DS 7 won’t start and steering locked

[ashish28487]

Hi,

We have been having issues with our DS7.

Partner drove 2 miles to drop kids to school and returned after 5 mins but the car wouldn’t start and the steering wheel locked up.

Roadside assistance came and ran diagnostics. Roadside assistance couldn’t fix the car but following error appeared:

B181A,Fault in the response from the electric steering lock to the request for locking/unlocking
DTC:B1808,Fault in the unlocking of the immobiliser by the engine management ECU

Can someone please advice what could be wrong the car. The cars warranty finished 4 months an ago and the dealership has given an appointment after 5 weeks. Wondering if local mechanics could fix the issue ?

[GiveMeABreak]

Basically these have an electronic steering lock and this is unlocked when authorised by the fob / when the vehicle ignition is started. Have you dropped the fob or replaced the battery lately? If so either it may need reinitialising or there may be a problem with the hands-free ECU that controls the steering lock.

I suspect if you can't unlock the steering wheel, you may not be able to start the vehicle either.

Try a BSI Reset / Battery Disconnect / Reconnect Procedure

[ashish28487]

Hi Marc,

I replaced the battery in the key a month ago, had no issue with using the car until yesterday. Do you think I can the keys reinitialising even if the car is not in operation? Or do I need to get it reinitialised professionally?

Yes, the car won’t start and the windows are electronically operated i.e. only when the car is on. Can I run a BSI reset without the window down?

Many thanks for your prompt response.

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes, that part is just for safety reasons.

Not saying it will fix it, but these need reinitialising when the fob battery is replaced. Maybe resetting the BSI will cure it, but if not, there's nothing lost in trying. Failing that, it will need a diagnostic to determine the fault. If you have a backup fob, have you tried that?