Hi all.
Apologies as I have read all the posts I can find on this yet still cannot resolve.
Quick summary:
L322 Vogue SE 2008. Ignition up on dash next to steering wheel
Battery went flat due to unexpected hospital visit. Inserted key, turned, all manner of flashing lights and clicking but no power to crank engine.
Jump started by AA but then ignition barrel locked. Decided to replace battery anyway as it looked old and I didn't know the history of it.
Battery replaced. Car "reset" and ignition barrel turned. Drove for a while. Took key out, put back in, won't turn.
Pulled fuse 18, re-inserted plus attached IID tool. Cleared all faults and then restored one of the CCFs - the first one that comes up on the tool - no problem with ignition off and then on again during this process but, yep, once key out still cannot be re-inserted and turned.
Since I have had the car I have now realised that the steering lock never engages by the way. I guess the "pin" is probably stuck however the issue for me appears to be the car simply doesn't recognise the key without pulling fuse 18. Even after replacing the fuse there is no "clicking" or anything when I insert the key into the ignition, it just turns then and starts the car.
Should I continue to attempt hard resets shorting out the battery leads, clearing fault codes etc or is there something I should be doing to reprogram or reset the keys? (The issue with the steering never locking I believe is separate and will need the upper section of the steering column replacing) - alternatively should I connect the blue wire from the steering column to the positive lead on the courtesy light (which I don't really want to do to as seems a bodge job!)

Any advice really appreciated.
Thanks

Hello Dave, I can't be 100% sure but your symptoms do indeed sound like the steering lock has failed. See my post below that i sent to another member with the exact same problem. (Doing this fixed it by the way).

First and foremost, don't faff around with bodges like drilling holes in the housing, wiring in bypass switches or getting the pin to remain permanently in the ok to drive position. Just repair it properly and it will be far more reliable and far more sellable when the time comes to move it on. Would you buy a car with random switches scattered around the dashboard....?
Besides, when you know what you have to do it's actually quite straightforward repair. It'll cost you about £120 and around an hour of your time. Mine suffered a jammed mechanism, was nothing to do with the pin but the symptoms were the same, and the repair outlined below will also fix locking pin problems.
Adjust the steering wheel so that it's as far out and down as it'll go then disconnect the battery. Remove the airbag and steering wheel, then remove the top and bottom steering column shrouds. Disconnect all the block connectors and undo 2x 8mm bolts, one either side of the steering column. You'll then be able to remove the 2x triangular shaped slotted yokes and then the 2x eccentrics that allow up and down adjustment of the steering wheel. If you then give the top section of the column a tug it just comes away. Don't buy a whole column, just the top section, and don't bother trying to repair it, you'll probably be wasting your time. Get a replacement top section off ebay or suchlike, there's loads available for around £120.
When you start to reassemble, replace the 2x eccentrics, 2x yokes and nip up the 2x 8mm bolts. Before you go any further just slide the steering wheel back on the splines and see if there's any backlash in the up and down plane. If there is, play around with the eccentrics until there's no free play. You can then put everything back together but do not push the airbag all the way back onto its two mounting clips. The reason being is the first time you'll drive it you'll find the steering wheel off center so you'll have to remove it again, and if you've got this far you know what a faff removing the airbag is!
Anyway there you go, good luck with it.

Sam

Thanks Sam - I had indeed already read your reply to the other member.

I guess my issue is this: I'm pretty sure you are correct and the steering lock failed - however from memory it wasn't working when I bought the car (I don't remember any locking of the wheel or disengagement of the wheel when offering up the key) - all was proceeding nicely until the battery episode.
I would be happy to get back to the original state (steering lock not engaging but key working ) if at all possible for day to day use NOW, without the Fuse 18 trick, whilst I then sort out doing your fix. To do this HAS to be an electronic fix surely as it was the battery that messed it up in the first place - relay perhaps or reset the keys etc??

cheers

Hi,

From your description of the issue, your lock indeed seems to have failed. Here are your options:

You can try the repair proposed above, which carries some risk of fitting another defective column.

You can isolate and bypass the locking arrangement by means of an inexpensive emulator (e.g. goldcar solutions etc.)

or

you can find an independent LR workshop who will undertake to repair your own column.

I had mine repaired by my local indy a month ago and also keep an emulator in the glove box as an extra...

My employer's '08SC failed during summer and he had an emulator installed.

Either is a viable and valid fix...

Before deciding, I suggest that you remove the cowling cover and inspect what is in there...

Hi
Thanks for the reply - by "see what is in there" do you mean prise out the plate and lubricate with WD40 etc, turning the wheel to get it all around etc?

S' efharistó!

Hey David,

Parakalò

I meant the plastic trim cover around the column. This will allow you to inspect everything and see if someone was in there before. On mine, someone had hammered the lock ecu box so badly that they'd chipped off a corner Since you can't recall hearing the lock clicking while inserting / removing the key you will want to rule out the presence of an emulator. That would mean a disconnected lock ecu box and a chip plugged in on a dangling electrical harness. If there are signs of prior tampering, or a non-functioning emulator is present, the key barrel would also need to be checked.
You can still prise out the top plate and spray some WD40 towards the side where the lock ECU box is and use a rubber mallet with some force on the box itself. This freed mine every time and kept it working for a while but many factors come into play such as the kind of contamination in there, the state of the components and even the temperature. I found mine sticking in hot weather, never in cold!

Click image to enlarge

Ah, OK, understand now. Thanks!!