Hi,
I seem to have an intermittent problem with my steering lock not engaging. This means I either have to disconnect the battery or pull a fuse to turn the key in the ignition to start the car if the steering lock does not engage when I had previously took the key out.
I have seen this fix mentioned on this and other forums:

http://www.blackbox-solutions.com/photos/L322lock.pdf

I wondered if anyone has tried this and if it actually worked for them?

Here's hoping as I don't fancy purchasing an entire upper steering column!

that seems a very logical approach to solving a fault, unlike a main dealer that just change out parts, at your expense. There is always a reason that things go faulty, its the engineering spirit that exists in some people to find the actual cause, and then offer a solution, to a problem, unlike spanner monkeys, that just change out whatever the book/boss says.
on my p38 range, after buying it, driving it home, at the traffic lights, i chose to adjust the steering poisition. I had the adjuster lever,(manual type of adjustment) go all limp and the car was undrivable, away from home. the lever retracted but left the column all loose, nearly impossible to drive. i was able with time, to find like above, that too had a sort of dry grease on the detent that re-located on the column at its chosen position, and with just a can of 3 in 1 oil was able to fix with some hand tools the problem. that was the first in a huge list of faults, fixed with some thinking, that would have deemed the car a write-off in a garage.
possibly caused by sun baking the grease. i have turned off the auto-adjust on my l322, as there seems too many problems with it from posts.
We need more people like Yiotis, and the guy that typed up the report.
but as i say, all the problems we have, have all been fixed before, by someone, -its finding guidance that saves time and money and gets the job done 1st time. (hopefully) and its this type of forum, that reveals the answers,

FOR FREE!

Mine has been doing the same for some time now, but always works the second or third go...

Having done a lot of reading about the problem it seems to happen far more in the hot states the other side of the pond...

That fix has been used by many and probably has about a 50% success rate from what I have read, some have had more problems after doing it....

I have read about another fix which is more successful, you remove the upper column complete and you will find a riveted on metal panel that covers the steering lock mechanism, you carefully drill out the rivets and gain access to the interior, the info I found then gets a bit sketchy, you have to sort out the problem that's in there, I would imagine it's going to be grease that has gone hard or wear on the locking pin, the guy who did the write up was not going to say too much as he was charging people for the fix...

As soon as I have time I will be stripping mine out and sorting it and will do a write up of what I find...

An easier way to sort it at the moment is to remove fuse 18, get two spade terminals, plug them into the fusebox, connect an inline fuse and a switch, make the leads long enough to put the switch somewhere convenient and then if the problem happens, turn the switch off for 30seconds, then back on and the car will start....

This works if your column is sticking in the, usual, unlocked position, a few have had it stick in the locked position in which case you have to fix it rather than use this bodge... Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Thanks for the replies.

Do you remember who was charging for the fix? I may get in touch with them to see how much that would be.

If I have to replace the steering column does anyone know if I have to replace with a steering column which contains the steering lock or can I go for a newer one that did away with the steering lock?

Mine is a 2007 and its VIN seems to be within the range of the newer column, although mine definitely has the steering lock.

Pete,
When you say yours works after 2 or 3 goes, do you mean taking the fuse out 2 or 3 times or just turning the key 2 or 3 times?
Regards,
ANDREW

I'm amased yours still has the lock, thought it went in the 2006 facelift....

It was on a USA site so not much use for you...

You can't fit the later one, the starter ECU is expecting a reply from the column to say it is unlocked and it won't get one, I have been trying to find if there is a way to remove the whole system but all the ECU's seem to be linked and talk on canbus so apart from rewiring the whole car you've had it....

Mine sometimes takes 2-3 goes to release, by taking the key out and putting it back again, I can hear the steering lock trying to move but the noise is different when it doesn't....

Never had to pull the fuse.......YET..

It's fix it or replace it, second hand ones go for £700 upwards and may last a while but it's a lottery.... new one is just silly money...

Just had one hip replaced, other one hopefully will be soon.... as soon as I can bend myself under the steering wheel I'll have it out and fix it.... Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Thanks Pete, the information is very helpful.

I think I might put a switch on fuse #18. I agree that buying another column with the steering lock is going to be a lottery and I am never lucky at cards!

I hope you get your hip sorted quickly. I bet your glad Land Rover don't manufacture hip joints!

there's a write about this in land rover mag, was reading it while pushing the trolley around sainsbury V8 facelift Range Rover Autobiography 22" wheels.
1976 Harley Davidson Iron Head Sportster

Is that this month's Land Rover magazine?

yes i think so, land rover owners V8 facelift Range Rover Autobiography 22" wheels.
1976 Harley Davidson Iron Head Sportster

I remember following an article a couple of years back where you took the cowling off the steering column, drilled a hole in a precise position and then squirted copper grease in. This was to stop the steering column from juddering and struggling to go in and out as well as the problem of the locking pin not releasing. IT WORKED !!