4 Things To Know If Your Car's Steering Wheel Won't Turn

 

4. Is There An Adjacent Curb?

Picture it: when you turn your car to the left, the trailing edge of the vehicle's right front wheel kicks out further to the right. If you've parallel parked too close to the right-hand curb, the curb itself might prevent you from turning the steering wheel by preventing the front wheels from turning. If this happens to you, don't force the wheel. Instead, turn the wheel as far as it will go naturally, then execute a multi-point turn if necessary, going forward and backing up until you've gotten clear of the curb.

 

3. Is The Steering Wheel Locked?

If you rotate the steering wheel while the engine is off and the key is removed from the ignition, the steering wheel will lock in place on most modern cars. This is a security feature that prevents someone from driving your vehicle even if they were able to get inside and start the engine without the key. To release the steering wheel lock, the key needs to be turned in the ignition. Sometimes, the steering wheel lock can put tension on the ignition that makes it difficult to turn the key. Just jiggle the steering wheel back and forth as you turn the key to release this tension, so you can turn the ignition key, and thereby release the steering wheel lock.

2. Has The Power Steering System Failed?

If the steering wheel isn't locked in place, but the wheel is still difficult or impossible to turn, you may have a deeper mechanical issue that has developed on your car. If you can still turn the steering wheel with great effort, and less effort as your car gains speed, that points to a problem with the power steering system. Since modern cars are so heavy and complex, a power-boosting system does the hard work for you, leaving you to turn the wheel without manually turning the front wheels of the car. Many such systems are traditionally hydraulic, and can fail due to a hydraulic fluid leak, clogged channels inside the power steering rack or a bad power steering pump. Some modern cars now come with electrical power steering systems.

 

1. Is There Serious Damage To The Steering?

If your vehicle was in an accident, or is getting more advanced in age, there's always the possibility of a major failure in the linkages between your steering wheel and the vehicle's wheels themselves. An accident could damage the vehicle's front steering rack, front suspension, or steering column such that the vehicle cannot be safely driven. If your steering wheel won't turn because of damage sustained in an accident, you'll want the vehicle repaired by the pros with genuine OEM parts at an authorized dealership service center to get your car looking and driving like new again.