Steering lock seems to be stuck on... Can't turn the key.

[jonofdoom]

As the title says really... Just now I went to start my car ('91 e30 318is) and I couldn't turn the key at all.

I tried wiggling the wheel while turning the key for ages, in the usual way one does when the steering lock is on, but nothing.

Key still works fine in the doors.

Not sure if it's the steering lock being stuck or the key just not turning - same result either way I suppose. Wondering if maybe it's because it's suddenly -4 outside? I tried heating up the key with a lighter just in case:D



Any other thoughts or ideas?


Thanks...
Jon.

[maxfield]

Have a look at the key and make sure it's not bent.

[jonofdoom]

Just had a good look at it, offering it up to a known flat surface etc... Unfortunately (as it'd be an easy fix) it's straight as an arrow.

[daimlerman]

Your problem is simple,you need to be able to turn the key to position one to drop the locking peg out of the register on the rear of the steering wheel,this allows the steering wheel to be removed,allowing the lower column shroud to be removed,allowing access to the ignition switch,which can be removed to allow access to the peg which has most likely stuck on the back of your ignition key barrel.....

So without causing some damage to steering wheel/trim in the area,you is stuck!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,you may shoot me at dawn....

[jonofdoom]

Your problem is simple,you need to be able to turn the key to position one to drop the locking peg out of the register on the rear of the steering wheel,this allows the steering wheel to be removed,allowing the lower column shroud to be removed,allowing access to the ignition switch,which can be removed to allow access to the peg which has most likely stuck on the back of your ignition key barrel.....

So without causing some damage to steering wheel/trim in the area,you is stuck!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,you may shoot me at dawn....

Awwww dammit. That's a bastard of a catch 22.

Bit of a daft design really... If I understand it right.





There's got to be some nifty trick to dislodge that peg without cutting things up to get in there? I really hope it's just frozen in somehow... Hmm. Dammit.

[daimlerman]

The catch 22 is just about right,unfortunately,it shows the level of passive security built into the car.

One possible solution is to swap out the entire column...if you can get at the shear bolts that hold the column to the frame,they are at the lower end of the lower shroud....

'Ducks for cover'.....

If it helps you to come to a decision,the locking peg is central and on top of the steering wheel,slipping a hacksaw blade just behind the top of the wheel boss will locate it,it's just an alloy casting....then you will require a lock casing as well as a lock barrel,of course!

You have tried the obvious,squirting WD40 into the lock barrel?

[jonofdoom]

The catch 22 is just about right,unfortunately,it shows the level of passive security built into the car.

One possible solution is to swap out the entire column...if you can get at the shear bolts that hold the column to the frame,they are at the lower end of the lower shroud....

'Ducks for cover'.....

If it helps you to come to a decision,the locking peg is central and on top of the steering wheel,slipping a hacksaw blade just behind the top of the wheel boss will locate it,it's just an alloy casting....then you will require a lock casing as well as a lock barrel,of course!

You have tried the obvious,squirting WD40 into the lock barrel?

Well now you mention it I've actually not tried the obvious! I just got pissed off with it and called the GF to come pick me up. There's still some hope I suppose, however small. It's at work (up the road) so can't try it now but I'll take some WD40 with me tomorrow and start squirting / praying.

Thanks for all the info as well.. Much appreciated. Looks like it'll be a damage limitation job if the WD.40cal doesn't work. And I was going to sell it soon too. Dam.

[bmw9818]

tried using a teaspoon?

[jonofdoom]

tried using a teaspoon?

Strangely enough, no. Maybe I could stick it in my nose then slam my face into the wheel as hard as I can? No brain = no problem...

[bigwinn]

Jon

I've had several issues with locks recently, and the temp fix is empty a full tin of WD40 into it....

Worth a try bud

[jonofdoom]

Jon

I've had several issues with locks recently, and the temp fix is empty a full tin of WD40 into it....

Worth a try bud

Cool... I'll be liberal with it tomorrow:D

[jonofdoom]

Gave it a good blast all over with the WD40 this morning... No luck dammit.

Does anyone know if it's possible to hack away at the top of the steering wheel, find the peg, and lift it out? With the peg out, I assume the key should turn?

New steering wheel probably wouldn't hurt my wallet too much if so.

[daimlerman]

Locking peg is located at the top centre of the column,sliding a hacksaw blade around the gap just behind the wheel will locate it.
Slicing through it will enable the wheel to be pulled off the column(after the retaining 22mm nut has been removed,of course )Then you have access to the shroud retaining screws,removing the lower shroud and lifting the upper(this is held at t's lower end by the dashboard)
Then you can remove the orange ignition switch from the back of the lock barrel...applying a screwdriver to it's slot will enable the engine to start,re-fitting the wheel will give you steering...
You will need a replacement steering lock as well as sorting out the barrel,of course.Steering lock is held by shear bolts,a small cold chisel hit with a large hammer will get them moving.

[jonofdoom]

^Excellent, thanks again:)

Fun job for the weekend I think... Or next weekend if the weather stays like this!

[jonofdoom]

Right... Bit of a bump to post how I got this sorted, in the hopes that it might help someone else in the future.

The long time between it happening is because I got miffed with it and called my garage people, who told me their recovery guy is off the road but should be back soon so they took my number to call me back. No problem, I've got another car. Nothing for a few weeks, called em, same story, nothing for a couple weeks, called them, same story, repeat. Eventually my boss's wife got a bit miffed with it taking up space in the car park (it's a farm but the farmers wife runs a kindergarten and the parents of the kids fill the car park regularly) so I had to get off my ass and sort it out.

Anyways. Minimal destruction was the name of my game, as I'm looking to sell it once it's sorted (I prefer my new mk1 Eunos, sorry E30 fans:D).

All this will make sense when you're doing it (if you chose this method)



- Removed screws from lower shroud

- Removed 22mm steering wheel retaining nut

- Pulled the steering wheel back just enough to get at the shroud retaining screws, which I undid at a bit of a funny but workable angle

- Getting the screws out was a pain, I had to pull the wheel back and lever the screws up and out with a flat head screwdriver. Occasional pressure on screws from below helped.

- Removed lower shroud, pull upper shroud up out of the way.

- I could now clearly see the series of indentations inside the wheel that the steering lock pops up into. Knowledge is power etc.

- With the shrouds off I still couldn't get a hacksaw blade in properly to slice the steering lock. Bad angles. Not really enough space. I tried anyways, but gave up as I didn't feel like it was getting anywhere. Couldn't see the lock pin itself to know if it was working or not, but later it turned out it had made a very small cut. Would've taken a long time had I continued with it.

- What I could see, however, was that the metal ring around the back of the steering lock indentations was fairly thin. So this is what I attacked.

- Got the flat head screwdriver (aka chisel) and managed to get it under the aforementioned metal ring and started whacking it with a hammer. Once the screwdriver (chisel) had caught, the metal ring started to peel away.

- Eventually I had poked off enough metal that the wheel slid off past the steering lock (see pics below).

- With the wheel off, I put the key in, and with some wiggling and downward pressure on the locking pin and some key turning, it popped down and the key turned.

- Squirted a bunch of WD40 all over the pin area, and now it seems to function as normal. Pin pops up when key removed, goes back down again when key turned.

- Cleaned up the ripped up metal on the back of the steering wheel with a grinder and a file so it's neat and tidy. Minimal damage in an area that isn't visible, I'm happy.

- Put the battery on charge as the thing had gone completely flat being left so long! Hopefully it'll start up just fine (ran fine when I left it so can't see why not) when I go back to it in an hour or two, and that'll be the end of the story.


A few pics of the process:









Anyone reading this with the same problem - It's a bit of a pain in the ass but at least it's doable with fairly minimal damage. Good luck.

[daimlerman]

Well done.

Demonstrates the level of passive security built into the thing.A replacement steering wheel bought s/h will not be expensive and will cover your tracks!

[jonofdoom]

Ta...

I think if I was going to make it invisible with the steering wheel off, I'd weld it up. Free is better than not expensive, and it wouldn't be hard to get it totally un-noticeable. Not bothered about it though, it's not a mint car anyways:)

[jonofdoom]

^Thanks again for the advice btw... Was a lot easier going into it with a little knowledge of the way things work in there.