Steering not locked

[gremzi]

Hi All,

Hope everyone is ok

I have a Clio Gordini that has decided it doesn't want to start today. Have had no issues with it and no work done on it, except today where it will not start. Steering unlocks, fuel pump kicks in, ignition is turning, but it will not start and then I get a message about the steering is not locked. I take out the keycard and the steering locks. Disconnected the battery for about 30 minutes, but reconnected and still the same.

Can't get anyone out to come and look for 3-4 weeks, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Sean197]

First thing to check would be the battery. Do you have another you could try?

 

[gremzi]

Tried the battery off the Wife's car and still the same issue.

 

[PITA]

Does the starter turn the engine over?

 

[gremzi]

Tries to start for around 30 seconds and then stops with the steering not locked message.

 

[PITA]

Take the fuel hose quick connect fitting off the fuel rail and see if you’re getting fuel whilst cranking. Unfortunately the “Steering Not Locked” is associated with lots of different faults.

Possible candidates are:
Starter motor (ruled that out)
Bad battery (ruled that out)
Bad earth connection
Bad TDC sensor
Bad fuel pump
Bad steering lock

 

[Dave W]

Interestingly I've had this three times on my car.
The first time we thought it might be battery but we had a jump starter in the car park at work. Something, I don't know what, caused it to start but battery was good and the keycard had no effect, or appeared not.
The second time it went straight away after inserting the card.
The third time was really weird. No amount of battery power was going to crank it, keycard had zero effect. It was locking/unlocking ok and as it was parked on a small incline in the works car park, I thought I'd roll it to try and bump it, just in case. After just one more try to start it off the button, I gave up and let the handbrake off - bearing in mind ignition was on and it had seen the signal to try and start but decided not to. It hadn't rolled six inches before it cranked and fired! I'd touched nothing at that point. She's been fine since then.

 

[gremzi]

All sorted now. Was the crankshaft sensor

 

[Dave W]

Here's a thought: Mine only started doing this earlier this year, after I've had a new flywheel fitted. I wonder if there's any relevance in that if it is indeed the crank sensor.

 

[suj]

Here's a thought: Mine only started doing this earlier this year, after I've had a new flywheel fitted. I wonder if there's any relevance in that if it is indeed the crank sensor.

Yeah a few people have had them pick up a lot of crap or damaged crankshaft sensors, worth taking it off and having a look.