[Thomas504]

T'was the night before christmas, and I was trying to get some last minute shopping done, when I was stranded in a parking lot due to my ignition being locked. Did I mention I was in the chicago area (freezing weather)? The ignition started sticking about a week and a half earlier, but I learned that if I smack the key a few times with my hand, it would free up. It did however begin to stop locking about three days before the day it locked for good. I wish I found this forum earlier, it would have saved me a lot of time and money, as I would have changed the ignition before it locked and I had to drill it out to remove it. Thankfully I did discover this forum in time to discover that it would be a waste of time and money to go to the Ford dealer to have this fixed. I was able to get a replacement ignition that comes with two keys at autozone for about $90.00 after tax. I spent about 15 to 20 minutes making it work with my existing keys by removing two tumblers (I will later get the keys that came with it programed so I can use them as spares). The new one is made by a company called "Locksmart". I will post later if I find this one to be as defective as the original. Needless to say, like most others who posted here, I am extremely P*!@*# about this, even more so after finding that this is a very common and reoccuring problem that Ford refuses to own up to. Along with other problems with this and other new Fords that my I and my family have purchased now and in the past, I (and other family and friends) don't think we will be purchasing any more new Fords. I hate to say it, but it seems that foreign is the way to go. Everyone I know that has made the transition from domestic to foreign states that they could not be happier with their decision.