Focus Mk3 Steering Wheel
Rosamunda Froats
Mom calls me this morning and she can't start her car. She has a 2001 Ford Focus and she can fully insert the key but the steering wheel lock is engaged and the key will not turn. Being sure that the fix is going to be easy I head over there and sure enough, no matter how much english or french I used on it that key would not budge. I tried tugging the wheel gently in either direction while trying to turn the key, wiggling the key around side to side, inserting the key a mm at a time, you get the idea. Cursing made no difference to my dissappointment and the enjoyment of the onlookers in the parking lot.
Searcing around teh intarwebs this afternoon I found hope for an inexpensive solution when I read this... "Just a word of advice for all you Ford Focus Ignition problem people. I had the same issue with my Ford. I couldn't get the key or steering wheel to turn. I had the car towed to my mechanic (2000 LX). He showed me the release button in the middle console for the steering and ignition. You pop out the gray/black little cover and use a screw driver or barrette to push the button down. At that point you can turn your car on and switch the car to the mode you want." from this site: _focus.html
Does anyone here have any experience with this car and could help me figure out how to find this magical button or otherwise bypass the steering lock? I know that if i had been able to get the steering lock to disengage that the key would turn in the cylinder.
We see a similar problem on Grand Cherokees with higher mileage, it's a combination of the tumblers in the lock sticking due to a buildup of brass particles from the key, wear on the tumblers and wear on the key. About 98% of the time, you can take a screwdriver handle, shoe sole, etc and 'tap' (don't pound!) the key further into the lock cylinder and turn the key at the same time and now the key will turn.
If this gets the lock cylinder to turn, the next step: have a new key cut from the key code. Do not copy the old key in one of those transfer machines, this merely cuts a new key with the same problem the old one had. Use WD40 or similar to rinse out the lock cylinder. It's going to drool out of the column covers, so be sure to cover the carpet etc. then use the new key. This only puts off the inevitable: it will need a new lock cylinder soon.
Focus ignition cylinder troubles are very common. Have done quite a few of them, and it's generally a real bitch job involving a Dremel and dissecting the lock cylinder from the inside out in order to release it, since you can't turn the key to remove it the normal way.
+1, Ford tech here... beat the hell out of it! Buy a new lock cylinder and get the code, it's really easy to do it yourself. I dunno if they will sell it to you though...Common problem with Foci. Sorry.
This is the common temp fix. Whatever you do, don't tell a locksmith: Put the key in the ignition, take the user manual (still in its padded case), and place it against the but of the key. Hit the manual with your fist moderately hard once or twice, and it will engage. Basically, what is happening is that the last tumbler is not engaging. It's a relatively common problem with the Focus; a relatively common problem that to my knowledge was never truly fixed.
If this turns out to be the problem, the next step is to order a new ignition cylinder. recommend ordering it from this dealership. Being skeptical at heart, I scoured the internet for prices, and the coded price for my ignition cylinder that I ordered over the summer was just shy of $100 when it was at my doorstep. This beat the closest price by about $20, which didn't include coding, service fees, the dummy key they have to copy, or shipping. The guy in the parts department was super friendly and helpful.
Update... OK, so we got the cylinder out and cleaned it but it's actually not the problem. The problem is where the lock cylinder engages the housing upon turning. It is designed so that you actually push the key further into the housing when you turn it and that movement inward disengages the steering lock, or at least it used to. It just doesn't seem to be going in far enough to disengage it reliably anymore so we will be making a metal shim to fit in there in between the lock cylinder and the housing so that it will disengage the steering lock more reliably.
This little tip saved me about $500 because I would of had it towed 57 miles to the dealership like they said to. It amazed me that the General Manager for the Service department at a FORD DEALERSHIP! When I asked him about this little button he acted absolutely shocked. This is one more reason for a State Investigation against my dealership that is already in progress.
Where is the button located exactly? My hubby and I have been trying to locate it for about an hour, and can't see a thing. Maybe there isn't one on my car?I have a 2000 LX. It was fine, then all of a sudden the key wouldn't go into the ignition. Worse still, it is stuck on base and it is going to be a hell of an effort getting a tow truck on to retrieve my car.I am NEVER buying a Ford again, this is my first and last one.
Since I have a bunch of deferred maintenance to do on my '00 ZX3, I'm just going to do this at the same time as a preventive measure, since the cylinder definitely feels like it's on the way out, but I can still turn the key. I may just go ahead and do it on the SVT, too.
Dunno where the 'magic button' is, but about the key/cylinder thing: the key and the tumblers are made of similar metals. They tend to wear at about the same rate, so replace both at the same time. Cutting a new key FROM THE KEY CODE! will put off the inevitable for a short time.
I got the dreaded 'Steering assist malfunction - service required' appear at startup after work last night, and also this morning. Each time I stopped/started the car and all was fine. This morning, after driving 25 miles to work, it started again fine on two occasions, and then again fine when I drove back another 25 miles to the dealer. Due to the message, I got the local Ford dealer to have a look and they said that their diagnostics came up with:
Well, before I part with 1400, does anyone have any ideas if it could be something else? This car gets on my nerves. I had an issue with the keyless entry on the drivers door, which sorted itself out after a few days. Wondering if it's having another funny 5 minutes and its the steering modules turn to be 'faulty'.
I was wondering if the battery was low and causing the problem. For the past week or two, with the cold weather, every morning and night, the battery must be under some stress as the autolights come on, the internal heaters come on, the front and rear heated screens come on, and then it's got to start the car. As the assisted steering is electric, I wondered if the error was that the electric pump didn't get enough volts because the battery had been temporarily drained below a trigger level .... just guessing!
It does look like it Ian. I wouldn't mind, but I'm not going to notice any difference to the way the car drives, etc, after the work's been done. So it's basically knocked off 1400 off the value of the car to me which was 5200 before. It must have known I was looking for another car! I know every car/manufacturer has their faults, but I've definitely been put off by Fords now. I was going to look for a Focus Zetec-S 2.0 diesel, but I could now be looking at the same problem at some point down the line.
HI , this is my first post so I can finally be of help !!!! I have dealt with this exact fault and yes , it is 99.99% the EPAS Steering Rack. They are indeed 12-1400 from the dealer. Orrrrr a good used one can be sourced from many places for much less and a local garage can fit for 3-4 hours labour (maybe a bit more but took me 1/2 day and I'm no professional). So maybe save yourself some moneys there. I got mine from a ford specialist breakers with 3 months warranty on the part and it was from a car with only 15k miles on it, self fitted on the drive, tracking and geometry at local dealer and all sorted for 500 (and 1/2 a day of my time and skin from a few knuckles).
P.s Do any of you Ford Techs know whether I needed / Should have got the PCM/EPAS re coded/programmed at all? I have power steering but its nothing on my van which is incredibly smooth and responsive. I am showing no codes but SteveGSXR6 may not be so lucky if a SH unit requires programming??
I am among what seems a large amount of people with the same issue. 2011 focus. Can I ask can the electric motor/pump be replace on the steering rack or is it a matter off buying the complete unit i.e. The rack and the motor
Hi hope the following helps. I have a Ford Focus Titanium 2011 model. Following a drained battery when I needed a jump start, which seemed to do the trick, I subsequently had the Steering Assist Malfunction - service Required warning light and the heavy steering on start up. Turning off the ignition and turning back on initially solved the problem, but worried the steering would go while driving I took it to the local Ford dealer and left it with them for the day. On conducting diagnostic testing two faults were identified. It was stated that my battery needed replacing, as it was nearly completely drained, and that the steering assist module was faulty and that I would need to replace the whole steering rack at a cost of 1750. I asked for a new battery to be put in the car and, given the cost of a replacement steering rack, said I would consider whether to have the work done, as I was of the mind to trade the car in. This was over a week ago and since the change of battery I have not had any problems. The warning light has not reappeared and the assisted steering kicks in on start up. A new battery may not solve everyone's problems, but it seems to have worked for me and has saved me the cost of a new steering rack - 1750.
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