NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
977 reports54,000 miles · May 17, 2010
Electrical System
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 …
Read full complaint
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.
NHTSA ODI #10330835
88,000 miles · May 13, 2010
Electrical SystemEquipment
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…
Read full complaint
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
NHTSA ODI #10330367
46,000 miles · May 10, 2010
Steering
2003 FORD FOCUS HAS A LOCKED IGNITION AND WILL NOT TURN EVEN TO ROLL UP WINDOWS. FROZE UP ONCE LAST WEEK AND WAS ABLE TO JIGGLE IT AND GET IT WORKING. NOW IT WILL HAVE TO BE TOWED TO FORD. FORD DEALERSHIP IN BOZEMAN MONTANA SAYS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL BUT FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10329727
51,834 miles · May 8, 2010
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK STICKS, UNABLE TO TURN KEY AND START CAR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10329390
90,000 miles · May 4, 2010
Electrical System
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…
Read full complaint
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
NHTSA ODI #10328809
133,000 miles · Apr 22, 2010
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
KEY WON'T TURN IN THE IGNITION OF OUR 2003 FORD FOCUS JUST HAPPENED TODAY - NO PRIOR PROBLEM WITH IGNITION WILL MOST LIKELY CALL A LOCKSMITH. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10327082
58,900 miles · Apr 21, 2010
Electrical System
2003 FORD FOCUS SE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL AND START CAR WHILE CAR WAS PARKED. IGNITION CYLINDER REMOVED & REPLACED WITH A BETTER PART BY LOCKSMITH IN 25 MINUTES AT A COST OF $317. THIS PART SHOULD NEVER FAIL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10326785
55,000 miles · Apr 21, 2010
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM, JUST WENT TO MY 2003 FOCUS AND COULD NOT TURN THE KEY. WENT IN THE HOUSE AND GOT THE OTHER KEY. IT WOULD NOT TURN. THE IGNITION COLUMN IS PERMANENTLY LOCKED. FORD HAS KNOWN OF THIS FAILURE FOR 10 YEARS AND DONE NOTHING??? WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR SUCH AN ONGOING AND KNOWN DEFECT? I'M…
Read full complaint
NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM, JUST WENT TO MY 2003 FOCUS AND COULD NOT TURN THE KEY. WENT IN THE HOUSE AND GOT THE OTHER KEY. IT WOULD NOT TURN. THE IGNITION COLUMN IS PERMANENTLY LOCKED. FORD HAS KNOWN OF THIS FAILURE FOR 10 YEARS AND DONE NOTHING??? WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR SUCH AN ONGOING AND KNOWN DEFECT? I'M SURPRISED I HAVE NOT HEARD OF DEATHS RELATED TO THIS AS WEATHER CONDITIONS, ROBBERY OR RAPE COULD CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTE TO THIS FIXABLE PROBLEM. SHAME ON FORD. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10326779
75,000 miles · Apr 16, 2010
Electrical System
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ABS INDICATOR LIGHT AND BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ILLUMINATED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION AROUND THE CIRC…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ABS INDICATOR LIGHT AND BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ILLUMINATED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION AROUND THE CIRCUIT BOARD OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE CIRCUIT GAVE FALSE WARNING INDICATIONS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 75,000.
NHTSA ODI #10325977
88,000 miles · Apr 12, 2010
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
THE IGNITION OF MY 2003 FORD FOCUS SE, LOCKED UP ON ME AND LEFT ME STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10325229
Official recalls
1Feb 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.
Illustration