near death experience. riddle me this batman!

R1_Stormrider · 09-28-2010, 06:27 PM

well heres the story and what happened. i boosted the car around the city for a bit and before takin it back to the shop something happened. all of a sudden the whole car turned off. kinda like flipping a light switch in your room. i had just come out of a pull at 15psi as well.

so i figured i would straighten the car and coast to a stop. well here is the punchline everyone, the steering wheel clicked to the lock position as if i was parked with the key out of the ignition. yes, the key was forward and since the lock is mechanical i have no idea why this happened.

so i immediately gave up toyin with the wheel since a marble sign was coming right at me. instead i hit the brakes and did 180 to stop the car with the hand brake. no damages everything good.

here's what ive done:

-i have checked every single ground on the car that i could think of
-checked the kill switch in my battery compartment (its in the bin behind passenger seat)
-checked all fuses
-rattled all grounds while idling the car with headlights/stereo on.
-idled the car and kept turning the wheel as fast as i could to see if it would do it again

the car has not done this again. its like it never happened. anybody got insight on this?

turboed13b · 09-28-2010, 08:56 PM

What probably happened was you somehow moved the key back causing the engine to die and lock the steering wheel and in your panic you thought it was forward?

Project10AE · 09-28-2010, 09:03 PM

I'm thinking the problem will be very close to the ignition and that maybe the key cylinder is somehow faulty and tripped the key into tripping the wheel lock and cutting of the car. Start the car and wiggle the key without a lot of pressure and see if it jumps out of "run" and cuts off.

Garfinkles Motor Works · 09-29-2010, 12:03 AM

Remove the covers from the stearing column and see if the switch screws are tight and if every thing is in order .If every thing look correct remove the switch,drill the screws and remove the pin that locks the column, hacksaw .You may have a ghost and do not need it to return .

Ratjar · 09-29-2010, 01:18 AM

the thing is SO simple to take apart once you hacksaw and make a notch for the screwdriver. gl. sounds scary.

R1_Stormrider · 09-29-2010, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turboed13b

What probably happened was you somehow moved the key back causing the engine to die and lock the steering wheel and in your panic you thought it was forward?

i see where you're coming from, and your assumptions are quite viable. i didnt panic when this occurred, but i did get freaked out nonetheless. this event took place at night. i was lettin off the gas after a boost pull and then, CLICK! the whole car died. the headlights went out, the gauge heads up display, the stereo, total power outage. it all just blacked out. so, immediately after i decided to make the car coast in a straight line. the wheel didnt even move a hair of an inch before locking. "ohhhhh shit" ran through my head.

@project 10AE, makes sense. i may have to check the cylinder to see whats up. first the car lost all electrical power then right after the wheel locked with the key forward.

@garfinkles, you read my mind. im goin to get that locking pin removed and never have to go thru this again. imagine if i was on the expressway and this happened? goddamn scary to even think about.

thanks for the input everyone. i hope nobody else has this situation pop up on them.

Garfinkles Motor Works · 09-30-2010, 02:03 AM

You lucked out for sure ,glad for that . If you track the car and do not have solid motormounts check out my engine torque brace.

Sideo · 02-14-2011, 12:55 AM

wow thats scary hope u find problem!

Signal 2 · 02-17-2011, 07:31 AM

Updates? Did you ever find the cause?

Rotary Evolution · 02-18-2011, 03:35 PM

if you have a ton of keys on your keyring it is highly likely that the rearward forces pulling on the keys turned the ignition lock cylinder just a hair to the locked position.

this is why i dislike having a bunch of keys and have several separate keyrings for the cars and shop.

Supernaut · 03-09-2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rotary Evolution

if you have a ton of keys on your keyring it is highly likely that the rearward forces pulling on the keys turned the ignition lock cylinder just a hair to the locked position.

this is why i dislike having a bunch of keys and have several separate keyrings for the cars and shop.

I started doing this to prevent scratches and keep the keys off my knee. It is so much more fun driving the car without having tons of keys dangling around.

09-28-2010, 06:27 PM	#1
R1_Stormrider Traveling in Stygian Join Date: May 2009 Location: TX Posts: 26 Rep Power: 0	near death experience. riddle me this batman! well heres the story and what happened. i boosted the car around the city for a bit and before takin it back to the shop something happened. all of a sudden the whole car turned off. kinda like flipping a light switch in your room. i had just come out of a pull at 15psi as well. so i figured i would straighten the car and coast to a stop. well here is the punchline everyone, the steering wheel clicked to the lock position as if i was parked with the key out of the ignition. yes, the key was forward and since the lock is mechanical i have no idea why this happened. so i immediately gave up toyin with the wheel since a marble sign was coming right at me. instead i hit the brakes and did 180 to stop the car with the hand brake. no damages everything good. here's what ive done: -i have checked every single ground on the car that i could think of -checked the kill switch in my battery compartment (its in the bin behind passenger seat) -checked all fuses -rattled all grounds while idling the car with headlights/stereo on. -idled the car and kept turning the wheel as fast as i could to see if it would do it again the car has not done this again. its like it never happened. anybody got insight on this? __________________ *93 RX-7 FD R1*

09-28-2010, 08:56 PM	#2
turboed13b Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 116 Rep Power: 18	What probably happened was you somehow moved the key back causing the engine to die and lock the steering wheel and in your panic you thought it was forward? Last edited by turboed13b; 09-28-2010 at 08:58 PM.

02-17-2011, 07:31 AM	#9
Signal 2 Viable Fossil Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mid-West Posts: 199 Rep Power: 18	Updates? Did you ever find the cause? __________________ Jim VR R1 FD

09-28-2010, 09:03 PM	#3
Project10AE Rotary Fan in Training Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 42 Rep Power: 0	I'm thinking the problem will be very close to the ignition and that maybe the key cylinder is somehow faulty and tripped the key into tripping the wheel lock and cutting of the car. Start the car and wiggle the key without a lot of pressure and see if it jumps out of "run" and cuts off.

09-29-2010, 12:03 AM	#4
Garfinkles Motor Works RCC Contributor Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 535 Rep Power: 18	Remove the covers from the stearing column and see if the switch screws are tight and if every thing is in order .If every thing look correct remove the switch,drill the screws and remove the pin that locks the column, hacksaw .You may have a ghost and do not need it to return .

09-29-2010, 01:18 AM	#5
Ratjar The Newbie Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Orion Posts: 20 Rep Power: 0	the thing is SO simple to take apart once you hacksaw and make a notch for the screwdriver. gl. sounds scary.

09-30-2010, 02:03 AM	#7
Garfinkles Motor Works RCC Contributor Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 535 Rep Power: 18	You lucked out for sure ,glad for that . If you track the car and do not have solid motormounts check out my engine torque brace.

02-14-2011, 12:55 AM	#8
Sideo The Newbie Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 20 Rep Power: 0	wow thats scary hope u find problem!

02-18-2011, 03:35 PM	#10
Rotary Evolution rotaryevolution.net Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 248 Rep Power: 15	if you have a ton of keys on your keyring it is highly likely that the rearward forces pulling on the keys turned the ignition lock cylinder just a hair to the locked position. this is why i dislike having a bunch of keys and have several separate keyrings for the cars and shop.