I just noticed that my 06 DTS steering wheel does not lock when the key is removed (as GM vehicles have traditionally done for at least 30 years). Is this normal?

I had some warranty work done on the groaning steering column last year. Wondering if they left something undone.

The wheel doesn't lock on my '08 either.

Either mine locks or the pwr steering ratio is so high that I CANNOT turn the wheel after I remove the key.

Or you need to consider joining a health club.....:rolleyes:

Tulsa Vic,
Thats funny...^^^^^

My steering wheel also does NOT lock.

Jim

Your steering wheels are broken.
It is not an option, it is the law.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.asp?chunkKey=090163348008f299

Your steering wheels are broken.
It is not an option, it is the law.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.asp?chunkKey=090163348008f299


Southern,

Darn it...you made me go to the garage and actually check it.
I turned the wheel almost a half turn...EACH WAY.
It does NOT lock.

My older Cadillacs "DID LOCK" the steering wheel.
Seems like the new ones don't.

The way I read the article you posted...it can be either or both.

S5.1.1 Each vehicle must have a starting system which, whenever the key is removed from the starting system prevents:
(S5.1.1)(a) The normal activation of the vehicle’s engine or motor; and
(S5.1.1)(b) Either steering, or forward self-mobility, of the vehicle, or both.


If the trans is "LOCKED IN PARK"...the steering wheel does not HAVE TO lock.

Jim

It would seem that you are right. I wonder why I can't turn my wheel? I wonder if the old caddys were "Locked" in park? This one sure is. and as to the locked steering.....I put 175 pounds on one side and the wheel will turn no more than an inch. In any event, a thief would have a very difficult time......unless he just lifted the front wheels and towed her away. :)
We are off to NC in the morning. A couple of days there and then another jump to PA where we will spend the summer. Looking forward to it.
So far I have driven the Caddy to OK/TX on one trip and to Myrtle Beach on another. It is a good cruiser. It is not particularly good on Gas but I didn't buy it as an economy car.

It would seem that you are right. I wonder why I can't turn my wheel? I wonder if the old caddys were "Locked" in park? This one sure is. and as to the locked steering.....I put 175 pounds on one side and the wheel will turn no more than an inch. In any event, a thief would have a very difficult time......unless he just lifted the front wheels and towed her away. :)
We are off to NC in the morning. A couple of days there and then another jump to PA where we will spend the summer. Looking forward to it.
So far I have driven the Caddy to OK/TX on one trip and to Myrtle Beach on another. It is a good cruiser. It is not particularly good on Gas but I didn't buy it as an economy car.


It seems like we may BOTH be right.

I just thought of something...
Do you have the bench seat or bucket seats?

If you have the bench seats...your steering column DOES LOCK.
It is the ones with buckets and console shifter that DO NOT LOCK.

I rented a new 2006 DTS in September of 2005...just before I bought my first 2006.
It had BENCH SEATS...and the steering column DID LOCK on it.

And as to your other question...yes...the older Caddys steering wheel DID LOCK.

Texas Jim

I know the older caddys steering wheel locked. I was asking if their transmission was locked in park?
Yes, I have the so called "bench" seat.
It's really not a bench seat as the passenger and driver have individual controls over their seat. The driver can move his seat all the way back and the passenger move her seat all the way up, for instance.
But i DO have the column mounted Shifter, not the console mounted shifter.
Maybe that IS the difference.

It would seem that you are right. I wonder why I can't turn my wheel? I wonder if the old caddys were "Locked" in park? This one sure is. and as to the locked steering.....I put 175 pounds on one side and the wheel will turn no more than an inch. In any event, a thief would have a very difficult time......unless he just lifted the front wheels and towed her away. :)
We are off to NC in the morning. A couple of days there and then another jump to PA where we will spend the summer. Looking forward to it.
So far I have driven the Caddy to OK/TX on one trip and to Myrtle Beach on another. It is a good cruiser. It is not particularly good on Gas but I didn't buy it as an economy car.

southern you talk about snow birds?????????

I know the older caddys steering wheel locked. I was asking if their transmission was locked in park?
Yes, I have the so called "bench" seat.
It's really not a bench seat as the passenger and driver have individual controls over their seat. The driver can move his seat all the way back and the passenger move her seat all the way up, for instance.
But i DO have the column mounted Shifter, not the console mounted shifter.
Maybe that IS the difference.


Yep...that is the difference between your car and most of ours. We all have the buckets with the console shifter.
On ours...the "SHIFTER" is locked but not the steering wheel.
On yours, since the shifter is built into the steering column...BOTH of them lock.

And...Yes Sir...the older ones DID lock the transmission in PARK.
When you took the key out..."BOTH" the steering wheel and the actual shift lever was locked.
And you could NOT take the key out, if it wasn't in PARK. :cool2:

Texas Jim

Yeah, kind of a reverse snowbird. There are a lot of us.
But the real birds are gone. They left in April and May at the latest. They will return starting in october.
I wish I was one. Tried to buy a summer house in PA last year and got caught up in the credit crunch and the market dip. Deal fell through. Lost my deposit of 5K.

We look at snowbirds as folks who spend maybe 6 months here.
People that spend considerably shorter terms are tourists.
We have both.
Our visitor rate is down a bit, but not a lot.
And the money they each spend is down a bit.
Combined, it's a pretty good hit.

Where we are hurting is in Housing.
Many of the birds and tourists used to buy a house here.
Then many began to speculate and flip houses.
Not any more.
So we are overbuilt.
No construction jobs .
Construction/real estate was easily our #1 industry with "tourism" second.

I'll probably never leave florida.
If my plan works, I will never be cold again.

But a vacation somewhere else is fun too!


I'm outa here guys. Glad Jim figured out what was goin' on with the steering wheel lock. I damn near ripped the steering wheel off trying to turn it.............;)
Good talking atcha. If the Good Lord is willing and the creek don't rise I should be back on line in a few days.

Have a good trip. :) :) :)

See you soon.

Jim

This might all be related to the column lock problems that were present on C5 vettes. For years, GM used a mechanical steering column lock using the key mechanism on the column. On the C5, GM moved the ignition back to the dash and used an electro mechanical column lock. Drivers began experiencing steering columns that wouldn't unlock or (rarely) columns that locked while driving. Yikes! Many of us bought aftermarket column lock defeat (CLD) devices which disconnected the column lock circuit and tricked the computer into believing the column lock was still functioning.

Usually the first mods a new owner of a manual C5 bought were the CLD, short shifter, and skip-shift eliminator to prevent the forced 1-to-4 shifts under light throttle. The CLD and short shifter were best installed together since both required opening up the lower dash. The skip-shift eliminator was, like the CLD, a plug-in circuit that could be installed when the car was lifted for an oil change.

P.S. Southern:

I've been told the correct saying is "Lord willin' and the Creeks don't rise" as in Creek Indians. At least that's how they tell it in Oklahoma..... Either way, have a safe trip and safe return.....

Yep...that is the difference between your car and most of ours. We all have the buckets with the console shifter.
On ours...the "SHIFTER" is locked but not the steering wheel.
On yours, since the shifter is built into the steering column...BOTH of them lock.

And...Yes Sir...the older ones DID lock the transmission in PARK.
When you took the key out..."BOTH" the steering wheel and the actual shift lever was locked.
And you could NOT take the key out, if it wasn't in PARK. :cool2:

Texas Jim

Yea I just checked mine and my steering wheel doesn't lock either. I have the floor shifter. My 98 and 01 both were bench with the console shifter and I used to have problems with the 01 when I would try to start the car but I would have to play with the steering wheel to get the key to turn. Love my 06

Oh and have a safe trip Southern. Make sure to post your trip experience and gas use.