Car wouldn't start until added fuel
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 19
From: Not far from COTA
Car wouldn't start until added fuel
Got a weird one happened to me and was wondering if someone knew the cause.
Was driving the car really hard for quite a while, and got a low fuel light and a trans temp warning at the same time. The gas gauge had been reading about one quarter, and when the low fuel message appeared on the DIC, the gauge dropped to on the peg empty.
Stopped to get fuel, shut off the engine and when the gas pump wouldn’t take my credit card, went to restart to try a different pump.
But, had what appeared to be the dreaded steering column lock. (I know now after reading the FAQ that it wasn’t that.) The steering wheel wouldn’t move no matter how hard I moved it back and forth, and the key wouldn’t turn in the ignition.
Got the attendant to manually allow me to pump fuel, and after adding fuel, the car was normal.
What was that about.
Was driving the car really hard for quite a while, and got a low fuel light and a trans temp warning at the same time. The gas gauge had been reading about one quarter, and when the low fuel message appeared on the DIC, the gauge dropped to on the peg empty.
Stopped to get fuel, shut off the engine and when the gas pump wouldn’t take my credit card, went to restart to try a different pump.
But, had what appeared to be the dreaded steering column lock. (I know now after reading the FAQ that it wasn’t that.) The steering wheel wouldn’t move no matter how hard I moved it back and forth, and the key wouldn’t turn in the ignition.
Got the attendant to manually allow me to pump fuel, and after adding fuel, the car was normal.
What was that about.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
From: Boston MA
Was the key removed prior to your attempt to fuel the car? If so and when the key was put back in and would not turn this would account for the wheel being locked. Now if this is the case putting fuel in the car would not have any effect on getting the key to turn in the ignition. 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 19
From: Not far from COTA
thanks for the input but not sure I understand
yes, the key was removed after shutting off the engine
then when key reinserted, wheel was locked and key would not turn at all
no matter what bad words I said or how hard I tried to turn either the wheel or key
it may have been that adding fuel had nothing to do with things unlocking, but I'm still puzzled
yes, the key was removed after shutting off the engine
then when key reinserted, wheel was locked and key would not turn at all
no matter what bad words I said or how hard I tried to turn either the wheel or key
it may have been that adding fuel had nothing to do with things unlocking, but I'm still puzzled
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
From: Chicago Illinois
Sounds to me that your column locked up (how it should) when you pull the key out! Just have the move the wheel left or right and the key should go in just fine! This happens on all cars with column locks!
