No Steering Lockout w/ Electronic Steering Rack?

[O.R.T.]

Ok, I’m gonna ask for some Real Time Help here. Anyone else w a 4thGen Ram 1500 that has the electronic steering rack, please jack up your front end (both wheels off the ground) with the ignition off and tell me if your truck’s steering wheel locks or not because apparently mine doesn’t because it’s electronic steering?? Word is it won’t do a steering lock with an electronic steering rack.

I felt funny while checking the wheel bearings and the wheel moved left and right. I’m used to having the key out of the ignition and being able to lock a steering wheel into position. Especially if you park on a grade, it’s a standard to lock the wheel all the way right if facing uphill or downhill so if the vehicle pops out of gear somehow it only rolls to the curb or up the curb.

Am I that old?

 

[crazykid1994]

I haven’t tried with my truck 2017. but it’s not the rack that locks. It is in the steering column. The steering wheel locks and thus the steering column doesn’t turn which locks the wheels. I am pretty sure if you turn the steering wheel to lock it should lock.

 

[Brandon-w]

Mine doesn't lock. 2015 ram 1500.

 

[MaxSteel2013]

I haven’t tried with my truck 2017. but it’s not the rack that locks. It is in the steering column. The steering wheel locks and thus the steering column doesn’t turn which locks the wheels. I am pretty sure if you turn the steering wheel to lock it should lock.

Mine also doesn't lock

 

[Jimmy07]

Ok, I’m gonna ask for some Real Time Help here. Anyone else w a 4thGen Ram 1500 that has the electronic steering rack, please jack up your front end (both wheels off the ground) with the ignition off and tell me if your truck’s steering wheel locks or not because apparently mine doesn’t because it’s electronic steering?? Word is it won’t do a steering lock with an electronic steering rack.

I felt funny while checking the wheel bearings and the wheel moved left and right. I’m used to having the key out of the ignition and being able to lock a steering wheel into position. Especially if you park on a grade, it’s a standard to lock the wheel all the way right if facing uphill or downhill so if the vehicle pops out of gear somehow it only rolls to the curb or up the curb.

Am I that old?

There’s no ESCL, electronic steering column lock on our Rams.

 

[O.R.T.]

What I thought, had to check.

Can a mod/admin fix the title, first word is supposed to be "No".

Siri Autocorrect Fail for sure.

 

[O.R.T.]

I am pretty sure if you turn the steering wheel to lock it should lock.

Nope, I tried two other trucks just now at the dealership. Neither locked at the wheel. No lockout at all.

 

[crazykid1994]

Nope, I tried two other trucks just now at the dealership. Neither locked at the wheel. No lockout at all.

This is super interesting to me. I’ve never tried. Guess I’ll be trying tomorrow. Might be buying a steering wheel lock bar now. Thanks for bringing this up.

 

[Dave2018]

My 98 locks, but my 18 doesnt. Apparently by design. I'm wondering if that's because it so difficult to get the thing to role without a key. You have to go through gyrations to get it into neutral with the key off.

 

[crash68]

My 98 locks, but my 18 doesnt. Apparently by design. I'm wondering if that's because it so difficult to get the thing to role without a key. You have to go through gyrations to get it into neutral with the key off.

There isn't a steer wheel lock due in part to push button starting. The older vehicles that had steering locks were an actual mechanical interlock. Nowadays it would have to be an electrical/mechanical interlock and the risks of failure leaving you with no steering far outweigh the benefits of locking the steering.

 

[Tach_tech]

Steering wheels haven’t locked since the 3rd gen trucks.

 

[Longhorn1500]

When installing my front Bilstein shocks a couple weeks ago, I noticed I could move the brake rotors without the steering locking. It was handy for that installation, but it did kind of surprise me.

 

[7thday]

This is super interesting to me. I’ve never tried. Guess I’ll be trying tomorrow. Might be buying a steering wheel lock bar now. Thanks for bringing this up.

Steering wheel lock bars are useless as far as preventing theft because the thief just saws through the steering wheel and remove the lock bar.

 

[Clodbuster]

It makes it easier to steer the truck up onto the flatbed when the dash quits "seeing" the key fob, and you have to take it to the dealer to get fixed so you can start the truck.

Be sure to find the hidden lever to take it out of park, or have a big winch on the flatbed....

Hope that you are not 150 miles from home, and parts are not backordered a week.

 

[Aries Rising]

There isn't a steer wheel lock due in part to push button starting. The older vehicles that had steering locks were an actual mechanical interlock. Nowadays it would have to be an electrical/mechanical interlock and the risks of failure leaving you with no steering far outweigh the benefits of locking the steering.

Yet our 2009 Toyota Highland Hybrid, WITH "push button" starting, DOES lock it's steering wheel.

And while we're at it (i.e., discussing why RAM gets things so wrong/fixes things that ain't broke), when will the class actions start, about the KNOB that's been substituted (in late model RAM trucks) for a conventional shift lever, be it column or floor mounted? (Remember, you heard it here first.)

 

[Tach_tech]

What would be the point of a class action suit against the dial shifter? Many manufactures use similar designs, some even use push buttons.

It’s not a dangerous design causing deaths or accidents. Some people just don’t like it, and dislike change.

Personally I don’t see an issue with it, works just fine and frees up room in the console and looks cleaner than a column shifter. No ones forcing people to buy the truck, if it’s that big of a deal, buy something else.

 

[indept]

What would be the point of a class action suit against the dial shifter? Many manufactures use similar designs, some even use push buttons.

It’s not a dangerous design causing deaths or accidents. Some people just don’t like it, and dislike change.

Personally I don’t see an issue with it, works just fine and frees up room in the console and looks cleaner than a column shifter. No ones forcing people to buy the truck, if it’s that big of a deal, buy something else.

My only issue is that occasionally I reach over to put it in drive and the radio volume increases...

 

[indept]

Tach_tech,

Now that I mentioned that ^^^ I'm curious, what would happen if I'm cruising down the highway and I reach over to turn down the volume and mistakenly put the trans knob in park?

 

[crazykid1994]

Tach_tech,

Now that I mentioned that ^^^ I'm curious, what would happen if I'm cruising down the highway and I reach over to turn down the volume and mistakenly put the trans knob in park?

It won’t. It pops up on the dash and says unable to perform shift or something along those lines. I tested it one day.

 

[Wild one]

Tach_tech,

Now that I mentioned that ^^^ I'm curious, what would happen if I'm cruising down the highway and I reach over to turn down the volume and mistakenly put the trans knob in park?

It also won't go into reverse if you're going to fast either,lol.I'd rather have a console shifter like the Challengers have,but I don't think it's a big enough deal to be a class action lawsuit either