emergency engine shut off

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by FunfDreisig

Hnmm...
In my late 80s PathFinder you can switch off the engine WITHOUT locking the steering wheel. But you can not get the keys out of the ignition switch without locking the steering wheel.

Funf Dreisig

Interesting. I think truck did have some looser regulations that passenger vehicles, e.g., my 1992 Ford Explorer doesn't have air bags, but I believe passenger vehicles (cars) had to have them in 1992.

Anyone know if the locking steering wheel was a legal requirement, or just an industry standard to reduce insurance premiums?

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Interesting. I think truck did have some looser regulations that passenger vehicles, e.g., my 1992 Ford Explorer doesn't have air bags, but I believe passenger vehicles (cars) had to have them in 1992.

Anyone know if the locking steering wheel was a legal requirement, or just an industry standard to reduce insurance premiums?

Federal Safety Standard in the US, likely cloned by other jurisdictions. Came in around 1970 as I recall (not sure of the exact date). It applies to light trucks the same as to cars. It is a safety standard, designed for theft protection; the thinking was that stolen vehicles were often crashed and involved in accidents with other vehicles. Later on the automatic transmission interlock (put it in park to remove the key) was added to the same standard.

This may not be true on all vehicles, but all of my vehicles had an ignition off position before you got to the lock position. The lock relates to being able to remove the key, not turning the vehicle off. There has always been a risk that turning off the key, a driver would go an additional click and lock the steering wheel, but they are designed as two separate indents in my experience.

[FunfDreisig]

Originally Posted by JCL

...
This may not be true on all vehicles, but all of my vehicles had an ignition off position before you got to the lock position. The lock relates to being able to remove the key, not turning the vehicle off. There has always been a risk that turning off the key, a driver would go an additional click and lock the steering wheel, but they are designed as two separate indents in my experience.

That is how our ranch truck works. You have to push a little button to turn the key to the 'lock' position and remove the key. I was told this was to keep passengers (e.g. kids) from turning off the ignition and pulling out the keys which would have locked the steering wheel.

Funf Dreisig

[02fireman]

I had a 328 loaner the other day and got it to turn off at 45mph by pressing the button and started it back up after. I didn't feel any real loss of power nor did the steering lock. I was just curious.