PSA: Ford F-150

[Countrycuz]

I went on some errands today, came out of the store and inserted the key in my 2020 F150. The key went in but would not turn. I tried putting my foot on the brakes, moving the wheel, wiggling the shift lever. Tried this and more multiple times. Finally called local Ford service manager and described my problem. He asked if steering wheel was locked, it was with a little play. Advised me to to very firmly turn the wheel against the lock and turn key at the same time. It worked and truck started, said it happens once in a while. It was a first for me, just a FYI for anyone

 

[erikpolcrack]

Has happened once or twice over the years on one of our Toyotas, but it used to happen regularly a few years back on our Taurus and our Windstar.

 

[NY-1]

That's happened to me on all sorts of cars over the years.

 

[kraynky]

That's happened to me on all sorts of cars over the years.

Same here, ever since they invented the locking mechanism for steering wheels that is. Doesn't take much tension to bind some of them up. Glad it was a simple fix. Rare on today's vehicles.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Be grateful it uses a key, which is at least mechanically comprehensible. In a few years we'll probably have to press our eyeball against a spot on the wheel to activate the ignition. (Or flag down a passing 12 y.o. with a Raspberry Pi to hack it.)

 

[Puller]

Yeah, my 2021 F-150 uses a fob. No key to turn.

 

[Farmer17]

My 2018 Ram 1500 with a 165K miles has been a great vehicle but about a year ago the cruise control stopped working. I looked on youtube and there were several possible things that could be wrong with it, and some of them, pretty expensive! One video showed a guy slapping the top of the crossbar where the cruise control buttons are located on the steering wheel. I tried this and it's been working fine ever since

 

[JohnRippert]

Mom had the same problem a couple times in her 2006 Honda Odyssey. Just did not have the arm strength to turn the wheel enough to release the lock.

 

[27 Man]

We had a 2001 Toyota Avalon that had the same problem. My mother-in-law had the same issue trying to unlock it.

 

[Chuck24]

Occasionally on my Tundra

 

[BC38]

I went on some errands today, came out of the store and inserted the key in my 2020 F150. The key went in but would not turn. I tried putting my foot on the brakes, moving the wheel, wiggling the shift lever. Tried this and more multiple times. Finally called local Ford service manager and described my problem. He asked if steering wheel was locked, it was with a little play. Advised me to to very firmly turn the wheel against the lock and turn key at the same time. It worked and truck started, said it happens once in a while. It was a first for me, just a FYI for anyone

That is a new one on me.
I've seen all kinds of rigs where the steering wheel was binding the lock and you had to turn the wheel a little to take the pressure OFF the lock to get it to release. Never heard of having to turn the wheel to put pressure ON the lock to get it to release.
Weird.

 

[s&wchad]

This happens regularly on my '18 F-150 if I pull in and park with the front wheels turned. Putting rotational pressure on the steering wheel while I turn the key has always solved the problem.

Pulling straight in to park eliminated the issue.

 

[chief38]

This situation can happen to ANY car, truck or SUV with a locking steering wheel. Try not to leave any stress on the wheel between locking points when turning off the ignition. Worst case scenario, you can forcefully move the wheel from it's end lock position to somewhere in the middle to relieve the stress force. This is really nothing new.