CBS 5 Investigates With Anna Werner

by Anna Werner
(CBS 5) It's the most basic thing you expect your car to do: it's supposed to start. So why are so many drivers of one popular car winding up stranded?

CBS 5 Investigates' Anna Werner reports on the problem leaving Ford Focus drivers in the lurch.
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SCRIPT
Rick Smith: it would not go forward
Tawana Jones: the key wouldn't move
Isaac Clemens: it was frozen solid

IT'S SUDDEN....
Tawana: i tried shaking it
AND UNEXPECTED...
Isaac: maybe the steering wheel is locked …
AN ALMOST BRAND NEW CAR … THAT WON'T START.
Tawana: I just kept wiggling it moving the steering wheel.

IT HAPPENED TO RICHARD SMITH A FEW MONTHS AGO. THE IGNITION ON HIS FORD FOCUS JUST FROZE.
I got my spare key, wouldn't work
HE HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK, WHOSE DRIVER MADE A COMMENT…
He mentioned to me, that he had seen this in Ford Focuses before….

AND AT THE FORD DEALER, SMITH HAD TO PAY TO FIX THAT IGNITION…OVER 500 DOLLARS…WHY SO MUCH? THEY TOLD HIM:
Well we had to remove the steering column and bash, essentially bash the lock out.

IT'S A FAMILIAR STORY TO ELLIOT TAMANY….
Unfortunately in this car it just seems to happen a lot more than others.
HE'S WITH PREMIER LOCKSMITH IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND SAYS HE GETS FREQUENT CALLS FROM FOCUS OWNERS….
AW: Once a week? Tamany: Yeah once a week…on average once a week…

SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? TAMANY SAYS….
It's just a bad design.

HE SAYS COMPARED TO OTHER CARS, THE DESIGN OF THAT IGNITION CYLINDER - THAT'S WHERE YOU PUT THE KEY - SQUEEZES TOO MANY SMALL PARTS INTO A TOO SMALL SPACE.
So you would have all these tiny little parts and pieces on the inside that would start to jam up

SO HE SAYS AS THE CAR KEY GOES IN AND OUT….
It put a little more wear and tear on these little parts and one would either crack or fail.
the lock itself is wearing out prematurely.
LEAVING OWNERS AND THEIR CARS BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD...
I would say if you have a Ford Focus, more likely than not your ignition is going to have a problem rather than not have a problem. AW: More likely than not? Tamany: It's just a matter of time.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE FOUND FOCUS OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT, TIME AFTER TIME…TO THE GOVERNMENT...HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS…
BUT….
AW: Do you think the customers know about this problem?
Tamany: No.
BUT FORD DOES. THE COMPANY SENT A SERVICE BULLETIN TO ITS MECHANICS, ADVISING THEM ABOUT THE IGNITION AND TELLING THEM HOW TO FIX IT.


SO WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON THAT IGNITION? - AND WHY WON'T FORD REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS WHEN THAT PART GOES BAD? BECAUSE THEY SAY, IT'S NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM. BUT TELL THAT TO TAWANA JONES.
Jones: It might not be a big deal to them, but it's a big deal to the people that own the cars.

HER FORD FOCUS BROKE DOWN ONCE ALREADY, AND NOW SHE'S AFRAID TO FIND OUT WHERE IT MIGHT HAPPEN THE NEXT TIME.
I don't go too far out of the area with the car. If I do go out the area I'll rent a car … that could just happen anywhere I go…without warning.

AND CLARENCE DITLOW AGREES….
It certainly can be dangerous
DITLOW HEADS THE WATCHDOG GROUP, THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY,
Ford should just step up to the plate and realize that this is a bad defect that needs recall.
IN FACT, DITLOW'S GROUP SAYS RECALLING THE ENTIRE CAR WOULDN'T BE SUCH A BAD IDEA.

THE CENTER SAYS THE FORD FOCUS ALREADY HAS THE WORST RECALL RECORD OF ANY CAR SINCE 1980, WITH 12 RECALLS AND 7 DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS, JUST TWO OF THE ISSUES? ENGINE STALLS. AND REAR WHEELS THAT WERE ALLEGEDLY FALLING OFF THE BACK OF THE CAR … ALL ON AN ENTRY-LEVEL CAR DITLOW SAYS IS SUPPOSED TO BE AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE FOR CONSUMERS
They don't have readily 500 dollars to spend out of their pocket.

BUT SINCE THERE'S NO RECALL YET, OWNERS LIKE ISAAC CLEMENS ARE RESORTING TO THEIR OWN METHODS TO FIX THE IGNITION.
From here and you drill strait in about an inch and three-quarters … I read all the posts and found some fairly detailed instructions on how to take care of the problem myself.

HE SPENT HOURS...DRILLING IT OUT HIMSELF...
BUT HE DOESN'T THINK HE SHOULD HAVE HAD TO.
I don't think consumers should have to pay for the cost of replacing it … Bill Ford…don't bill the consumer.

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That service bulletin we mentioned covers 2000 through 2005 models, even though Ford upgraded its ignition cylinders in 2003.

Ford told CBS 5: "The company constantly monitors the performance of its vehicles in the field and when an issue is identified, we will take action in the interest of customer safety and satisfaction … A report of an incident does not necessarily indicate a defect trend."

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)