Technical Electric steering lock

[puntodeltathema]

Hi folks

Just wondering if anyone has had any issues with the electric steering lock on cars with keyless go? I'm being asked to help with a car where the lock would not release on a random occasion except by stripping the column trim and "encouraging" release mechanically with a hammer. This issue doesn't seem to come up on searches but just trying to work out if it is a straightforward motor failure or something more involved e.g. with key coding. Car currently starts OK though so presume coding is OK...

Thanks!

Nick

 

[AndyRKett]

If at any time in the car's life someone has got in and yanked the steering while the lock was engaged or to a lesser degree has a habit of putting pressure on the steering lock while it is engaged but trying to steer before its fully released. It is likely that some damage may occur and lead to the lock jamming, It could equally be a motor issue but would be easy to test. It could be a weird and rare software glitch that you'll never replicate again, baring in mind that these days these types of feature are controlled by a host of complex electronics that take inputs from multiple places and actions decided by the computers based on those inputs.

Get it fixed. Get it working, Treat the steering lock carefully waiting for it to disengage before attempting to drive and you'll never likely have the problem again.

 

[puntodeltathema]

Thanks. No errors and seems to be unlocking OK now. Suspect a random jam though is a bit disconcerting. May be worth removing unit and checking for visible damage to the peg and possibly lubricating. And then being careful, as you say....

I presume these lock units are like the Croma ones where if you replace you also have to replace all the relevant ECUs which respond to startup codes. Not fun.

 

[AndyRKett]

Thanks. No errors and seems to be unlocking OK now. Suspect a random jam though is a bit disconcerting. May be worth removing unit and checking for visible damage to the peg and possibly lubricating. And then being careful, as you say....

I presume these lock units are like the Croma ones where if you replace you also have to replace all the relevant ECUs which respond to startup codes. Not fun.

I wouldn’t presume that, given the croma was in essence a Saab/GM product with a fiat badge and the 500x while sharing AGM platform things had moved on quite a bit by then

 

[007Seats]

Hi folks

Just wondering if anyone has had any issues with the electric steering lock on cars with keyless go? I'm being asked to help with a car where the lock would not release on a random occasion except by stripping the column trim and "encouraging" release mechanically with a hammer. This issue doesn't seem to come up on searches but just trying to work out if it is a straightforward motor failure or something more involved e.g. with key coding. Car currently starts OK though so presume coding is OK...

Thanks!

Nick

I had this, only once. I had parked up, but my wife was still in the car and I left her the key to lock when she left. I never usually engage the steering lock, but she reached across and pulled the steering wheel to engage the lock.

When we got back, the steering wheel wouldn't disengage for love nor money. After several attempts, we locked and left the car for a minute, then opened it again and it disengaged first time.

Strange, and it's not happened again, but I think this was electrical rather than mechanical. Lock/unlock seemed to work.

 

[puntodeltathema]

Interesting - thanks. I wonder if there is some overload protection on the motor which if it struggles to unlock mechancially (e.g. due to side force on the lock from a "preloaded" wheel) it has a rest for a bit....