I got into my car tonight (1999 Civic coupe), and noticed something drastically wrong. My steering wheel and the steering column were completely off kilter. As soon as I touched the steering wheel, it fell into my lap.

Someone had cut through the entire steering column. There was a screwdriver (not mine) on the floor. My cds and stereo and everything else were untouched. The was in my driveway, but they must have gotten scared and ran off.

I got a police report, and I'm guessing that I'm covered insurance-wise (since I have theft and vandalism coverage), but I'm really wondering what happened. They couldn't have been trying to steal the car, b/c it's now undriveable. Did they want the airbag? The wheel itself?

Any ideas?

 

got any pics?
or did you have a CLUB on the steering wheel? thats the only reason ive heard of people cutting the steering wheel, but the cutting of the colum sounds very odd!!!!!!

they must have been a real amature! all ya need is the screw driver and the right spot and enough force as long as there is no other theft deterrent

 

I didn't have a club. And I know it's easy to get the airbag out. So I'm really confused... Especially because they didn't take the wheel after cutting it off!

Insurance will pay, but I'm out my $500 deductible. Sweet.

 

Sounds like you had an attempted theft by a complete dumbass.

 

Yeah it sounds like someone who doesn't know what they're doing tired to jack your ride. It sucks what happened but it could have been worse, he could have made off with you car.

 

... did you **** someone off recently? No one is dumb enough to kill your steering wheel and column to jack your ride. Hell, its easier to get old honda keys from a salvage yard and use those. I've actually got 5 keys that have allowed me to get into all my friends civics and turn them on.

 

had to have been just some idiot! thats just damaging the car nothing more. but i wouldnt have paid that 500 deductable! i would have just gone to a junk yard and bought the colum... if your key and ignition where undamaged i would just swap that part over to the new colum and replace the air bag with yours as long as they didnt damage that either....
pullapart has a few here..
STEERING COLUMN - W/ TILT $25.84
STEERING COLUM W/TILT AND AIR BAG $39.95

ahell of alot cheaper than that 500buck deductable and it wont go on your insurance and posibly raise your insurance bill! only take about 30mins to swap the colum! hell the guy probably spent more time cutting thru the colum.LOL

if you havent droped the car off to insurance place yet i would NOT drop it off then! fix it yourself and save alot of cash

 

i haven't made any enemies ever, i don't think but how dumb would you have to be to saw through the steering column if you were trying to steal the car? the cop that took my report said all the car thieves have master keys for my generation of honda, so he didn't think it was attempted theft. i'm still thinking they were trying to steal the airbag. why they didn't actually take the wheel with them is beyond me...

 

well to remove the air bag is simply 2 bolts. if they are looking to replace there air bag then they should know how to remove the air bag. its very easy to remove it!

i think the idiot that did it is well just a big idiot!!! unless he had a cordless sawzaw do you realize how much hand cutting that would take? thats along time to be sitting in the car thinking I HOPE NO ONE SEES ME....