What Is The Purpose Of Steering Wheel Getting Locked ?

[sbnisan]

Hi Guys,

In FB15, there is a thing such that the steering wheel gets locked if you turn it without inserting the Key. Can some one explain me what is the purpose of this . is it a feature which we can used as anti theft device. Or is it harmful to the vehicle if some one locks the steering wheel intentionally when parking and keep it that way for a long time(more than 5 h).

thanks....

[Croozer]

Hi Guys,

In FB15, there is a thing such that the steering wheel gets locked if you turn it without inserting the Key. Can some one explain me what is the purpose of this . is it a feature which we can used as anti theft device. Or is it harmful to the vehicle if some one locks the steering wheel intentionally when parking and keep it that way for a long time(more than 5 h).

thanks....

Machang I guess this is not only common to FB15's but generally all cars.

Re ur queries I'm sure the experts will drop in their comments soon

Cheers

[Sha7]

Yap! This is common in all cars. (Don’t know about Indian shit )

This feature is there for security. Starting a car without its key is very simple. But with the steering locked no one can drive the car away.

Think you got it!

[sbnisan]

Yap! This is common in all cars. (Don’t know about Indian shit )

This feature is there for security. Starting a car without its key is very simple. But with the steering locked no one can drive the car away.

Think you got it!

Thanks Bro. Great Info. All these days i was wondering what it is. Thanks for your quick response.

[Croozer]

Yap! This is common in all cars. (Don’t know about Indian shit )

This feature is there for security. Starting a car without its key is very simple. But with the steering locked no one can drive the car away.

Think you got it!

Machang will this feature work when the car is parked straight. I mean when the wheels are straight (parallel) to the body. Or do we have to completely steer to extreme left or right ? Anyways should check this out today

Cheers

[neXGen]

It only works after you have turned the key to OFF from ACC and have turned the steering wheel towards any direction till you hear a click sound meaning that the steering lock has engaged.. most vehicles have this as far as i know..

Zz

[Sha7]

Machang will this feature work when the car is parked straight. I mean when the wheels are straight (parallel) to the body. Or do we have to completely steer to extreme left or right ? Anyways should check this out today

Cheers

Usually this happens when the wheels are straight. I have never tried another position since I always park straightly. However you don’t have to lock the steering when parking. Feature is designed for the thief, not u. If someone tries to drive without a key definitely he has to steer. So then it will automatically lock.

Have you ever notice that service station guys request to leave the key when the car is on hoist for under washing? This is because they can’t turn the wheel around to wash properly if key is removed. Simply it will lock down.

Edited July 20, 2007 by Sha7

[Croozer]

It only works after you have turned the key to OFF from ACC and have turned the steering wheel towards any direction till you hear a click sound meaning that the steering lock has engaged.. most vehicles have this as far as i know..

Zz

Tks Zz

[Croozer]

Usually this happens when the wheels are straight. I have never tried another position since I always park straightly. However you don’t have to lock the steering when parking. Feature is designed for the thief, not u. If someone tries to drive without a key definitely he has to steer. So then it will automatically lock.

Have you ever notice that service station guys request to leave the key when the car is on ramp for under washing? This is because they can’t turn the wheel around to wash properly if key is removed. Simply it will lock down.

Same here bro' even I usually park straight always unless in exceptional situ's.

Tks loads for the info.

Cheers

[Archon]

(Don’t know about Indian shit )

And sbnisan we had a Toyota corolla which was manufactured in 1978 and it also had this steering lock feature... so it is not something new...i think it is one of the most common feature that you find in almost all cars... you can lock the steering and leave it not for hours, but for months and years... steering lock will never harm or will never raise any problem...so dont be afraid to lock the steering...sometimes you may experience that your key is stuck at the key hole and cant turn (while the lock is in place)..If this happens turn(budge)your steering wheel slightly to left or right and try...dont be afraid this situation is normal too.

Archon

[neXGen]

On the topic though, there was a discussion earlier here in AL (think its Miniace ) about it being a good habit parking the car and lining the tyres vertically rather than having it turned to a side. Something about it being easier on the suspension I think.. or would it be preferable to park the car in a manner so that the tyres point outwards towards the area you are going to move away from park?:

Zz

[lakshank]

Steering lock...what a great topic..)

Steering lock is one of the most basic anti theft technology in almost every vehicle( dont know about the old old minors and stuff). There is nothing much to talk about the steering lock except for few points that would help you guys.

1) after you park the car turn the steering to a side and swith off the engine. then slightly rotate the wheels until you here the click"" and locks it up. Dont switch off the engine and try to lock the steering wheel by turning it. this excessive strain could damage the power steering unit of the vehicle. especially in heavy vehicles.

2) Always lock the steering wheel when you leave the vehicle. Shas suggestion is not very healthy with our sri lankan thieves.. You can leave your car without locking the wheel, assuming that if a thief turns it the lock will engage. But there is a way to break the lock if its not pre engaged. If the steering is turned to a side with a sudden jerk and power with the momentum you can easily break it.

but if its locked the momentum cannot be achieved. hence not easily breakable.

[Archon]

Steering lock...what a great topic..)

2) Always lock the steering wheel when you leave the vehicle. Shas suggestion is not very healthy with our sri lankan thieves.. You can leave your car without locking the wheel, assuming that if a thief turns it the lock will engage. But there is a way to break the lock if its not pre engaged. If the steering is turned to a side with a sudden jerk and power with the momentum you can easily break it.

but if its locked the momentum cannot be achieved. hence not easily breakable.

YA TRUE!!!! A GOOD POINT!!!

Archon

[Grand Civic]

Steering lock...what a great topic..)

Steering lock is one of the most basic anti theft technology in almost every vehicle( dont know about the old old minors and stuff). There is nothing much to talk about the steering lock except for few points that would help you guys.

1) after you park the car turn the steering to a side and swith off the engine. then slightly rotate the wheels until you here the click"" and locks it up. Dont switch off the engine and try to lock the steering wheel by turning it. this excessive strain could damage the power steering unit of the vehicle. especially in heavy vehicles.

2) Always lock the steering wheel when you leave the vehicle. Shas suggestion is not very healthy with our sri lankan thieves.. You can leave your car without locking the wheel, assuming that if a thief turns it the lock will engage. But there is a way to break the lock if its not pre engaged. If the steering is turned to a side with a sudden jerk and power with the momentum you can easily break it.

but if its locked the momentum cannot be achieved. hence not easily breakable.

Thanks for the information .......

[harshansenadhir]

And sbnisan we had a Toyota corolla which was manufactured in 1978 and it also had this steering lock feature... so it is not something new...i think it is one of the most common feature that you find in almost all cars... you can lock the steering and leave it not for hours, but for months and years... steering lock will never harm or will never raise any problem...so dont be afraid to lock the steering...sometimes you may experience that your key is stuck at the key hole and cant turn (while the lock is in place)..If this happens turn(budge)your steering wheel slightly to left or right and try...dont be afraid this situation is normal too.

Archon

I had a '74 504 L , 6 sri .. that car too had this 'feature' AFAIK some 60's cars also had this.. and one more thing to bring up your attention. its about locking the steering intentionally after you remove the key from ignition barrel. If u leave the steering unlocked position there's a room for a thief to remove the key barrel (lot of hassle but still thats possible) but if u lock the steering its even harder to remove the barrel coz there's a pin inside the key barrel and it penetrates to the cylinder which holds the key barrel and making it nearly impossible to remove the key barrel. This happened to one of my friends 504 and we had to remove the steering column completely and drilled out the key barrel. so my advise is lock the steering intentionally by turning the steering before you leave..

[sbnisan]

I raised this question simple because, in Nissan original B15 service manual it say as follows.

Checking Fluid Level

NIST0012

Check fluid level, referring to the scale on reservoir tank.

Use “HOT” range for fluid temperatures of 50 to 80°C (122 to

176°F).

Use “COLD” range for fluid temperatures of 0 to 30°C (32 to 86°F).

CAUTION:

_ Do not overfill.

_ Recommended fluid is Genuine NISSAN PSF II or equivalent.

Refer to MA-13, “Fluids and Lubricants”.

WST032

Checking Fluid Leakage

NIST0013

Check the lines for improper attachment and for leaks, cracks,

damage, loose connections, chafing and deterioration.

1. Run engine between idle speed and 1,000 rpm.

Make sure temperature of fluid in oil tank rises to 60 to 80°C

(140 to 176°F).

2. Turn steering wheel right-to-left several times.

3. Hold steering wheel at each “lock” position for five seconds

and carefully check for fluid leakage.

CAUTION:

Do not hold the steering wheel in a locked position for more

than 15 seconds.

4. If fluid leakage at connectors is noticed, shut off engine, then

loosen and retighten flare nut.

Do not overtighten connector as this can damage O-ring,

washer and connector.

5. If fluid leakage from power steering pump is noticed, check

power steering pump. Refer to “Pre-disassembly Inspection”,

ST-21 (QG18DE), ST-24 (SR20DE).

6. Check rack boots for accumulation of power steering fluid.

why does it say

CAUTION:

Do not hold the steering wheel in a locked position for more

than 15 seconds.

By they way. thanks all for you valuable replys.

[harshansenadhir]

why does it say

CAUTION:

Do not hold the steering wheel in a locked position for more

than 15 seconds.

By they way. thanks all for you valuable replys.

there you go... this lock aint steering lock.. this is a way of diagnosing the PAS(Power Assisted Steering) here what they mean is the end position as lock position.. left end and right end.. if u hold the steering there it'll overload the power steering pump..

[MkX]

there you go... this lock aint steering lock.. this is a way of diagnosing the PAS(Power Assisted Steering) here what they mean is the end position as lock position.. left end and right end.. if u hold the steering there it'll overload the power steering pump..

Guys is this applicable when we drive prower steering vehicle.

Ex - some times in traffic Jams or with limited space we have to turn to steering to lock position and if need to hold on for few minutes, what will be the affect?

Also I want to change power steering oil in my car. How do I select the oil will it depend on the vehicle make or quailty of oil, etc (still getting used to my 1st car)

Edited November 12, 2009 by MkX

[harshansenadhir]

Guys is this applicable when we drive prower steering vehicle.

Ex - some times in traffic Jams or with limited space we have to turn to steering to lock position and if need to hold on for few minutes, what will be the affect?

Also I want to change power steering oil in my car. How do I select the oil will it depend on the vehicle make or quailty of oil, etc (still getting used to my 1st car)

pulling back a very old thread yes indeed it's only applicable for PAS equipped vehicles. However there's a pressure release valve which operates and release the excessive pressure when you're holding the steering at the end position. But this excessive pressure is sent back to the system since there's no movement of the steering rack or box. Which overloads the return pipes which designed to hold less pressure than pressure lines. So don't hold the steering at the end for so long, that is after you hear a bit loud whining sound.

[Ripper]

pulling back a very old thread yes indeed it's only applicable for PAS equipped vehicles. However there's a pressure release valve which operates and release the excessive pressure when you're holding the steering at the end position. But this excessive pressure is sent back to the system since there's no movement of the steering rack or box. Which overloads the return pipes which designed to hold less pressure than pressure lines. So don't hold the steering at the end for so long, that is after you hear a bit loud whining sound.

after somewhat expensive and quite painful steering rack repair job... i've been paying a lot of attention to this particular issue...

don't think that this was the issue with my rack going bad but now i've gotten into the habit of always steering in a bit in those instances where you'd end up more than 15 secs in wheels fully turned position...

[MkX]

Ok thanks for the replies. How about changing the Power steering oil. I think we have to do it in every 20K. But what about the brands and I can do it by my self like changing engine oil.

[harshansenadhir]

Ok thanks for the replies. How about changing the Power steering oil. I think we have to do it in every 20K. But what about the brands and I can do it by my self like changing engine oil.

changing in the sense, flush and refill? If you're good in diy you can remove a return line from where it connects back to reservoir. Then carefully insert the line into an empty can and start the engine. Turn the steering end to end to ensure it's fully drained. Don't keep the engine running for so long if no oil left in the system. Then fix it back in place and refill the reservoir. Start the engine and refill the reservoir as level drops. Do couple of turns end to end will remove any air trapped inside. Make sure to top up the reservoir in the whole process.

If this seems too complicated or you fear that it'll damage to pump, do it using a flusher available at some known garages/workshops.

[Kavvz]

changing in the sense, flush and refill? If you're good in diy you can remove a return line from where it connects back to reservoir. Then carefully insert the line into an empty can and start the engine. Turn the steering end to end to ensure it's fully drained. Don't keep the engine running for so long if no oil left in the system. Then fix it back in place and refill the reservoir. Start the engine and refill the reservoir as level drops. Do couple of turns end to end will remove any air trapped inside. Make sure to top up the reservoir in the whole process.

If this seems too complicated or you fear that it'll damage to pump, do it using a flusher available at some known garages/workshops.

Err...I'd recommend getting it done at a garage. Its a not worth the risk and its a relatively inexpensive procedure, so why mess about? Plus when you do it at a garage you're not stuck with old fluid, they'd hopefully recycle it properly / or at the very least dispose of it for you in an environmentally conscious manner.

[MkX]

changing in the sense, flush and refill? If you're good in diy you can remove a return line from where it connects back to reservoir. Then carefully insert the line into an empty can and start the engine. Turn the steering end to end to ensure it's fully drained. Don't keep the engine running for so long if no oil left in the system. Then fix it back in place and refill the reservoir. Start the engine and refill the reservoir as level drops. Do couple of turns end to end will remove any air trapped inside. Make sure to top up the reservoir in the whole process.

If this seems too complicated or you fear that it'll damage to pump, do it using a flusher available at some known garages/workshops.

Flush, remove every thing and fill again. What about the available brands, and about the price? And roughly how many litres do you think i need (Model is EK3)

[harshansenadhir]

Err...I'd recommend getting it done at a garage. Its a not worth the risk and its a relatively inexpensive procedure, so why mess about? Plus when you do it at a garage you're not stuck with old fluid, they'd hopefully recycle it properly / or at the very least dispose of it for you in an environmentally conscious manner.

i doubt ordinary garages has the capabilities of flushing through machines. About the environment friendly disposing of waste, i'm afraid you got a wrong picture about the garages in sl