Car Question

[Ash]

What causes a steering wheel to lock?

I've had this happen to me in my grandmother's van twice, and my grandfather's had it happen at least once. It's also happened to my boss's wife. Go to turn the car on, and the ignition won't turn, can't do diddly squat but sit there. Supposedly you can get it to unlock if you can jerk the wheel hard enough, but no matter how hard I jerk, I get nothing. It's unlocked both times after about 5 minutes. Explain that to the people behind you at the gas station though! (I had to the first time!).

So. Any ideas?

Don't know if vehicle make has anything to do with it, buy my grandmother's is a 97(I think) Ford Windstar van.

 

[smhufflepuff]

Passive aggressive tendencies are common among several species of steering wheel

 

[alpayton]

Usually if you'll jiggle the steering wheel while turning the key, the ignition will eventually unlock. I think it locks up if your wheels are being turned when the ignition is turned off. Not totally sure though. Either way, I do know that if you'll jiggle the wheel back and forth while attempting to turn the ignition over, it should unlock it.

 

[Jezilynn]

Passive aggressive tendencies are common among several species of steering wheel

rofl...

Ive had this happen a couple times to me, usually I just wiggle the wheel back and forth a couple times and it lets loose. Ive had a toyota, buick, dodge and now a hyundai, as far as I can remember it has worked for all of them.

 

[Ash]

Lol jiggling didn't work. Waiting did, though. Never moved the steering wheel after I'd turned the van off though! Oh well.

And then the wheel felt really loose afterwards. Is that normal?

 

[S & C's Chin]

Generally it is a anti-theft thing. If you try to start the car -hotwire it- without the key, the steering wheel won't move. I think almost all cars can do it. Once you turn the car off, you can turn the wheel until you hear it click. To unlock it - have the key in and turn the key to the first position -click- and then turn your wheel. It should then unlock. Having to wait a certain amount of time might mean you have a better anti-theft system to deter fast moving thieves.

 

[Rickman]

The more miles on a vehicle, the more of a chance it will happen. Any chance of lubrication on the pin, is also lost with age.
To lessen the chance of this happening, don't shut off the ignition until you've let the wheel stop turning, in park, and the car doesn't move after taking your foot off the brake!
Any pressure from the cars movement will cause this to happen, occasionally.
Funny, while putting brakes on my wife's '06 Acura RSX yesterday, I couldn't get it to lock!
Turns out they've reducud the holes for the pins to 3 - every 120 degrees!

 

[addictedtochins]

IDK, our old '79 Chevy worktruck has done this. It doesn't happen if we have the wheels somewhat straight when we turn the truck off.

 

[eroomlorac]

Generally it is a anti-theft thing. If you try to start the car -hotwire it- without the key, the steering wheel won't move. I think almost all cars can do it. Once you turn the car off, you can turn the wheel until you hear it click. To unlock it - have the key in and turn the key to the first position -click- and then turn your wheel. It should then unlock. Having to wait a certain amount of time might mean you have a better anti-theft system to deter fast moving thieves.

Yep, this is what it is. Follow What AlPayton said and you should be able to unlock it easily. Don't jerk it or get rough with it, just put the key in, gently turn the wheel while turning the key.

 

[Chinniechantel]

IDK, our old '79 Chevy worktruck has done this. It doesn't happen if we have the wheels somewhat straight when we turn the truck off.

Yep, this is the case with my old Camry. If you parked at an odd angle, it would always get locked up. It would take me an hour of jiggling the wheel, putting it in neutral, etc. before I got it. And each time I would forget how I fixed it the previous time! LOL.

 

[Ash]

Yep, this is what it is. Follow What AlPayton said and you should be able to unlock it easily. Don't jerk it or get rough with it, just put the key in, gently turn the wheel while turning the key.

Will this work even though the key doesn't turn? I'm not quite getting how to 'turn the wheel while turning the key' if the key doesn't turn lol.

 

[Rickman]

I don't recall you saying the key wouldn't turn - that means your lock cylinder or the switc h itself is worn out, and must be replaced. Not sure on yours, but some can be expensive as the top of the column must be disassembled. Others can just be pulled out from the side where the key goes in. In my experience, it would be less expensive to take it to a automotive locksmith, as most mechanics don't get int the lock parts.

 

[Ash]

What causes a steering wheel to lock?

I've had this happen to me in my grandmother's van twice, and my grandfather's had it happen at least once. It's also happened to my boss's wife. Go to turn the car on, and the ignition won't turn, can't do diddly squat but sit there. Supposedly you can get it to unlock if you can jerk the wheel hard enough, but no matter how hard I jerk, I get nothing. It's unlocked both times after about 5 minutes. Explain that to the people behind you at the gas station though! (I had to the first time!).

So. Any ideas?

Don't know if vehicle make has anything to do with it, buy my grandmother's is a 97(I think) Ford Windstar van.

Thought what you put the key into was the ignition? *need dunnoshrug face here*

 

[Rickman]

That's a lock cylinder that let's you turn the ignition switch - the end of the switch has a tip on it that pushes a shaft that unlocks the column - the tip is worn! You can call around and get estimates, but get it fixed, as it'll just get worse!
I hate messing around inside a column so much, I'd just get another at a junkyard, and put it in myself. Especially if one side of the turn signals isn't cancelling when you straighten the wheel! But I do that stuff.