[FocusTunerzx3]

Well i went to go start my car after work today and wow my key doesnt turn at all... and my steering column is locked up...and there is no steering column adjust on it... WTF IS GOING ON!!!

[DD1]

welcome to the wonderful year that was 2000 :unsure: you are not hte only one :(

[ZX3TUNING]

try wiggling the wheel back and forth while turning the key. it should pop free sooner or later.
sounds like the car rolled a bit after you pulled the key out and there is pressure on the steering lock which is keeping the key from being turned.
or you are in somebody elses car! :D

[FocusTunerzx3]

Is there anyway to fix it or do i have to call ford...

[vealzx3]

Ur gonna have to get that bad boy towed. Igniton is mos likely all locked up.

Well, it happened to me last winter too so don't feel to bad about it ;) .

[Rob]

If you get the key to turn again, Don't turn it back. There is two ways to remove the ignition cylinder:
1. With the key turned to acc or
2. Drill it out (costs more)

I hope I can explain this without pics......Here goes.

With the key turned to Acc (What ever the first position is) take off the plastic around column. Take a look around the location where the ignition cylinder is set into the steering coloumn, there will be a little hole, in that hole there is a button/detent that you press and the cylinder will slide out. For a temporary fix you can take out all the "h" shaped tumblers (I bet you one of them is slightly bent preventing the rectangle lock to fall within the cylinder....you'll see when you get it apart) Once all the tumblers and springs are out you can put it back together and turn your car on and off as you please.

Note: you will be able to turn the ignition with anything like a key or screwdriver but still require your key with the chip to start it.

Hope this helps

[MAlby7]

Happened to me too. Cost me $48 to tow it. $45 to load it on the truck and $3 to tow it across a street to the dealer.

[Domestic Disturbance]

This exact same problem happend to my Cousins 2000 Grandam, so the Focus isn't the only one....

And it took Pontiac 2 days to fix it....

[Blackzx3]

I had the problem in the summer, would constantly be an issue, but I was able to wiggle it free and start the car. I dealt with that for about 2 months constantly fuggin around with it to make the stupid key work. One day I get in the car key turns on first try, and since then it has been fine. So I dunno whats really going on in these focus ignitions.

[S2]

DD1,Dec 8 2004, 09:07 PM Wrote:welcome to the wonderful year that was 2000 :unsure: you are not hte only one :(
[right][snapback]73562[/snapback][/right]

That basically says it all....... tough luck. The 2000's had tons of problems with this among other things.

[ZX3 in progress]

I had this problem in the summer. It's the ignition cylinder you have to have it towed to the dealer and if they can't get it to turn and replace it that way then they have to drill it out and it will cost you about $370 or something ridiculous like that, at least thats what they charged me. Otherwise if you can get it to turn at all you can fix it yourself. Turn the key and then you have to take apart the ignition and what you will find is there is one tumbler that is bent all you have to do is remove it and then it should all be fine at least this is what I was told from people. If not sorry about your luck I've been there and it sucks. This is an ongoing problem there are some people on the jet that this has happened to several times. I just hope mine doesn't do it again. Hope this helps.

[Focus Is Art]

Spray some graphite into the lock twice a year and won't have that problem.

[K_OS]

I had the same problem back in the winter of 2001 took some wd40 sprayed it in the key hole and the key the car started and I never had the problem ever again. :)

[mo_focus]

i guess i was lucky bc it happened when the car was still under warranty

isnt there a recall on that for 2000?

[FocusTunerzx3]

I tried the WD40 thing did nothing just gave my car that nice smell...I called ford they said 142 for the part and about an hour of labour...so i guess ill be towing it there somtime next week...i figure ill save money if i cant drive anywhere.

[Rob]

Try this. Take all the plastic covering off the column, put the key in, tap the top of the column with a screwdriver handle or something and keep trying to turn it. When mine went the problem was one of the tumblers was slightly bent and would not fall back into place once the key was in but after a few hits it worked.