# Steering Wheel Mystery **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 12, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659 "2015-01-12T22:43:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/1 "2015-01-12T22:43:17Z")
My son’s 99 Lexus ES had the steering wheel come off in his hands! He was able to stick it back on again and get home. It has been at a reputable repair shop for a couple days and they can’t figure out what happened. Anyone know about this? ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/2 "2015-01-12T22:54:00Z")
No way a steering wheel just comes off without a lot of help. Did he hit something? Is that his story, and he’s sticking to it? I don’t have time to search through it, but here’s a place to look for a safety report or recall for this issue (and many others). [http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues](http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues) Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 1:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/3 "2015-01-13T01:21:06Z")
It got fixed. Somehow a big nut that holds everything together came off and fell down inside the steering wheel. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/4 "2015-01-13T01:57:17Z")
No mystery at all; the big nut was not tightened correctly during original (or a subsequent) assembly. ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/5 "2015-01-13T02:12:29Z")
That’s deeply insightful. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/6 "2015-01-13T04:13:05Z")
Any of the cars I’ve pulled the steering wheel off of have both the nut and a clip holding it on, plus installed on a splined shaft. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 4:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/7 "2015-01-13T04:48:17Z")
Hopefully they used loctite! Keep a pair of vice grips handy just in case? ![](http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news-700/Man-Gets-Arrested-for-Using-Vice-Grips-to-Replace-Steering-Wheel.jpg?1374917943) ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 4:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/8 "2015-01-13T04:53:34Z")
Instead of taking the guy’s keys, they took his steering wheel-but he was an innovator. ---
**Author:** ![art1966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@art1966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/art1966)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/9 "2015-01-13T15:18:32Z")
I’m curious – right-hand-drive car (Toyota, I think), speedo in metric, labels in English – what country/ies have that combination? ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/10 "2015-01-13T19:42:06Z")
Australia. ---
**Author:** ![markmast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@markmast](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markmast)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/11 "2015-01-13T22:06:00Z")
The problem really was the nut behind the wheel. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/12 "2015-01-13T22:30:46Z")
The odds of the nut being left loose at the factory when the car was built are close to microns. The odds of someone having been into that steering wheel for removal and not properly tightening the nut are much higher. If the car has had an alignment it’s possible that someone re-centered the steering wheel after the alignment. That method is incorrect but it has been known to happen. The proper method is to center the wheel by adjusting the tie rods and toe. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/13 "2015-01-13T22:37:33Z")
@art1996 Malaysia, for one, has metric speedometers in English and RH drive, as does Singapore and Japan (Japan would have Japanese characters), of course. Australia and New Zealand have this as well. The only holdouts using MILES are the USA, Britain, Myanmar, and Yemen, I believe. I had a Proton Waja (locally designed & built) in Malaysia and there was only English on the instruments, since English is the official second language there. The Malay language has few technical words, and every person who can affords a car there can speak English. ---
**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/14 "2015-01-13T22:48:14Z")
markmast Duct Tape Specialist 9:06AM The problem really was the nut behind the wheel. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. LOL ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/15 "2015-01-13T23:16:45Z")
Although this only lists 1994-1998 ES300’s it not a mystery. Report Receipt Date: NOV 01, 1999 NHTSA Campaign Number: 99V307000 Component(s): STEERING All Products Associated with this Recall close Vehicle MakeModelModel Year(s) ``` LEXUSES3001994-1998 TOYOTACAMRY1995-1998 ``` Details close 4 Associated Documents expand Manufacturer: TOYOTA MOTOR CO., LTD. SUMMARY: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS. CONSEQUENCE: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT. NOTES: TOYOTA RECALL NOS. X06 AND XL7. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 30, 1999. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236). ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/16 "2015-01-13T23:58:06Z")
I would think that if a nut had been left loose it would have been apparent long before 16 years has passed. Several other car companies have also had recalls issued for loose steering wheel nuts and those issues were overblown. Subaru had one back in the 80s that is almost word for word what the Toyota bulletin has stated and no loose steering wheel nuts were ever found. My understanding is that some service manager at a dealership in MN or WI jumped the gun and called the Feds while making a mountain out of a molehill. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/17 "2015-01-14T00:07:39Z")
Always make sure you update the manufacturer of address changes just for recalls such as this. In your owners manual is a change of address card to fill out so they know where you are without going through DMV. ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/18 "2015-01-14T00:25:41Z")
Is there a way to make sure you hear about recalls if you are the second or third owner of a used car? ---
**Author:** ![art1966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@art1966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/art1966)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 1:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/19 "2015-01-14T01:46:33Z")
Thanks for the answers about RHD, etc. Next thought: In Southern Hemisphere, would that have to be left-handed ViceGrips? Sorry ;\>) ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659/20 "2015-01-14T03:43:36Z")
On my first trip South of the Equator (Peru), I filled the wash basin in my hotel room, pulled the plug and, yes, the water turns in the opposite direction of North of the equator. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-wheel-mystery/88659.md?page=2)