Steering Wheel Lock Issue
#42
#43
Mastria is in my home town and for the most part has a long history of taking care of their customers and being involved with the town. Glad to hear your car is fixed and they're still treating people well.
#45
I had a positive exp at Mastria, even though I decided to purchase my car elsewhere.
#46
Access to the lock mechanism?
Hey Guys,
I am new to this site, found it while searching for answers as to why my 09 Max would not start. Great info here and I am trying the DIY fix but how do I get access to the lock mechanism w/o ripping the dash/column trim off like a caveman??? I only saw one screw by the fuse box and one on the auto tilt column, removed those and did not loosen up. any help would be greatly appreciated.
I am new to this site, found it while searching for answers as to why my 09 Max would not start. Great info here and I am trying the DIY fix but how do I get access to the lock mechanism w/o ripping the dash/column trim off like a caveman??? I only saw one screw by the fuse box and one on the auto tilt column, removed those and did not loosen up. any help would be greatly appreciated.
#48
Sorry to hear that. Hopefully these forums can be a good tool for you in the fight to recover some of what you spent. What a bummer.
#49
Is it still a good idea to remove the fuse associated with the lock, after getting the car to start? I haven't experienced this problem YET but, it sounds like it might only be a matter of time before it happens to me.
#50
What year is your car? Anyone with an 09 should pull it. I don't know a ton about who this issue affects, but I think it's the 09's that it happens to.
#52
I refuse to spend that kind of money! I am too stubborn and the car is just sitting in the driveway. Still trying to figure out how to get to the lock mechanism w/o taking a hammer or sawzall to the dash so I can try the DIY suggestions. Any recommendations?? Sites where I can find specs?
#53
#55
Awesome news. Nissan Assist says they are planning on extending the warranty on the part for the 2009. 6 years and unlimited mileage.
Starting April 1st you can submit for reimbursement on NissanAssist.com if you have a receipt for costs.
Starting April 1st you can submit for reimbursement on NissanAssist.com if you have a receipt for costs.
#56
This Forum Kicks ***! oh and some good news too!
First things First, THANK YOU all for your posts, My Maxima (2009, only 22k miles) pulled this **** on me about 3 weeks ago, I had only heard about it occurring in the Z as My Brother had it happen to his 370 in January. His dealer in Colorado Springs totally hooked him up so he was all good!! I on the other hand was not as fortunate, so I came to your site and found the DIY methods to get the car going again. The "TAP" method worked for me. Although after about 10 to 15 minutes of tapping, it was more like BASH the unit with a rubber mallet that finally worked. The car started, I pulled the fuse and haven't had any issues since. Meanwhile my wife complained to everyone at Nissan Corporate that she could find. Today when we were having the Strut recall fixed, the lady at the dealership showed us a notice indicating that letters will go out on April 1, and the warranty on this part will be extended just like Doozie350 said in the previous post. The notice also indicates that some eligible customers qualify for reimbursement (subject to specific terms) if they have already paid for a fix. Check out nissanassist.com on April 1.
#57
Hey Guys,
Just a side note, and I think it has been posted already, but i rented a 2013 max (base model) the other day for work, and I noticed that the steering wheel lock never initiated in it, I didn't check the fuse, but I'm sure it was pulled also. Shows me that Nissan or the dealer knows about this issues and to cut cost they pull the fuse.. Anyway
Just a side note, and I think it has been posted already, but i rented a 2013 max (base model) the other day for work, and I noticed that the steering wheel lock never initiated in it, I didn't check the fuse, but I'm sure it was pulled also. Shows me that Nissan or the dealer knows about this issues and to cut cost they pull the fuse.. Anyway
Last edited by 09max_sv; 04-03-2013 at 05:04 AM.
#59
My 2010 SV prem/tech has the fuse pulled and since its only been to the dealer its obvious who pulled it. So now, I think I'll ask the dealer why the fuse is missing and what does it go to and how much is the part - and since its been disable, I think they should refund me the cost of the useless part that I purchased with the car that they have no disabled without telling me? Just to push their button and watch them stammer.
#61
Got a letter in the mail today from Nissan Canada,it was about a warranty extension for ESCL.
Nissan believes that the vast majority of owners will never experience the failure of the ESCL,but will be extending the warranty on it from 3/60,000 to 6/unlimited.
They give a sticker to put in the warranty book for this and state any claims for ESCL repairs previous to this notice will be reimbursed.
So they state there may be a problem but stop short of really doing anything.I guess we all have to drive and hope for the part to fail (or not) within the allotted warranty time for Nissan to fix this problem.
Nissan believes that the vast majority of owners will never experience the failure of the ESCL,but will be extending the warranty on it from 3/60,000 to 6/unlimited.
They give a sticker to put in the warranty book for this and state any claims for ESCL repairs previous to this notice will be reimbursed.
So they state there may be a problem but stop short of really doing anything.I guess we all have to drive and hope for the part to fail (or not) within the allotted warranty time for Nissan to fix this problem.
#63
Hi all,
Just wanted to thank you all for saving me hundreds of dollars. My 2009 Maxima with about 35k miles wouldn't start due to the steering wheel lock issue (I know it was the steering wheel lock issue because I am smart enough to read threads on maxima.org ).
Anyway, long story short, had the car towed to Great Neck Nissan in NY and they reluctantly fixed this issue as part of the extended warranty. They try to tell me it was because of the Viper remote start I had on my car, had to put up a a lil fight for it but they accepted it eventually....I wouldn't have had a clue about this if it weren't for you guys. So again, THANK YOU ALL!
Just wanted to thank you all for saving me hundreds of dollars. My 2009 Maxima with about 35k miles wouldn't start due to the steering wheel lock issue (I know it was the steering wheel lock issue because I am smart enough to read threads on maxima.org ).
Anyway, long story short, had the car towed to Great Neck Nissan in NY and they reluctantly fixed this issue as part of the extended warranty. They try to tell me it was because of the Viper remote start I had on my car, had to put up a a lil fight for it but they accepted it eventually....I wouldn't have had a clue about this if it weren't for you guys. So again, THANK YOU ALL!
#64
car ESCL Failed ,Have a 2010 Nissan Maxima SV. The build year coincides with the problem as well as the part number. Refuse to pay for it and if they will not authorize repair,will be selling car and going back to Honda. Don't believe in car payments so paid in full, haven't had the car a year
#66
For anyone that runs into this issue, here is the warranty extension letter directly from Nissan's site:
Electronic Steering Column Lock (ESCL) Warranty Extension
Electronic Steering Column Lock (ESCL) Warranty Extension
#67
2010 Maxima Steering Lock Failure, 78,000 miles
This forum has been invaluable to me in dealing with Nissan issues for the past 5 years. I bought a 2010 and two months later the dealer quit Nissan so I am now DIY, because the closest dealer is over 100 miles.
Car died last Friday afternoon. I "tapped" on the SLU until the security bolts were loose enough to unscrew with my fingers. I removed the unit and called the dealer. The SLU part would cost me $540, $300 to install, might have to reprogram the keys, and the cost to transport would be around $800 to $900. They would not give me a part to try and return; if I picked the part up, I bought it. Nissan would not do anything about warranty. They have been replacing a fair number of the lock units and were very aware of what happens when the lock fails.
I put the part back in the car and pressed the dead bolt lock pin all the way in with flat blade screw driver, and with the bolt pressed all the way in, I worked the screw driver into the area between the dead bolt pin and the side of the case and twisted the screw driver slightly to apply lateral pressure while also applying downward pressure. While doing this, I pressed the start button slowly. After about three tries, there was a slight noise in the lock unit and the car started. I immediately pulled the fuse for the starter lock while the car was running and things seem to be working.
I have filed a complaint. This forum is great, I hope this helps someone else.
Car died last Friday afternoon. I "tapped" on the SLU until the security bolts were loose enough to unscrew with my fingers. I removed the unit and called the dealer. The SLU part would cost me $540, $300 to install, might have to reprogram the keys, and the cost to transport would be around $800 to $900. They would not give me a part to try and return; if I picked the part up, I bought it. Nissan would not do anything about warranty. They have been replacing a fair number of the lock units and were very aware of what happens when the lock fails.
I put the part back in the car and pressed the dead bolt lock pin all the way in with flat blade screw driver, and with the bolt pressed all the way in, I worked the screw driver into the area between the dead bolt pin and the side of the case and twisted the screw driver slightly to apply lateral pressure while also applying downward pressure. While doing this, I pressed the start button slowly. After about three tries, there was a slight noise in the lock unit and the car started. I immediately pulled the fuse for the starter lock while the car was running and things seem to be working.
I have filed a complaint. This forum is great, I hope this helps someone else.
#68
Hi all. I had this issue happen to me last night. I have a 2010 (build date 8/2009). I pulled this TSB from AllData:
Classification: EL10-003
Reference: NTB10-0532
Date: April 13, 2010
IGNITION WILL NOT TURN TO THE ON POSITION
APPLIED VEHICLES:
2009 Maxima (A35)
2010 Maxima (A35) built before 1N4AA5AP3AC 812165 / Sept 30, 2009
2007 - 2009 Altima Sedan, Coupe, and Hybrid (L32, CL32, & L32HV)
Question: has anyone had the issue repaired under Nissans special extended warranty for a 2010 with applicable build date?
Classification: EL10-003
Reference: NTB10-0532
Date: April 13, 2010
IGNITION WILL NOT TURN TO THE ON POSITION
APPLIED VEHICLES:
2009 Maxima (A35)
2010 Maxima (A35) built before 1N4AA5AP3AC 812165 / Sept 30, 2009
2007 - 2009 Altima Sedan, Coupe, and Hybrid (L32, CL32, & L32HV)
Question: has anyone had the issue repaired under Nissans special extended warranty for a 2010 with applicable build date?
#70
jbojacket. If the issue is the ESCL (electronic steering column lock) that failed, they fail with the steering wheel in the UNLOCKED position. If you can get the ignition to turn on just once more, you can pull the steering column lock fuse. It is #40 10amp mini fuse in the under hood fuse box on the drivers side.
#71
jbojacket. If the issue is the ESCL (electronic steering column lock) that failed, they fail with the steering wheel in the UNLOCKED position. If you can get the ignition to turn on just once more, you can pull the steering column lock fuse. It is #40 10amp mini fuse in the under hood fuse box on the drivers side.
#72
Thanks to all! After pecking on the slu for about an hour, I decided I had nothing to lose so I dropped the bottom of the dash, took off the cross bracing and whacked it twice with the business end of a 1/2" drive ratchet. Apparently, I wasn't hitting hard enough before because after two good strikes I hear the glorious sound of the "you just saved 1000 bucks" dinger also known as the door chime. Popped the fuse and drove home. Thanks again!
#73
=Ghozt;8675790]HERE IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION! IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU TRY THE FOLLOWING (quoted from 370z.com)
-- TEMPORARY POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO TRY IF YOU ARE STRANDED --
1) Try the edmunds technique.... Turn the car off completely. Unlock your steering column (the lever under the steering) and abruptly move the steering wheel all the way up and down several times while hitting the push-start button once to ACC. If you hear a winding nose your steering-lock is free and should start the car...continue starting the car. If you dont hear it, re-try.
MODS PLEASE STICKY THIS!
-- TEMPORARY POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO TRY IF YOU ARE STRANDED --
1) Try the edmunds technique.... Turn the car off completely. Unlock your steering column (the lever under the steering) and abruptly move the steering wheel all the way up and down several times while hitting the push-start button once to ACC. If you hear a winding nose your steering-lock is free and should start the car...continue starting the car. If you dont hear it, re-try.
MODS PLEASE STICKY THIS!
no prior issues
This happened to me today. I went to discount to get new tires. I went in and gave the keys to the DT associate, he went out to the car to get mileage reading, but he couldn't start the car. I went to go check and the "intelligence key warning light" on; steering wheel & brake were hard. After several hours of messing around, I called a tow truck and, they gave me an ETA of 1830.
I went home and started reading and came across this post thread. I went back to discount tire around 1815 and tried the first option outlined by ghozt and IT WORKED in one try!
I called the towing company and cancelled the service.
Ghozt do I need to pull the fuse to make it permanent a solution?
Thanks
#75
2010 Maxima ~92,000 miles
no prior issues
This happened to me today. I went to discount to get new tires. I went in and gave the keys to the DT associate, he went out to the car to get mileage reading, but he couldn't start the car. I went to go check and the "intelligence key warning light" on; steering wheel & brake were hard. After several hours of messing around, I called a tow truck and, they gave me an ETA of 1830.
I went home and started reading and came across this post thread. I went back to discount tire around 1815 and tried the first option outlined by ghozt and IT WORKED in one try!
I called the towing company and cancelled the service.
Ghozt do I need to pull the fuse to make it permanent a solution?
Thanks
no prior issues
This happened to me today. I went to discount to get new tires. I went in and gave the keys to the DT associate, he went out to the car to get mileage reading, but he couldn't start the car. I went to go check and the "intelligence key warning light" on; steering wheel & brake were hard. After several hours of messing around, I called a tow truck and, they gave me an ETA of 1830.
I went home and started reading and came across this post thread. I went back to discount tire around 1815 and tried the first option outlined by ghozt and IT WORKED in one try!
I called the towing company and cancelled the service.
Ghozt do I need to pull the fuse to make it permanent a solution?
Thanks
#76
I read through this thread and I'm wondering if there is a definitive answer to what year or date this affects or more importantly doesn't affect? I have a 2010 and 2014 max. I'll look up build dates and send those if needed. Thanks
#77
Those are good questions. Also which models are affected? .... S, SV, Sport, Premium, or all?
#78
So, just experienced the steering wheel lock last night at a local restaurant.
Had it towed to the dealer this morning and they reported back - $1,100 for part and labor. (Really?)
Am now in the process of determining build date and next steps; e.g. fuse fix, etc.
Thanks for the info. here and everyone's contributions!
Update: 2010, Jan 2010 build, just under 42k miles
Had it towed to the dealer this morning and they reported back - $1,100 for part and labor. (Really?)
Am now in the process of determining build date and next steps; e.g. fuse fix, etc.
Thanks for the info. here and everyone's contributions!
Update: 2010, Jan 2010 build, just under 42k miles
Last edited by SleekMax; 11-20-2014 at 02:45 PM.
#80
I thought Nissan added a warranty extension on the steering column lock. The link below is for 2009 Nissan's.
http://www.nissanassist.com/web/ESCL...qs.php?menu=62
http://www.nissanassist.com/web/ESCL...qs.php?menu=62