Steering Wheel Locked - No Start
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: PA & FL - '12 Carrera GTS
Steering Wheel Locked - No Start
I parked my 2012 911 GTS yesterday with the front wheels turned to the left on a flat surface. When I tried to start the car, there was nothing when turning the key. I saw a message stating that my steering wheel was locked. I tried moving the SW while turning the key and still nothing, and even tried locking and unlocking the door with the key fob to see if it would free up the steering wheel. After 10 minutes, I played with the SW again and the car finally started.
Is this just a fluke where I stopped the car with the steering wheel too hard over to the left, and placing too much pressure on the ignition, or is this a problem for the service department to figure out?
Is this just a fluke where I stopped the car with the steering wheel too hard over to the left, and placing too much pressure on the ignition, or is this a problem for the service department to figure out?
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,612
Likes: 424
From: Raleigh, North Carolina
+1. This happens in a lot of cars and it has been my experience that people are hesitant to pull on the wheel with the force necessary--they're afraid they're going to break something.
Sometimes, you have to yank the ever living $hit out of the wheel in both directions to get it to free itself.
Sometimes, you have to yank the ever living $hit out of the wheel in both directions to get it to free itself.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: PA & FL - '12 Carrera GTS
Maybe I'm doing something wrong by manually locking the steering wheel before removing the ignition key? For example, I pull into the garage, put the car in neutral and take my foot off the clutch pedal (manual transmission), turn the key off and then turn the steering wheel to the left, and then pull the key out, let go of the steering wheel and it's locked. I then pull up on the parking brake and shift into 3rd gear.
When I had the problem this weekend, I had pulled into a parking spot and stopped with the front wheels hard left, and then manually locked the steering wheel as I normally would.
The Porsche ignition and steering lock mechanism seems to operate more electronically than mechanically. I think, the Porsche steering wheel lock also operates on and off when you lock and unlock the car, and without having to manually lock the steering wheel (I know it unlocks the steering wheel when you unlock the car)? When I had the problem, the steering wheel probably had too much pressure on it and was not able to unlock itself.
Should I not manually lock the wheel when stopping the car and let it lock itself, or?
When I had the problem this weekend, I had pulled into a parking spot and stopped with the front wheels hard left, and then manually locked the steering wheel as I normally would.
The Porsche ignition and steering lock mechanism seems to operate more electronically than mechanically. I think, the Porsche steering wheel lock also operates on and off when you lock and unlock the car, and without having to manually lock the steering wheel (I know it unlocks the steering wheel when you unlock the car)? When I had the problem, the steering wheel probably had too much pressure on it and was not able to unlock itself.
Should I not manually lock the wheel when stopping the car and let it lock itself, or?
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,810
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From: BIG smoke eh!
You are the first I have heard of, manually locking a wheel.
I believe there is one position that it locks. And that is the way with most cars.
I never intentionally lock it. Sometimes I push my car in the garage, the steering often clicks lock when I get to that point in the wheel rotation?
Don't know why you would manually lock the steering every time?
I believe there is one position that it locks. And that is the way with most cars.
I never intentionally lock it. Sometimes I push my car in the garage, the steering often clicks lock when I get to that point in the wheel rotation?
Don't know why you would manually lock the steering every time?
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: PA & FL - '12 Carrera GTS
You are the first I have heard of, manually locking a wheel.
I believe there is one position that it locks. And that is the way with most cars.
I never intentionally lock it. Sometimes I push my car in the garage, the steering often clicks lock when I get to that point in the wheel rotation?
Don't know why you would manually lock the steering every time?
I believe there is one position that it locks. And that is the way with most cars.
I never intentionally lock it. Sometimes I push my car in the garage, the steering often clicks lock when I get to that point in the wheel rotation?
Don't know why you would manually lock the steering every time?
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: PA & FL - '12 Carrera GTS
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 15
From: Pacific Northwest
This happens when the steering wheel is just aligned with one of the locking positions and there is some pressure on the wheel against the lock. The insertion of the key doesn't unlock the wheel because of the pressure of the steering wheel against the lock. You just need to slightly turn the wheel away from the lock (there is a warning message on the OBC display about the steering lock when this happens) - gently wiggling. The relieved pressure has always resulted in my wheel lock then disengaging. Clunk. I can then turn the wheel and more importantly, start the car.
Sir Thomas Lord of All Mets Fans
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From: Texas
Thank goodness for RL. Just went to move the 997, and the above message pooped up. 3 secs of freaking out. 5 seconds of Googling RL, brought up this thread. Voila! Crazy technology!
T
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 34
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From: St. Louis MO
I have a 2017 991.2 and it does the same thing ocassionally (Steering Wheel Lock Fault). BUT it's only done it WHILE driving! The rear wing raises and gets stuck, the top wont go up or down and same with the wind deflector. If I turn the car off it wont start. But wait 5 minutes and it will but then will display an "Engine Fault" and says "driving permitted" but want's me to take it to the dealer. It will be fine, no other faults displayed and eventually, about 3-4 start/stop cycles the lights go away.
I don't know what it is but will have to go to the dealer eventually but was wondering if ANYONE has a clue to what it is or experienced anything like it?
Thanks
I don't know what it is but will have to go to the dealer eventually but was wondering if ANYONE has a clue to what it is or experienced anything like it?
Thanks
