Bypassing Steering Wheel Lock

[Travis Munday]

Hoping someone could help me out here:

I just bought a 'new' car, a '89 Nissan 240SX, the guy thought he had the key, but it wasn't the correct one (the car was at his grandfathers, his house was about 45mins away, so no just going in the house and looking). Well, the steering wheel is locked, and the wheels are turned a bit. How would I go about either breaking or disabling the lock so that I could turn the wheel? Tried a bit tonite, but it was dark and tools were limited. I'm not terribly concerned about retaining the locking function, but I really need to get the wheel unlocked to move it to where it needs to be.



Emailing me is fine, if no one wants to post information in fear of it being used incorrectly, the email in my member profile is fine to use.



Thanks for the help.

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

There has to be a way to do it. People steal cars without the keys all the time and the wheel doesn't lock on them.



May just have to crank on the wheel real hard to see if you can "break" it free. I did that to a fellow workers Jeep one night. It wouldn't turn even when you put the key in and started it. Gave it a good tug and "presto". Able to steer. Not exactly the same situation, but may be the only way of doing it, unless you tear the column apart and try to find the locking mechanism.

 

[Todd Z]

if you can see the lock pin from he top of the steering wheel colum, you can drip crazy glue in there and hold it in using a screw driver till the glue dries...



OR just Wait till he gets the right key..



Todd Z

 

[Bill Cooksley]

If you dont care then all you need is a dint puller slide hammer typ and a screw driver and off you go. Bill

 

[Matthew W]

I'd wait til he has the right key, just in case he sold you a car he doesn't actually own & you get caught with the stolen goods

 

[Travis Munday]

I've got the title for it, it's a clear title. Its already signed over to me and everything; notorized bill of sale too. It was just a matter of thinking he had the key, and not being able to easily verify. No biggie really.



I ended up taking the ignition lock off the steering column, the pin was on the underside, its sitting in the vice now with some JB Weld on it.

 

[Tabjo]

Yeah deffinetely want to get that squared away before towing:



<a href="http://ebaumsworld.com/2006/12/car-getting-towed.html">http://ebaumsworld.com/2006/12/car-getting-towed.html</a>

 

[Travis Munday]

Luckily that didn't happen...still don't have a key, but squared away for now. If anything, I'll just have to get the locks re-keyed.

 

[Richard L]

You can force a threaded screw into the lock cylinder and grab the screw with the jaws of a Slide-Hammer puller. With a couple of hard wacks with the slide hammer and the lock cylinder will pop right out and you can turn the ignition lock with a screwdriver.

That's how the professional theives do it. Amatures will break of the steering column covers and try pry on it with a large screwdriver or pry-bar. The slide-hammer puller only damages the lock cylinder.



The alternative is to pay and have a locksmith come out and pick the lock or make a key for it.



...Rich