2003 Ford Focus

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT COLLISION. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, A VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HIT THE SIDE OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS BRAKING BEFORE IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. THE SEAT BELT WAS WORN AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - *NM

MY WIFE'S FORD FOCUS HAS ITS IGNITION STUCK. A FEW MONTHS BACK IT GOT STUCK BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET IT UNSTUCK AND START THE CAR. SINCE THEN THE IGNITION HASN'T SEEMED RIGHT. IT IS ALWAYS A HASSLE GETTING THE KEY TO TURN. MY WIFE WAS TRYING TO LEAVE WORK ONE DAY AND THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN. I WENT TO HELP AND THE KEY NEVER DID TURN. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE TUMBLERS INSIDE THE IGNITION. IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM AND EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE IGNITION ONCE IT ONLY LAST A YEAR UNTIL THEY HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. IT COSTS ABOUT $300 TO REPLACE. WE ENDED UP HAVING TO TOW HER CAR TO MY HOUSE WHERE I THEN HAD TO SPEND THE MONEY TO FIX IT. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO DO THIS IF EVERYONE IS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS PREMATURE WEAR ON THE REAR TIRES. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND NEED REPLACING A THIRD TIME. THE BRAND OF TIRE HAS BEEN CHANGED. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE TIRES SHOULD BE ROTATED EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE, BUT THE TIRES HAD NEVER BEEN ROTATED. UPDATED 3/17/2006 - THE FIRST SET OF TIRES WENT BALD AT 22568 MILES. THE SECOND SET WENT BALD AT 31500. THE DEALER ALIGNED THE REAR TO SPECS AND ALIGNED THE FRONT END AND STRAIGHTENED THE STEERING WHEEL. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE KEY SWITCH IT WOULD NOT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. IT WAS DETERMINED THE KEY IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED REPLACED. ON THE FIRST OCCASION THE KEY IGNITION WAS REPLACED. THIS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. NOW THE KEY IGNITION SWITCH HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR PERSON AND DRIVEN TO THE CONTACTS HOME, WHERE REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE IGNITION TUMBLER WAS REPLACED. THE IGNITION LOCKED UP AGAIN, AND THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE KEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT WORK WITH THE NEW IGNITION TUMBLER. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN HIT BY AN OBJECT ON THE HIGHWAY AND OVERNIGHT, WITH THE SOURCE UNKNOWN.

WE BOUGHT OUR CAR USED IN NOVEMBER OF 2004, SINCE THEN, WE HAVE HAD THE DRIVER DOOR HANDLE BREAK TWICE AND THE PASSENGER HANDLE BREAK ONCE. OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT LIFE THREATENING BUT IT IS REALLY ANNOYING TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET YOUR CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT WITHOUT HAVING TO UNLOCK AND OPEN ALL THE DOORS BEFORE YOU CAN GET TO THE RIGHT DOOR. WE HAVE HAD THE HANDLES REPLACED TWICE WHICH WAS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, BUT IT IS BROKEN YET AGAIN, AND I'M NOT SURE OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL COVER IT. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH I CAN'T FIND ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE. *NM

STARTING ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO (43,000 MILE) THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO LOCK AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO START THE CAR. AS MANY HAVE STATED ON THEIR COMPLAINTS AND ON AUTOMOTIVETALK.NET THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. I HAVE TO TAKE IT IN AND GET IT REPLACED. FROM ALL THE READING I DID IT WILL COST ME BETWEEN $250 AND $450. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OR A LAW SUITE! *NM