On a 2003 Toyota Camry--how do you unlock the steering wheel to start the car Wheelssteering wheel is locked so that key won't turn in ignition even when jiggling the steering wheel.?

Answer 1

Correct key? For this answer, it is important to first understand how the wheel locking mechanism works. When you turn the key to the locked position, there is a spring-loaded PINwhich CAN drop into one several pockets [6 to 8 depending on the vehicle I think] on a disk inside the steering column. IF the pin and a slot don't just happen to be aligned perfectly when you turn the key, off, when you pull on the wheel [as in getting out of vehicle], the wheel may turn enough to allow the pin to slip into a slot. If the position is far enough around from the position at stop, then the resistant force of the twisted rubber of the front[steering] tires creates a pre-load force on the pin and slot. Sometimes this problem is worst when parking with the wheels intentionally cut into the curb, as when parking on o hill. If that pressure is great enough, it makes it very difficult to turn the key and thus release the pin from the slot. IF you could turn the key strongly enough, you could probably overpower the friction in the pin/slot interface. However, if the friction is great enough, you could break off the key, and you surely don't want to do that. If this is the case, the solution to the problem is what you have already tried, EXCEPT that you didn't put enough muscle into the "wheel jiggling" to relieve enough pressure from the pin/slot interface. Try doing the jiggling again, but this time, really put the muscle to the wheel turning/jiggling, while simultaneously attempting to turn the key.