Steering Wheel Column Lock

[roses100]

Hi all,

I'v just picked up my new Yaris, which is super! However I still haven't figured out how to activate the steering wheel column lock. Does the Yaris have one? It's when you take the key out of the ignition lock and you lock the steering wheel by moving it left or right.

I previously had an Aygo (I was slightly sad to see it go), and I only had to turn it slightly left or right to activate it, but in the Yaris it doesn't seem to lock into position when I shift it left or right slightly in the same manner. Is there a trick to this, am I perhaps not turning the steering wheel enough? I didn't want to try turning it too much as it doesn't feel very nice! lol

Thanks!

[alfiejts]

You don't need to turn the wheel until it locks each time you stop - simply remove the key and leave the wheel where it is.

If someone does drive it off (almost impossible with the standard immobiliser anyway), then it will engage the steering lock as soon as the wheel is turned past the appropriate point.

Don't worry, be happy....

[Chris81]

I've got the mark 1 (old shape) Yaris and yes you do have to turn the steering wheel quite a bit to engage the steering lock - much more so than previous cars I'd owned.

[roses100]

Hey all, thanks for the replies! I figured it out this morning, had to turn it anti clockwise half a quarter of a turn (if that makes sense lol) :)

[reece]

I like to keep my steering wheel central with or without the steering column lock, as alfiejts said, if it’s driven the lock will engage as soon as the wheel is turned.

[Chris81]

half a quarter of a turn? Also known as an eighth!

But can alfie and reece explain how, if a thief manages to get the car started, how come the steering column lock would still be 'on'. Surely if they get the car started then the steering lock would disengage.

[reece]

But can alfie and reece explain how, if a thief manages to get the car started, how come the steering column lock would still be 'on'. Surely if they get the car started then the steering lock would disengage.

Obviously you would need a compatible key (with the correct immobiliser code to the ECU) to unlock the steering column and start the car in which case it doesn’t matter if the lock was on or not.

If a thief manages to start the car without a key then the lock will still be on or will engage.

I remember an old episode of Top Gear when Clarkson had an RS (or Cosworth) Escort, when he parked against the kerb he turned the wheels against the kerb and engaged the steering lock to prevent it from being towed away if the hand brake cable was cut.

[alfiejts]

As the man says above - it doesn't make any difference whether its actually engaged or not when you take out the key.

If the car is stolen by someone with a key that fits the lock, then the steering lock will release whether it was engaged or not.

If the ignition & immobiliser is bypassed and someone starts the car without a key, then the lock will engage the moment that the steering wheel is first turned past the point that the lock engages...

Turning the steering wheel when a car is stationary (with the engine on or off) puts a major unnecessary strain on the steering components and should be avoided if at all possible.

[Chris81]

Interesting - but back in the 80's/90's when cars were getting stolen left right and centre (in the days before immobilisers were commonplace but steering column locks were) how comes the cars steering column locks didn't kick in?? After all - they were being hotwired without a key.

[alfiejts]

Interesting - but back in the 80's/90's when cars were getting stolen left right and centre (in the days before immobilisers were commonplace but steering column locks were) how comes the cars steering column locks didn't kick in?? After all - they were being hotwired without a key.

They used a blooming great "slide hammer" to smash the ignition barrel out of the lock assembly, thus releasing the lock.

Simples.

:-)

[Parts-King]

Interesting - but back in the 80's/90's when cars were getting stolen left right and centre (in the days before immobilisers were commonplace but steering column locks were) how comes the cars steering column locks didn't kick in?? After all - they were being hotwired without a key.

Nothing as sophisticated as a sliding hammer, just a wacking big piece of scaffolding pole did the trick nicely ;) Slide it through the steering wheel, pull down, BANG! No more steering lock

Kingo

[alfiejts]

Try it for yourself if you like to prove the theory (no not the scaffold pole, silly.....)

Take the key out but don't turn the wheel immediately to engage the lock - then come back an hour later (or the next morning) and turn the steering wheel - hey presto it still engages the lock.

So it makes no difference if you turn the wheel 10 seconds after taking out the key to engage the lock or if you wait for a thief to come and nick the car - the same thing happens - its just a spring loaded mechanical pin that's released when the key is taken out and is retracted when the key is put back in.

With the key out, next time the steering column rotates to the point where its hole aligns with the pin, it engages - however long its had to wait to do it.

[Chris81]

So to summarise, it's not worth engaging the steering lock when you leave your car and even if you did, then it can be defeated with a scaffold pole. Nice!

As for when to engage it, I'm sure some aftermarket steering wheel locks like the disklok advise you to engage the column lock first, before fitting their lock.

[alfiejts]

They may well do, because maybe some aftermarket locking solutions can be more easily overcome if the steering wheel is still free to be turned at the point that someone starts trying to remove their lock.

If you're obsessive about it, then simply find out in what position your steering wheel needs to be to engage the lock and then make sure that each time you stop, the wheel is approximately in that position before you turn off the ignition.

That way, you'll be able to engage the lock with the least amount of steering wheel movement after the ignition is switched off.

And the rest of us will happily carry on simply removing the key and walking away from the car, secure in the knowledge that with the immobiliser that's built into the ECU, no one's going to be able to drive off in our Yaris without its key anyway - whether or not they overcome the steerig lock.

Thieves know that these days - that's why the now focus on stealing car keys from houses in the night to drive the cars away or stealing older cars that they know don't have immobilisers...

[reece]

The steering column lock is old technology; I don’t see the point of having it with engine immobilisers and electronic chips in the keys. I keep my steering wheel straight and I don’t think I’ve ever engaged the steering lock. I use an after market steering wheel anti theft device as a visual deterrent, if somebody wants my car they have to work for it ;)