Steering wheel locked, won't unlock and can't start engine?

[John20]

hi guys.

So I had a mobile mechanic come and replace lower suspension arm on the front of the vehicle. We turned the engine on, all was good , so we can turn the steering wheel to the left. After that was complete, we went to turn it on again so we can turn it the wheel to the right.

I saw lights ono the dash as usual, but when turning to the next position, I'm positive I heard some "whirring" noise but the steering wheel didnt unlock and the engine wont start. So I removed key tried again, now there are no dash lights, and when the key is in the ignition but i don't move it, I can hear a faint click every 1-2 seconds coming from inside the dash. But no dash lights, no steering wheel unlock and now no engine start.


To further add.
The central locking is working. I can remote unlock and lock all doors. I noticed that the wing mirrors are not folding in when locking the doors anymore but we did disconnect the battery in an attempt to figure out what is causing this problem but still no joy. Any help greatly appreciated as I'm in panic mode now! thanks guys

 

[markjay]

Faulty Electronic Ignition Switch (EIS)?

 

[Trickythemerc]

Odds on bet for EIS gone chips.

 

[John20]

Do you know what the cost of repair for something like that is?

 

[DSM10000]

Have you tried another key in the ignition?

 

[John20]

Have you tried another key in the ignition?

Yeah I tried my spare key and exactly the same thing happens. No lights on dash, I hear this very faint clicking like every 1-2 seconds. But no lights. I can turn on the lights (headlights etc) and the dash turns on in the sense that as if you were driving at night so you can see the speedometer and so on but not the actual symbols. They never show, and nothing happens throughout all the key positions.

 

[DSM10000]

Yeah I tried my spare key and exactly the same thing happens. No lights on dash, I hear this very faint clicking like every 1-2 seconds. But no lights. I can turn on the lights (headlights etc) and the dash turns on in the sense that as if you were driving at night so you can see the speedometer and so on but not the actual symbols. They never show, and nothing happens throughout all the key positions.

As others have said, it sounds like the EIS has failed.

Some people have had success freeing it temporarily by the hitting (relatively gently) the steering column.

 

[John20]

As others have said, it sounds like the EIS has failed.

Some people have had success freeing it temporarily by the hitting (relatively gently) the steering column.

Hmm hitting steering column? okay. Do I do this with the key in the ignition or in a certain position or just without the key in? or should I be turning the key whilst hitting?

 

[markjay]

Do you know what the cost of repair for something like that is?

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[DSM10000]

Hmm hitting steering column? okay. Do I do this with the key in the ignition or in a certain position or just without the key in? or should I be turning the key whilst hitting?

To be honest, no idea. I seem to recall that being some advice given to others on here with similar problems.
It may be worth searching the Forum.

 

[190]

Is this and EIS problem or an ESL problem. The ESL or steering lock is driven by a small cheap electric motor which is not up to the job and therefore eventually fails. It stands to reason that it's best to minimise load on the motor or it will struggle to drive the bolt out of it's locked position and that will cause it to fail sooner. The ESL gets an easier time when the steering wheel is in the straight ahead position and there is no torque from the steering wheel providing resistance to movement of the locking bolt. Those of us who used proper mechanical ignition keys will remember the key being easier to turn if the steering wheel was rotated slightly to take pressure off the steering lock. Could this be the same issue with the ESL ? Perhaps full lock on the steering wheel could provide considerable resistance to the ESL and either prevent it working or hasten it's failure.

If the ESL has already failed then this isn't going to help but I would try turning the wheel slightly when inserting the key in the same way we did with the old mechanical steering locks.

 

[John20]

Is this and EIS problem or an ESL problem. The ESL or steering lock is driven by a small cheap electric motor which is not up to the job and therefore eventually fails. It stands to reason that it's best to minimise load on the motor or it will struggle to drive the bolt out of it's locked position and that will cause it to fail sooner. The ESL gets an easier time when the steering wheel is in the straight ahead position and there is no torque from the steering wheel providing resistance to movement of the locking bolt. Those of us who used proper mechanical ignition keys will remember the key being easier to turn if the steering wheel was rotated slightly to take pressure off the steering lock. Could this be the same issue with the ESL ? Perhaps full lock on the steering wheel could provide considerable resistance to the ESL and either prevent it working or hasten it's failure.

If the ESL has already failed then this isn't going to help but I would try turning the wheel slightly when inserting the key in the same way we did with the old mechanical steering locks.

Thank you, i've tried this along with banging it and all sorts. I've tried moving the steering wheel left and right (it's currently locked in full left turn at the moment which certainly would suggest what you mentioned as possible cause for this)

 

[E55BOF]

If there was a faint whirring noise the first time it was tried, would that perhaps suggest the lock engagement motor giving up the struggle to move the bolt and failing?

 

[John20]

If there was a faint whirring noise the first time it was tried, would that perhaps suggest the lock engagement motor giving up the struggle to move the bolt and failing?

That is what I'm thinking. Everything I've been searching and coming up with seems to lead me to one thing. A little grey motor inside a grey box that is responsible for moving the "locking bolt" and allowing the steering to unlock. I've just by some miracle ordered the small grey motor on amazon, should arrive tomorrow. Now to figure out how to actually access the "grey box" that has this motor inside it...

 

[StMarks]

That is what I'm thinking. Everything I've been searching and coming up with seems to lead me to one thing. A little grey motor inside a grey box that is responsible for moving the "locking bolt" and allowing the steering to unlock. I've just by some miracle ordered the small grey motor on amazon, should arrive tomorrow. Now to figure out how to actually access the "grey box" that has this motor inside it...

I suspect you will struggle. I think you will find that they are designed to to not be removable when engaged (for self evident reasons).

Fwiw something like this happened to me, in my little Vito.: (Long story, short) :

I put the key into the reader socket, and instead of it being able to turn & start the Vito I could hear a series of little clicks from the footwell area, followed by nothing.
In my case the steering lock motor was unable to disengage from the steering column, and so would not return the "all ok" signal to the EIS system. The system would therefore not allow me to switch the ignition on.
Initially I resolved it by releasing the load on the lock (the vehicle was parked on a slope & as such the steering column was loaded, holding the lock actuator & preventing it from being able to release with it's tired motor). With the column stress unloaded (by holding the steering wheel slightly against the loading direction) I lightly tapped the lock motor casing at the same time as inserting my key unit.
To my immense relief the light tap seemed to enough to encourage the lock motor to work, and my ignition switched on.

I discovered that my steering lock actuator A0375456132 stopped being powerful enough to unlock the steering column IF THERE IS ANY RESISTANCE AGAINST THE LOCKPEG. -It works fine still, if the steering column is unpressured, so it is now second nature for me to check my steering wheel before inserting the key (and holding the steering wheel "off the lockpeg", if I find it is loaded against the stop).

I have since brought myself an A0375456132 from a very low mileage salvage Vito, however I was told that the Vito will need to be re-programmed to pair to the replacement motor unit.

 

[John20]

I suspect you will struggle. I think you will find that they are designed to to not be removable when engaged (for self evident reasons).

Fwiw something like this happened to me, in my little Vito.: (Long story, short) :

I put the key into the reader socket, and instead of it being able to turn & start the Vito I could hear a series of little clicks from the footwell area, followed by nothing.
In my case the steering lock motor was unable to disengage from the steering column, and so would not return the "all ok" signal to the EIS system. The system would therefore not allow me to switch the ignition on.
Initially I resolved it by releasing the load on the lock (the vehicle was parked on a slope & as such the steering column was loaded, holding the lock actuator & preventing it from being able to release with it's tired motor). With the column stress unloaded (by holding the steering wheel slightly against the loading direction) I lightly tapped the lock motor casing at the same time as inserting my key unit.
To my immense relief the light tap seemed to enough to encourage the lock motor to work, and my ignition switched on.

I discovered that my steering lock actuator A0375456132 stopped being powerful enough to unlock the steering column IF THERE IS ANY RESISTANCE AGAINST THE LOCKPEG. -It works fine still, if the steering column is unpressured, so it is now second nature for me to check my steering wheel before inserting the key (and holding the steering wheel "off the lockpeg", if I find it is loaded against the stop).

I have since brought myself an A0375456132 from a very low mileage salvage Vito, however I was told that the Vito will need to be re-programmed to pair to the replacement motor unit.

Yeah this job is going to be very long process... it seems. I pretty much neeed to remove the stering column and the bracket that holds the column in place is what has the ELS attached to it. If it was failed in the unlock position, I can remove the ELS without removing the column but mine is in the locked position so it will be next to imposible to get this out it seems unless I remove the column so now I need to get the tools for that!

 

[John20]

Can confirm that as a conclusion to this the ELS was indeed faulty and replacing this unit resolved my problem if it helps anyone in the future.