Last updated on July 31st, 2023 at 09:01 pm
Reasons for a Locked Steering Wheel
A locked steering wheel doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a problem with the vehicle. It simply means that one of its safety features has been activated. If the vehicle is off, the lock activates. You can turn the wheel slightly left or right to engage one of the slots. The lock will then stop it from moving further.
The steering wheel lock should be engaged for two reasons. It’s an antitheft device. If someone attempts to steal your car, the steering will lock in one direction. It’s also a safety device. If you park on a hill, and then turn your steering wheel toward the curb, the steering lock will prevent the vehicle steering down the hill.
You can disable steering-wheel lock in a variety of ways. Once you have the ignition unit separated, it is easy to identify. There is a tiny hole in the beeper that senses whether the key is in and touches the dead bolt. You will first disable the beeper sensor by opening the door and placing electrical tape between the contacts to keep them open. To prevent the steering wheel from locking, you have to now pushed the deadbol in and made a larger hole for the thru hole. Then got a dowel or thing wall cylinder and put it in the hole you made. The dead bolt will now be locked in its unlock position. That’s it. I know there are other ways to do it but it is really simple once you understand it.
How to disable steering wheel lock or to unlock steering wheel lock
Toyota Camry’s steering wheel lock prevents theft. You can accidentally lock the steering wheel by tugging on it while you are getting in and out of your car.
Although you can’t disable the steering wheel lock permanently on a Toyota, these steps can be used to quickly unlock the wheel.
- Hold down the push-button to start.
- Move your steering wheel gently to the left, then to the right. If it’s still snug, don’t jerk it.
- Continue to move to the left, then to the right, until the steering wheel is unlocked.
Another way method to disable steering wheel is, by taking off the steering wheel covers and airbags. It is very easy to take the steering wheel off. Once all that has been removed, you can take a look at the locking mechanism assembly. The locking mechanism is secured to the steering column using two bolts without heads or grooves. You can used high-speed rotary drill to create a groove that would fit a flat-head screwdriver. The screws were then removed and the entire lock/ignition was taken off. The dead bolt was then removed using my high-speed rotary. Then you have ground the thing to make it flush. The whole thing looked stocky after I had removed all the material.
Hi dear, my name is Jeffery Ekweghi, and I am a certified mechanic and autobody parts technician. I created this site to share my expertise and experience with car lovers looking to resolve their car-related issues. I am certified in private cars and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. I have worked as a mechanic since 2015 and have experience in vehicle brands like Subaru, Jeep, Toyota, TATA, BMW, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Kia, TVs, and Others; however, I primarily specialize in Toyota vehicles.
