Component

STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

957 NHTSA complaints about steering:column locking:anti-theft device issues across 38 makes and 215 models.

The steering:column locking:anti-theft device is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 957 filings from 38 manufacturers and 215 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 62 crashes, 12 fires, 40 injuries, and 2 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the CHEVROLET CORVETTE with 324 filings, followed by FORD FOCUS and CHEVROLET MALIBU. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.

Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.

957
Complaints
215
Models Affected
62
Crashes
12
Fires
2
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 324
2 FORD FOCUS 70
3 CHEVROLET MALIBU 24
4 NISSAN MAXIMA 14
5 FORD EXPLORER 13
6 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 11
7 PONTIAC GRAND AM 11
8 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 10
9 TOYOTA CAMRY 9
10 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 9
11 FORD CONTOUR 9
12 HONDA ACCORD 8
13 FORD TAURUS 8
14 DODGE INTREPID 8
15 DODGE CARAVAN 8
16 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 8
17 ACURA LEGEND 8
18 NISSAN ALTIMA 7
19 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 7
20 BUICK REGAL 7
21 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 6
22 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 6
23 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 6
24 FORD MUSTANG 6
25 DODGE AVENGER 6
26 CHRYSLER SEBRING 6
27 CHEVROLET BLAZER 6
28 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 5
29 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 5
30 KIA SPORTAGE 5

Recent Complaints

2009 NISSAN MAXIMA

The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Maxima. The contact received notification of an undisclosed recall. The contact stated that while the vehicle was off, the push-to-start button was depressed; however, t

2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE IGNITION O

2010 NISSAN 370Z

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN 370Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN THE ENGINE BUTTON WAS PRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE

2011 INFINITI M37

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 INFINITI M37. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. BOTH THE DEALER (SEWELL INFINITI OF DALLAS, 7110 LEMMON AVE, DALLAS, TX 75209, (972) 490-4

2009 NISSAN MAXIMA

MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THE ESCL (ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK) FAILING. NISSAN IS OFFERING TO REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE FOR VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS (NHTSA #10119190, NISSAN CAMPAIGN ID PC516

2009 NISSAN ALTIMA

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING SHUT DOWN IN PARKING LOT. DASH DISPLAY SHOWED A KEY LIGHT BUT INFORMATION CONSOLE DID NOT STATE THE PROBLEM. OCCUPANTS IN VEHICLE WERE MOTHER AND 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTE

2009 NISSAN ALTIMA

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK MECHANISM. I WAS FIXED ONCE BY DEALERSHIP UNDER EXTENDED WARRENTY THEY SAY. THEY TOLD ME RECALLED. NOW ONLY "CERTAIN 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA" ARE RECALLED AGAIN. MINE IS BROKE AGAIN

2009 NISSAN ALTIMA

STEERING IS LOCK AND IT DOES TURN ON AND IT NEVER DID THIS IT WORK GOOD

2006 NISSAN ALTIMA

MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA'S ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK MALFUNCTIONED AND MY GIRLFRIEND AND I WERE STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A SNOW STORM. WE HAD TO CALL TRIPLE A TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED AFTER WAITING

2009 NISSAN ALTIMA

REPLACED STEERING LOCK DECEMBER 6, 2013, AND AGAIN MARCH 7, 2017. HAS LEFT ME STRANDED TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. REPLACED WITH NISSAN PART THAT THEY KNOW IS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO REPLACE WITH SAME DEFECTI

2010 NISSAN MAXIMA

STEERING COLUMN FAILURE. THE STEERING LOCKING MECHANISM SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. HAD TO GET IT TOWED AND COST NEARLY $1,500 TO GET THE VEHICLE FIXED. FOR A WELL MAINTAINED 2010 MAXIMA, THATS A LARG

2010 NISSAN MAXIMA

MY WIFE WAS STRANDED AT A BUSINESS AND OUR CAR WOULDN'T START. AFTER CALLING OUR LOCAL DEALER, IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING LOCK. WE PURCHASED THIS 2010 MAXIMA NEW IN SEPT. 2009. THIS IS A

2010 NISSAN MAXIMA

GOT IN CAR LEAVING FROM GYM THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED COULD NOT MOVE IT. CALLED DEALER WHO TOLD ME TO HOLD KEY FOB OVER CAR IGNITION DID NOT RESOLVE SITUATION. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED . I GOT

2009 NISSAN MAXIMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMB

2009 NISSAN MAXIMA

I WENT OUTSIDE TO START MY VEHICLE AND IT WOULDN'T START..THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND I CAN'T GET IT UNLOCKED..THE STEERING WHEEL SYMBOL WITH 2 UP AND DOWN ARROWS ON BOTH SIDES OF IT LIGHTS UP ON

2009 NISSAN CUBE

THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING ME TO BE UNABLE TO START MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME. THERE WERE NO MOVEMENTS OR SOUNDS COMING FROM TH

2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK RECALL AND SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. *SMD THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON JULY 1

2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS ABLE TO TURN FROM THE ON AND OFF POSITION BUT WOULD NOT START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DE

2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

WAS GETTING IN VEHICLE TOO DRIVE N STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AFTER ENGINE WAS CRANKED N RUNNING. VEHICLE HAS A RECALL FROM NHTSA 04V060000 DEALERSHIP SAID RECALL HAS BEEN FIXED BEFORE, N THEY HAVE TOO

1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V060000 (STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE). T

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve steering:column locking:anti-theft device issues?
The NHTSA has received 957 complaints about steering:column locking:anti-theft device problems across 215 vehicle models from 38 manufacturers.
How dangerous are steering:column locking:anti-theft device defects?
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE issues have been linked to 62 crashes, 12 fires, 40 injuries, and 2 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most steering:column locking:anti-theft device problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for steering:column locking:anti-theft device issues is the CHEVROLET CORVETTE with 324 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

Data Sources

Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.

Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.

Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.

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