IllustrationIGNITION CYLINDER HAS FAILED TWICE SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 11/02. THE CAR IS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE IGNITION CYLINDER FREEZES AND PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING. I HAVE HAD THIS CYLINDER REPLACED TWICE IN ONE YEAR. THE FIRST TIME ON 11/6/04 AND THE SECOND TIME IN 11/27/05. *NM
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 reportsI ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE PROBLEMS STARTED I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T CHANGE GEAR, THEY SAY THIS IS NORMAL. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WAS NEVER SEALED IN THEY TOLD ME THAT IT COULD BE FIXED. THE FRONT WHEELS CLICK WHEN DRIVEN. THE BRAKES WENT OUT QUICK. THE BACK HUBS AR…
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I ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE PROBLEMS STARTED I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T CHANGE GEAR, THEY SAY THIS IS NORMAL. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WAS NEVER SEALED IN THEY TOLD ME THAT IT COULD BE FIXED. THE FRONT WHEELS CLICK WHEN DRIVEN. THE BRAKES WENT OUT QUICK. THE BACK HUBS ARE SEALED FROM RUST. AND NOW I CAN'T EVEN GET MY DISABLED CHILD TO THE DOCTORS BECAUSE THE IGNITION HAS GONE COMPLETELY OUT. THE LOCKSMITH SAID I WAS LUCKY I WAS PARKED. *JB
IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT TURN. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT FORD WOULD LET THIS GO ON SO LONG. *NM
THE IGNITION ON MY 2003 FORD FOCUS HAS FAILED TWICE. ONCE OVER A YEAR AGO, AND AGAIN NOW. THE IGNITION WILL NOT TURN WHEN I INSERT THE KEY. *NM
IGNITION SWITCH AT 45,000 MILES, FORD FOCUS. *NM
IGNITION SWITCH WENT OUT WHILE MY WIFE WAS AT WORK. HAD TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. FORD DEALER WANTED AT MIN. OF $100 PLUS PARTS INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED IT FOR $65 PLUS PARTS. *JB
I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS ZX3, IT HAS JUST A LITTLE OVER 48,000 MILES. ONE MORNING (OUT OF BLUE), THE KEY LOCK WOULD NOT TURN OVER. LUCKILY, I WAS HOME. AS A RESULT, I HAD IT TOWED INTO A FORD DEALERSHIP. WAS CHARGED AN ARM AND A LEG BY THE TOWING COMPANY (FORD DEALER RECOMMENDED) AND TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, FOUND OUT THAT MY E…
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I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS ZX3, IT HAS JUST A LITTLE OVER 48,000 MILES. ONE MORNING (OUT OF BLUE), THE KEY LOCK WOULD NOT TURN OVER. LUCKILY, I WAS HOME. AS A RESULT, I HAD IT TOWED INTO A FORD DEALERSHIP. WAS CHARGED AN ARM AND A LEG BY THE TOWING COMPANY (FORD DEALER RECOMMENDED) AND TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, FOUND OUT THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID COVER A (KEY/IGNITION CYLINDER) REPLACEMENT COMPARTMENT, WOULD OF BEEN COVERED IF IT WERE THE SWITCH/ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF THE SWITCH. IN THE END, I HAD TO PAY OVER $500 FOR A PART THAT APPARENTLY IS GEARED OR EXPECTED TO FAIL ON NEWER FOCUSES (ACCORDING TO TOW CO., FORD MAINTENANCE STAFF, AND THE RANDOM INTERNET SEARCHES). I CALLED FORD DIRECTLY, AND AT THIS POINT THEY DO NOT HAVE A RECALL BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HASN'T DETERMINED IT TO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM (THEY ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM ALSO). I GUESS IF I WERE STUCK UP IN THE SNOW PACKED SANDIA MOUNTAINS AND MY TOES FROZE OFF, HEY MAYBE THEY WOULD CONSIDER IT A PROBLEM. PLEASE, CAN YOU CHECK INTO THIS, I HATE TO SEE OTHER UNSUSPECTING BUYERS, DRIVERS, GET HIT WITH THIS UNNECESSARY BURDEN AND OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE. ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE, WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *NM
I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS, AND JUST RECENTLY MY IGNITION WENT OUT. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. I KNOW VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO OWN A FOCUS AND HAVE HAD THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. IT BARELY STARTED TO STICK THE DAY BEFORE IT FINALLY WENT OUT. I CURRENTLY AM LOOKING INTO MY OPTIONS ON HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. …
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I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS, AND JUST RECENTLY MY IGNITION WENT OUT. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. I KNOW VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO OWN A FOCUS AND HAVE HAD THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. IT BARELY STARTED TO STICK THE DAY BEFORE IT FINALLY WENT OUT. I CURRENTLY AM LOOKING INTO MY OPTIONS ON HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I AM HAVING A VERY HARD TIME GETTING TO WORK AND GETTING AROUND IN GENERAL. IT IS VERY HARD ESPECIALLY WITH TWO CHILDREN. LUCKILY IT DIDN'T LOCK UP ON ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING. *NM
THE IGNITION OF OUR 2003 FORD FOCUS WILL NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND THE KEY WOULD GO INTO THE LOCK, THE BELL WOULD SOUND, BUT THE LOCK WOULD NOT TURN. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS, AND THEY SUGGEST YOU …
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THE IGNITION OF OUR 2003 FORD FOCUS WILL NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND THE KEY WOULD GO INTO THE LOCK, THE BELL WOULD SOUND, BUT THE LOCK WOULD NOT TURN. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD FOCUS, AND THEY SUGGEST YOU EITHER GET THE CAR TOWED TO THEIR SHOP, OR, IF YOU CAN, DRIVE IT TO THEIR SHOP TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE PRICE TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS APPROXIMATELY $350.00 AND IS ONLY GUARANTEED FOR ONE YEAR. THE CAR IS TWO AND A HALF YEARS OLD. *NM
I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS WITH 44,000 MILES ON IT. THE IGNITION LOCKS TOO FREQUENTLY AND HAS COST ME NOT ONLY MONEY, BUT JOB RELATED TIME AND COSTS. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY LET ALONE AS A RECALL. DON'T YOU NEED THE IGNITION TO IGNITE TO USE THE CAR? *NM
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.