help! steering locked up - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

young51 · 01-13-2019, 09:34 PM

so first time I've ever encountered this, stopped to get gas, wheels pointed straight ahead. Turned the car off, but only moved the key to acc and didn't pull out the key. when I finished gassing up I cranked it over and the steering wheel wouldn't move. it wasn't on the steering lock, it was basically frozen tight, couldn't move left or right more than a 1/4 inch. i shut the car off completely and pulled the key. restarted it and same thing happened, checked under the hood to see if i threw a belt (old school i know) and everything seemed fine. turned off and pulled the key and let it sit for a few minutes, then it started fine and everything was backed to normal. Anyone ever encounter this before? Sure would be scary if this happened while driving. I've had a few older cars that have crapped a power steering pump but you could still muscle it to turn, this was like frozen solid ( like the steering lock was on even though it wasn't). is the steering box electric and prone to do this? Did a search but couldn't find anything. thanks for any and all help, really nervous about this one. Car is a 2015 with 9200 miles...

1970judge · 01-13-2019, 09:40 PM

Just a guess...weak battery. Weak enough that leaving it in accessory drained it enough to fault the EPS. Yes the steering (EPS) is electronic, cycling the key probably cleared the fault. In the event you lose EPS, you will be able to muscle it around, its just 1965 X2 in strenth required at low speed.

Vegas Bound · 01-13-2019, 09:51 PM

Wiggle it.

young51 · 01-13-2019, 09:57 PM

I have been having a bit of a "hot start" issue, slow to crank/turnover. That sounds like a culprit. Battery must be 4-5 years old by now. Does anyone know if optima makes a replacement for our cars or can recommend a better one?
thanks

1970judge · 01-13-2019, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by young51

I have been having a bit of a "hot start" issue, slow to crank/turnover. That sounds like a culprit. Battery must be 4-5 years old by now. Does anyone know if optima makes a replacement for our cars or can recommend a better one?
thanks

Well to be fair, hot start is kind of a 'thing' with these cars.
https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=540235

Just have the battery load tested. I believe the factory battery is a 48H6, to my knowledge optima does not make a 48H6 category battery. However, most retailers (AAP for example) have an AGM 48H6 replacement.

Vegas Bound · 01-13-2019, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by young51

I have been having a bit of a "hot start" issue, slow to crank/turnover. That sounds like a culprit. Battery must be 4-5 years old by now. Does anyone know if optima makes a replacement for our cars or can recommend a better one?
thanks

Just buy a Lead/Acid battery from TSC.

2SSRS@Gen5diy · 01-14-2019, 11:21 AM

Guys if you don't drive the car a lot you need to charge the batter for more then 1 night to get a full charge on them, i got a new AC delco battery on 8-20-18 in my Z/28 don't drive as much as i need to any more as i have a better cars to drive, with that said battery was slow to turn over, put a charger on it for a day it started fine only to try 1 week later and same thing so i got a new charger that regulates the power and left it on for two weeks till that battery was full charged.

Started her up on Saturday it fired right up with no problems.

01-13-2019, 09:34 PM	#1
young51 Drives: 2015 z/28 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Bay Area Posts: 39	help! steering locked up so first time I've ever encountered this, stopped to get gas, wheels pointed straight ahead. Turned the car off, but only moved the key to acc and didn't pull out the key. when I finished gassing up I cranked it over and the steering wheel wouldn't move. it wasn't on the steering lock, it was basically frozen tight, couldn't move left or right more than a 1/4 inch. i shut the car off completely and pulled the key. restarted it and same thing happened, checked under the hood to see if i threw a belt (old school i know) and everything seemed fine. turned off and pulled the key and let it sit for a few minutes, then it started fine and everything was backed to normal. Anyone ever encounter this before? Sure would be scary if this happened while driving. I've had a few older cars that have crapped a power steering pump but you could still muscle it to turn, this was like frozen solid ( like the steering lock was on even though it wasn't). is the steering box electric and prone to do this? Did a search but couldn't find anything. thanks for any and all help, really nervous about this one. Car is a 2015 with 9200 miles...

01-13-2019, 09:40 PM	#2
1970judge Drives: 2015 Z/28, 2007 HHR Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 1,148	Just a guess...weak battery. Weak enough that leaving it in accessory drained it enough to fault the EPS. Yes the steering (EPS) is electronic, cycling the key probably cleared the fault. In the event you lose EPS, you will be able to muscle it around, its just 1965 X2 in strenth required at low speed.

01-13-2019, 09:51 PM	#3
Vegas Bound Account Suspended Drives: 2013 Sparkly Red One Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Hospitality State Posts: 2,558	Wiggle it.

01-13-2019, 09:57 PM	#4
young51 Drives: 2015 z/28 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Bay Area Posts: 39	I have been having a bit of a "hot start" issue, slow to crank/turnover. That sounds like a culprit. Battery must be 4-5 years old by now. Does anyone know if optima makes a replacement for our cars or can recommend a better one? thanks

01-14-2019, 11:21 AM	#7
2SSRS@Gen5diy Drives: 2014 Z/28 #82+#192, 18ZLE 66Nova Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: By the lake in AZ Posts: 15,719 View My Garage	Guys if you don't drive the car a lot you need to charge the batter for more then 1 night to get a full charge on them, i got a new AC delco battery on 8-20-18 in my Z/28 don't drive as much as i need to any more as i have a better cars to drive, with that said battery was slow to turn over, put a charger on it for a day it started fine only to try 1 week later and same thing so i got a new charger that regulates the power and left it on for two weeks till that battery was full charged. Started her up on Saturday it fired right up with no problems.