Wheel Lock

WTF???


So umm, my car ran out of gas and I had to put it in netural and move it so we can get out of the road. And when I stopped and turned the key back off the wheel locked. Normally it's no big deal I just turn the wheel and turn the key and it unlocks....

Well I can't get the stupid thing to unlock. Myself, and others, tried for close to 2 hours trying to get the stupid lock off so I could start my car.

I tried rocking the car to move the wheels, and even tried turn the wheels by hand, but the car wasn't jacked up so it didnt help..


is there some kind of secert way to unlock the steering wheel when you absolutely can not move it anymore?

take off the cover that goes around behind the steering wheel that the hazard switch sticks through and you can see the locker, it is just a brass pin that pops into a wheel with notches on it. you should be able to push that brass pin to unlock the wheel, idk if it will stay unlocked but i would give it a shot. maybe try turning the key while you push the pin and see if it stays.

im curious to see if this works so lmk

yeah that's actually exactly when I did. No it doesn't stay so I wedged my nametag in there and it stayed long enough for me to get it off the road..

Still wouldn't start b/c the key still wouldn't turn...

It acts like I have the wrong key but I don't i've tried both of my keys..

GAY!

is it in park or still in neutral?

Oh Derk, this happened to me this spring, driving fine, went into McDonalds, bam same problem. Had to have it towed home, windows stuck down, they are power, couldnt turn key to put them up, its your lock cylinder. 2 days after I got it a replacement, you take off the plastic cloumn cover and follow the lock cylinder and you will see a little metal button dealy, problem is, the only way to push it in to unlock the cylinder to pull it out, is to be able to turn the key, SO what I did and works likea charm, get a really really thin flathead screwdriver, and ram in itand wedge the button out, its only in there by a cheap flimsy strip of metal holding it in......may take a little prying but it will pop out, and then you can pull the cylinder out! dont worry if you cant find the metal button that flies out, the cylinder is pooche anyways, heres a picture of it, the cylinder in the picture, is a spare I bought just incase this happened again, but hasnt, it will work for your car, as long as its 96+ and automatic. So if you need this, Give me a price and I can ship it out to you......comes with the original GM Key, I tested it personally turns like brand new. Hoope this helps, took me a while to figure this one out when it happened to me, guess it pays off when someone has the problem and cant figure it out. Hope this helps!




http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d175/yhandor/derkkey.jpg

A locksmith told me to go to auto zone/walmart and buy graphite power and squirt it in the keyhole, then put the key in and mess with it for about 10 minutes and it will pop lose. I will try it tomorrow if it doesn't work I'm doing this! thanks yandor.


Oh btw, we have the same tv lol

Lol, yea I tried squirting lubricant in there and fidling with it...........never worked. Dont get your hopes up on that :P but if all else fails, I have the extra cylinder.

So how did it turn out?

hasn't moved yet... lol

can't get that pin out.. I can get it close but not out....

I have a mechanic who is going to go look at it for me...

You can't get it out lol? It took me 5 minutes lol, you need a really really skinny flathead, long enough so the end goes right in there. once you get enoough force and pry it will fly right out. But lube didnt work for it? So that means you need to replace it.

Just keep prying and you will eventually get it.

I had the same thing happen to me, one morning I came out to start the car, and the key won't turn, tried wiggling, messed with it for hours, jacked it up at the advice of a mechanic, spun the wheels, kicked the wheels (ouch!...), manually spun the steering wheel with the pin pushed back, finally replaced the whole dang steering column, (had a spare one...) because I couldn't get the fricking lock cylinder out either, :runaround:. So, you're not alone with this problem, :P

this car can suck my.............................. BEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

You seriously cant get the pin pryed out Derk? Are you guys weak lol, it took me 5 minutes, I should have recorded it on video. its a really weak piece of metal holding the pin in and when you pry hard enough it will fly out...if I was near you I would do it for you, but Im in Canada lol.