Anybody ever hear of this???

05MGT

New Member

Dec 8, 2004

31

0

0

Jax, FL

Mar 4, 2006

#1

• Mar 4, 2006

• #1

My wife gives me a call at work today telling me she cant start her car. Puts the key n but it wont turn. I told her to turn the wheel while she turned the key, thinking it was just locked but no. Nothing we do can turn the key. This just came from nowhere. It worked fin yesterday. She has an 03 Focus btw.

 

fullsagd

New Member

May 16, 2005

36

0

0

Fort McMurray, Alberta

Mar 4, 2006

#2

• Mar 4, 2006

• #2

my girlfriend had this problem with a few of the keys she had cut (not a ford mind you). the shoulders were a bit sharper that the key that worked, i chamfered them a bit with my dremel and they worked fine. funny how they worked then didn't...

 

05MGT

New Member

Dec 8, 2004

31

0

0

Jax, FL

Mar 4, 2006

#3

• Mar 4, 2006

• #3

Well, these are the factory issued keys. I'm glad its still under warranty. Ford will just probably install a new ignition and we'll have to deal with 2 separate keys. One for the lock, one for the ignition. (Damn manual door locks.)

 

MCMustangMan

New Member

Sep 10, 2005

112

0

0

Sterling Heights, Michigan (Detroit Suburb)

Mar 4, 2006

#4

• Mar 4, 2006

• #4

My wife's Sport Trac does that sometimes I don't know what it is but would like to! It seems if sometimes when this happens if I take the key in and out it will work. I don't know if it has to do with the chip they put in these darn things or not!

 

05MGT

New Member

Dec 8, 2004

31

0

0

Jax, FL

Mar 4, 2006

#5

• Mar 4, 2006

• #5

hmmm. I don't know if the Focus has one of those "chipped" keys. She bought it before I met her. Maybe that's all it is, they can reprogram it or something. But then again it makes more sense that if it was just the chip then the key should turn still, just not start the car...

 

MCMustangMan

New Member

Sep 10, 2005

112

0

0

Sterling Heights, Michigan (Detroit Suburb)

Mar 4, 2006

#6

• Mar 4, 2006

• #6

I might be wrong, but I think if you put in a key that has the same cut as the "chipped" key it still won't unlock the ignition. Don't hold me to this but I believe that is the way I have heard it!

 

Pliskin

New Member

Jul 27, 2004

109

0

0

Mar 4, 2006

#7

• Mar 4, 2006

• #7

That SHOULD be a recall on the Focus. Its the ignition switch cylinder that needs to be replaced. They should replace it at any dealer and cut you new keys. I'm a bit hazy on the Focus deals cause they dont pertain to me but I see em in ALL the time for that problem. You gotta replace it one way or another. Either under warranty or by paying for it.

 

O

OsirisGT

Member

Nov 12, 2005

60

1

9

San Diego

Mar 5, 2006

#8

• Mar 5, 2006

• #8

Was she using the Focus key? I know that my wifes 2000 Exploder key fits into my 06 but it doesnt turn. I do that all the time and I still freak out every time.

 

S

shooterm1

New Member

Jul 18, 2005

540

1

0

Milford, Pennsylvania USA

Mar 5, 2006

#9

• Mar 5, 2006

• #9

OsirisGT said:

Was she using the Focus key? I know that my wifes 2000 Exploder key fits into my 06 but it doesnt turn. I do that all the time and I still freak out every time.

Click to expand...

yep, I've done it too ....

 

J

joekd

New Member

Dec 21, 2005

51

0

0

Mar 5, 2006

#10

• Mar 5, 2006

• #10

If it is an automatic make sure the transmission is all the way in park also, had that problem on the wife's explorer one day, it was the slightest bit out of park and locked the key from turning

 

sieben

New Member

Aug 6, 2005

18

0

0

Sep 14, 2006

#11

• Sep 14, 2006

• #11

it's a known problem with the 04 and previous year focuses. The cheap brass tumblers they used in the original lock bind up and wear down causeing the key to stick. Ford has updated the cylinder to a new more rugged design, and I have no had a problem with those at all.

 

N

nbk13nw

Member

Mar 31, 2005

186

4

19

Newport News, Va

Sep 14, 2006

#12

• Sep 14, 2006

• #12

Had the same issue with my 05 Mustang. The tow truck guys says it is a Ford thing. He hopped in, pulled the key out of the ignition just a hair and turned it, the whell unlocked and the car started fine., Never happened again and that has been at least a year.

 

tr7driver

Member

Sep 5, 2006

117

3

19

Illinois

Sep 14, 2006

#13

• Sep 14, 2006

• #13

Don't load up your key ring

If you have a bunch of keys on key ring the pressure from the weight off all those keys, fobs, mini scan cards and the rabbits foot will wear the ignition switch out. Either keep your car key on a seperate ring, or get key rings with couplers on them, and release the car key from the rest of the bunch before you start the car.

Its not much help now, but this could prevent future wear on you other car.