Steering Wheel Locked, Can't Turn Key

Fix locked steering wheel and start car ignition

Introduction

Your car key won’t turn in the ignition and your steering wheel is locked, what do you do?! It’s an easy fix.

The Quick Fix of Unlocking a Steering Wheel and Starting a Vehicle:

Wiggle your steering wheel gently
At the same time wiggle your key in the ignition

This will do the trick MOST of the time! Our Land Rover, Toyota and Subaru steering wheels all unlock by the “jiggle wiggle” method.

Not Working?

For some vehicles your steering wheel may turn one direction, turn the wheel in the direction you can WHILE you turn your key in the ignition. When you use the wiggle technique you usually can engage this the same way.

Why Is The Steering Wheel Locked While Parked?

You might have accidently engage an Anti-Theft feature by climbing in or out of your vehicle and using the steering wheel to assist you.

Many vehicles with turn-key ignitions are equipped with an ignition lock feature. To activate turn the wheel after the key has been removed from the ignition. This will engage a locking bolt that prevents the vehicle’s steering wheel from being used (aka turned) without a key. Why is this feature good? If a thief could get the engine started, they couldn’t operate the vehicle as the steering wheel won’t budge, so they can’t drive away with your car.

None of This Works or Locks When Driving

Something else is wrong, it could be a simple change of the Power Steering Fluid but you need to have this looked at.

Enjoy a picture of a old steering wheel looking at a new vehicle. Maybe it will make you laugh in the fustrating time of trying to figure out how to unlock your steering wheel.

Land Rover looking at a Tesla