Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving on highway lost control and vehicle hit highway divider on left side. Then skidded to left side of highway and hit a guardrail and went into a tree. Upon impact, frontal air bags did not deploy.
Fatality vehicle fire, dec. 8 2004. My husband is the original owner of a 2000 Ford Focus, subject to numerous service visits to bill brown Ford, livonia mi for: ignition, steering column, wheel bearing, brake, rear window control, seat belt &trunk latches, overhead light and engine light. The vacuum line & fuel pump & valve assembly were replaced 2/03, followed by stalling. In 6/03, A/C compressor & manifold line replaced. Fuel line & pump failure in 8/03, resulted in gasoline spill on residential street minutes after parking. Bogging followed repairs, PCM reprogrammed & leaking pvc tube replaced 1/04. Fuel pump again replaced. In 8/04, our 24 year old son took ownership of this problematic car. We are uncertain as to whether vehicle malfunction caused a 35 MPH collision with a fire hydrant. An immediate engine explosion and fuel fed fire trapped my son and his passenger. …
I have a 2000 Ford Focus. Without warning, the key could not be inserted into the ignition and rendered the vehicle useless this evening. It appears Ford knows about this very common failure according to many owners (via online forums) with the same issue. Ford doesn't consider it a safety issue and hence not recall worthy. Consider this, when the failure occurred to my wife this evening after work, it was 6 degrees fahrenheit outside and dark too (and well into the negative digits with the wind-chill). This clearly seems like a safety issue in this regard for anyone...luckily our 5 & 3 year old children were in the safety of indoor daycare at the time (what would have happened with two small kids late at night in a parking lot with sub zero temps?) according to a professional locksmith, this is a known issue and he fixed the same thing on another Focus this morning. …
Faulty ignition switch. The same major problem everyone else is having with the Ford focuses. Ignition cylinder locked up on me without warning. Stopped to get gas and when I went to put key back into ignition it wouldn't even go in at first. I though I was in the wrong car. Finally forced key in ignition. It took me a long time but I fortunately was able to finally jiggle it free and get engine started. First warning sign was in 2006 when it temporarily gave me a problem, but now it was being a constant problem. I had done my research on the internet as well and called around to different locksmiths. I was able to drive veh to a locksmith and have a new ignition cylinder replaced. They did not have to reprogram the keys as I see Ford is charging all of these people besides their ridiculous labor on their defective parts, in which they are still replacing defective parts. …
The ignition of my 2000 Ford Focus has frozen repeatedly only to start working again several minutes later. It recently has not started working again and I am having to pay $200 to have the ignition replaced. This I dismissed as simply one of the down sides of buying a used car. However, after searching forums online and speaking with a local dealership I have found that this is a common problem with all 2000/2001 Ford Focus models. The person who came to tow my car to the dealership informed me that he responds to 10-15 calls a week due to the same exact problems with this make and year of vehicle. I was directed to the NHTSA website by one of the internet forums and was shocked to find how many defects had been sited with this particular car make/model however, this was not amoung them. This appears to be the most common problem occuring with this make/model of car as well. …
For the past week, I have had trouble turning the key in the ignition. It's as if the ignition is locked, along with the steering wheel. I had been able to move the key back and forth and have been successful in getting the key to turn (actually turn so the car could start). Today, however, no amount of 'jimmying' did the trick. The ignition was locked and the key would simply not turn - at all (even after I tapped the key into the ignition with my palm as I turned the key as recommended by a Ford service mechanic). Subsequently, I had to have the car towed to the town and country Ford in portland, or so they could replace the entire ignition cylinder. This is costing me around $290!. I have read other similar complaints, and the tow truck driver - who also owns a Ford Focus zx3 - has been having similar problems. …
The brakes have been looked at three time because of noise and it's been serviced several times. It's in service right now and has been there for two weeks. I don't know if they are working on it or if they are repairing other things or what. I haven't had heat throughout the coldest part of the winter. The seat belts don't work and the paint is peeling. The car has locked up not letting me start the engine twice, then just out of the blue it decided to start. I tried to turn in and the car dealer at Ford said he wouldn't touch it, didn't want it. We bought it aug. 9 2000-Ford credit, simple interest 6.5 --first payment September $456.99 a month they say we owe too much to trade in ???this made no since. Now I know what's been going on. My husband has been out to sea usnavy for almost a year and I'm scared to drive it I'm a nervous wreck about this car and I don't know what to do. …
In June 2004, I took my 2000 Ford Focus into sunset Ford in westminster, california complaining about a vibration and rattle in the front end of my car. They charged me $80 and told me there was nothing wrong with my car. Again, on August 12, 2004, I took my 2000 Ford Focus into sunset Ford complaining that the vibration and rattle were still there and getting worse. They again charged me $80 for a diagnostic and told me there was nothing wrong with my car. In the early morning on October 2, 2004, I started to slowly accelerate from a complete stop and my car for no reason at all turned sharply and struck a curb. There is now major structural damage to my car that will cost thousands of dollars to repair. I contend that this major damage was caused by Ford s negligence in finding the original mechanical defect that I reported to them. …
I parked my car and shut it off. When I came back to start my car I could put the key in, but not turn it. When I called Ford they new of the issue and the service manger told me the following info it it: it is designed so badly that even a perfectly new one can jam. In most lock cylinders the tumblers are pushed by springs to lock against an outer sleeve, and the key pushes them back in. With the Focus they added a locking bar as 90 degrees to the tumblers, and that is what locks the sleeve instead of the tumblers. The problem is there is no solid connection between the key and this locking bar. It is only pushed by the tiny tumbler springs, wich easily jam. So the only current permenant solution is to remove all the tumblers. But since they cannot do this, they have to replace them as they come in, but they still break after replacement at my cost of almost $500.00. …
Extreme amount of problems and recalls, vehicle has low mileage. In addition to listed problems, severe rear tire cupping at 7000 miles, May be attributed to loose rear wheel bearing. Power steering pressure hose leaking, A/C still not fixed correctly cold lasted for about a month drivers door lock wont lock interm. Rear trunk latch wont release from inside car. Fuel gauge erratic, caused driver to run out of gas on a bridge. Maf sensor failure, caused driver to be limited to 15 MPH on freeway till next exit. Vheicles radio stuck on with key removed causing battery drain---happened twice and was fixed. Vehicle is a lease due back for return in August. Cant wait to be rid of this headache but feel sorry for whoever buys it... …
Related recalls
Steering › Linkages
Certain passenger vehicles have loose pinch bolts that secure the lower control arm to the steering knuckle have been reported.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering knuckle pinch bolt for tightness and correct as necessary. Owner notification began February 10, 2003.
Steering complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2000 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 168 complaints about the steering of the 2000 Ford Focus, 5% of the model year's 3,686 complaints. The component named most often is column locking › anti-theft device (39 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Ford Focus steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 02V-289 (linkages, Nov 6, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2000 Ford Focus steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 13 crashes, 4 fires and 3 injuries and 2 deaths to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.