Please post if your ignition has locked!

[ClintB#1]

If anyone in the West L.A. area has this concern,has a decent key and I don't have to drill out the cylinder, (rare) I take care of the problem for under 300 bucks @ Beverly Hills Ford. Don't be scared off by the name, it's just another dealer and I know how annoying this problem is to other Jetters and I just want to help out as best I can. P.M. me if you have any questions.

[poozza]

hello,
i have a 2000 focus w/ about 75k on it, and about a month ago my ignition started to stick at work (the key went in but wouldnt turn). after about 30 min of wiggling and what-not it started, and i decided ot leave the key in the ignition as to not have to wiggle it back in. about a week later it decided to not start at all even though the key would turn. my questions are 1. can i just call a locksmith and have him put in the aftermarket part instead of going to ford and having them fix it , 2. did i burn out my starter motor by prolonging getting it fixed?, and 3. how much would it cost me to get the starter fixed or could i do it myself fairly easily? thanks for your help.

[SuperFlea]

a local lock smith can replace the sylinder, but you might want to check your warranty. I don't think that your starter went out because of your ignition cylinder.

[focusr34]

i had mine replaced in my 2000 lx twice.

[Red Barchetta]

I had to replace mine about 4 months ago. Cost about $350. Now, I just had to replace the thermostat housing and now the car won't turn over after reconnecting the battery. But that's for a different thread.

[SuperFlea]

gees, i wonder how many more will be posting about there IC going bad?

[CantSlowDown88]

twice for me

[sandsled]

Hello all - new to site - I might have one of the newer ones to fail. Partially failed last night and took me a while explaining to the bride what to do as well as this morning on a 2004 Focus (never had the problem with the 2001 Foc or any other of my Fords). Finally got it to work this AM so I'm going to get it to the dealer for a warranty repair...

Guess I'm not alone with this problem

[BLUE_02_ZX3]

HEY GUYS, the fix that was mentioned here a while back, the one about taking the cylinder out, taking the clip off, and ripping the metal bar off, pulling the springs and the little metal bars that contact with the key.
WORKS, quite well actually.

Like was mentioned by the member who posted this, the PATS system is the one REAL thing thats stopping your car from being started anyway.

I did this a few months ago, works like it did when it was new, and it was free, AND FUN. (I like to tear **** up)

saved me a load of $$$ too.

[SaTaNcLaUz]

HEY GUYS, the fix that was mentioned here a while back, the one about taking the cylinder out, taking the clip off, and ripping the metal bar off, pulling the springs and the little metal bars that contact with the key.
WORKS, quite well actually.

Like was mentioned by the member who posted this, the PATS system is the one REAL thing thats stopping your car from being started anyway.

I did this a few months ago, works like it did when it was new, and it was free, AND FUN. (I like to tear **** up)

saved me a load of $$$ too.

that was me

i've not had a single problem since, and yes it is pretty fun hehe

[SuperFlea]

nice how to!

[SuViC]

Yup right here!!!!

Its acutally a hazard, say your focus dies on railroad tracks and you try to start it over but hey, the ignition thinks differently, of course i'd just let it get hit by the train and collect on the insurance and buy something more worth it.

These arent old cars, there shouldnt be ANY problems what so ever especially a bone stock factory built focus like mine, i dont have the heart to put ANY cash into it, my cash goes into my pride & joy(91 Talon TSi) mostly because it can rip the pants off the most luxurios dodge viper!

[emeraldjules]

FYI, I had mine replaced at the lock smith's with the suggestions posted on this (or another) web site. I am very happy with the ability to remove my key from my ignition. I lived with it in the ignition for almost 18 months, till I could afford it. I will need to buy a new key, eventually, because mine was bent in the process of hammering it in one time to get it to stay. I DON'T SUGGEST THIS AT ALL. The key to replace it will cost me more than it cost me to replace the iginition. It cost me with labor and parts under $120. The new key will cost some where in the neighborhood of $135. The dealer only ever gave me one key. So I'm kinda partial to this stupid key.

Anyhoo, thanks to everyone! Otherwise would have been ripped off at the dealer!

[SuperFlea]

good to know this info helped!

[gyl]

Locked? Locked???? Well, let's see... what would you all say if I told you we now have 3 keys to be able to drive our car? There's one for me to open the door, one for my husband to open the door, and one that has to sit in the ignition all the time if we want to be able to start the car! Why? Well, after having the ignition lock up on us about 5 times (to the tune of $80 each time minimum - more when the locksmith rekeyed the whole thing!), we've decided to risk it and just leave a key hanging in the ignition. When we're away from the car for extended periods of time, we cover the ignition block with a plastic bag (nice!), but otherwise we just hope no one will come along and decide to drop a hook down the crack of the driver's window (which has been jammed for over a year now in a funny position that's almost closed, but not quite...) and that we'll find the car waiting for us when we get back... although maybe our insurance covers theft and can get us a better car.... hmmmm..... maybe I should post my address so that someone out there can do me a little favor...

[SuperFlea]

maybe I should post my address so that someone out there can do me a little favor...

should we take this to pm's? lol. j/k!

[fembot]

Mine locked up about a year ago just before a road trip, about and now the replacement lock is not locked up! It is really pissing me off because I call Ford my local Ford Dealer and they told me "yeah we are getting about 5 a month, but its not a recall issue" I have now been without my Focus for two days. It just sucks, Ford needs to build a better product. Does anyone know if the 2004 has a better lock?

Apparently not, because my 2004 just had the same problem! About a month ago it happened for the first time, but eventually I was able to get it to work. Then it was a struggle off and on for about a week - sometimes it would work, sometimes I could get it to work by banging my hand against the key when it was in the lock, sometimes it took 1/2 to 1 hour of cursing before it would miraculously start. After that it was back to normal, but today, after driving around, making several stops at different stores, I drove home and ran into my house to get something, went back to the car and the key would not budge! Finally my boyfriend got it to start, so I ran one final errand, drove into my parking space, turned off the car, then took the key out, decided to check if it is going to work again, and no go. Of course it happened on a Friday 10 minutes after the service dept. at my dealership closed. I really need a car this weekend for work, so I am
at my wit's end. I have the extended warranty and I will lose it completely if I have to pay one cent for this!
I'm glad that I found this board and learned that so many other people are having the same problem! If my dealership tries to pretend they never heard about this I can now enlighten them! Thanks everyone! Please add me to any list of complaints to Ford, but I think we are going to be very low priority.

[lasco45]

ignition locked on saturday, 36600 miles on 2003 zx3, ford quoted me $618, said that entire steering column needed replaced. Ford told me there was nothing they could do because I was out of my warranty 600 miles ago!!!!! Not to mention the $75 tow bill to get it to the Dealer.

NOT HAPPY!!!

LAsco45

[CantSlowDown88]

did it again, and they dint just replace the cylinder but the whole colum 476$

****in ford, 3rd time

[SuperFlea]

holly shiznit!!!