ignition lock

"PAPY" wrote

Salut Papy. I guess you have a 2000 or 2001 production Focus. This is one of their known defects. Only the dealer can fix it, since the lock must be set to match your keys. It cost me $250.

Same thing happened to me last summer. This is something every Focus owner should expect. Ford knows all about it, but they don't care. Just hand them three hundred dollars, and hope it doesn't happen to you again.

Rob

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"Dave Gower" wrote ...

Same issue here, just happened to my 2000 ZX3--key enters but won't turn. Got it to start once just by wiggling it around but half an hour of messing with it since hasn't worked. Dealer wants $343 plus the charge of a tow-in.

The cas is now at the dealer along with all the info i collected on the subject about this problem.they will check it out and let me know. today "JTH" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...

Got it to start once just by wiggling it around but half an hour of messing with it since hasn't worked. Dealer wants $343 plus the charge of a tow-in.

>

Some locksmiths can do the work and seem to have lower prices than dealers, I have mine scheduled for tomorrow for under $250 US. I'll repost if they wind up not being able to do it.

You may want to rethink this. The repair costs many of us have been quoting are in Canadian dollars, and $250 US dollars is a lot more than the $300 CDN we've been talking about.

Rob

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"JTH" wrote ...

dealers, I have mine scheduled for tomorrow for under $250 US. I'll repost if they wind up not being able to do it.

The dealers in the SF area were quoting $340 US and up; a locksmith just did it for $185 US. He'd done 5 already . . . if you're in the US, you can file a formal complaint at the NTSB at

Hopefully if enough of us do so Ford will do the same thing they just did thisweek with the fuel pumps, reimburse the cost of repairs.

It's happened twice on my 2000 Focus ZTS.

See my Web page for details:

Len Moskowitz Teaneck NJ (USA)

It's happened twice on my 2000 Focus ZTS.

See my Web page for details:

Len Moskowitz Teaneck NJ (USA)

Incorrect that only the dealer can fix it. All replacement ignition cylinders comes with a tumbler kit. It contains eight of all 5 possible tumbler sizes, so you can put together a cylinder that will fit any existing key. Anyone can do this themselves. It is very easy.

But the design flaw will eventually cause another failure, regardless of who does it.

The only safe solution for now is to leave all the tumblers out.

Avoid the tow by putting the key in, and then rapping it or the cylinder with a piece of wood. The vibration frees up the stuck locking bar, with luck, and then you also will not have to have the cylinder drilled out. It comes out easily in the 'on' position.

Any locksmith not only can do this, but much better than a car mechanic.

But the design of the replacement is faulty, so it will happen again as long as you have tumblers moving the locking bar. I suggest leaving the tumblers out for now.

I waited too long and had to drill the old one out. But I talked the parts people into selling me a new one at costs, $40 US, because it had been done last on warranty less they 12 months before. Then it only took a half hour to put the new one in, (once I had drilled out the old one). Not at all difficult.

Things to be careful about: Make sure you disconnect the battery at least 5 minutes before starting work, to ensure the airbag circuit is discharged. Remove the center airbag cover on the steering wheel 2 5.5 mm bolts from the back side of the wheel. The retaining pin in the side of the lock cylinder can only be depressed if the key is in the 'on' position.

The new ignition lock comes as a kit, with a bunch of little bags of tumblers. So all you have to do to make the fix permanent, so that it will never jam again, is to just leave all the tumblers out. There is still a main latch that requires a key to be inserted, and the eledtric transducer device will require the exact right key before allowing it to start anyway.

If you let the dealer keep doing it under warranty, you will keep having to have it towed it, unless you can convince the dealer to leave the tumblers out.