Please post if your ignition has locked!

[fordblue03]

First off if you have your original key. You don't need to reprogram. That is only necessary if you need a new key.
Second contact b16sir from FocusFanatics he will need your VIN and info on were to ship.
I got the lock and "chipless" key for 65 and that included shipping.

[hanktrolle]

My ignition locked on my 2000 ZX3.

[mksblckracer]

add me to the list i have to hit it to get it to turn and have been doing it for about 3500 miles now

[fordblue03]

There is a lawfirm out of Cali that is going to Ford about this. Here are some links:

http://www.fazmiclaw.com/focus.html
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec...ide&id=4738769

[ellie5454]

I just had this ignition problem happen to me. I got home, shut off the car, and tried to remove the key, it was stuck. I called the dealership and was informed of a couple of tricks they use to get the key out. Unfortunately neither of these worked and I was informed I'd have to bring the car in for a new ignition. I also learned that because my 2005 Focus has 78,028 kms on it (past warranty) I'd have to swallow the cost for this pricey factory defect. I then spent a morning on hold with Ford's customer relationship center and learned that because my car is past its warranty (i have a long commute) this problem is all on me to pay for. Ford has absolutely no sympathy for this unpreventable, unrepairable (unless you just replace the whole ignition) problem. I have since then learned that several others have this problem, I feel that Ford should be doing something about this. I have never had a problem in supporting domestic motor companies, but next time I will be thinking twice about buying Ford.

[killeridentity]

my stepdad has a focus and the ignition wont work. he keeps a rubber mallet in his car and pounds on the key when its in the ignition and the car starts right up. he refuses to buy YET ANOTHER ignition.

[Impaled]

Well i have to beat the hell out of my steering colum sometimes

[grimm579]

yeah, my ignition just locked a couple weeks ago.
Cost me about 300 with parts and labour to fix it.
works perfect now tho!

[knoso]

My 2000 focus, (which I bought new) now 7 yrs later giving me same problem, Only tapping and the likes ain't working. Have a locksmith on the way, says he offers no promises but is common on fords. Will have to follow up and let you know if he was the man for the job.

[conrad9]

Hi all,

We had it lock in the middle of a bizzy junction and needed the police to divert rush hour traffic, scary nightmare. After being towed. They managed to free it at the dealership/garage and said they cut us a new key (a local mechanic, a very trustworthy sort, says they lied).

Anyway it kept going for a a few more weeks, when it totally locked(imbolise) at home and we initially rang the roadside assistance (AAA in US or AA in UK) and after 40 minutes all he managed to do was put the sterering lock on, which really made things difficult when tow-truck arrived. Yes, you guessed they had to drag our focus along the road tires smoking on to the back of a lorry just to get it to the dealers. We did after some heated disscussion managed to get it done on warranty and we thought the problem was solved. They supposedly replaced the faulty cylinder and everything was great until earlier today.

Now one of the keys will not turn at all and the other just about manages after a lot of jiggery-pokery; so we are off to the dealership again tommorrow for the third time in three months over the same problem and we only have four days left on our warranty and will probally have to pay.

But what really annoys me is this will be an ongoing cost, I am pretty sure that it will probally need doing again in a few months and there are no alternatives such as Strattec part #707592 in the UK. We bought a Focus because our Escort gave us years of service, but we will "never buy ford again".

Ford Please Recall Before You Lose All Your Loyal Customers!!

Kind Regards

conrad9

[illamuseyou]

hello,
this is the 3rd time the ignition has locked up on my 2002 focus...the first 2 times we could jiggle the key for 30 or so min and it freed up
this last time it still hasn't freed up...not a good thing...ford needs to take care of this

[mhs]

I have 3 ford focus (2003 and 2004 models)for my business and all of them have ignition lock problem. Today morning I had hard time taking the key out of ignition. I wish I had researched more about ford focus before buying...

[zetecgt]

Guess what......

Mine's starting to stick.......

dave.

[Tampa's silver focus]

i had the same problem what happens is the little fingers inside get jamed up and won't come down. i had to put the key back in an tap it softly with a small block of wood until the fingers let go. spray some graphite in it to loosen the fingers.

[chris2.3]

just had it fixed this morning $160 from jims bonded locksmith (727) 483-5075 for anyone in the tampa bay area

[vtpixie]

My ignition and steer wheel locked in january 2005. I had to have my car towed about 5 feet from a petrol station next door to the ford dealership. Two days later I recieved a recall notice on the problem, which was now supposedly fixed. About a month ago I finished playing softball for work and got into the car when the ignition and steering locked again. Another girl from the other team was able to get the car started and I didn't think about it again until a few days ago when it happened again. luckily that time I got it started, but on 7/25/07 once again it happened. This time even with the assistance of at least half a dozen people I couldn't get it started and had to have it towed to the Ford place around the corner, where it had to stay over night to get fixed for two nights. I'm still in the process of waiting to see what's going on with the car and I know that even though this should have been fixed right the first time and be free of charge I'm not under warrenty anymore and it's going to cost me and arm/leg. I'm expecting at least $400 to spend on this piece of junk.

[v8FociDreams]

i have a theory....just speculation with no knowledge so here goes..

Is it possible to put an escort ignition switch in foci? would make life alot easier if you could....perhaps do it BEFORE the ignition locks up when at the most inconvenient time. Then not only could you bypass the locking up, you could also have spare keys made for $3 instead of $50 and still use your fob to unlock the doors / pop trunk

makes me turn an eyebrow at remote start....hasnt happened to me yet at 75k but im not putting anything past this car...

[Dukman]

Time to add me to this list.

Locked up tonight when I was getting ready to leave for work. It had been sticking for awhile and I knew this was coming, I was just hoping to have a bit more time to get the car in and repaired.

[Black306_2]

Mine locked up too. Had to replace the lock cylinder, but I kept the original key. Its been fine ever since.

[Grafx365]

2003 Focus SE, cylinder locks up too. I called 2 dealers, one said that it is as little as $200 for just the cylinder or up if they need to do something (I am not sure what, maybe someone can give me a little insight) with the whole column. The other dealer told me $300 for just the cylinder.

[LemonGT]

Originally Posted by v8FociDreams

i have a theory....just speculation with no knowledge so here goes..

Is it possible to put an escort ignition switch in foci? would make life alot easier if you could....perhaps do it BEFORE the ignition locks up when at the most inconvenient time. Then not only could you bypass the locking up, you could also have spare keys made for $3 instead of $50 and still use your fob to unlock the doors / pop trunk

makes me turn an eyebrow at remote start....hasnt happened to me yet at 75k but im not putting anything past this car...

I think the Explorer switch fits.

[momoneymo]

Originally Posted by SoCalFocus

Mine vas about $280 ig I remedber correctly. One nigxt the key just wouldn't!turn. <img src-"/ubbthreads/images/grammlins/fcown.gif" alt="" /> Had!to get her towed and everything/ Happened at arout 70,000 on my '00 LX!so no warranty, even thnugh it is a knovn problem with Gord. I0had an entire p`ge full0of notices and memos Ford service emplopees received regarding |he ignition. Hnpefully someday(it will make it to recall statuc and we can get!our $$ cack!

My 2000 Focus ZTS is starting to act up when turning the key on. Autozone quotes $75 bucks, dealer quotes $95 bucks plus locksmith. I have a 1994 f150 that locked up the vehicle would start, however, it stuck in park. Turns out it was the cruise control relay shorted

[sneiper]

my 2000 zts is locked up this morning. no sticking, no warning.. nothing. i'm am very pissed right now. none of the locksmiths in my area will do ignition repair and when i called the dealer they told me to make sure to turn the wheel. i'm not retarded i've been driving the car for 7 years.. i did try wd40 and tapping on the key but it hasn't moved. i was quoted at least 300 for just the cylinder and more if its something else.. this is pure bs.. where is the recall on this?

[sneiper]

well to update my post.. i had my focus towed to day ford in monroeville PA. i don't have AAA so that was $60. total at the dealer was $408.78. my key were fine when i left them but some how one broke and the other was damaged so they cut 2 new keys. but its odd that the key broke because i found the broken end on the floor. wouldn't it be stuck in the ignition? they also left metal shavings everywhere in my car. everywhere.. floor, dash even underneath the ashtray. wtf kind of service is that? does anyone know where i can complain? ford directly? dealership?

[stockfoci]

locked up on me last night. so i hit the key with my hand till it turned and drove to the hardware store and purchased some graphite lubricant and now it works like a charm, only thing is there is graphite shavings everywhere in my car now.

Think im gonna order a new cylinder from steve just to be safe