Anyone have a problem where if the car is shut off with the steering locked in a certain position, the ignition cylinder will not turn the next time you try to start the car?

This has happened 5 times since 2004 and usually turning the steering wheel allows the key to turn, but today it didn't work and the car had to be towed. The dealer said nothing was wrong once they turned the wheel.

I've been driving GM vehicles for 37 years and never had to turn the wheel to start the car. Is this typical with Honda products?

 

yes just turn the wheel and the key at the sametime and it will start.

 

It's normal. You are probably using the steering wheel as a handle when you exit the car. This will turn the wheel far enough sometimes to lock the wheel in such a way that there is enough wind-up, or torsion, in the system to put load on the locking mechanism. Once you release the load by turning the wheel (even farther into direction that wound it up) the key will turn. My guess is that your prior cars had a bit more play in the wheel before they locked.

There was even a note about it in one of the Acura Service news. I remember it because it was particularly funny (offensive) since it said "It’s very common among elderly or disabled drivers...". I ain't old and I'm able bodied....

http://www.in.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SN/B051200.PDF (first story)

 

Thanks for the help and link guys.

 

I think adobeman is hinting something

 

I just ignored that.

 

No no no... if I was hinting at anything it was how the dope that writes the service news should be more careful or have his boss proof his stuff. Please note I said "offensive" parenthetically in my post. That was to indicate that I thought it was funny that Acura would publish something that could be considered offensive.

ahoover, it was in no way directed at you. Seriously.

 

LOL, i was j/k anyway.

 

Don't worry 'bout it guys, I didn't take it offensively . I find it both ironic and helpful that Acura needs to inform people that this can happen, but I did not believe it from the service manager who said it's normal. I've been in vehicle maintenance (dealer and fleet) my entire career, so I have a clear understanding of how things work. For this to be considered normal, boggles my mind.

The TL is my wifes car, and when it happened Wednesday I told her over the phone to turn the steering wheel because this has happened before, but she couldn't get it to work. The bulletin states you may need to use extra force. My wife just wants to get in the car and start it, she shouldn't need to know about this quirk. It's never happened with any car she's owned.

This is my first experience with an import, and there are some other problems starting now that it hit 20k miles that I didn't expect. My perception of this car was higher. She loves the car and GM doesn't have anything close to it but ask her now and she may be going back to a GM car next.

Okay, rant over and thanks for the help and I'm glad I found this forum and will visit regulary. I spend most of my time on the Corvette forum.

 

I have had the same thing happen in my Silverado .. 4runner... Passat... usually like was said .. because of torsion on the column.

 

I spend alot of time on the vette forum as well, z06vette is the name.

 

This will happen with ALL makes of cars. There is a pin that engages in one of the slots in a plate. If you put the steering wheel under tension when you pull the key out, the pin will lock that way. Simply release the tension by turning the wheel one way or the other so the pin can be withdrawn from the slot when you turn the key. And when I say "turn the wheel", you aren't really turning it. You're just moving it just enough to release the tension on the pin.