IllustrationMY 2003 FORD FOCUS IS HAVING AN IGNITION PROBLEM - MY KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION - I AM NOW STRANDED AND HAVE TO CALL AAA FOR HELP - THEY JUST LEFT - HAVE TO HAVE IGNITION REPLACED BY DEALER. *TR
2003 Ford Focus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Ford Focus do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 864.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Focus years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1350–25K
17525–50K
18850–75K
10775–100K
107100–150K
41150K+
753 reports with mileage · 224 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 522 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 82 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
52 crash reports17 fire reports37 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
522 reportsKEY WILL NOT TURN IGNITION. IT IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. LAST NIGHT I WAS STRANDED LATE AT NIGHT AND HAD TO CALL SOMEONE TO COME GET ME. I TRIED FOR OVER AN HOUR TO GET IT TO TURN. FROM WHAT I AM FINDING OUT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT I HAVE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED! *TR
KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION ON MY 2003 FORD FOCUS WAGON. WAS STRANDED AT A DRIVE IN MOVIE THEATER AT 2AM WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND THE WINDOWS DOWN AS IT STARTED TO RAIN. *TR
IGN KEY WILL NOT TURNING KEY GETS STUCK LEFT ME STRANDED IN A BAD HIGH CRIME AREA I UNDER STAND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM ON ALL THE FOCUS WHY IS A RECALL MOT BEEN DONE. *TR
THE ORIGINAL FORD CAR KEY FOR MY 03 FORD FOCUS WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION SOMETIMES. ILL SAY ABOUT 25% OF THE TIME IT WON'T. AND I HAVEN'T FIXED IT YET. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HE PLACED HIS KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM TO BANG ON THE STEERING COLUMN TO ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HE PLACED HIS KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM TO BANG ON THE STEERING COLUMN TO ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,850. UPDATED 7/20/10 *CN UPDATED 07/23/10*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH BECAME STUCK AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE FOR THREE HOURS; SHE ALSO NOTED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE TAKEN APART SO THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MOVE SO …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH BECAME STUCK AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE FOR THREE HOURS; SHE ALSO NOTED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE TAKEN APART SO THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MOVE SO THE WHEELS COULD LINE UP IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED HOME. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000.
I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS. SOMETIMES THE IGNITION LOCKS AND THE KEY WILL NOT EVEN TURN IN THE IGNITION, LEAVING ME STRANDED. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN A FEW WEEKS AGO. IT HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. UNTIL TONIGHT, WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED, THE KEY WOULD TURN THE IGNITION AFTER 5 - 10 MINUTES. TONIGHT, THE PROBLEM LASTED FOR…
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I OWN A 2003 FORD FOCUS. SOMETIMES THE IGNITION LOCKS AND THE KEY WILL NOT EVEN TURN IN THE IGNITION, LEAVING ME STRANDED. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN A FEW WEEKS AGO. IT HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. UNTIL TONIGHT, WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED, THE KEY WOULD TURN THE IGNITION AFTER 5 - 10 MINUTES. TONIGHT, THE PROBLEM LASTED FOR OVER AN HOUR AND I HAD TO CALL A TOW. I WAS STRANDED IN A BAD AREA. HAVING LOOKED UP THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I CAN TELL IT IS AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM FOR FORD FOCUS MODEL YEARS 2000 - 2003. *TR
IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK STICKS, UNABLE TO TURN KEY AND START CAR. *TR
2003 FORD FOCUS IGNITION WON'T TURN OVER THE PAST MONTH THE IGNITION HAS BEEN SLOWLY INCREASING IN THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT IT WILL LOCK UP AND WON'T TURN. IT USED TO WORK FOR ME TO PUT THE KEY IN PULL OUT, WAIT A FEW SECONDS THEN PUT IT BACK IN AND IT WOULD WORK. ON 5/3/10 MY IGNITION WOULD NO LONGER WORK AND I WAS STRANDED IN…
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2003 FORD FOCUS IGNITION WON'T TURN OVER THE PAST MONTH THE IGNITION HAS BEEN SLOWLY INCREASING IN THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT IT WILL LOCK UP AND WON'T TURN. IT USED TO WORK FOR ME TO PUT THE KEY IN PULL OUT, WAIT A FEW SECONDS THEN PUT IT BACK IN AND IT WOULD WORK. ON 5/3/10 MY IGNITION WOULD NO LONGER WORK AND I WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK. NO REPAIR HAS BEEN COMPLETED YET, BUT I WILL BE LOOKING INTO IT. *TR
Official recalls
105V030000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Feb 1, 2005
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH FOUR OR FIVE DOORS AND ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A BUILD-UP OF CORROSION AT THE PAWL PIVOT AREA OF THE REAR DOOR LATCH CAN CAUSE A BINDING CONDITION OF THE PAWL THAT MAY AFFECT PROPER ENGAGEMENT OF THE PAWL INTO THE CATCH. THE OCCUPANT MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY OPENING OR CLOSING A REAR DOOR, AND EVENTUALLY THE REAR DOOR MAY NOT LATCH PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. IF AN OCCUPANT FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, PERSONAL INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL HAVE A LOWER ROCKER SEAL ADDED TO THE DOOR AND HAVE THE REAR DOOR LATCHES EVALUATED FREE OF CHARGE. A LATCH THAT PASSES THE EVALUATION WILL BE LUBRICATED TO PREVENT FUTURE CORROSION. A LATCH THAT DOES NOT PASS THE EVALUATION WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, A STICKER WILL BE AFFIXED TO THE REAR DOORS ADVISING THE OWNERS TO USE THE RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1AQ10001 · Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
Opened Nov 18, 2010 · Closed Dec 28, 2015
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three (3) major motor vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) and requested data regarding completion figures for fifteen (15) discreet safety recalls.Analysis of this data demonstrated that rental car recalls completion was neither complete nor consistent.The rental car companies representing the largest market share in the industry were then queried as to their respective policies for the rental, lease, and sale of vehicles with open recalls.The data and responses from the manufacturers and the rental car companies can be found in the document repository by accessing the ?Associated Documents link above.In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.One section of the Act prohibits rental car companies from renting, leasing, or selling motor vehicles subject to open safety recalls.With the passage of the FAST Act and its prohibition, there is no continuing need for the agency to investigate rental car recall completions.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The agency reserves the right to open any future investigations, including audits of individual recalls, or groups of recalls, or rental car companies, to examine more closely safety recalls performance and completion issues in this area.