Hi

Having ordered a new Fiesta Titanium X with 'keyless start', thinking about security with no door locks or ignition barrel, I got to wondering, as there is no key/ignition, how does the steering lock work?

Does it even have a steering lock?

It is an electronic steering lock.

You can hear it when you unlock the car, or leave it for a while after stopping.

I still worry about this, i've yet to be convinced that it's fail-safe and can't possibly activate whilst driving.

Never heard of it being an issue on cars with keyless starting, even the simplest system would need a solenoid to be energised before this could happen and there may still be an independent secondary interlock to prevent this eventuality. It's not new technology by any means.

The locking mechanism is at the bottom of the steering column and is locked like Alex and troy says so it needs to be energised to lock.

So you're telling me that it's absolutely impossible for a hardware/software glitch to activate the lock?

Tell me how it's done, you try to design one. I can't.

If it's driven by a CPU port it 'aint safe but I'd love to know otherwise.

Its no more unsafe than any other electrically controlled item on the car. Which is just about all of it, lol.

So you're telling me that it's absolutely impossible for a hardware/software glitch to activate the lock?

Tell me how it's done, you try to design one. I can't.

If it's driven by a CPU port it 'aint safe but I'd love to know otherwise.

Keyless entry/start must have been about for well over a decade by now, & I've not heard of one accident caused by the steering lock coming on, have you?

So I wouldn't worry about the technology not being safe if I was you, or do you try & specify no airbags or ABS in your car too?

Nope Gary, i've never heard of one, that doesn't suggest that it can't happen. The odds against maybe huge.

I could easily (and would prefer to) live without airbags and ABS. You can either drive/observe or you can't. Or, you can phone your mates, drive at 30 in a stupor and let the car drive you.

No offence/smartarseness intended, honestly. Uh oh, here comes warning #2.

The only problem I have found with Keyless start in one of the other vehicles was when the battery started to die, sometimes it would work and sometimes not, then you had to take out the key piece that is hidden inside the key remote and open manually, this was on a Kia Sorento, and my fault for not going out and just replacing the damn battery.

Nope Gary, i've never heard of one, that doesn't suggest that it can't happen. The odds against maybe huge.

I could easily (and would prefer to) live without airbags and ABS. You can either drive/observe or you can't. Or, you can phone your mates, drive at 30 in a stupor and let the car drive you.

No offence/smartarseness intended, honestly. Uh oh, here comes warning #2.

God forbid anyone ever hits you then.

Thanks for your reply Alex.

Update! Having just logged in today, I see that there has been quite a bit of interest in this topic.

Electronic steering lock - never had feature before

Does the steering wheel actually into place and does it lock in any position? i.e. wheels straight ahead with steering wheel central or various positions depending on the way you left it?

Wow, just noticed from your signature that you have a 2015 Focus already - that was quick. :)

I believe it will lock in any position after the car is locked or left for a set amount of time.

And yes, got my Focus end of November. :)

I love keyless entry/start.

However there has been a huge increase in thefts because of it.

I agree keyless entry has been around an absolute age, it was around (and had been a while) back when I used to work in a Renault main dealership, which was oooh about 9yrs ago

So you're telling me that it's absolutely impossible for a hardware/software glitch to activate the lock?

Tell me how it's done, you try to design one. I can't.

If it's driven by a CPU port it 'aint safe but I'd love to know otherwise.

I'm sure there are ways to stop the lock from activating when the car is moving. It could be similar to how the harnesses on a rollercoaster can't open while it's moving (a more extreme example but maybe similar).

I love keyless entry/start.

However there has been a huge increase in thefts because of it.

Perhaps if the scum that nicked them were actually punished when caught there wouldn't be so many thefts!! Personally I would have them hanged but apparently that's against their human rights...

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I started this thread some days ago and I was not expecting so many reply's and, the responses have left me wondering if it's necessary to use a second steering lock on the steering wheel???

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Depends how seriosly you take the threat of your car being stolen, I live in a fairly low risk crime area but still put a disklok on at home overnight or if parking somewhere out of town, I'm also going to get an OBD port lock.

If I had a focus RS and lived in the northwest I'd be more worried as a least 3 have been stolen in the last 2 weeks, no offence but a fiesta titanium will be at less risk than an ST/RS.

A car is the 2nd most expensive purchase most people make, so you should secure it as best you can/see fit.

I notice in the news that the met police have been told to stop range rovers in the Kensington and Chelsea area due to keyless thefts, no such action taken also where for fords let alone bmw and audis.

Hi Mark

Thanks for your input

TBH, it hadn't crossed my mind about what model I had; I was simply thinking about the security; never had keyless start before.

Where I live is reasonably ok so I don't anticipate any problems but it was worth just asking about the security options in the forums.

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