I have an '06 TL, Auto W/Navi. I started the car this morning and waited for a few minutes to warm it up a bit. When I tried to turn the steering, it was frozen/stuck. No matter which direction I tried, it just wouldn't move. There were no sounds (as I have found from several posts while searching the forum). The wheels are completely curved to the right. I tried different gears (Reverse, Neutral, manual) but no change. I was so paniced I couldn't find the steering fluid reservoir and just now realised that I had to remove the left cover for it to be visible. Do you guys think it could just be low power steering fluid or could it be something else.

Some jerk stole the driver side mirror yesterday and for some reason I feel that the same person may have used a jack in effort to remove the tires but since I have wheel locks, he must have given up but damages something in the process. I am quite sure that when i parked the car, the wheels were not completely turned to face the pavement.

 

It's possible that the steering wheel lock is messed up. Try shuting off the car and starting the car while turning the wheel. Normally you shouldn't be able to start the car at all with the lock on, but it's just a thought. If it's not that, the guy did something. You're probably going to end up having your car towed somewhere.

 

It's possible that the steering wheel lock is messed up. Try shuting off the car and starting the car while turning the wheel. Normally you shouldn't be able to start the car at all with the lock on, but it's just a thought. I doubt you ran out of ps fluid this fast. If it's not either of those, the guy did something. You're probably going to end up having your car towed somewhere.

 

It is definitely not the steering wheel lock because I can steer about three inches to the right or left. Car starts with no problem while moving the wheel in either direction.

 

How far can acura road side tow without charge? I think AAA tows up to 25 miles but I may be wrong.

 

They will tow to your nearest acura dealer for free, regardless of distance. Your steering problems and your missing mirror are almost certainly related. I think the thief definitely broke something trying to jack the car up. You'll want to file a claim with your insurance.

 

Yikes! The closest is Paragon Acura where I don't want ever to be. I will try AAA.

 

If your steering wheel isn't lock then it is probably the power steering. Check your engine bay to see if there is any squirted all over the engine because there might be a line that crack or a line to the power steering is loose. This happened to my friend's Volvo and then I saw that it was his power steering it took me about 20 min to fix it enough so that he was able to get it fixed. Good luck.

 

Even if it was a power steering issue (no fluid, bad pump) he still would be able to turn, only it would be difficult. From his description he can only turn it 3 inches or so either direction. Sounds like something mechanical is refraining the racks operation etc..

Hmmmm

 

yea.. even with no fluid, you can still turn.. just hard and noisy...

i would think something with the rack and pinion and/or wheel area. maybe a broken axle or something related... i didnt know people stole sideview mirrors

 

UPDATE

I called Acura Roadside and they told me they can tow up to 50 miles from where the car is. Solved my concern as I didn't want to go to Paragon.

All fluid levels were OK (Transmission, Motor, Power Steering, Brake). No visible cracks anywhere. I notices a few scratches on the bottom of the car which may have been from some low-clearance ramps, or maybe from this person's attempt to lift the car. Let's see what Acura tells tomorrow.

On a sidenote, I called the roadside service at 5PM and it wasn't until 10:30 PM that the tow truck finally arrived. This was one of the worst services that I ever had from any provider. At 9 PM the truck driver called me and told me that he should be arriving within 20 minutes. After 45 minutes I called, and he told me that he had other emergencies so I have to wait for another hour. Called Acura roadside several times, and they were absolutely helpless and couldn't do anything except appologise every other sentence which, unfortunately, didn't help a bit. This person was from a different company as the previous one was eventually cancelled by Acura without telling me.

 

It is a big business in the black market. If you know the "right" people just place an order and they will steal it for you.

I remember in Chicago, there was this group who would steal any gadget or camera that you asked them for. Shoplifting in the 90s apparently was much easier.

 

UPDATE

Required stuff: Tire, Wheel, Control Arm, and one more suspension item that I forogt

I am dying to find out how this happened. According to my service rep if it happened while driving (suppose car hit a pothole) I would not have been able to drive any further. How could this happen while the car was parked. The wheel/rim is cracked(chipped) from inside and the control arm is broken at one spot.

 

I has an idea:
Theif thried to steal rims, he jacked it up on the control arm. Then when the weigh was to much for the control arm, it snapped and the jack hit the rim, chipping it, the car fell to the floor and the theif ran with his jack and mirrors so he wouldn't get caught with the noise of a car falling.

 

^^^ Quite possible. The other item in the list is the drive shaft assembly. I wonder what that has to do with all this damage.

 

UPDATE:

Sounds more trouble. Today is day 21 without my car. Bad decision to have left the "rental" portion out from my insurance so they have no rental coverage for me and they could care less about the time it is taking for the adjuster. The adjuster has done one round and needs to come back for supplement as there appears to be more damage when the car was taken apart. So far, it is:

1. Chipped tire
2. Chipped / cracked rim/wheel
3. Broken control arm
4. Bent / damaged axle
5. Cracked Power Steering rack
6. Damaged Power Steering subframe

My service rep was kind enough to provide me a loaner from Acura last week.

Thw worst part is that I will be out of the country for three weeks starting this Saturday and the way things appear with the adjuster's schedule, etc, I may have to leave the car at the dealer for all that time as well.

 

Just out of curiosity, are these items (control arm, power steering rack/subframe) really THAT fragile that they would crack at one hit?