Problems · by component

2000 Ford Focus equipment problems

143 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Ford Focus cite equipment, 4% of all 3,738 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
143
4% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the equipment

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE KEY WOULD NO LONGER TURN IN THE IGNITION, LEAVING ME AND MY BABY NIECE STRANDED FAR AWAY FROM HOME. WE PARKED THE VEHICLE AND WHEN WE RETURNED, WE FOUND OURSELVES STRANDED, BECAUSE THE IGNITION LOCK COULD NO LONGER BE OPERATED. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS LOCKS! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2016Electrical system, EquipmentODI 10935305
“THE KEY HAS GOTTEN STUCK IN THE IGNITION THREE TIME NOW. THE FIRST TIME WE COULD NOT GET THE CAR STARTED IN A ROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD, AND HAD TO LEAVE IT OVER NIGHT. THE SECOND TIME I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE IN ORDER TO SHUT THE CAR OFF. THIS LAST TIME I ALSO HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE TO SHUT THE CAR OFF. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2010Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkages, EquipmentODI 10348626
“I CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN THE ISSUES I HAVE HAD WITH MY 2000 FORD FOCUS ZTS. THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OFF THE MARKET AND FORD NEEDS TO REIMBURSE ALL OWNERS... MY ENGINE IS NOW CUTTING OFF WITH NO WARNING AT ANY SPEED AND I AM AFRAID FOR NOT ONLY MY OWN LIFE BUT MY 7 YEAR OLD AND NEWBORN DAUGHTERS AS WELL.... CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND AFTER ALL THE PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS SUCH AS OVERHEATING, SMOKING ENGINE, FRIED FUEL SYSTEM, VALVES, SENSORS, RESISTORS, MOTORS, HOSES, WIRES, FUSES, COOLING/HEATING, DOOR LATCHES AND THIS CAR PRACTICALLY SPEEDING UP ON ITS OWN AND NOT STOPPING... I FEEL SOMEONE NEEDS TO HELP US ALL.... PLEASE... I AM BEGGING!!!! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 30, 2010Engine and engine cooling, EquipmentODI 10333894
“THERE ARE NO INDICATORS THAT THE PROBLEM IS ABOUT TO OCCUR. KEY STUCK IN IGNITION OF 2000 FORD FOCUS. REPAIRED ONCE ALREADY. PROBLEM OCCURRING AGAIN. IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME AFTER BEING STRANDED WHEN THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. INITIAL REPAIR BILL WAS AROUND $400. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 26, 2010Electrical system, EquipmentODI 10332361
“THE KEY WON'T RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION ALSO THE IGNITION WON'T TURN OFF AND IF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE OR MOTOR CAUGHT ON FIRE YOU COULD NOT TURN OFF THE IGNITION TO SHUT THE CAR OFF. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 23, 2010Electrical system, EquipmentODI 10301999
“IN MY 2000 FORD FOCUS SE WAGON THE KEY IN MY IGNITION REFUSES TO ALLOW ME TO REMOVE THE KEY AND THEN RE-INSERT THE KEY TO START THE ENGINE. I AM ABLE TO PUT THE KEY IN THE LOCK BUT NOT TURN IT. IT HAS HAPPEN NUMEROUS TIMES A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING THE WINTER AFTER I HAD WENT TO TOWN TO GET SUPPLIES. IT USUALLY TAKES 1 TO 2 HOURS TO GET IT WIGGLED ENOUGH TO LET THE KEY TURN TO THE AUX, AND START POSITIONS. IT SEAMS THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY $400 TO $500 TO GET IT REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FIRST FAILURE IT SIMPLY REFUSED TO LET ME TURN THE IGNITION AFTER I INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. THIS LAST TIME AFTER 4 HOURS OF WORKING WITH IT AND HAVING A LOCKSMITH COME OUT AND DETERMINE IF IT COULD BE FIXED HE SAID IT WOULD NEED TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2009EquipmentODI 10282349

Showing 6 of 143 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Equipment

Free remedy

RIDE CONTROL, LLC (RIDE CONTROL) IS RECALLING CERTAIN READYMOUNT ASSEMBLIES, P/N 746641MT AND 746646MT, WITH CORRESPONDING AFTERMARKET CUSTOMER PART NUMBERS: GABRIEL G56944 AND GABRIEL G56945, AND PRIVATELY BRANDED PARTSMASTER WITH PART NUMBERS G68944 AND G68945. THE READYMOUNT ASSEMBLIES WERE SOLD AS AFTERMARKET SERVICE EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON CERTAIN 2000 THROUGH 2005 FORD FOCUS VEHICLES. THESE ASSEMBLIES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH A NUT WITHOUT THE NECESSARY WASHER. THE ABSENCE OF THE WASHER CAN ALLOW THE READYMOUNT ASSEMBLY TO PULL APART THE TOP MOUNT.

EquipmentReported Feb 24, 2012NHTSA 12E007000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 27, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.