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
Key won't turn in ignition! You can place the key and the spare key, in the ignition and it will not turn. Looked up online and found website that stated this is a very common problem. Our key has to stay in the ignition because you can not take it out. Very disappointed this is a safety not recall ! My wife and children can be stranded in freezing weather ! Also very expensive to fix. *tr
ODI 10252070
Ignition
The key in the ignition will not turn in my 2003 ford focus. It gets jammed all the time now. Previous attempts of moving the steering wheel back & forth worked for awhile, but even that does not work now. The only way to start it is to tap on the key when it is in the ignition with a mallet or hammer. This usually works after a few tries. Now i have to consider leaving the key in the ignition in order to start it…
ODI 10253219
Ignition · Steering
My car refuses to start. You cannot turn the ignition switch to get it to come on. After searching the internet i saw dozens of complains from people having the same problem. I simply cannot afford to make the repairs and since my car is out of warranty my dealership will not help me. Ford customer service hung up on me twice. The only fix is to leave the key in the ignition. I managed to use a hammer to hammer it…
ODI 10251887
Ignition
So far, i have only had the problem occur once and am still working to get it repaired. Nothing really happened to warrant the problem happening. It seemed to just happen randomly. In my 2003 ford focus, the ignition switch locked. So far, i have heard hundreds of cases of this problem occurring with this particular car, all for focuses ranging from year 2000 to 2003, and the only thing that seems to fix it is to…
ODI 10251182
Ignition
The ignition locked up in the car. The ignition key wouldn't turn or do anything. This is a huge safety concern. I have a 12 week old baby and live in north dakota. I had my boyfriend's 11 year old daughter with as well. Me, an infant, and a child stuck with a car that won't start in weather that is below freezing with the windchill. This is a huge safety concern. *tr
ODI 10251129
Ignition
My 2003 ford focus se has the issue where the ignition locks. It takes several attempts before i can get the key to turn. Twice now i have had to get it towed because of this problem. *tr
ODI 10253572
Ignition
My ignition has locked up on my 2003 ford focus, i am currently in the process of getting it fixed. It started about 3 weeks ago and slowly has gotten worse. My car has not started in a week. I cannot get to work on my own. *tr
ODI 10251867
Ignition
The ignition switch on my 2003 ford focus se is stuck. The vehicle is now rendered unusable since it cannot be started. I consider this to be a safety related item because the vehicle is now stranded and will require the services of a locksmith or have to be towed to the nearest dealership to be repaired. I have read online where this appears to be a common problem with the ford focus manufactured in 2000 through…
ODI 10249590
Ignition · Steering
The key will not turn in the ignition. The ignition barrel is completely stuck, impeding any use of any vehicle functions. Has occurred daily or every other day for a few weeks. A few minutes of jostling may allow it to work. A few times it has been stuck for hours until finally working. This may strand some travelers in winter conditions, like myself. Very stressful and potentially dangerous situation. *tr
ODI 10252975
Ignition
The ignition wouldn't turn with the key. Very often it would turn with difficulty after some wiggling of the steering wheel. After a while it was nearly impossible once the key was removed. Eventually we got the key to work and now we leave the key in and lock the doors with the remote. It used to happen as my wife would leave work in the dark which was very dangerous in some areas. I had to get an aftermarket…
ODI 10248303
Ignition
Ford focus 2003 - ignition failure, key will not turn my key will not turn in my ignition. This should be recalled. There are thousands of us (ford customers) who have this problem. I do not understand how this is not a "safety" precaution. Please recall. Americans are not encouraged to buy american-made cars; sadly but true. *tr
ODI 10247533
Ignition
Second time having problem with ignition on 2003 ford focus. The key won't turn and have been left stranded on the highway and missed days of work to get the replacement ignition switch. This is a problem that ford needs to acknowledge and recall. Thousands of ford focus owners have had the same problem. Not only is it costly and is a repair that is fords' responsibility to fix due to faulty ignitions but also a…
ODI 10245139
Ignition
Ignition locked leaving me stranded. Finally got the car started only to find it locked up again the next time i tried to start it. *tr
ODI 10244915
Ignition
Ignition would not turn. The first time it occurred was back in july 2008. If i played with the steering wheel it would finally turn the key. The ignition had to be replaced. Ford has had this problem with the focus since 2001. *tr
ODI 10243773
Electrical System · Ignition
Ignition lock cylinder on ford focus is defective. The mechanism locks and is unable to turn. This yields the vehicle inoperable, posing a significant safety risk if the owner needs to use the vehicle in an emergency or the vehicle stalls on the highway. This is an issue known by ford, as evidenced by the mechanics at landmark ford, tigard, oregon stating that it is a common problem and ford has quietly updated the…
ODI 10242753
Ignition
Approximately 2 months ago i began to notice a difficulty in turning the key when placed in the ignition. The problem began small, a little jiggle of the key and the ignition cylinder would turn and the car would start. The problem grew to the point in which i would have to forcibly knock the key in with the palm of my hand otherwise the key would not turn at all. I tried all kinds of ways to get the car to start,…
ODI 10249542
Ignition
I own a 2003 ford focus and had to spend $360 to have my ignition cylinder replaced as my steering wheel had locked and the key unable to turn and start the car when the car had just worked fine the previous day. Luckily, it was still warm outside and i was not stranded in a remote place in a storm or in winter where harm could befall someone. I couldn't figure out what was wrong or what i needed to do, but i…
ODI 10241660
Ignition
My teenage daughter drives a ford focus zx3 2003. After owning the car for only a few months, the ignition locked up and would not turn. As a result, she was stranded in a parking lot alone feeling very unsafe. The same thing has happened 3 times to my husbands f250 ignition. The ignitions had to be replaced by a locksmith each time. There was no reason for these ignitions to fail. *tr
ODI 10241194
Ignition
KEY WON'T TURN IN IGNITION. *TR
ODI 10239482
Ignition
I do not know for sure what caused it, but my ignition on my 03 ford focus lx locked up and would not turn over. You could leave the key in and it would always start. But if you took the key out it would lock up and refuse to turn. I have not had it fixed yet and i think it is not fair that i should have to fix it when 9 out of 10 ford focus do this. I am taking it to a lock smith to have it fixed next week and i…
ODI 10239955
Ignition
THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. *TR
ODI 10236888
Ignition
Being stranded without my car starting is my issue. Have 2003 ford focus ignition key would not turn to turn car on-- stranded 5 times-- one time i was 45 miles from home-- had it towed and repaired cost $90 now it happened again and had to get a ride home from work hate to see what this bill will be if ford is aware of this problem with 2000 through 2003 vehicles why are they not doing anything to help the consumer…
ODI 10236471
Ignition
I left my car for 5 mins to grab something in my home and when i returned to start my car the ignition wouldn't even budge, now i am going to have to get the ignition replaced. *tr
ODI 10234043
Ignition
I was getting into my car and suddenly the key would go into the ignition but would not turn. I called a locksmith and i soon as they heard that it was a ford focus they didn't want to so anything because they stated that this is a dealership problem and they had to help me. They stated that this problem was very common with my type of vehicle and that i should check to see if there was a recall for it since it is a…
ODI 10233988
Ignition
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford focus. After leaving the grocery store, the contact placed the key into the ignition but could not turn the key. She attempted to wiggle the key in the ignition to start the vehicle; however,the vehicle failed to start even after several attempts. The contact's friend owns a ford focus and instructed her to tap on the key while it is in the ignition. The contact heeded this advice…
ODI 10233491
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2003 Ford Focus.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.