Anybody had difficulty with the steering lock. A couple of times my wife has had real trouble turning the ignition key, once even calling the breakdown service. I can usually manage it but sometimes it is very stiff. Any suggestions please?

Just now, bryanb said:

Anybody had difficulty with the steering lock. A couple of times my wife has had real trouble turning the ignition key, once even calling the breakdown service. I can usually manage it but sometimes it is very stiff. Any suggestions please?

Best advice you can give her is what I told my wife when she suffered the same problem, make sure she leaves the steering wheel and therefore the wheels in the straight ahead position before removing the keys from the ignition. Since showing my wife this she has had no further issues with the steering lock. Trust me it works.

10 hours ago, bryanb said:

Anybody had difficulty with the steering lock. A couple of times my wife has had real trouble turning the ignition key, once even calling the breakdown service. I can usually manage it but sometimes it is very stiff. Any suggestions please?

Wiggle the wheel whilst trying to turn the key. This usually works by relieving the pressure on the locking pawl.

22 hours ago, KenONeill said:

Wiggle the wheel whilst trying to turn the key. This usually works by relieving the pressure on the locking pawl.

I always do this and works like a charm.

Two days ago a colleague came in horror asking for help because her steering wheel was locked in her Corolla. I showed her how to unlock her steering wheel by wiggling the wheel. The car was new to their family and her husband did not inform her about the locking feauture.

 

Off topic finding.

Another colleague suffered flat tyre at the front axle (luckily). When he (we were  wathing him) tried to remove the wheel from the hub, the wheel got stuck and he (and then we as well) was (were) unable to unmount it. Then another one came, he took two bolts and put them back in the holes and gave them a couple of rounds with his hand to screw them slightly. Then he let  the car down, turned the engine on and gave a nice fast wiggling on the steering wheel. Voila! The rim got unstuck. Then he raised the car again and finished the whole wheel replacement procedure.

Edited 25 May, 20197 yr by stratosg

Yes, I always have the wheels straight before removing the key as it seems to lessen the pressure on the lock

Thanks for the replies, Unfortunately we already do the straight ahead wheels and the wiggling. It seems a bit more investigation is needed.