Key stuck in ignition. I see this is a common problem in my year of Ford Focus (2003) but a lot of the problem posts say their key won't even turn, and mine will turn to start the key and turn off the car just fine. It's just when pulling the key out, it only comes out 1/3-1/2 way when it is "gripped" and I can't pull it the rest of the way out. Sometimes if I turn the key all the way back to the ACC position it will come out. But I can always put the car in neutral first and the key will pull right out, then I can shift into Park to keep from leaving the key in the ignition. So the key can be removed, just not while it is in Park. I'm thinking there is some electrical connection between the shift lever and the ignition that is telling the car that it isn't in Park yet, so it won't release the key, but WILL release it when the gear shift lever is in neutral. I took it to Ford and after telling them it was stuck in the ignition they automatically said I need the whole new ignition or cylinder or whatever. But even after describing how I can remove the key in neutral, they still said I need to buy a new cylinder and have installed. So I'm unsure if the cylinder is indeed the problem, or if my intuition is correct and there is something wrong with the car recognizing the shifter is in Park.
Update from Mar 20, 2016: Ford wanted almost $350 to replace the ignition cylinder. I bought the one I needed online for $24 and had it set up and installed in about an hour myself after watching a video on Youtube about how to do it. Very easy to do. Dealer trying to rip me off, as usual. Fixed the problem, so was definitely the ignition cylinder.
THIS IS THE MOST INFURIATING THING I HAVE EVER DEALT WITH A VEHICLE!!!!! IT MAKES ME WANT TO PUNCH MY CAR IT ITS FACE. I CAN'T HELP BUT SCREAM UNTIL I'M BLUE IN THE FACE!!!!!!!!! EFF YOU FORD FOR NOT ISSUING A RECALL!!!!!! I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR GROSS NEGLIGENCE!!! A $400 FIX!?!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!? OH MY GAWD I HATE YOU RIGHT NOW!!!!! THIS IS AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!! THIS IS TERRIBLE!!!!!! I HAVE TO LET MY CAR GET IMPOUNDED OR TAKE OUT A LOAN TO GET MY CAR TO BE ABLE TO TURN THE KEY?!?!?!? FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK YOU FORD!!!!!! THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!!!!
I purchased this vehicle a couple of years ago for my children. My daughter used it to drive back and forth to work. The ignition started acting up in the middle of winter, 2012, but we thought she was exaggerating. Eventually, by June, 2012, she could not remove the key because if she did she could not get the key back in the ignition to start the vehicle. Not only is this a pain in the butt, it definitely created a dangerous situation. My daughter was 24 years old, worked until 9 or 10 at night. Fortunately when the ignition problem worsened another employee stuck around to make sure she was okay and stayed with her until she finally got the vehicle started. She worked approximately 45 minutes from our home. After that night she just left the key in the ignition. Another night, after she started leaving the key in the ignition she locked the car but forgot to take out her spare key, so we had to find someone to unlock the car doors.
I don't know how to fix this car has only 65,000 miles so is under warranty. these problem should recall all cars ford focus from 2,000 to 2003 we want to know new buyers deals with these problems.
- Maximo P.,
Newacastle, WA, US
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THIS PROBLEM SUCKS. I'm a college student and can't afford to fork out 500$ to get this problem fixed, I called a dealership and they said it is NOT a common problem, and I thought I was the only person with this issue until I found this website. I am calling to complain to Ford and if we get enough people to do the same, there may be something done about it so PLEASE call and complain!!! 1800-392-3673. Currently waiting for a locksmith to get here, wish me luck..
went to my sons house about 20 miles from my house pulled in his driveway turn off the car went inside his house went to leave about an hour later to go out for lunch the key would not turn played with it for an hour it started went to eat came out it did not start again so played with it another hour until it started got home turn itoff at home and tried to start it up right then it did not start so got new spare key still did not start so i got wd40 sprayed it right inside the key hole it turn and started up so the problem was done no way 2 days later same problem i bought the car new and only drive a few miles a day so its not abused its fords problem and they should recall and fix the problem with all the people having the same problem i am retire and bad thing from fords 30 years and this car is the worst car i ever owned and ford dont want to back it up ford is betting everything on the new 2012 focus but if people found out how they are taken care of this problem doing nothing ford might do something
I've read this is the most common signle complaint about Focus from 2000 to 2003. 4 freeking years it takes to fix the problem. Are we dealing with a private company, or the goverment. When the good working people of the USA ask why we aren't buying are own produts, wake up... it is because of the reputation.
This ignition has been sticking for years, it just got to the point where it jammed competely.
key kept getting stuck, then one day out of blue nothing wouldn't take the key just locked up. since we have had this car nothing but problems starting problems ignition problems what next?? every three weeks on a tow truck, thinking i should buy a tow truck and drive it around on top since thats the position its most comfortable in. someone once told me ford stands for ford on repair daily hmmmm beginning to wonder
The ignition LOCKED!! We were able to whack to key in there and it started, but everything I've read has told me the problem will continue and this is a quick fix. I called the Ford of Kirkland dealership and they went on and on about how complex and hard the cylinder replacement was, that it would take 3 hrs and then quoted it at $389!!! You do not need an expensive key reconfiguration! I called around and found a great locksmith at AAA EXPRESS LOCKSMITH. The fix took about 20 mins and they only charged $169. The Ford customer service said they will not recall this problem (why??? it makes them money!) and would offer not courtesey to help get their problem fixed. DO NOT GO TO THE DEALERSHIP!!!!!! CALL A LOCKSMITH!!! It was a pain in the ass, and Ford needs to take better care of their customers!
Shame on you Ford...Step up to the plate and do the right thing! ohh wait this is Corp America...my bad.
I never had one problem with my ignition, it just froze after turning it off one night, luckily i had parked it at home.
after the wonderful advice about whacking my car's key...it turned right over!! and was able to drive to work today. thank you for those of you who posted the info.
One more bit of advice, i was able to leave the key in the ignition turned just enough so it wont lock up on me, and it does not pull from the battery, I'm still able to lock my car and set the alarm.
This is going to buy me the time to come up with the $214.50 to fix her. the bummer is $150 of it is Labor...crap I'm in the wrong line of work.
Today was my turn it seems. I got to this site and saw the WD-40/hammer solution. I only had one key for my Focus to begin with, so I went and had a "service" copy made of my key for only $3.00 from a True Value Hardware store. Should it turn over I planned to leave the ignition key in it and just use the service key to lock/unlock until I get the money to fix the cylinder. The WD-40/hammer technique worked, thanks to you, not FORD!
At first, the ignition problem is exactly as mentioned with every other post here, but it did degrade to the point where we've had to leave the key in, or risk not being able to turn it at all. And yes, we'll eventually get to the point of getting the ignition replaced, but it really pisses us off that it's not being addressed as a recall. We'll definitely go with the buying from a salvage yard or something like that.
To make it worse, however, when I've taken it in for service on other issues, I've said to the service people, "please be sure to leave the key in the ignition, we're having issues with it." And what has happened twice? They take it out...the first time resulted in the spare key getting broken inside the ignition. My best solution for that, is, don't panic, get a thin, thin pen knife (I had a tiny swiss army knife), gently "grab" the key shank with the knife point, and work it out, while pretending you're removing a sliver from your kid's hand. I got ours out, but obviously, we are SOL for having an extra lock key. Good thing we live in a low crime town...I would love to know whether anyone can cut a key from only a shank....
There are lots of other pain in the ass issues...I'll add them as separate complaints, but here is a basic list:
the door latches, front and rear, stick
the trunk release has just quit entirely, after a year of behaving abnormally, which is a problem with only one key...
the engine "hiccups", which may be the fuel pump
the radio randomly turns on and off, and the clock resets
I put my key in the ignition. It would not turn. I could not start the car. AND the key would not come out of the ignition! I tried all the standard tricks like turning the steering wheel etc. But it was stuck.
I had the car towed to the dealer. They said "oh yeah this happens a lot with this model". The cylinder that the key goes into had to be replaced. $600. And the warrant had just expired.
Key will not turn and stuck out in the snow. Now I am told it will cost $300. This has been a problem since I bought the vehicle, Also have had electrical problems. SHOULD BE A RECALL.
This has happened many times, once we were on holidays and had to leave the keys in the ignition while we guarded the car. The two times that I could not get the keys out I drove to the dealership and they popped out. I find starting the car again and moving forward or reversing and then putting it in park again helps. I had the other problem 2 years ago where my keys would not start my car. I had to get my car towed and replace the ignition. Do I have to replace it again or is there a quick fix? I guess I will wait until I cannot get my keys out and hope it's not leaving me stranded.
I seem to have the same problem that everyone else is having, the ignition key will not turn or can it be removed and will not start the car. I was told that it was a ford part(that means you can ONLY pay the FORD price)I had to pay the expensive price to fix it. I have AAA and they saved the day, they came to my house and replaced the ignition for 420.00. The dealer wanted my first born.
I HAVE A 2003 FORD FOCUS MY FATHER IN LAW HAD GAVE ME . HE SAID HE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE KEY COMING OUT OF IGNITION.IT R AN GREAT FOR A WHILE THEN IT WOULD NOT START. IF I TAKE THE BATTERY CABLE OFF THE KEY COMES OUT . OTHERWISE I CAN NOT GET THE KEY OUT AND I THINK ITS RUNNING DOWN MY BATTERY. SO IS THERE SOMETHING REALLY WRONG OR IS IT A RECALL I DON'T KNOW ABOUT. WELL I JUST DON'T KNOW!! HELP OR SEND ME A NEW CAR! LOL JUST JOKING!!!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Key stuck in ignition. I see this is a common problem in my year of Ford Focus (2003) but a lot of the problem posts say their key won't even turn, and mine will turn to start the key and turn off the car just fine. It's just when pulling the key out, it only comes out 1/3-1/2 way when it is "gripped" and I can't pull it the rest of the way out. Sometimes if I turn the key all the way back to the ACC position it will come out. But I can always put the car in neutral first and the key will pull right out, then I can shift into Park to keep from leaving the key in the ignition. So the key can be removed, just not while it is in Park. I'm thinking there is some electrical connection between the shift lever and the ignition that is telling the car that it isn't in Park yet, so it won't release the key, but WILL release it when the gear shift lever is in neutral. I took it to Ford and after telling them it was stuck in the ignition they automatically said I need the whole new ignition or cylinder or whatever. But even after describing how I can remove the key in neutral, they still said I need to buy a new cylinder and have installed. So I'm unsure if the cylinder is indeed the problem, or if my intuition is correct and there is something wrong with the car recognizing the shifter is in Park.
Update from Mar 20, 2016: Ford wanted almost $350 to replace the ignition cylinder. I bought the one I needed online for $24 and had it set up and installed in about an hour myself after watching a video on Youtube about how to do it. Very easy to do. Dealer trying to rip me off, as usual. Fixed the problem, so was definitely the ignition cylinder.
- moore70, Georgetown, KY, US