RX300pain

Here's a new one for me...my wife called and said that she's sitting in the car (2001 RX-300) after just starting and with the engine running the steering wheel remained locked. Naturally I didn't believe her (my bad as she's driven the car since new and 150K miles later) and asked for a full explanation. After sitting there for a few minutes (with the engine running and locked wheel), moving the wheel back and forth, the steering wheel simply unlocked itself and everything work normally thereafter. Since this first happen about a month ago the same has happened to me a couple times. I can actually start the car with the steering wheel locked, put the car in drive (or any other gear) and move the vehicle! One of the problems I now face is that my wife now does not want to curb her wheels when parking for fear that the wheels will remain locked upon start up. I've visited my local (very experienced) Lexus repair shop and actually demonstrated the real thing. Needless to say he was baffled and can only think that it's an electrical contact issue within the ignition switch, not the mechanical switch itself. The recommendation is to remove the ignition switch mechanism and troubleshoot / check the electrical continuity of that system and how it communicates with the cars computer.

Any ideas from the Forum would be greatly appreciated on how best to trouble shoot this problem.

Thank you, Doug

JAB

I had to have my entire ignition assembly replaced last year for an electrical problem that the dealer could not explain; replacing everything did fix the problem, however. Cost me $1500 +/- as I recall.

Because I kept the old parts I can send you a picture of the hardware that is involved, in case you are interested.

salimshah

I dont think it is electrical problem ... (call it hunch) ... There is a cog that locks the steering wheel. This is an old old system ,, when all it took was remove the ground wire that kills the ignition ... so if the connector to the ignition switch was clipped and if solenoid was engaged, you could start the car. IN stepped the mechanical engineers and they put a mechanical cog connected to the end of the cylinder that would lock the wheel in 1/4 to 1/3 trans. This cog also fights you when the wheel is pushing back on the steering columns and the cog is engaged.

My best guess is that the cog has deformed.

Pictures from JAB will enlighten us all.

Salim

JAB

That stub at the bottom of the crescent is what locks the steering wheel.

DBlyth

Any more pics Please??
Mines doing the same thing and i could use some more info..need to avoid the costly trip to dealer..Thanks in advance!!
Hoping it doesnt lockup while im driving!!?...(i did see that posted somewhere.. YIKES!!) No recalls for this???