The car steering wheel will experience a lock-up at least once, even if the car is already running. Many people, especially women, tend to panic when encountering this problem.
How should the driver handle a locked car steering wheel?
The reason behind the car’s steering wheel getting stiffly locked comes from the driver inadvertently or intentionally turning the steering wheel after the car has been turned off. This is often the main cause of a locked steering wheel.
A new driver, and when she encountered this situation for the first time, Linda was quite panicked. Share shared: “Because I’m a new driver, I have a habit of parking, turning off the engine, and then getting out of the car to check if it’s properly parked. When I saw the wheels were not straight, I turned the steering wheel forcefully to straighten the wheels. Then, when I tried to start the car again, I couldn’t insert the key, and the steering wheel was locked, which made me sweat.”
In most cases of a car’s locked steering wheel, the cause is when someone sees the car is parked crooked, tries to correct it, and often, the person handling the car is a new driver or a woman.
Furthermore, in some modern car models, when the driver parks the car, it’s advised not to turn the steering wheel completely. Because after turning off the engine and removing the steering wheel key, it can also lead to a locked steering wheel.
Moreover, for cars using mechanical keys, if the steering wheel isn’t straight when parked, and the driver still tries to pull the key, it can also cause the steering wheel to lock.
A car’s locked steering wheel in these cases is due to the manufacturer’s design to prevent theft and deter thieves.
How to fix a locked car steering wheel
The best advice for this situation is to restart the engine. In a situation where the steering wheel is locked, the driver only needs to slightly turn the steering wheel to the left or right while simultaneously inserting the key. Just start the engine, and the steering wheel will be unlocked
A locked car steering wheel is primarily a safety feature of the vehicle. Therefore, drivers should not worry too much when encountering this situation as the steering system won’t be affected when the steering wheel is locked. However, the driver should note that when parking, it’s essential to straighten the steering wheel position before turning off the engine to minimize this problem, avoiding disruptions to the planned journey or trip.”
