Yesterday I got into the MCS (manual transmission) after work, inserted the fob, pressed the start button, and nothing happened. Actually, something did happen: an amber icon appeared in the tach. It resembled a steering wheel with a stroke through it, as in "NO STEERING."

I removed the fob and the icon remained, glowing in the tach: new to me!

Apparently this is the MINI's way of telling me that the steering wheel is against the lock, as in other cars when you can't turn the key until you release the pressure on the steering wheel.

In any case, I turned the wheel slightly to release the pressure, inserted the fob, pressed the start button, and was underway.

Anyone else out there experienced this particular sinking feeling and relief?

 

Interesting...

Thanks for letting us know about that one. I'm not sure my wife (nor I) would have figured it out.

 

Yup. I even called my Mini dealer and had the tow truck on the way until I noticed the symbol. Somehow the parking garage attendant got my wheel locked. Also, the car made some clicking noises when the start button was pressed.

I made sure to tell my wife to turn the steering wheel if she runs into the same problem.

 

It happened to my wife and after we figured it out it was a relief.

 

My car doesn't have the ELV (electronic steering lock). There was a production break where they stopped installing them due to a "change in government requirement". My car is a week 30 build, I don't know when Mini stopped installing them.

Note that anti-theft protection continues to be provided by drive-away protection in EWS.

 

Interesting. How did you learn about that?

 

Wonderbar!

Locking steering wheels always annoyed me in 70's/80's/90's cars. My cars from the 60's had no such dangerous nonsense. I thought the non-locking steering wheel mine has was a British thing. Nice to know I got lucky on this one.

 

The manual for our week 34 build MCS clearly states that it has an electronic lock on the steering wheel that will unlock once it detects the key fob inside the car (we have Comfort Access). I was unaware that it was removed???

 

I don't have comfort access. Still wondering where Sindarin got the info.

 

Me too...

 

I don't have specific info for Mini, just BMW. ELV's were discontinued on BMW's as of March '07 production. Seeing they discontinued them on BMW's they would likely discontinue them on Mini's if they weren't required by law.

Easiest way to find out if your car has an ELV or not is with the key out of the ignition try turning the wheel. If it clicks and locks, you have an ELV. If it doesn't, you don't.