Steering Wheel Locked Up While Driving: What to Do Right Now: Explained

> **Quick Answer:** If your steering wheel locks while moving, grip it firmly with both hands and do not fight it hard. Ease off the gas, turn on your hazards, and guide the car to the shoulder using whatever steering you have. Do not turn the ignition to accessory mode while moving. Once stopped safely, call a tow. Do not drive the car again until a mechanic finds the cause.

## What Do I Do in the Next 30 Seconds If My Steering Wheel Locks Up?

Stay calm and use light, steady pressure on the wheel. Panic-jerking a partially locked wheel can snap you into another lane or flip the car. Keep both hands on the wheel, lift your foot off the gas, and let the car slow on its own. Turn your hazards on. Steer gently toward the shoulder or a parking lot using whatever movement the wheel still gives you. Do not stomp the brakes hard at highway speed. Controlled, gradual braking keeps the car tracking straight while you work toward safety.

Once you are stopped and out of traffic, shift to park, turn off the engine, and call for a tow. This is not a fix-it-yourself situation on the side of the road.

## Does a Locked Steering Wheel Mean My Car Is Going to Crash?

Not automatically. The steering column lock is a real mechanism, but a full, sudden lock at speed is rare in most modern vehicles. What you are more likely experiencing is a severely stiff wheel, loss of power steering assist, or a binding in the steering rack. The power steering pump, a broken serpentine belt, or a failing electronic power steering (EPS) motor are the usual suspects. A snapped serpentine belt kills power assist immediately, leaving you with manual steering that feels like the wheel is bolted to concrete. Read more about what happens when a belt fails while moving in our post on [serpentine belt failure while driving](/serpentine-belt-snapped-while-driving-can-i-tow-or-drive/).

The actual ignition-column lock, the one that engages when you turn the key, should never trigger while the engine is running. If it does, your steering column has a serious mechanical failure and the car must be flatbedded.

## What Actually Causes a Steering Wheel to Lock While the Car Is Moving?

The most common cause is loss of power steering, not a true column lock. Here is what typically triggers it:

- **Broken serpentine belt.** This belt drives the power steering pump on most non-electric setups. Snap it and steering effort multiplies immediately.
- **Low or empty power steering fluid.** The pump cavitates, assist disappears, and the wheel goes heavy without warning.
- **EPS motor failure.** Vehicles with electronic power steering, like most cars built after 2010, will throw a warning light and suddenly feel stiff if the EPS motor or control module fails.
- **Steering rack failure.** A seized rack or binding tie rod can prevent the wheel from turning in one or both directions.
- **True column lock malfunction.** Rare but real. Usually a faulty ignition switch or clock spring assembly in the steering column.

If your power steering went out but the wheel still turns with effort, you may be able to limp slowly to a safe stop. That situation has its own considerations covered in our article on [power steering going out while driving](/power-steering-went-out-while-driving-is-it-safe-to-drive/).

## Can I Try to Fix This on the Side of the Road or Do I Need a Tow?

You need a tow. Steering is a safety-critical system. The only roadside check worth doing
![mechanic car repair](/images/steering-wheel-locked-up-while-driving-what-to-do/mid.jpg)
*Photo: Pexels*
 is a quick look under the hood once stopped: if you see a snapped belt lying on the ground or fluid visibly empty in the power steering reservoir, you know the general category of the problem. But neither of those is a roadside repair. Refilling power steering fluid temporarily might restore some function, but if the pump ran dry and cavitated for any length of time, the internals may already be damaged.

Do not try to drive home, even a short distance. If the steering fails again at 40 mph on a surface road, the outcome is worse than waiting for a flatbed. A flatbed is the right call here because towing with a locked or compromised steering rack using a wheel-lift truck can damage the rack further. [Know what a tow will cost out of pocket](/how-much-does-a-tow-truck-cost-without-insurance/) before you call so you are not caught off guard.

## How Do I Stay Safe While I Wait for the Tow?

Get as far off the road as possible. If you are on a highway, get past the white fog line and as far onto the shoulder as you can. Turn your hazards on immediately and leave them running. If you have road flares or reflective triangles in your trunk, place them 50 to 100 feet behind the car. Stay in the car with your seatbelt on if you are on a high-speed road. If you broke down in an intersection or a dangerous spot, get out and stand behind a barrier, not behind your car. Call 911 if the location is actively dangerous. For help thinking through who to call first when your car dies in a bad spot, see our guide on [what to do when your car dies on the interstate](/car-died-on-interstate-who-do-i-call-first/).

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![tow truck road](/images/steering-wheel-locked-up-while-driving-what-to-do/bottom.jpg)
*Photo: Pexels*

## Common Questions

**Q: Can a steering wheel really lock up while driving at highway speed?**
A: A true column lock while the engine is running is extremely rare and points to a serious ignition or column mechanical failure. What most drivers experience at speed is sudden loss of power steering assist, which makes the wheel feel locked but still turns with significant effort.

**Q: Should I turn the ignition off to try to reset the steering lock?**
A: Never turn the ignition off while moving. You will lose power brakes, the column lock may fully engage, and on newer vehicles the airbag system can be affected. Keep the engine running until you are fully stopped in a safe location.

**Q: What does it cost to fix a locked or seized steering column?**
A: A failed EPS motor typically runs $400 to $900 in parts and labor. A steering rack replacement is $500 to $1,500 depending on the vehicle. A broken serpentine belt is much cheaper, usually $100 to $200, but any component that ran without fluid or under strain may need additional repair.

**Q: Is it safe to drive the car to the shop the next day if the steering feels fine again?**
A: No. Intermittent steering problems are warning signs of a component that is about to fail completely. Drive it to the shop and the failure will likely happen in traffic. Have it towed.

**Q: Will my insurance cover the tow for a steering failure?**
A: If you have roadside assistance on your policy or through AAA, yes. If you are paying out of pocket, a local flatbed tow typically runs $75 to $150 for the first few miles and more for longer distances. Check your coverage before you assume you are on your own.

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