2003 Ford Focus

OWNER OF A FORD FOCUS/2003. IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP AND HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED ($45.00) AS WELL AS PAY FOR REPAIRS ($183.00). CALLED FORD HEADQUARTERS AND TALKED WITH A REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT BEING REIMBURSED. I ALSO MENTIONED THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING WITH MY GAUGES. UPON STARTING CAR, GAUGES ARE ALL OUT OF WACK, SWINGING BACK AND FORTH AND LANDING ON ZERO. AFTER BEING ON THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 15 OR 20 MINUTES THEY WILL POSITIONED AT THE RIGHT PLACE. THE REPRESENTATIVE SEEM TO ONLY CARE TO HEAR ABOUT ONE OF THE PROBLEM (IGNITION SWITCH) AND NOT THE OTHER ONE. I WAS PUT ON HOLD FOR A WHILE AND WHEN REP RETURN SHE TOLD ME TO CALL COMPANY THAT WAS REPAIRING MY FOCUS AND THEY WILL HELP ME IN THIS MATTER. I CALLED THE COMPANY AND THE GUY THAT EAGERLY TOOK MY MONEY STATED THAT HE WILL DO A CLAIM FOR ME AND HE STATED THAT I WILL GET SOME OF MY MONEY BUT NOT ALL OF IT BACK. IN CHECKING THE RECALLS I SEE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKUP IS ONE OF THEM. I ONLY HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. MY WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED AND INSURANCE SAYS I MUST PAY $250 BEFORE THEY FIX IT, WHEN TURNING ON AIR CONDITIONER, DRIVING SEEM DIFFICULT (HARD TO PULL), LIFTGATE WATER LEAKS, AND UPON PURCHASING MY CAR, BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING; I MENTIONED THIS TO THE DEALER AND HE TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT THAT THE BRAKES WERE NEW AND HAD TO BE BROKEN IN. WELL THEY ARE STILL SQUEAKING AFTER A YEAR IN A HALF. I NEED ALL OF THESE THINGS FIXED ON MY CAR, RIGHT NOW I AM A MONTH BEHIND IN CAR PAYMENTS (GOOD RECORD ON MAKING MY PAYMENTS), HAD TO USE THE MONEY TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH REPAIRED. *JB

MY DOOR HANDLE ON MY DRIVER SIDE OF MY CAR HAS BROKE AGAIN AND I CAN'T OPEN IT FROM THE OUTSIDE. IT WON'T OPEN FROM THE INSIDE SOMETIMES EITHER. BACK IN 2005 BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGERS SIDE HANDLES ON MY VEHICLE BROKE. I HAVE A TWO DOOR AND HAD TO CLIMB THROUGH THE TRUNK TO GET MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS WHICH WERE VERY PRICEY CONSIDERING THE PARTS WERE LESS THAN $50.00. I NOW AM HAVING THE ISSUE AGAIN AND I REFUSE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET TO FIX IT. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL AND WHY THE FORD DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THAT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND THIS HAS BECOME A VERY FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE. *NM

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2003 FORD FOCUS AND I HAVE SEVERAL ISSUES. IN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION LOCKING AND AS WELL AS THE STEERING WHEEL, I CONTACTED THE DEALER CAREY PAUL FORD IN DECATUR, GA AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS, WHICH I DID, AFTER BEING STRANDED WITH MY SON. THIS COST ME 260.00, I AM A SINGLE MOTHER AND CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND MONEY ON PROBLEMS THAT THE MANUFACTURER CLEARLY WAS AWARE OF. THE TRUNK ON THE VEHICLE JUST RANDOMLY OPENS AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, YOU'RE RIDING ALONG THE ROAD AND THE TRUNKS JUST OPENS FOR NO REASON. THIS I FIND JUST ANNOYING BUT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE CORRECTED. MY LATEST ISSUE IS THAT ON YESTERDAY 04/16/06, WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE STEERING WHEEL JUST BECAME LOOSE AND I COULD BARELY CONTROL THE CAR, I MADE IT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER THAT RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHICH I WILL DO FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. I CAN'T STOP THINKING THAT I OR SOMEONE ELSE ON THE ROAD COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW A MANUFACTURER CAN CONTINUE TO MARKET A PRODUCT AS SAFE WHEN CLEARLY THERE ARE ISSUES WITH IT. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS WEB SITES AND PERSONALLY SPOKEN WITH FOCUS OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET FORD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT'S PRODUCT. ANY FEEDBACK WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *NM

ONE DAY MAY CAR JUST DIDN'T START, THE IGNITION CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED- THE CAR HAS UNDER 49000- AND IT HAS ALREADY HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS! THE MASTER CYLINDER( FOR THE BRAKES) , THE IGNITION CYLINDER, AND SEVERAL PIECES HAVE ALREADY HAD TO BE REPLACED ON MY 2003 FORD FOCUS!!! PLEASE RECALL THIS CAR! THE PARTS PUT IN THE FORD FOCUS 2003 DURING THE MANUFACTURING ARE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE!!!! AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE THEY MUST REPLACE THESE PARTS AND DEAL WITH ALL THE CONSEQUENCES. THE FORD COMPANY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MISTAKES! DETAILS ON PROBLEMS: 1- MY CAR SHUTTERED STARTED SMOKING FROM THE HOOD A BIT- AND SMELLED AS IF SOMETHING HAD BURNED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. ( THE IGNITION LIGHT CAME ON ) AT ALMOST 30000 MILES. TOOK IT INTO THE DEAL- THEY REPLACED A COIL- NAME UNKNOWN. 2- THIS TOOK SEVERAL TRIPS INTO THE FORD SERVICE DEPT- BECAUSE IT KEPT HAPPENING- BEFORE THEY WOULD ACTUALLY REPLACE THE COIL!!! 3- THE MASTER CYLINDER ( BRAKE SYSTEM) MALFUNCTIONED WITHIN 30000 MILES AS WELL!!! AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. 4- THE IGNITION CYLINDER- WITH 49000 MILES ON THE CAR- NOW HAS BEEN REPLACED- NO THANKS TO FORD!!! 5- THE TRUNK HAS NEVER CLOSED PROPERLY. I SLAM IT ONCE TO CLOSE, THEN I PULL UP ON IT TO CHECK IT'S ACTUALLY LOCKED, IT HASN'T- MAYBE ON THE THIRD TIME AFTER SLAMMING IT SHUT- IT WILL ACTUALLY CATCH AND CLOSE. THESE PARTS ARE ALL DEFECTIVE, AND IT'S UNJUST TO THE CONSUMERS!!!!! *NM

MY 2003 FORD FOCUS HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUNK LATCH FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. WHEN I GO TO CLOSE THE TRUNK IT DOES NOT SHUT. IT WILL SHUT IF I PULL ON THE SAFETY LATCH THEY HAVE IN CASE SOMEBODY GETS LOCKED IN THE TRUNK,HOWEVER EVEN WHEN IT CLOSES THAT WAY WHENEVER IT RAINS MY TRUNK WHEN I OPEN IT GETS ALL WET!I HAD A BUNCH OF CHRISTMAS PRESENTS IN THE BACK AND WHEN I OPENED THE TRUNK THEY WERE SOAKED! ALSO THE DOOR LATCHES SOMETIMES LOCK ON THEIR OWN. TWICE I HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF MY CAR. I NO LONGER EVER LEAVE MY CAR WITHOUT MY KEYS! *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2005. THE MOTOR WAS OFF, AND IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND THEY SAID IT LOOK LIKE IT STARTED FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE STALLED BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM TWO WEEKS BEFORE, AND TOOK IT TO DEALER. THEY REPLACED SOME IGNITION ITEMS. ALSO, WAS HAVING LATCHES, BRAKES, AND ENGINE PROBLEMS. *AK