damn. $1400:shakes head:

Correction my friend 09-mid 2011 last 4 of the part # should read f00d to be in the clear.

I'm reall sorry to hear that Geezer1946.
I recently purchased a used 2009. Luckily I read about this problem before i purchased it. Needless to say as soon as i got home from the dealer i took the steering wheel lock fuse out (by following instructions in other threads about the topic)! My steering wheel lock is now safely disabled !

Steeering Lock Bypass Kit
 

Just ordered the steering lock bypass kit. I'm not big on cutting wires or popping fuses. Instructions seem simple enough. $59.00 which includes shipping.

I ended up doing this as well :)

u shouldve pulled out the fuse, did it on mine no issues

Think I'm going to wait till my warranty is up then pull the fuse.

Cause the the world would just end.:tup:

Is there a how-to youtube video on removing the right fuse?

A week ago Friday my car wouldn't start so I started reading and knew this was the issue before the tow truck got my car to nissan. Thank god our warranty covered it. $1300 total cost. Glad it's fixed now!

I found this one by searching Youtube for "370Z steering fuse". There may be more; this is just the first one I found.

Steering lock failure?
 

My car didn't start tonight. It's currently sitting in my work's parking lot in the freezing cold: it's -16C tonight :(

My working theory is that it's the dreaded steering lock failure. However, I want to prove it before I do anything like pay for towing. A couple of things make me slightly skeptical:

1. I can turn the steering wheel. It's not locked.
2. One of the DIY's claims that you have to put your car in ACC. But I can't even get to ACC. It stays in "Lock" mode.

Do either of things mean that it might be something else?

Thanks for the help....

Maybe it broke in the open position...

Same thing happened to me a week and a half ago. It's your steering lock. I read up while my dad came and I told nissan all the symptoms and they told me to bring it in so we got it towed and i diagnosed it correctly before nissan looked at it thanks to the forum. Thankfully my warranty covered the $1100 bill and towing which was only $45 somehow. Best of luck my car was at nissan all weekend because it happened on a Friday and got it back last Tuesday and it runs great. It was sleeting (here in Clemson,SC) when mine failed so I know the feeling. Get it towed and fixed. Good luck.

if it is the steering lock, then it didn't break in open but rather in an "almost but not quite open" position. There is a little switch in the lock which is depressed when the lock is all the way open. the (depressed) switch allows the engine to begin the start sequence.

It could be a lot of things, the fact you can turn your unmodified steering lock leads my to suggest it probably is your steering lock. (which because its not locking is clearly malfunctioning)

Unfortunately you do not have an easily diagnosed common mode of failure.

I recommend the standard "emergency fix" of pushing your start button (with your key in the key holder) and tap/bang the crap out of your malfunctioning steering wheel lock hoping it will slip loose from its jammed position. If that works (really stick with it for awhile) then definitely pull your fuse or cut your brown wire once you get the car running BEFORE YOU TURN IT OFF!

good luck, unfortunately you are not talking about a standard (well understood) malfunction.

one last though. Make sure you have a good battery in the key fob or just put it in the little fob holder (if it is dead that should allow a start.)