Steering Wheel Locked and No Start

zbad55 · Nov 7, 2022

Hey all,

Had a big problem today on my brand new Yukon Denali, when installing my WeatherTech mud flaps. I needed to turn the wheel to full turn to get access to the screws in the wheel well. So after I get the passenger side installed I proceeded to start the vehicle and it is a no go. So I'm like WTF, keep trying to start and nothing, then a message pops up about turning the steering wheel. So I tired to do that and no way, steering wheel is locked up tighter than a drum with no movement at all. Did a quick google search and found some info about this safety feature but still a no go. But did find something about trying a different key, so I grabbed the 2nd key fob. Tried to start again but at first it didn't work, then tried again and then a very loud snap and the steering unlocked and I was able to start the vehicle. Not sure what the hell this safety lock for the steering wheel is needed but to me it's a big problem. If I didn't have that 2nd key fob handy, I had no idea what to do or how to start the vehicle, just wondering if anyone else has run into this problem,

WalleyeMikeIII · Nov 7, 2022

Did you try maybe shaking the steering wheel a bit as you hit the start button? My vehicle shipped as “Not equipped with steering column lock” so I don’t have this feature…

DuraYuk · Nov 7, 2022

Dude this feature has been in use for 30+ years. You have to slightly jimmy the wheel back and forth while you try and start it.

It's an anti theft feature. Been this way on every car from every manufacturer for a long long time.

Fless · Nov 7, 2022

DuraYuk said:
Dude this feature has been in use for 30+ years. You have to slightly jimmy the wheel back and forth while you try and start it.

It's an anti theft feature. Been this way on every car from every manufacturer for a long long time.

Dude, my '04 came stock with NO steering wheel lock. Plenty of others out there like mine.

DuraYuk · Nov 7, 2022

Fless said:
Dude, my '04 came stock with NO steering wheel lock. Plenty of others out there like mine.

Yeah there are a few weird situations where they were not included. Pretty sure some GM suvs during covid skipped it too due to constraints.

But if you have driven cars it's something everyone is familiar with.

And if the OP missed it over his driving career it has been answered here for future reference.

zbad55 · Nov 7, 2022

DuraYuk said:
Dude this feature has been in use for 30+ years. You have to slightly jimmy the wheel back and forth while you try and start it.

It's an anti theft feature. Been this way on every car from every manufacturer for a long long time.

No way, I have had a lot of vehicles and they didn't have this feature, after reading the manual and the info for this feature and it suggests to not turn the wheels and shut the vehicle off. It even states that it can bind up as in the case I had, and what it suggested to "un-Bind" didn't work. Here is the info from the manual,

And to add, I have a 2015 Yukon as well as the 2016 Tahoe, and this so called steering lock never did this as they all had the mud flaps added, so I don't get where you talk about a driving career,

DuraYuk · Nov 7, 2022

zbad55 said:
No way, I have had a lot of vehicles and they didn't have this feature, after reading the manual and the info for this feature and it suggests to not turn the wheels and shut the vehicle off. It even states that it can bind up as in the case I had, and what it suggested to "un-Bind" didn't work. Here is the info from the manual,

And to add, I have a 2015 Yukon as well as the 2016 Tahoe, and this so called steering lock never did this as they all had the mud flaps added, so I don't get where you talk about a driving career,

View attachment 384649

It's a common feature on almost every car. Idk why you highlighted that. I said Jimmy the wheel after it was 'locked' your highlight says to keep the wheel straight to avoid it binding when turning off.

Anyways glad you 'fixed' it.

zbad55 · Nov 8, 2022

Look I'm familiar with steering column locks, as you said been around for a long time. And when you start the vehicle or turn the key it unlocks. I posted this about the column lock binding up, not about the fact the steering locks when you turn off the vehicle. I have never had a column lock bind up where the steering wheel would not budge and the vehicle was inoperable. I posted what was in the manual to point out the fact that if you turn the wheels and turn the vehicle off the lock could bind up. When that column lock became free the pop was so loud I thought it broke the column and there was no turning the column back and forth to free the lock. Now there are many times when you may need to turn the wheels and shut the vehicle off, like doing brake work or in my case with the mudflaps. Ive also seen people in very hilly areas turn their wheels to the curb when parking. I just think it is pretty absurd that even the manual suggest's that you always straighten the wheels before shutting the vehicle off, I learned something about this and posting this maybe make some other people aware that this can happen,

DuraYuk · Nov 8, 2022

zbad55 said:
Look I'm familiar with steering column locks, as you said been around for a long time. And when you start the vehicle or turn the key it unlocks. I posted this about the column lock binding up, not about the fact the steering locks when you turn off the vehicle. I have never had a column lock bind up where the steering wheel would not budge and the vehicle was inoperable. I posted what was in the manual to point out the fact that if you turn the wheels and turn the vehicle off the lock could bind up. When that column lock became free the pop was so loud I thought it broke the column and there was no turning the column back and forth to free the lock. Now there are many times when you may need to turn the wheels and shut the vehicle off, like doing brake work or in my case with the mudflaps. Ive also seen people in very hilly areas turn their wheels to the curb when parking. I just think it is pretty absurd that even the manual suggest's that you always straighten the wheels before shutting the vehicle off, I learned something about this and posting this maybe make some other people aware that this can happen,

Hopefully it doesn't turn into the problem the c5 corvettes had with the lock. Many people ended up bypassing it because it could leave you stranded when it malfunctioned.

todayusay · Nov 8, 2022

coming in on the back end of this - but back in "the day" when we had a physical key and not some fob to insert or push button start, it was pretty common for the locked steering wheel to prevent the key from "turning" - thereby preventing the vehicle from starting...now I've always lived in the "country" so maybe that's a factor in why some have experienced it more and others haven't..since I generally don't have a curb or restricted driveway where I'm parking..think about it, sure you shouldn't "have to" align your tires straight every time you park, but how often do you really park when they aren't?

the only thing I'll add to the above is most of the time only a slight turn of the wheel one way or the other enabled the key to turn but sometimes you'd have to really torque the steering wheel to free up the key...if nothing else that is something I'd try if it happened to me (of course while pressing the start button)

Steering Wheel Locked and No Start

zbad55

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WalleyeMikeIII

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DuraYuk

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Fless

DuraYuk

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zbad55

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DuraYuk

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zbad55

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DuraYuk

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todayusay

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