2003 Ford Focus Ignition Problems
- 263
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 263 stored complaint records:
- 1 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- turn ignition · 50 records
- ignition turn · 21 records
- steering wheel · 17 records
- ignition switch · 16 records
- common problem · 15 records
- ignition cylinder · 10 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 30–60k mi | 92 |
| 60–100k mi | 66 |
| 100–150k mi | 27 |
| 1–30k mi | 19 |
| 150–400k mi | 2 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Ignition · Steering
Key gets stuck in the ignition. Ignition will not turn. This happens just about every time an attempt is made to turn the car on for approximately one year. Multiple attempts must be made and excessive force to engage key must be used. After contacting several locksmiths and being repeatedly told that this problem can only be repaired by a ford dealer due to the computer needing to be programmed to match a chip in…
ODI 10336258
Ignition
My 2003 ford focus is having an ignition problem - my key will not turn in the ignition - i am now stranded and have to call aaa for help - they just left - have to have ignition replaced by dealer. *tr
ODI 10336048
Ignition
Key will not turn ignition. It is progressively getting worse. Last night i was stranded late at night and had to call someone to come get me. I tried for over an hour to get it to turn. From what i am finding out this is not a problem that i have. There have been many many complaints of this. This part should be recalled! *tr
ODI 10335807
Ignition
The original ford car key for my 03 ford focus will not turn in the ignition sometimes. Ill say about 25% of the time it won't. And i haven't fixed it yet. *tr
ODI 10331651
Equipment · Ignition
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…
ODI 10330367
Ignition · Latches/Locks/Linkages
Ignition cylinder lock sticks, unable to turn key and start car. *tr
ODI 10329390
Ignition
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…
ODI 10328809
Ignition · Latches/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
ODI 10327082
Ignition · Latches/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 surprised i have not heard of deaths related to this as weather conditions, robbery or rape…
ODI 10326779
Ignition · Latches/Locks/Linkages
My 2003 ford focus has a ignition switch problem all of a sudden the key will not start the car it has left us stranded and has taken us as long as 30 minutes to start car. We have tried several remedies like silicone spray, tapping on key so it will start this problem has effected a host of focus owners with costly repairs and we will soon have to spend money to repair this obviously flawed design. *tr
ODI 10320611
Ignition · Steering
I just recently bought my 2003 ford focus. Just this week the key would not turn in the ignition and my steering wheel would be locked. I was always able to get my car started after a few tries or 10 minutes or so. Today i sat in my car for 40 minutes trying to get my key to turn; it would not. I had to leave my car at the school which i work at, since i am a teacher, and be picked up. I have just read online that…
ODI 10319939
Ignition · Latches/Locks/Linkages
2003 ford focus. Went to drive the car got in put the key in the ignition and it won't turn. This is the second time it has happened. 3/4/10, the first time, it "finally", after about 10 minutes turned after putting the key in and out of the ignition. The second time on 3/5/10, it just wouldn't turn. The car is sitting, will have to call a lock smith to get it fixed. *tr
ODI 10317282
Equipment · Ignition
2003 ford focus zx5--key won't turn in the ignition, so can't start car. Steering wheel locked up and no amount of cranking, jiggling, etc., would allow me to turn the key in the ignition and start the car. Was an intermittent problem for about two months, then tonight i couldn't get the car started at all; neither could a kind stranger; neither could my husband. Snowing and cold. I had to leave the car in a grocery…
ODI 10315942
Ignition · Latches/Locks/Linkages
Ignition key will not turn, and vehicle can not be started, removing key and inserting again and again would allow it to start this happened every time. Now it will not turn at all. *tr
ODI 10316838
Ignition
2003 ford focus ignition. We tried 3 keys and the ignition will not turn. We did a little research and this seems to be a very common problem. Over 116 so for that have submitted such complaints about this vehicle. Recall necessary!!!!! *tr
ODI 10312039
Ignition
I have a 2003 ford focus sedan and the ignition locked up one day and wouldn't start. It wasn't the steering column locking and i had to call aaa thinking i'd need to get towed. The aaa guy actually told me this was a very common ford problem and that i was lucky i wasn't stranded too far. I was finally able to start the car by hitting the key with a small tool to "unlock" the ignition. I've tried leaving the key in…
ODI 10311307
Ignition
My daughter has been stranded several times in her 2003 ford focus. She cannot turn the key in the ignition. The dealer is going to charge $800 to fix this common problem and we do not have that kind of money. I have researched this online and have found that many people have had this same problem. Please help. *tr
ODI 10302088
Ignition
I'm unable to turn the key in the ignition switch, which left me stranded at work after 5:00pm at night. When this happens, the car becomes inoperable until repairs are made. This did happen to me once before around 09/2009. I had my car towed to a locksmith and they were able to fix it. They told me this was a known issue with my car. I looked this issue up online and there are thousands of people who are having…
ODI 10305934
Ignition
My ignition will not turn on my 2003 ford focus. This is a known defect (or so i have been told by ford), yet is not on any recalls. It needs to have the complete ignition replaced -- at my own cost! Apparently the parts are poorly made and they fail. *tr
ODI 10299716
Ignition
I own a 2003 ford focus. We cannot get the key to turn in the ignition and has left me stranded numerous times. I have read this is a problem with many ford focus owners. This has been going on for a year on and off. I find this to be offensive that it has not been issued as a recall when i see the numbers of people having this very same problem. Clearly it is a design flaw in the ignition. *tr
ODI 10317465
Ignition
My wife has a 2003 ford focus. She was in town at an appointment with my daughter. When she got in her car to return home the key wouldn't turn in the ignition. She was stuck. I see numerous complaints online from people with the same issue, even a class action suit in california. My concern is what if it was late and she was stuck, at night, in the middle of no where? I had to have the car towed to the ford…
ODI 10296589
Ignition · Steering
I own a 2003 ford focus zx5 that has an issue with the key turning in the ignition. At random times and locations when returning to the car, i will find that i am no longer able to turn the key in the ignition. I must work at it (longest has been an hour) to get the key to turn. This creates really big problems when you are stranded with kids at different locations and you never know when it is going to occur. From…
ODI 10296534
Ignition
The ignition lock of the ford focus completely jammed/locked without warning in a questionable part of town due to substandard manufacturing. I was stranded for over 3 hours. *tr
ODI 10298130
Ignition
I had taken my vehicle to the supermarket and when i returned to my vehicle the key would not turn and the steering wheel was locked. I researched this and found that the ford focus has a large amount of complaints of this same nature. I have been unable to get the steering column unlocked and will have to have the car towed for repair. *tr
ODI 10295906
Ignition
Key in ignition will not turn, can not start car! Will have to get it towed to ford dealer for $300+ repair. Daughter could have been stuck anywhere. *tr
ODI 10294725
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2003 Ford Focus.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.