 ford focus and the keys sometimes get stuck in the ignition and or the keys are not able to turn the ignition. i feel that this is unsafe. *tr | |||
| 07/26/2008 | 63000 | 1 | |
| Failure of ignition to turn on. programmed ford focus keys fail to turn on ignition. *tr | |||
| 07/20/2008 | 60000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford focus x3, everyday i have problems with my ignition. i inset the keys into the ignition and the car locks up and the keys won't turn. i have to pray to try and get it to turn. well today it finally gave up on me and i had to leave my car at my moms for good. *tr | |||
| 07/17/2007 | 50000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact was experiencing difficulty turning his key in the ignition of his vehicle. it took him 2-3 hours after leaving the store to start the vehicle. the failure occurred very frequently. the dealer advised him to go to a locksmith to remove the cylinder. the current mileage was approximately 76,000 and failure mileage was approximately 50,000. | |||
| 06/14/2008 | 68000 | 1 | |
| Tried to turn the ignition to start my car and the key would not turn. its a 2002 ford focus 2dr hatchback. it left me stranded for a few hours until i could have it towed. it seemed like the tumblers did not recognize the key. i could not shift out of park so i couldn't even push it out of the spot it was parked in. the entire ignition switch has to be replaced and the car restarted. *tr | |||
| 06/12/2008 | 38125 | 1 | |
| Ignition switch failure in 2002 ford focus. *tr | |||
| 05/16/2008 | 85000 | 1 | |
| My 2002 ford focus ignition switch will not turn. the steering wheel is locked because of this problem. the ford dealership says this is a coming problem with these cars, but there is no recall. the charge will nearly be $500. *tr | |||
| 05/15/2008 | 76000 | 1 | |
| Key will not turn in the ignition. had to call a locksmith to fix for over $200. the car was fine but would not start at all. the problem got worse and worse to the point i was stranded after about a week. *tr | |||
| 05/20/2008 | 20000 | 1 | |
| Steering wheel locked and ignition key would not turn, leaving me stranded. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2008 | 90000 | 1 | |
| My 2002 ford focus has a known ignition problem per don davis ford but no recall has been issued. the key will no longer turn at all. the dealership offered to replace the ignition switch for $400. *tr | |||
| 05/06/2008 | 61000 | 1 | |
| I have heard from many of ford focus owners of their problems with their ignition key getting stuck or not turning. i have been experiencing this problem for a few weeks now, where i have been left stranded at night or in harsh weather conditions. i believe that since this si not an isolated problem with a few vehicles and also considering the implications if vehicles not starting because of this problem in an emergency situation, should be enough to request to ford company, take responsibility for the design flaws in the ignition system. *tr | |||
| 04/18/2008 | 89420 | 1 | 02/07/2003 |
| My ignition switch on the 2003 focus wagon, locked up. a tow truck driver, hit it to release. i took it to the dealership for repair, and they said it would be $338.00. this is an ongoing issue with this model for years according to web blogs. i spoke to ford and they would not help me, and stated this was not a recall issue. we have 4 focus in the family. our 2002 had the same problem -but was repaired under warranty. this should not happen and must be addressed as a safety issue. *tr | |||
| 03/21/2008 | 1 | 04/01/2006 | |
| Went to the grocery store about 10pm when i was done got into my car and the ignition would not turn. i sat there trying for a long time and nothing. it was obvious the ignition was locked up. got my car towed the next morning to the ford dealership, which did not open until the following monday. they finally were able to look at it and said the ignition tumbler had to be replaced and the cost for that is $453.00. i was extremely disappointed because i am already on a tight budget and there was no event that led up to the ignition defect. *tr | |||
| 03/18/2008 | 1 | ||
| The ignition is locked on my 2002 ford focus. nothing led up to it. apparently this happens to focuses often. i need to have a locksmith replace it, at cost to me, when ford knows about this problem and has taken to action to remedy it. *tr | |||
| 02/24/2008 | 1 | 01/31/2006 | |
| I never experienced a problem with my ignition cylinder, no semi locking, no glitches nothing, then all of the sudden i go to start my car to leave the grocery store and the key won't turn. so i had to wait 3 hours with my 87 year old grandfather in a freezing car with no heater (cause the key wont budge) of a grocery store parking lot for a locksmith to come and fix and then to pay him $400. my complaint is not the wait, but that this from what i read is a problem occurring in these ford focus faulty ignition. if this where something that only happened to me, then that would have been my problem, but its not. so now we are out $400 because of cheap merchandise that should have been recalled and replaced for free because too many people before me have experienced this same problem. please investigate this problem further and let get a recall going so no one else has to bear this burden. thank you for your time and concern of this matter. sincerely madeleine mellott *tr | |||
| 12/28/2007 | 5 | ||
| '02 ford focus zx5 has shown continuous problems with ignition. first, the key would get stuck and the transmission would not shift out of 'p'. then, the key would intermittently get stuck in the ignition. this occurred with increasing frequency, and it is now stuck permanently. i have not yet taken it to get fixed, but based on phone inquiries to repair shops it will cost me anywhere from $200-500 to get it fixed. *tr | |||
| 12/24/2006 | 65000 | 1 | 05/12/2002 |
| Ignition lock defective. *tr | |||
| 11/30/2007 | 75378 | 1 | 07/01/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact was unable to start the vehicle when he inserted the key into the ignition. the steering wheel locked. the mechanic stated that the internal components of the ignition lock cylinder failed. the steering column and lock cylinder assembly were replaced and there were no further occurrences. the current and failure mileages were 75,378. updated 03/14/08. *lj | |||
| 11/19/2007 | 113000 | 50 | 08/19/2006 |
| My key wont turn in the ignition most of them time leaving me stuck and in a dangerous position. *tr | |||
| 11/02/2007 | 2 | ||
| 2002 ford focus the ignition locked up and the key would not turn to start the car. this happened in 9/2004 and again 11/2007. both times we were stranded, had to have the car towed, and it cost almost $400 both time. *tr | |||
| 10/18/2007 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2002 ford focus zx5 and my ignition locked up. dealer said it is not on any recall list and therefore i need to pay to have a new ignition cylinder put in it. cost is $200-250. *tr | |||
| 08/31/2007 | 70000 | 1 | 11/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. when the contact places the key in the ignition, the key fails to turn as if the steering wheel is locked. however, the steering wheel is not locked. the dealer stated that the failure is due to a failed mechanism inside of the steering column, which is common in vehicles of this year, make, and model. the ignition repair would cost an estimated $350. the vehicle has not been repaired. the vin and engine size were unknown. the failure and current mileages were 70,000. | |||
| 06/30/2007 | 60000 | 3 | 07/01/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact stated that she was unable to turn the ignition when the key was inserted. the dealer has not inspected the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 60,000. | |||
| 07/08/2007 | 3 | ||
| 2002 ford focus ignition locks ,can't turn key to start car. *ak | |||
| 05/06/2006 | 1 | ||
| I own a 2002 ford focus and the key got stuck and i couldn't start it or take the key out. i had to have it towed to the dealer since ford had made it so difficult for the average person to work on it. they had to replace the ignition and left a metal shaving mess in the car at my cost. is this how all ford vehicles and dealers were now. i also missed work due to this incident. *ak | |||
| 05/01/2006 | 68000 | 2 | 12/01/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact stated that the ignition switch constantly locks up and will not turn. when she places the key in the ignition, it also fails to turn. she has had the ignition replaced twice within one year. ford stated that the ignitions were re-modified due to a large number of complaints and that she would have to pay if she wanted a new one. the current mileage is 68,800 and failure mileage was 68,000. | |||
| 12/15/2004 | 50000 | 2 | 01/15/2003 |
| Ignition locked with key in it. towed to ford dealer and ignition drilled out and replaced at around $300. happened a second time. locksmith called. ignition drilled out and replaced for around $50.00. hasn't happened again in about 3 years.*ak | |||
| 03/04/2007 | 31000 | 1 | 10/01/2005 |
| Ignition key has locked up and will not turn. *jb | |||
| 08/30/2006 | 73000 | 4 | |
| Tl*- the contact stated that the 2003 ford focus had ignition lock cylinder problems. since 08/2006 when he put the key in the ignition it would not consistently turn over. he stated that for the past 4 days the key will not turn over the ignition, and he has been without a vehicle. he called the ford dealership, and was advised to tap on the key while the key is in the ignition to get the key to turn the ignition switch. the contact found on a website called automotivetalk.net, and a number of complaints about the same problem with other owners were listed. the website stated that various locksmiths described the failure as the tumblers in the ignition switch malfunctioned. the contact could get the key out of the vehicle, but could not turn the key to get the ignition to start. the contact did file a complaint with the manufacturer, and he will have a case number available for the hard copy. the current mileage was 80000, and the failure mileage was 73000.*ak | |||
| 01/18/2007 | 56500 | 2 | 10/24/2005 |
| Two separate 2002 ford focus automobiles have had the ignition lock break, making it impossible to turn the key, unlock the steering column, or start the vehicle. both these incidents occurred within a couple of months of each other. in the first case, there had been a gradual increase in the difficulty in turning the key in the ignition lock. in the second case, the failure was abrupt and complete - normal operation in the evening and total failure the next morning. the two vehicles involved are a 2002 ford focus 3-door hatchback (zx3), and a 2002 ford focus 4-door sedan (zts), both times it was necessary to have the vehicle towed to a dealership (specifically, veterans ford in metairie la) and have the lock replaced and two new keys made at the cost of $375 for each occurrence. *jb | |||
| 12/25/2006 | 65000 | 1 | 09/18/2002 |
| I own a 2002 ford focus lx and i experienced a lock up failure in the ignition system that caused me to be unable to use my car at all. i had to pay for towing, replacement of the piece and labor. i understand ford knows about the massive failure that this piece in their cars has experienced and has done nothing to replace the piece. i had my 4 year old with fever and needed to get him to the hospital, the car was the only car available for my use, but couldn't use it at all. i want ford to do something about this. thanks. *nm | |||
| 12/16/2006 | 62950 | 4 | 08/10/2006 |
| Ignition jams, key will not turn in lock. internet search turns up hundreds of complaints of the same nature. read http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_focus.html for more detail. i had to pound on the key with a flashlight to get it to work. problem getting worse/occurring more often. i had previously purchased a replacement key, thinking the old one might be wearing out, it only works in the doors, it will not work in the ignition at all. *nm | |||
| 10/23/2006 | 1 | ||
| The key stopped turning the ignition switch. the car cannot be started. *nm | |||
| 10/06/2006 | 37052 | 2 | 09/03/2002 |
| My ignition switch has been giving my daughter problems and now stop working all together. i have heard similar complaints with this car ford focus. *nm | |||
| 10/06/2006 | 1 | ||
| After the key is inserted into the ignition, it will not turn despite any wiggling of the steering wheel, stepping on the brakes, begging, or pleading. it has been difficult to turn before and we have successfully made it turn, but has never left us stranded until now. my husband is stranded as i write this waiting for someone to come pick him up from a restaurant. we have no way of operating the vehicle. we will have to have it towed to the dealership. *jb | |||
| 09/13/2006 | 96754 | 1 | 07/18/2002 |
| Starting having difficulty turning my key in ignition for 2 days. on the third day the key would not turn at all. had to have car towed to a repair facility and the estimated bill is $350.00 due sometime today. *nm | |||
| 09/08/2006 | 102000 | 2 | 02/12/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated without warning, the vehicle would not start and was towed to the dealership who determined the ignition needed to be replaced. the vehicle worked properly for two years, and then the vehicle wouldn't start. after an hour of trying, the vehicle started and was taken to an independent repair shop for inspection. | |||
| 09/07/2006 | 47000 | 1 | 03/01/2003 |
| Ignition lock cylinder failed for a second time since 9/16/04. had to be replaced by dealer. *jb | |||
| 09/05/2006 | 1 | ||
| Faulty ignition; had to call locksmith mobile and get whole cylinder replaced. just like many other occurrences i've read up on, key would not turn. was told this was a very prevalent problem with this model. in the weeks leading up to the replacement, i found the key was increasingly harder and harder to turn and start the car; it would take an extra little tug to start. *nm | |||
| 08/20/2006 | 1 | ||
| My problem is with my 2002 ford focus. the ignition and steering wheel constantly lock up and make it impossible to start the car. this has been happening frequently for the past 4 months. *jb | |||
| 08/12/2006 | 19000 | 4 | 09/21/2002 |
| 2002 ford focus, the vehicles ignition cylinder will not turn. i can place the key in the ignition but it will not turn to start the vehicle. this happened three or four times but i was able to get the key to turn, but this time i couldn't and i am towing it to the dealer to have the ignition cylinder replaced. *nm | |||
| 07/12/2006 | 1 | ||
| 2002 ford focus sedan manual transmission with 80,000 miles. with no warning the engine acts as if it is going to stall, vehicle hesitates, jerks and sputters. this literally causes the vehicle to jolt forwards and backwards and shakes the passengers inside the vehicle. this is a very scary event, especially at 70+ mph speed or when in traffic. highly concerned that the vehicle is going to simple shut off while on interstate 95 which could be deadly. the ford dealer where the vehicle was purchased and maintained has run a diagnostic test that showed no abnormalities. the following week the key would not turn and the vehicle had to be towed with ignition/steering repairs. the vehicle was re-examined while again in the shop and driven again by the service team and they were unable to provide a useful diagnosis of the engine hesitation problems. we need a resolution to this problem and it appears that no one can appropriately diagnose the problem. *jb | |||
| 07/09/2006 | 40010 | 2 | 07/26/2002 |
| Ignition lock was jammed on my ford focus 2002 and i had to replace it twice so far. it cost me close to $400 canadian. i only have 40,000 miles on it . this has been such a frequent event. ford is not taking any responsibility yet. *jb | |||
| 06/23/2006 | 38000 | 1 | 06/29/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked the ignition switch locked up. the key fit in the key slot but key and steering wheel could not be turned. the vehicle was towed to the dealership where they determined that the ignition switch had to be replaced. the invoices for the repairs to the ignition switch are available. | |||
| 05/17/2006 | 76000 | 1 | 08/20/2002 |
| I was leaving work late one night and could not get my 2002 ford focus zx3 to start. the ignition was locked and so was the steering wheel. no amount of turning the wheel or jingling the key worked. the car recognized that there was a key in the ignition as it began to 'ding' but no matter what i did the key would not turn in the ignition. luckily there was a company car available that i could take home. i commute over 50 miles one way to work. walking, bus and taxi are not available options for me. i am a young woman working in downtown phoenix and i no longer feel secure in my vehicle. i have researched this extensively on the internet. it could be a worn key tip, the keys are microchipped for anti-theft security so a new one can only be made at the dealership and must be the same number as your key. it could be faulty tumblers, ford created their own ignition to save money and the tumblers may not fall correctly, or fall to far in to allow the key to fit! there is no current recall, a p05 is in progress, and there are no technical service bulletins listed. if my car is no longer under warranty, despite my purchase of the extended warranty it will cost anywhere from $35.00 for a new microchipped key, to $500 for drilling a new ignition and new keys, a tow, and labor. automotivetalk.net has been the most helpful website so far, but i wanted to add my voice to the list in order to get a recall rolling and have ford pay for this cheap ignition that fails repeatedly. i will refuse to pay for the replacement cost on this obviously poorly engineered part. *nm | |||
| 05/09/2006 | 48849 | 1 | 03/01/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle the ignition locked up, after multiple attempts the vehicle started. this problem continued intermittently, but the vehicle was not inspected by a mechanic. the vehicle then stalled without warning at an intersection and the ignition locked up, a locksmith was contacted to replace the ignition. the ignition locked up a final time and the vehicle was towed the contact's residence. the dealership was alerted and an ignition switch was ordered, but the vehicle has not been repaired. | |||
| 03/25/2005 | 55602 | 1 | |
| 55,000 miles on the vehicle. on 3/25/05, while parked & locked, the ignition malfunctioned on its own, resulting in a fire that burned the steering column. the fire caused other damages and heavy smoke within the sealed passenger compartment. the fire extinguished itself with the lack of oxygen. pictures of the wiring harness, steering column and interior are available with the insurance company claim file. *nm | |||
| 04/26/2006 | 28000 | 1 | 10/01/2002 |
| My 2002 ford focus has a ignition lock problem. the key is impossible to turn. i had to call a tow truck and also pay $400 plus tax to fix this problem that i have found out is widespread. *nm | |||
| 01/10/2006 | 46000 | 1 | 11/10/2001 |
| On 01/10/06 the ignition of my ford focus zx3 (2002, 46000 miles)) locked up. i was unable to turn the key and start the car, blocking the entrance to a parking garage. an automotive technician was able to hot-wire the car so i could drive it to the closest dealership. i have contacted ford over the phone because i did purchase the extended warranty with the car. ford does not feel responsible for this incident and will not cover the repair cost under the extended warranty. i have researched this issue online and was able to find several thousands of other ford owners with the exact same problem. the locking of the steering column seems to happen over and over again, as the locks that are being used as a replacement are of the same bad quality as the originals. *jb | |||
| 01/09/2006 | 90000 | 1 | |
| Ignition will not turn. clutch master cylinder leaks. *jb | |||
| 09/14/2005 | 2 | ||
| This is the second time in less than one year that we have had to replace the ignition in our 2002 focus sedan. the key will not even turn in the ignition. we have had to pay for towing and the rental of another vehicle during the time of replacement of the ignition. please issue a recall! *nm | |||
| 07/18/2005 | 38500 | 4 | 03/27/2004 |
| Key will not turn in ignition cylinder | |||
| 07/10/2005 | 39000 | 2 | |
| Dt: 2002 ford focus, the vehicles ignition cylinder will not turn, consumer states that you can place the key in the ignition but it will not turn to start the vehicle, this occurs during any weather, the consumer has had the ignition cylinder replaced once already by the dealership. in nov. 2004, the consumer was having the same problem again, this time the problem happens sometimes other times it does not, the consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealership because he could not get the vehicle to start, when the consumer arrived at the dealership the vehicle would start, the dealership was not able to replicate the problem, the dealership does not want to fix the problem at this time, the vehicle is no longer under warranty but the part is because it was recently replaced. *nm *jb | |||
| 04/13/2005 | 66000 | 3 | 08/20/2002 |
| I have been having problems with my 2002 ford focus ignition. every time i put my key in the ignition it will go in, but the key will not turn. i need to see what i need to do to keep this from happening again. i have not replaced anything yet because i was hoping they would consider a recall on this part. so far i have just been forcing my key to turn and on april 13, 2005 it happened so i went and got some keys made and it still would not work. the next day about 45 minutes of work it finally turned and got started up. for right now i am leaving a key in the ignition to keep up from getting stuck again.*ak | |||
| 02/12/2005 | 56000 | 1 | 01/01/2002 |
| Ford focus zx3 ignition failure- steering column locks, car won't start. stuck in an unsafe area with no help. *jb | |||
| 01/25/2005 | 20900 | 10 | 01/23/2005 |
| No start, no crank. randomly car will not start, and there is no cranking either. happens once or twice a week. shows dashes on the digit display. car may start after 10 minutes or 3 hours - can't tell. has been taken to the dealer once. problem not replicated, but service found a technical service bulletin for the vin, and 2001, 2002 models which specified this exact problem, suggesting replacement of a specific part for supposedly a dpfe shortening. even though this part alone was changed, problem recurred just after a couple of days. vehicle now again at the dealership. this is a really annoying problem, and i'm now afraid to take the car anywhere, even if it comes back from the dealership supposedly after being 'fixed', as there's no telling when the problem will recur, or if the car could even stall in the middle of a freeway!. have requested dealership to keep the car for however long it takes to replicate the problem, but not sure if they'll do it. *jb | |||
| 02/07/2005 | 55000 | 3 | |
| This is the third time that my 2002 ford focus ignition has failed. i stick the key in the ignition, the car makes the beeping sound and will not turn. i have tried turning the wheel and turning the key at the same time. i have tried turning the key to the other side and then turning it and i have also made sure it was in park, tried to mess with the tilt of the wheel nothing works. this time that it happened i got stranded out in the middle of a dark parking lot where there was no one around. there were no other stores or anything around. i am now going to have to get my vehicle towed and spend another 250 to get this fixed. my car only has 55,000 miles and i have only had it for a year. ford needs to consider recalling this because i know that i am not the only one that has made a complaint regarding this. if this is not recalled i will never buy a ford again and neither will my family and we buy an awful lots of fords in our family and my husbands family. *jb | |||
| 03/17/2003 | 45000 | 4 | |
| Vehicle stalled and the ignition tumbler was defective whereby consumer have to leave the key in the vehicle. the ignition was replaced four times. also, front brakes squealed, and did not stop the vehicle. pads were replaced four times.*ak | |||
| 10/23/2004 | 62798 | 1 | 08/11/2004 |
| I picked my car up from cleveland hopkins airport on saturday, october 23, 2004. i drove to my sister in-law's house to pick up my husband and 2yr old daughter. we stayed for about two hours and then left. when i tried to start my 2002 ford focus i was not able to turn the key. the steering wheel was locked up and would only move a few inches in either direction. after about an hour i just drove my husband's mother's car home. the next day i had to have the car towed to liberty ford in maple hts. i was told several different things beforehand. i was told the steering wheel was locked and i only needed to jiggle the key and the steering wheel to unlock it. i was told i had a bad key and needed a new one. well none of that was true. the service department said i had to have my entire ignition replaced and it cost $342. i have not picked up the car yet, but will try to get the old part.*ak | |||
| 10/17/2004 | 75000 | 10 | 08/10/2002 |
| Approximately every fifth time i drive my 2002 ford focus, the key gets stuck in the ignition and cannot be removed. subsequently, i'm able to get the key out of the ignition (after restarting the car and driving mindlessly for a few miles). the dealer is aware of this problem, and they have replaced the lock cylinder twice to no avail. within days of getting fixed, the problem sprouts up again, leaving me without keys, without the ability to lock the car (that would lock my keys in the car), and forcing me to plan ahead and take a spare key with me wherever i go (so i can lock the keys in the car, still in the ignition -- a prime candidate for vehicle theft). this problem has been reported on numerous web sites, and there are clearly problems with the ignition system employed by ford. *jb | |||
| 10/08/2004 | 54001 | 1 | 01/06/2004 |
| Upon trying to start the vehicle, the ignition would not turn. the consumer tried several times to get the vehicle started. consumer had to have the vehicle towed. please provide any further information. *jb the consumer stated that the mechanic already knew that the consumers vehicle was a ford focus and knew the problem before it was told to him. *tc | |||
| 10/09/2004 | 53980 | 1 | 01/05/2003 |
| I own a 2002 ford focus. on the way out of the supermarket, i put the key in the ignition only to find it would not turn! it was jammed. i could pull my key in and out, but no amount of shaking the wheel or twisting the key could free this frozen ignition. never had this problem before. had to call a tow truck and have it fixed at the ford dealer in yucca valley, ca. $650.00!!! is what it cost to repair! i went online and found hundreds of different people having the same problem with this model car, some having it repaired 3 times in one year! this is a defective part that needs to be recalled! even the mechanics knew after telling them what model it was, what the problem was! how can you justify owning a 2 year old new car and having to replace the ignition every 3 years?? or more? this is bs! *nm | |||
| 10/06/2004 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated the key stuck upon putting the key into the ignition. the ignition switch started to freeze. consumer had problems starting the vehicle. this caused the steering wheel to lock. contacted the dealer. had the vehicle towed to the dealer. however the problem recurred. *ak. | |||
| 09/10/2004 | 500 | 5 | 09/28/2002 |
| I purchased a 2002 ford focus from don hinds ford in fishers, in on 9/28/02. the problem i am reporting is that the key will not turn over so that the engine can be started. the key routinely balks and jams. it failed to turn over 1 week after the purchase. the ford 800 assistance # recommended pulling the steering wheel back & forth while simultaneously trying to turn the key over. that worked, they did not offer to fix the problem. i got the selling dealership to replace the ignition cylinder tumbler at 19,000 mi under warranty. balking/jamming continued, at 38,000 the key would not turn over at all. after towing it to a private auto repair shop, they replaced the tumbler again. 1 month later it nearly didn't start again. ford in greensburg, in replaced the tumbler again under a good will policy. 9/10/04 the car stranded me again due to the same problem. after towing to an indianapolis, in ford dealership, they replaced the tumbler again. that's the fifth tumbler in that car in 43,000. i don't think the 5th one will fix it any more than the first 4 tumblers did. *jb | |||
| 09/14/2004 | 42000 | 1 | |
| Upon trying to start the vehicle. the ignition locked. however, the consumer could not turn the key. the consumer tried both keys to the vehicle, and neither worked. please provide any further information. *jb | |||
| 09/08/2004 | 2 | ||
| Ignition cylinder is broken again after repair. this part needs to be recalled! being unable to start the car at random is unsafe!*ak | |||
| 08/28/2004 | 25 | 01/05/2004 | |
| Ignition lock on the 2002 ford focus is faulty. the cylinders become damaged over time (short duration of time) due to wear preventing the lock from turning. also there is a defect in the passive anti-theft device connected to the ignition switch. it will fail over time and cannot be easily repaired. the lock has malfunctioned on my wife and myself multiple times and has even cost us ten minutes of haggling before the switch would engage. i do not care to have my wife stranded, especially late at night, due to a part which is known by the manufacturer to be defective. *jb | |||
| 08/21/2004 | 0 | 1 | 05/09/2002 |
| Sterring locked up. key will enter ignition but will not turn. car is still in the shop. *jb | |||
| 11/01/2003 | 15000 | 20 | 08/28/2003 |
| Car will randomly not start. this occurs both when engine has been cold for several hours and after engine has been running a while and then shut off and restarted. car will eventually start usually after waiting about 30-40 minutes. dealer says cannot replicate problem but they will not keep it long enough to really try. if we were to tow to dealer, car would be starting by the time it got there. occurs at random, about 1-3 times per month since november 2003. has been to dealership 2 times. first time, loose wire in steering column was corrected but they said nothing was wrong with car. second time they replaced a part in ignition switch but said nothing was wrong with it to start with. still having no-start problem. returning to dealeriship tomorrow.*ak | |||
| 06/08/2004 | 35400 | 2 | 04/29/2002 |
| In january 2004 and again on june 8, 2004 my 2002 ford focus stopped running while in traffic. the first time (january, 2004) was on the i-355 tollway while traveling approximately 55 mph. i was lucky enough to be in the right lane and was able to coast to a stop at the route 64 off-ramp. the last time (june 8, 2004) i was in rush hour traffic when the engine quit. there was no warning, sputtering or gradual loss of power. the engine just stopped and the dash warning lights came on. the june failure nearly caused an accident because of the cars folowing closely behind me on a narrow roadway. i was able to slowly coast onto a side street and out of the main flow of traffic. the car started after a short delay and was driven to the dealership where purchased. the checked out the car and told me that they could not find anything wrong. as such, they woould not make any repairs. when i contacted ford, i was told they would do nothing, since the dealer could not find anything wrong. this intermittent problem is dangerous and ptentially could cause an accident if it occurs on a freeway with fast moving traffic. ford told me that they could not do anything about it and that further conversation would be just going in circles. i told them that they have been advised and that a problem exists. if an accident results from this i will persue the matter. i was told that they have attorneys for matters like this.;*ak | |||
| 06/07/2004 | 48201 | 1 | 05/21/2004 |
| Ignition key will not turn at all. dealer quoted $400 to replace lock cylinder. *ak | |||
| 05/16/2004 | 48000 | 1 | 06/30/2002 |
| When putting the key in my ignition, the key will not turn and the steering wheel is locked. this just started happening and progressively gets worse. *ak | |||
| 11/03/2003 | 21470 | 1 | 08/22/2002 |
| Engine stalled after i had driven two miles with no warning. i had just down-shifted into 2nd gear as i was slowing to make a turn and the car stalled across two traffic lanes and would not restart. the oil light, battery light, and one other light came on (alternator i think). the car was manually pushed out of traffic lanes in neutral gear by two motorists who stopped to help. they were also unable to restart the vehicle. after approximately 10 minutes the engine started. i had the car towed and after 5 days the dealership still cannot find anything wrong. apparently the onboard computer did not capture the problem. i am extremely concerned because the car stalled without warning at approximately 25 miles an hour. had i been on the interstate as scheduled (i was running late and had to drop my daughter off before going home to pick up my laptop) i would almost certainly have been involved in an accident because i had no time to maneuver out of traffic after the engine stalled. it was 75 degree day (monday 11/3/03) so outside temperature could not have been a factor. *la | |||
| 10/10/2002 | 500 | 1 | 09/28/2002 |
| Purchased 2002 ford focus 4 dr sedan, took delivery 9/28/02. about 1-2 wks later, tried to start car, ignition key would not turn over. called ford assistance toll-free #, they advised wiggling the wheel while turning the key. they say ignition key sometimes will not turn when wheels are turned or parked up next to a curb. this has happened many times since, not all under those circumstances. today, 7/16/03, with just over 19,000 miles on it, i brought it into don hind's ford dealership in fishers, in, where i purchased the vehicle new. they have put a new cylinder lock in there, per kip jacobs of don hinds ford. mr. jacobs did try to get me to believe that this is a common problem among all cars. i informed him i've been driving 33 years, and i have never had a car do this. i consider this a safety issue. i rarely loan my car, nor is it driven by anyone else. nevertheless, should i do so, and forget to warn them of this peculiarity in advance, they may have an urgent need to start the car, and be unable to do so. (like, my baby can't breath! let's get her to the hospital fast!) or if i sell it to someone else, if they aren't aware of this idiosyncrasy, and don't know the ford toll-free assistance #, they may be stranded until they can find a way to get help. i wanted to file this complaint for statistical purposes and for public information purposes.*ak | |||
| 06/03/2003 | 14000 | ||
| Vehicle won't start. dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| 05/25/2002 | 3 | 05/01/2002 | |
| May 25, 2002: vehicle stalled on hwy 15/93 interchange in las vegas, nv while doing 65 mph. traffic was moderate, and we were able to move to the side of the road. safety was of main concern here as we were not that far off the road. the vehicle restarted 30 min. later. may 27, 2002: vehicle stalled for second time on hwy 93, 34 miles southeast of kingman arizona while going up a hill at 65 mph. there was no shoulder to pull off onto. there was holiday traffic and we had to push the vehicle up a blind hill (to oncoming traffic) 70 ft to the nearest shoulder. we were towed into kingman. since then, the fuel pump has been replaced 3 times in 68 days. while no one has been injured, it is just a matter of time before we are in a location that will not afford us a safe exit. clearly, the fuel pump design in this vehicle is defective.*ak | |||
| 05/14/2002 | 8 | 02/01/2002 | |
| This is my second ford, focus. my car stalls out and the steering wheel locks while driving. i initiated the lemon law for the previous focus 2001, but was offered a 2002 to avoid my proceeding to lemon law arbitration. wrong move on my part. my 2002 has the same iginition problems ... stalls out/steering wheel locks while driving! i do not recommend buying a ford focus. | |||
| While traveling on turnpike at 55 mph, vehicle hesitated momentarily as though a spark plug was missfired. owner will send details after ford inspects vehicle.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER | |||
| 07/13/2005 | 69000 | 2 | 02/01/2004 |
| 2002 ford focus sedan - the key will go into the ignition , but the key will not turn and my steering wheell is locked, have to have it tow to the dealer | |||
| 10/23/2004 | 62798 | 1 | 08/11/2004 |
| I picked my car up from cleveland hopkins airport on saturday, october 23, 2004. i drove to my sister in-law's house to pick up my husband and 2yr old daughter. we stayed for about two hours and then left. when i tried to start my 2002 ford focus i was not able to turn the key. the steering wheel was locked up and would only move a few inches in either direction. after about an hour i just drove my husband's mother's car home. the next day i had to have the car towed to liberty ford in maple hts. i was told several different things beforehand. i was told the steering wheel was locked and i only needed to jiggle the key and the steering wheel to unlock it. i was told i had a bad key and needed a new one. well none of that was true. the service department said i had to have my entire ignition replaced and it cost $342. i have not picked up the car yet, but will try to get the old part.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||
| 11/27/2008 | 56000 | 1 | |
| This complaint is in regards to a 2002 ford focus and the failure of the ignition module from allowing my key to turn. fortunately enough when this incident occurred i was not in a bad neighborhood or stuck out on the highway in the desert. it has occurred each time i've tried to turn the key, and it's only after significant effort and near injury to my wrist and index finger was i able to get the key to turn. i have researched online and noted many discussion boards stating the other consumers who have had this same problem. there is a petition circulating that currently has over 2800 online signatures regarding this problem. this is a very dangerous problem. it could occur in the wrong neighborhood or in the most isolated places and isn't safe for the consumer when they get stranded because of this faulty part that ford does not try to fix with proper materials. *tr | |||
| 01/19/2006 | 28000 | 2 | 03/01/2002 |
| The ignition solenoid fails on this model. upon searching online and talking to a few locksmiths it would seem the ignition is substandard/faulty in my car. how exactly does a keyed lock fail? is this a known issue? *nm | |||
| 11/01/2005 | 54000 | 1 | 04/01/2004 |
| 2002 ford focus zts locked ignition --tumblers were out of synch? found out that this was a common problem but the dealer won't authorized to fix it without charge. paid $293 for repair. seem to be a problem which could be a recall issue. thank you for your concern. *nm | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH | |||
| 01/20/2010 | 135000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the ignition remained locked. the contact tried moving the steering wheel to unlock the ignition and was unsuccessful. the tow truck driver tapped on the ignition and unlocked the steering wheel. the contact drove the vehicle to a local mechanic who lubricated the ignition switch; yet, the ignition locked again. the mechanic could not order the part for the ignition and the contact took the vehicle to an authorized dealer. the dealer informed the contact that the ignition lock cylinder needed to be replaced. the contact called the manufacturer regarding a good faith repair. the manufacturer stated that since the vehicle warranty was not valid that they would not repair the vehicle at no charge. the contact is concerned about the safety risk and the possibility of being stranded if the failure recurs. the failure mileage was 135,000. | |||
| 07/28/2009 | 134000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. while driving between 35-40 mph, the contact pulled the vehicle over and turned off the ignition. the engine was restarted; however, the ignition key failed to turn. roadside assistance towed the vehicle to his residence. the authorized dealer stated that this was a common issue with this vehicle, and they replaced the ignition switch. the failure and current mileages were 134,000. | |||
| 04/10/2009 | 83400 | 1 | |
| I had come back to my 2002 ford focus se, put the ignition key into the ignition switch & the switch would not turn. i had to pay $45.00 to have my car towed to a garage. the mechanic charged me $400.00 to replace the whole upper part of the steering column & redo the ignition switch that came on it. *tr | |||
| 10/07/2008 | 66720 | 1 | |
| The ignition switch on my car will not turn over to start the car. *tr | |||
| 03/25/2008 | 40000 | 1 | 10/09/2002 |
| Key won't turn in the ignition. *tr | |||
| 02/23/2008 | 1 | ||
| When i put my key in the ignition, it doesn't turn. i got stuck while shopping and had to have a locksmith come out. he informed me that my key was fine, but the ignition switch was the problem and that he has responded to many of the same calls for the same problem on the 2002 ford focus. he suggested there might be a recall due to the high volume of responses. so i called a ford dealership and they then informed me that they had been receiving a lot of the same calls, but there was no recall in effect. the man i spoke to gave me the ford 800 number to call and issue a complaint, which i did. now i have to unfortunately go spend $300 plus dollars on repairing my ignition switch even though ford is aware of the faulty part. please recall 2002 ford focus ignition switches! *tr | |||
| 12/15/2007 | 66000 | 2 | 03/11/2002 |
| When i attempt to start my car the key will not turn, when speaking with a dealer on the problem they explained to me that this is a problem very very common with the ford focus and agreed that this should be recalled due to the number of cars that need the key cylinder replaced, sometimes multiple times, due to this issue. *tr | |||
| 06/17/2007 | 58000 | 1 | 05/06/2005 |
| Ignition failed , key will not turn. *ak | |||
| 01/06/2007 | 96000 | 1 | 04/04/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact stated that the ignition switch locked and the contact was unable to start the vehicle. the key will not turn in the ignition, therefore the vehicle will be towed to the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 96,000. | |||
| 03/22/2007 | 22000 | 1 | |
| 1) no warning symptoms 2) failure is that ignition key will not turn. car will not start. this is a mass defect, but fort apparently is not issuing recall. 3) have not done anything. car was towed to my home, and is sitting there useless. dealerships tell me it will cost $300 to fix, but ford should repair this for free. *jb | |||
| 11/29/2006 | 66000 | 1 | 08/01/2002 |
| I had just gotten off work and went to leave. i tried to turn the key in the ignition and it wouldn't move. to make a long story short, it was my ignition switch. the guy at the ford dealership new exactly what i was talking about when i called, stating it has happened several times to the focuses. the tow truck driver stated that same thing. ford says it is not a safety issue, but it definitely can be. i will never buy a ford again, especially not one from archie cochrane in billings, mt. they are a bunch of money hungry jerks who are unwilling to take responsibility for their wrong doings or have any sympathy for a customer. *jb | |||
| 02/03/2007 | 84232 | 4 | 10/15/2002 |
| 2002 ford focus ignition switch wont turn, locked up. *nm | |||
| 12/10/2006 | 77000 | 1 | 10/12/2006 |
| 2002 ford focus ignition locking up. it just cost me $285.00 to have a locksmith come to my house where my totally disabled ford focus sat. the locksmith completely replaced my ignition and showed me the difference and the problem with the ford oem ignition. the locksmith told me that he has become an expert in ford focus' ignitions due to this faulty part. there is no way in the world that this problem that has happened repeatedly to so many people should just go away. ford needs to be accountable for this problem and make it right for the american ford car buying public or we should stop buying ford's! *nm | |||
| 08/13/2006 | 60000 | 1 | 08/28/2004 |
| The ignition on my 2002 ford focus with 60,000 miles locked up when i put the key in. what i thought would be a fast trip into the post office lead to a six hour event of trying to get my car started, calling ford, and aaa., to make matters worse it was during a thunderstorm. after six hours my car was towed to a local mechanic where the ignition was worked on for a costly price. *jb | |||
| 07/09/2006 | 65000 | 10 | 11/03/2004 |
| 2002 ford focus ignition problem. key will not turn. my daughter, 17 years old was stuck in parking lot, late in the evening! this has happened on several occasions. *jb | |||
| 05/27/2006 | 35000 | 2 | 01/14/2005 |
| Ignition key would not turn to any position. no warning of impending failure. car could not be driven, had to be towed. *nm | |||
| 05/11/2006 | 58000 | 2 | 04/06/2006 |
| The ignition switch locked up in my car. i have had three other friends with the same car say that there ignition switch did the same thing. *jb | |||
| 05/03/2006 | 33500 | 1 | 08/14/2002 |
| Ignition switch on my 2002 ford focus with 34,000 miles failed. required a tow and replacement. total cost of replacement was $290. ford will not acknowledge that there is a quality problem with the ignitions. there are lots of failures of them. this should be recalled. thanks tom rolland. *jb | |||
| 04/07/2006 | 44000 | 1 | 03/14/2006 |
| The ignition switch locked up, not allowing the key to turn. *nm | |||
| 04/28/2006 | 6 | 02/10/2005 | |
| I have a 2002 ford focus and my ignition locked up again and this time i could not start my car i was stranded for an 2 hours waiting for a tow truck to get the car. when i parked the car it was not straight so i caould not park it straight to wait to get it fixed . i called a repair guys and he said that this is very common what can we do about this. i was told it is going to cost me about $300.00 i am a single parent how does ford motor company believe that we have any trust in the vehicle when they know that this is an issue and do not fix it at there cost in stead of ours. *nm | |||
| 04/22/2006 | 1 | ||
| Ignition switch will not turn. *nm | |||
| 04/05/2006 | 65000 | 1 | |
| Have had an ignition freezing up problem and researched it online and noticed this has been an on going problem with ford. i have a 2002 ford focus. first time i have had a car ignition freeze up. *jb | |||
| 03/20/2006 | 58000 | 1 | 08/01/2004 |
| The ignition switch of the ford focus years 2000-2002 for sure may be other years become jammed which could lead to crashes. i am worried every time i drive my car. this item needs to be recalled by ford motor company. *jb | |||
| 01/26/2006 | 55000 | 1 | 06/01/2005 |
| Ignition does not turn on 2002 ford focus. i cannot turn the key. i have looked around on the internet and there were a lot of people who had this same problem. i fixed it by tapping the key with a hammer as i turned the key. the dealership wanted me to pay them $400 to fix this problem, but i thought ford should just fix it before they make their worthless cars.*ak | |||
| 12/22/2005 | 1 | ||
| I just bought a 2002 ford focus. my key wont turn and my steering wheel is locked up. on-line i have noticed this is a huge problem with focuses. i am going to get it fixed, but am concerned because it seems to be a big problem that will continue to re-occur. i have been without a car for sometime, and was stranded. luckily it happened at my apartment and i did not have to have the car towed immediately. *nm | |||
| 12/14/2005 | 1 | ||
| Ignition switch lock-up. no previous problems. not covered by warranty. vehicle only has 55,000 miles. cost to repair approximately $300. *nm | |||
| 11/20/2005 | 1 | 12/01/2001 | |
| Dt: the contact stated the ignition locked, and the key/steering wheel would not turn. the vehicle was towed to the dealership, and they found the ignition cylinder needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, and there have been no problems since then. *ak | |||
| 04/20/2005 | 49585 | 1 | 03/15/2002 |
| Could not remove ignition key nor start the vehicle. complete ignition key failure. *jb | |||
| 09/25/2005 | 27300 | 1 | 03/28/2002 |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact stated that when he inserted the key into the ignition, it locked and did not allow the consumer to start the vehicle. the consumer did have the cylinder lock replaced in the ignition. this did remedy the problem. the dealership was aware that there was a problem with the ignition on this type of vehicle. the manufacturer stated that this specific part was not covered under the warranty, and there was no recall. the consumer did have to cover the cost of the repair.*ak | |||
| 06/18/2005 | 1 | 02/04/2005 | |
| Dt: the consumer states that the 2002 ford focus ignition switch failed. consumer cannot get the car to turn on. the switch will not turn. the car has been like this for two months. the car is in the shop now. the manufacturer has not been called. *ak | |||
| 08/24/2005 | 36000 | 1 | 05/01/2005 |
| Dt: the contact states at any time the ignition will not turn in his daughter's vehicle. if the key will not turn the ignition the vehicle will not start. the contact states he has had the vehicle repaired. the service dealer extracted and replaced the ignition lock cylinder. the service technician stated that this was a defective part in the ford focus and it was a common problem that happened all the time. the consumer asked if there was a recall, and the service technician said no, but he should call nhtsa and file a safety complaint. the consumer filed a complaint with the ford motor company.*ak | |||
| 08/08/2005 | 89000 | 2 | 09/30/2002 |
| The ignition switch will not turn, had it replaced in jan. of 04. an now it won't turn again. aug of 05. the dealer said it needs to be replaced again. *nm | |||
| 07/08/2005 | 63488 | 1 | 10/14/2001 |
| I have had my car for 4 years. just recenty the ignition switch failed. i can put the key in the ignition, but it won't turn. after just a few minutes on the internet, i found that this is a major problem with focii, but ford refuses to address it. i am now without a car for the weekend. this is in addition to finding out this week that both the fuel pump and alternator are both also defective, but not covered. | |||
| 09/12/2002 | 451 | 1 | 09/12/2002 |
| Runaway auto throttle body sticking caused car to become a runaway auto with no control to stop. exiting highway 80 at prnryn rd. ext. cruise control shut off auto speeded up enjine roared appliing brakes didn't stop auto. went off road and struck a large oak tree. vehicle overturned down an embankmend. landed on roof of auto. auto had 450 miles on it and was totally destroyed. | |||
| 04/18/2005 | 43000 | 1 | 02/15/2005 |
| My ignition locked up and i was stranded in a parking lot after purchasing a 2002 ford, focus less than a month ago. i had to hitch a ride home because i didn't have the money for a tow. the next day, i had my vehicle towed to a ford dealer for repairs. evidently this was a major problem, people getting stranded due to a faulty ignition switch. what is it going to take to get this problem fixed. who is making the fortune on all these part replacements???? is it ford???? who makes these faulty ignitions???? they are probably still making a fortune and still making these bad parts. this could result in a very dangerous situation. please get this problem fixed!*ak | |||
| 04/18/2005 | 43000 | 1 | 02/15/2005 |
| My ignition locked up and i was stranded in a parking lot after purchasing a 2002 ford, focus less than a month ago. i had to hitch a ride home because i didn't have the money for a tow. the next day, i had my vehicle towed to a ford dealer for repairs. evidently this is a major problem, people getting stranded due to a faulty iqnition switch. what is it going to take to get this problem fixed. who is making the fortune on all these part replacements???? is it ford???? who makes these faulty ignitions???? they are probably still making a fortune and still making tthese bad parts. this could result in a very dangerous situation. please get this problem fixed! *ak | |||
| 04/11/2005 | 52000 | 2 | |
| Consumer complained about an ignition. problem. owner had parked vehicle and went inside of a building for an hour. upon returning, owner put the key in the ignition and the key would not turn. owner had the vehicle towed to dealer where it was being serviced. *ak | |||
| 04/02/2005 | 1 | ||
| While inserting the key into the ignition it locked. driver was unable to turn the key. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the ignition cylinder needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 03/01/2005 | 40000 | 4 | 09/08/2002 |
| The key won't turn in the ignition. unable to move vehicle. had to have it towed to ford dealership. crow- moddie burlington ks. not fixed yet.*jb | |||
| 02/24/2005 | 55000 | 8 | 08/09/2004 |
| 2002 ford focus ignition switch locks and will not start the car. *nm | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 5 | ||
| Upon entering the vehicleand engaging the key engine would not turn over. also, the key worked intermittently, and sometimes it would not unlock the doors. ignition lock cylinder failure. *ak | |||
| 12/09/2004 | 40000 | 15 | 05/01/2002 |
| I have been having reoccuring problems with the ignition in my vehicle. i visited the consumer affairs website and found out this is a common problem in focus'. i have been charged over $300 to have the problem rectified. one man said he had to have his ignition replaced 3-4 times. daily, it takes me up to 30 minutes to start my car due to ignition malfunctions. i don't feel that we, focus owners, should be held responsible for a manufactures defect. *ak | |||
| 11/25/2004 | 64000 | 4 | |
| Ignition switch in my 2002 ford focus has quit working for the 4th time. if you go to this ite you will see this is a very bad problem ford is having with the focus and is very dangerous.http://www.automotiveforums.com/t158426.html. *ak | |||
| 10/27/2004 | |||
| 2002 ford focus ignition lock cylinder busted. got stuck for 3 hours before getting the car towed. | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 9 | 09/22/2004 | |
| Just purchased a used 2002 ford focus and everything worked just fine until the key would not come out of the ignition. the longest i have sat and tried to get the key out is half an hour and finally i just left the key in there because it was ridiculous. i was able to get it out the next day but this is a constant problem and ive heard others tell me that this has happened in their focus. this needs to be addressed by ford, not by those of us having problems with their product.*ak | |||
| 10/22/2004 | 1 | 08/28/2004 | |
| I was shopping with my 16 mon. old sons and after we were in the car i tried to turn the key on my 2002 ford focus, the ignition is locked. i'm told that this is common in the focus. i called ford and am taking my car in to have the ignition replaced. it will cost $300- $400.*ak | |||
| 08/14/2004 | 2 | ||
| The key spotaneously does not turn in the ignition. two occurrences at $300 each within 2 months. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| Upon putting the key in the ignition it got stuck in the ignition and won't come out. when consumer tried to turn key over over vehicle will not start. took vehicle to the dealer, but the problem recurred. *ak | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 2 | ||
| Upon putting the key into the ignition it would not fit as if it was the wrong key. upon getting the key in the ignition it would not turn over, and the vehicle would not start. there were no warnings. took vehicle to the dealer, but problem recurred. *ak | |||
| 04/09/2004 | 2 | 12/19/2002 | |
| Ignition freezes and won't turn. have had to have the vehicle towed to dealership twice.*ak | |||
| 08/11/2003 | 17 | 1 | 11/20/2001 |
| On august 11, 2003 i took my car into koons ford of annapolis, to have the have the ignition switch took at, because the key would not turn. i was told my service manager mike sheckells, the service advisor pete, and factory tech: 063 - randall bounds, and a cashier that this has been a major problem with most of the ford focus, i feel this i should be on a recall notice if its has been a major problem with the focuses. that the consumers should not have to pay for a major defect with these vechicle. also, i had my focus in koons for of annapolis, on may 10, 2003, to have new brakes, oil change and transmission problems. on the transmission problems because it was a intermittent that they could not find any thing.*ak on july 25, 2003, i left my car for service on the transmission because it was slipping out of gear completely. they had the car until august 7, 2003, which they put in a remfg transmission and c. i left koons for with 1.5 miles on the trip meter, i went another 17.1 miles went the transmissions surged, i e-mailed mike sheckell on august 8, 2003 which he did not answer as of this day. i talked to mike sheckell on august 11, about this problem and the answer i get is they can not do any except to let some one go on at test dive with me. this is not the answer because it's a intermitten problem and some one would have to drive it for a few day before the transmission would surged againg. i have kept record of this problem is surged at 18.5 miles, 93 miles and at 250.0 miles on the trip meter. i feel the transmission was not fixed and fixed right and also, feel that this is a safety problem. i have done business with koons for of annpolis for over 20 years. my daughter is scared to ride in this car now, and i do not feel safe in the car neither. i have never had this type of bad service or incompetent service before, i also feel they are just telling me anything, because of being a female. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY | |||
| 01/25/2005 | 20900 | 10 | 01/23/2005 |
| No start, no crank. randomly car will not start, and there is no cranking either. happens once or twice a week. shows dashes on the digit display. car may start after 10 minutes or 3 hours - can't tell. has been taken to the dealer once. problem not replicated, but service found a technical service bulletin for the vin, and 2001, 2002 models which specified this exact problem, suggesting replacement of a specific part for supposedly a dpfe shortening. even though this part alone was changed, problem recurred just after a couple of days. vehicle now again at the dealership. this is a really annoying problem, and i'm now afraid to take the car anywhere, even if it comes back from the dealership supposedly after being 'fixed', as there's no telling when the problem will recur, or if the car could even stall in the middle of a freeway!. have requested dealership to keep the car for however long it takes to replicate the problem, but not sure if they'll do it. *jb | |||
| 12/25/2002 | 16000 | 4 | 06/15/2002 |
| It all started on christmas day of 2002. my car was only 6 months old and the starter went out. about four months later i began to have problems with the automatic locks. sometimes the doors would lock all by themselves and at other times they would not lock at all. i reported this problem to the dealership and the service rep informed me that they could do nothing about it unless it was acting up at the time i brought it in. well, by the time i would get to the dealership everything was ok again. on the 7th of july i took my car to have the oil changed. when i left the dealership all the gauges on my dash were flipping all the way to the right and coming back again. and my battery light was on. i went right back to service dept. they drove the car and (surprise!) it would not do it again. they said they may have spilled some coolant on the belt and it was just losing voltage. as soon as the coolant wore off it should not do it again. on july17 i was driving my car and i looked at my gages and none of them were working. it was just like the car was not even started. i made a u-turn and went to the service dept. they told me to bring in the next day and they would give me a rental car until they could find the problem. the same afternoon they call me and tell my car is ready. i ask if they have fixed the problem and the rep informs me that they could find nothing wrong with the car (after only one day with it!). well they must think i'm some kind of hypochondriac for my car! i told her that i was not coming to get that car until they found the problem and fixed it. i can not tell how fast i am going and i'm sure they wouldn't like to pay for any speeding tickets.*ak | |||
| 03/15/2003 | 11155 | 1 | 08/15/2002 |
| While driving through a puddle, starter shorted and destroyed flywheel. later it was found that water had gotten into transmission. in addition, a large amount of water was taken into the cab of the vehicle under the door seals. i was not stopped in the puddle, only moved through it. due to the water incursion into the cab of the vehicle, the vehicle has been declared a total loss by my insurance. they fear electrical damage could result. i am concerned that anyone going through standing water (this was not a huge puddle) would find themselves with electrical problems that could result in injury. *jb | |||
| 09/06/2002 | |||
| Vehicle hesitated to start. started after 40/45 mins. dealership serviced vehicle. cause unknown. please provide more details. mr | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||
| 04/18/2005 | 41000 | 5 | |
| While driving at 30 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealership. the battery cable melted and the alternator was bad and needed replacement. a week prior, the check engine light came on and smoke had come from the engine compartment. the fourth gear went out because it's wire connection melted. the consumer felt the failures were due to the engine misplaced cable problem as stated in recall 02v288000. *ak *sc *jb | |||
| 03/10/2005 | 2000 | 5 | 07/08/2004 |
| My car stalled when driving anywher from 20 - 70mph. the gauges go haywire the light cut off and on , the clock resets, the speedometer goes crazy, and i have a young daughter that rides in this car. this started in october and is still going on to date. my car is still under warranty. *ak | |||
| 03/17/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving 70 mph smoke was coming in to vehicle through the vents. vehicle caught on fire. police and fire departments were called, no injuries reported. vehicle was towed. *ak | |||
| 03/04/2003 | 3 | 11/26/2001 | |
| Went to start car and it would not start. when i turned the radio on the windshield wipers would come on, when i turned the wipers on the headlights would go off. ford dealer tried to say that the cause was related to a remote starter that had been installed. took it to another dealer and it was found to be a problem with the wiring. also having transmission problems and problems with the lock on the trunk. *jb | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 3452 | 2 | 03/29/2002 |
| 2002 ford focus zx5 hatchback model was purchased new from lafres ford. the check engine light keeps coming on and stays on. various electrical problems have occurred and various parts have been replaced (documented on all service reports) the check engine light has been a problem from day one and i have experienced other parts burned and replaced in the past, ie cooling fan harness and resistor burnt, burn smell when a/c is in use or the heator, replacement of battery. (car is still under warranty) i continually take the car back and forth to the dealer to have the check engine light corrected. (no reimbursement of toll/bridges and days off from work to have this car properly serviced, no reimbursement of rental cars) when i get the car back the check engine light is off and two days later it is back on again. i periodically call my service advisor at the service department telling him that i just picked up the car and within 24 hours the check engine light came on again. my service advisor tells me that the check engine light does not mean anything and i could drive around with the light onindefinetly althought the light is a nuisance. on 12/11/03 while driving, the check engine light which was already on, the battery light indicator came on, i immediately called the dealer service department and explained to my service advisor of the problem, it was late friday afternoon, he stated that was not a good sign and advised me to seek service at a ford service station. took car to universal ford. the car began to emit a burning smell i arrived at the dealer service stations and was told that my alternator was no good and that the harness hand burned and all the wires had melted. that is truly an unsafe car, this problem could have caused the car catch on fire and i could have been seriously injured, or become a fatality or others could have gotten hurt. the car is currently at the universal ford dealer service station.*ak | |||
| 04/18/2002 | 6800 | 1 | 10/01/2001 |
| The ford tech found a short in the cable from the tank pressure transducer. the wire was rubbing against the frame and finally shorted out the pcm and everything went brain dead. they replaced the pcm and rerouted a new fuel tank sensor wire away from the frame. so far so good. my car was in the shop for four weeks total. *ts *nlm *dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12-12-02 cut over to artemis*762059 | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer state after parking vehicle without any indication engine caught on fire. dealer service vehicle and notice wire harness need to be replace. please provide further information. | |||
| 08/15/2002 | 1 | 07/29/2002 | |
| While driving on the highway at approximately 55mph in the center lane, the consumer blacked out and hit the guardrail. upon impact, the airbags deployed, and then a fire began under the hood. the consumer is very concerned because the vehicle had completely burnt in 10 minutes. *ak the consumer feels that the ford focus should be taken off of the market, stating that for the 48 years she had been driving, she had never experienced a situation of this type and feels that something was smoldering or burning in the vehicle as she was driving. *scc | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||
| 03/10/2005 | 2000 | 5 | 07/08/2004 |
| My car stalled when driving anywher from 20 - 70mph. the gauges go haywire the light cut off and on , the clock resets, the speedometer goes crazy, and i have a young daughter that rides in this car. this started in october and is still going on to date. my car is still under warranty. *ak | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 3452 | 2 | 03/29/2002 |
| 2002 ford focus zx5 hatchback model was purchased new from lafres ford. the check engine light keeps coming on and stays on. various electrical problems have occurred and various parts have been replaced (documented on all service reports) the check engine light has been a problem from day one and i have experienced other parts burned and replaced in the past, ie cooling fan harness and resistor burnt, burn smell when a/c is in use or the heator, replacement of battery. (car is still under warranty) i continually take the car back and forth to the dealer to have the check engine light corrected. (no reimbursement of toll/bridges and days off from work to have this car properly serviced, no reimbursement of rental cars) when i get the car back the check engine light is off and two days later it is back on again. i periodically call my service advisor at the service department telling him that i just picked up the car and within 24 hours the check engine light came on again. my service advisor tells me that the check engine light does not mean anything and i could drive around with the light onindefinetly althought the light is a nuisance. on 12/11/03 while driving, the check engine light which was already on, the battery light indicator came on, i immediately called the dealer service department and explained to my service advisor of the problem, it was late friday afternoon, he stated that was not a good sign and advised me to seek service at a ford service station. took car to universal ford. the car began to emit a burning smell i arrived at the dealer service stations and was told that my alternator was no good and that the harness hand burned and all the wires had melted. that is truly an unsafe car, this problem could have caused the car catch on fire and i could have been seriously injured, or become a fatality or others could have gotten hurt. the car is currently at the universal ford dealer service station.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK | |||
| 08/07/2007 | 200000 | 1 | 10/20/2001 |
| Fuse was constantly blown for license plate lights, loss of power door lock function via the key fob or door switches, failure of automatic door lock system when driving, and loss of use of trunk/decklid release using the key fob or dash switch. dealership diagnosis determined the cause to be broken and shorted out wires leading from the side of the main body of the vehicle to the base of the trunk/decklid. repair was made with wire splices. note: early 2000 sedan models were recalled with a similar issue. quite a few hatchback and sedan owners after 2000 are experiencing a similar issue. *tr | |||