# Are steering-wheel locks obsolete? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 8, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-steering-wheel-locks-obsolete/624535 "2012-06-08T19:04:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-steering-wheel-locks-obsolete/624535/21 "2012-06-12T19:53:21Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > They have for ages. Apparently it’s just a simple tab on the steering shaft and easily bent out of the way once you wreck the steering shaft cover. It’s like using a bathroom locking door for your exterior door on a house. > > The club stops the theif from being able to turn the wheel enough to make the first corner… if it stays on. > > Some insurance companies now want you to put in an immobiliser if your POS can be hotwired. This requires a special chip/radio on your keychain to be nearby before the ignition will fire. It too could be bypassed, but requires more specialized knowledge and equipment. > > Really fancy cars (and now some not-so-fancy ones) have chip keys - the ignition computer itself checks for a valid key, and only the set that came with your car works. For several I owned, the only way to “add” a key is to reprogram all the keys and the computer at the same time - you can’t just “make an extra key” without the car. Yeahbut… Couldn’t the thief just pop the steering wheel off and still jump the ignition? ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-steering-wheel-locks-obsolete/624535/22 "2012-06-12T20:49:03Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Curious what the gear-heads think of this method? Can thieves simply jumper the missing relay? I figure they won’t take the time to diagnose the problem, and would move on. If you pull the FI relay or fuse, the check engine light won’t come on when it’s supposed to when you turn the key. A particularly bright thief might notice that and then could fix it pretty quickly. The risk with pulling an ignition fuse/relay is that they might dump tons of fuel into the cylinders and catalytic converter trying to start the thing and could actually cause some damage. The fuel pump fuse is probably the best thing to pull for this strategy (that’s what most aftermarket immobilizers cut power to). You should get a blown fuse you can put in its place so a casual glance at the fuse box won’t give it away. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-steering-wheel-locks-obsolete/624535/23 "2012-06-12T21:39:20Z")
> [@Jake](#): > > Yeahbut… Couldn’t the thief just pop the steering wheel off and still jump the ignition? And steer with a big vise-grip? I think I saw a comedy like that… No, they just use giant bolt-cutters and chop a small chunk out of teh steering wheel to release the club. Or a frind of mine got 8 hours down the road, locked his club on the wheel for the night, and the next morning realized he ahd forgotten his key. His facebook comment was “what, a screwdriver and a hammer was all it took to open the club lock? What’s the point?” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-steering-wheel-locks-obsolete/624535/24 "2012-06-13T02:38:55Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > And steer with a big vise-grip? I think I saw a comedy like that… > > No, they just use giant bolt-cutters and chop a small chunk out of teh steering wheel to release the club. …and use the Club itself to break the steering column lock without having to carry incriminating tools. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-steering-wheel-locks-obsolete/624535.md?page=1)