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Help! My steering wheel is locked!

X

xaigi

Golden Member
Damn car!

I can put my key in the ignition, but I can't get it to turn. I also cant get the steering wheel to move an inch. I've tried jiggling it while attempting to turn the key, but it won't budge. Does anyone know what to do? I have a 1990 Toyota.
 
Well all the times that's happened to me, I just turn/hold the steering wheel as far as I can to one side and while continuing to hold turn the key. Push comes to shove, give your steering wheel a good swift kick. 🙂 (In the process making it worse)
 
well all I can say is don't try so hard you break the key off in the ignition... that wouldn't be a good thing at all...
 
on newer cars the steering wheel automatically locks if you try to turn it while it is in park. so that is ok. make sure your key is in all the way too cause i have that problem on my grammas lincoln. the key doesn't like to go in all the way so you gotta push kinda hard to get it in all the way b4 it will turn. and make use that it is in park if it is a pre 80's car because yo could turn off the engine on some and take out he key without it being in park.
 
When you turn the key, a linkage pulls a pin out of a lock ring inside your steering column. For some reason, your wheels are forcing the steering column lock ring against the pin with enough tension that you cannot turn the key.

Solution: Look to see which way your wheels are turned. Turn your steering wheel the same direction (away from center), and turn the key at the same time. It may be fairly difficult to do, but unless something in your lock ring is physically broken/jammed (which is VERY unlikely), this is what needs to be done.

Good luck. 🙂
 
I turn my steering to the left and turn the key at the same time, to get it unlocked. Make sure your car is on park.
 
Have a 1987 camry.

Yeah, like it has been said, if you turn the steering wheel while the car is off, it locks. It should still turn a little bit. With the key in, turn the steering wheel as far as it will go and turn the key at the same time. I think that's what I used to do. Pain in the ass toyota.

Of course, recently I couldn't figure out how to get the key from my acura's ignition. I guess you have to put it in park first
rolleye.gif
 
Originally posted by: xaigi
Damn car!

I can put my key in the ignition, but I can't get it to turn. I also cant get the steering wheel to move an inch. I've tried jiggling it while attempting to turn the key, but it won't budge. Does anyone know what to do? I have a 1990 Toyota.
Click to expand...

Is it your car?

😉

 
Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
Originally posted by: xaigi
Damn car!

I can put my key in the ignition, but I can't get it to turn. I also cant get the steering wheel to move an inch. I've tried jiggling it while attempting to turn the key, but it won't budge. Does anyone know what to do? I have a 1990 Toyota.
Click to expand...

Is it your car?

😉
Click to expand...

😀😎


REd and blue or yellow...crap..I have to look at my theft manual.

Damn man cmds......


R00T> man theft


1. ......

damn empty man pages


Sending term siganal to all procesees
 
This happens on my '91 corolla if I turn the wheel when the car is off. I can usually get it working by turning the key while pushing the steering wheel one direction or another.

EDIT: NM, sounds like you already tried this. Don't know what to tell you ..
 
I beat on the thing and it started up just fine.

Dammit. If cars were free, I would get a new one just because of this.

 
happened to my 1987 Toyota once ... we had to get it towned home. Next day we tried it again and it just worked.
 
Lol we all have the same card. I had a 1987 Camry also. You know, with that car I can pull the key out of the ignition while it was running. I did that couple times on the freeway to freak out my passengers.
 
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