We have had three separate occasions where the ignition switch locks up and will either fail to accept the key or fail to rotate to start the car. The first two occasions were during the warranty period the third was outside of the warranty period. This ignition failure seems to happen every 12-18 months. Although this may not be a safety problem, it clearly is a manufacture defect.

- New Caney, TX, USA

In March 2002, my 2000 Ford Focus LX had the steering wheel lock up and the ignition lock up so that I could not turn the key or start my car. It had to be towed to the dealership and they ended up having to drill out the ignition lock cylinder, rebuild it, and replace broken steering column parts. Now yesterday, May 23, 2004, the same thing occurred - steering wheel locked, key would not turn, car would not start. I had to tow it again to the same dealership, and get the parts replaced again.

- Ames, IA, USA

Ignition cylindar froze, rendering the key unable to be turned. Towed to have fixed and cylindar was replaced with new Ford part. This is the 2nd cylindar since I bought the car...the 1st time the key was stuck and wouldn't come out of the cylindar. Two days after getting the car fixed, it happened a again where the cylindar froze. The tumblers are of an inferior and defective design and it is unlikely there is a permanent remedy without a design improvement.

- Clifton Park, NY, USA

On October 10th 2003 I was driving in the Ford Focus 2000 wagon from New York city to cleveland, oh, about 500 miles. It drove well for about 300 miles, but started to choke and sputter on hills, like it was about to stall. I was hoping I would make it to cleveland for repairs, but it stalled out on me going 65 miles an hour 60 miles outside of cleveland. I was able to restart, and limped into the nearest town and found a Ford dealer in ashtabula oh. He said it was the fuel filter and repaired it. It drove fine for the rest of journey into cleveland. But I then headed to New York city a few days later, and again after 200 miles, it started sputtering on hills. Then outside of binghamton, NY it stalled again. I again restarted, and terrified of a fatal accident, I called for road side assistance from verizon wireless. They got a tow truck to get me to a garage, but they were closed. The next morning, I waited for them to diagnose the problem and repair the car, but they were unable to replicate the stalling problem. I drove the rest of the way into New York city terrified, and almost stalled out at the foot fo the george Washington bridge. It was after 5:00 pm so the dealership was closed that I bought the car from. So I am planning to have them look at it. But they said that unless they can see the problem, they can't fix it. I also called Ford and they said they never heard of this problem. Which I later found out is a major problem with this car, and there is an active investigation underway at NHTSA. I am hoping to get by under the lemon law in NY, but fear that the dealership will claim there are no problems with my car. Thank you for listening to my complaint.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

My 2000 Ford Focus has had problems starting 2 months after I purchased it. It's been in 6 times for excessive brake noise and or squealing. The door hinges were squeeking and had to be replaced due to misalignment..it took 5 times to determine this. Weather strip molding has been replaced due to falling apart around the headlights. The cd player/stereo was replaced with a new factory model when cd player would not work properly. The "new" model was replaced yet again due to coding seen and no numbers in the window digital area. The fuel pump was replaced after stalling more than 50 miles from home...still does not run up to performance. Fuel area reworked again. Would not start due to battery cable. Ford needs to discontinue this model until they can fix the problems it has with it. They also need to get all Focus models off the road, they are safety hazzards.

- Milford, DE, USA

My radio has failed for the second time and is no longer under warranty. It was already replaced once as it went on or stayed off despite what I did. The fuel gauge sending unit also malfunctions from time to time. Because I have been unable to drive it into the dealership at the time it malfunctions they have been unable or unwilling to remedy this situation. This has been ongoing since the day I bought the vehicle. Count me in as another person who will never again risky buying an american car and certainly not a Ford.

- Mebane, NC, USA

Hi, I own a 2000 Ford Focus and it has been nothing but trouble. I purchased the car brand new in 2000 and have had it in the shop so many times. I have had my rear passenger side window mechanism replaced by Ford, then personally replaced the driver front window mechanism and the driver back mechanism due to cable breaks. I have had it in with the radio 3 times and it still does not work correctly. I have had to have the brakes replaced, the ignition block replaced, the struts and shocks. The trunk release has never worked. Now it keeps breaking down on me if I drive for more than 1 hour non stop. This weekend I went to san antonio from corpus, it died on the highway 3 times going to sa and coming home 4 times & how safe is that! Ford said they cannot do anything for me unless it is messing up when I bring it in while it is acting up, however it always happens when I am away from town. They told me that if they hook it up to the machine it will not tell them anything. Also, on several occasions my accelerator has stuck and I cannot brake, I have to put the car in neutral and press on the brake hard while the RPM's are still revving and pull the emergency brake, the first time this happened I was pulling into a parking spot and went over the yellow divider. Is there anything I can do?

- Corpus Christi, TX, USA

2000 Ford Focus - recalled in 2001 for rear wheel bearing problem - supposedly the dealership - village Ford dearborn, mi - inspected and proceeded with the proper service - now with bad rear wheel bearing problem - my tire was ready to fall off per the mechanic - when the mechanic contacted Ford customer service for part - he was told that was a recall item and I should bring to a Ford dealership for repair. On 11-11-03 I brought my vehicle to avis Ford southfield mi for this repair - I was told by the dealership that no recall exist on the rear wheel bearing and furthermore if one did exist the warranty on the replacement would be void. The mechanic that evaluated my car on 11-8-03 stated this needed to be addressed asap - he tightened the wheel- which is why I scheduled a repair on 11-11-03. I will need to return my vehicle to the former mechanic for service but will be unable to do so until 11-15-03. Please advise the process for filing complaint against Ford Motor Company - so I can recover my expenses. The mechanic will give me the defective part. I do not think that village Ford ever changed the part or did the repairs under the earlier recall. VIN [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Grand Blanc, MI, USA

I have had this Focus for about 2 years. When I purchased it, I was not told of any of the possible mechanical problems that may be associated with the model. Since then, I have had 4 recalls repaired. Recently, the door handle on the driver's side door was getting stuck. Now, the factory installed security system will not work. I cannot lock the driver's side door at all and I must lock the other 3 doors manually. My key chain door locker does not work at all. The inside button for unlocking the trunk will not work either. The front console is too big for the car and coffee cups will not fit into it. I also seem to have trouble seeing behind me when trying to look to the left from the driver's side due to the placement of the headrest.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

The rear passenger wheel bearing failed causing smoke and almost a fire. I had the recall done at tri county Ford in mauldraugh ky, and this is the second time it had happened. I went to les pinkham Lincoln Mercury and bought new wheel bearings and had my personal mechanic replace the bearing. He stated that the brake drum and wheel are possible warped and might need replaceing. I also want a refund on the bearings and labor cost for the mechanic to replacement of bearings.

- Elizabethtown, KY, USA

There is a vibration felt in steering wheel when driving at freeway speeds. I have had the car aligned 2 times, replaced the tires 3-times, replaced the brakes 3-times and had the tires rotated and re-balanced 6 times, in two years. I have had all of the recalls completed. The vibration still exists and the dealer cannot fix it. The dealer just keeps telling me to get the tires re-balanced, or get new tires again.

- Corona, CA, USA

The front and rear brakes, the fuel pump, fuel injector, heater chamber, half shaft bearing, third brake light and speedometer cluster were all replaced.

- Alameda, CA, USA

I have a 2000 Ford Focus that I have had allot of problems with. I specially ordered this car to have all the safety features including side impact air bags, and anti loc brakes. We originally had bought the car in ca. The first problem happened at 3000 miles the rear brakes started squealing, and the seat belt buzzer wont go off. We took it to Ford were they said nothing was wrong. We moved to nc were we now live. Took it back to Ford with the same complaint this now 30,000 miles. They said they were defective, they had the car over night for the seat belt buzzer, still no problem found. So they replaced the brakes. When we picked up the car the seat belt buzzer did the job of staying on for us. It stopped the squeal problem with the brakes. 1 1/2 weeks later we had an accident. Whitch I might add the air bags did not go off. Also in the accident the rear seat came unhinged and threw a plastic piece that holds the seatbelt at the back of her head causing a lump. My wife said the brakes just didn't work as they did previously with the noise. I took it out for a test drive found the brakes were not acting right, the car would not stop properly. Took it back to Ford, they told us that everything was fine. A friend of ours was a Ford mechanic at a different dealership was going to look at it for us, he was killed that week in a car accident un-related. So we lost our inside mechanic to tell us what was really happening. Now at 50,000 miles the noise is back, my wife who drives the vehicle says every once in a while the brakes will act up again. Now we just don't have the time nor the patients to deal with the dealerships once again for now the fan blower only works on 3 on the dial and the cable broke to select def, vents, ect. Along with the recall of the wiper motor, and the neeeding of new roters on the front. This car to me is a lemon.

- Wake Forest, NC, USA

There is a very bad squeaking noise when braking, and when consumer lets off the brake there is a grinding noise. Driver states more than twice brake pedal was applied, and pedal went to the floor. Ford has been contacted..also consumer was complaining of the transmission slipping, the cigarette lighter was not working, cup holder bubbling, serpentine belt was replaced due to a squeal coming from under the hood, gas light was coming on when the tank was full of gas, door ajar light was coming on, starter and battery were replaced, driver sider mirror knob fell off, RPM runs high, headlamp molding was replaced, sunvisor was broke, rear child seat latch cover was broke, air conditioner and heater were replaced, passenger door trim, driver seat metal bar, rewind button for am/fm cassette was inoperative, carpet loose, pillar trim was coming off, ticking noise was coming from the front of vehicle, the egr valve ws replaced, rear tail light was out, the bulb was replaced, deck lid wire harness, a new fuel tank was installed due to the engine light illuminating, the front and rear brakes have been replaced due to warpage, also the speedometer stopped working.

- Apopka, FL, USA