The 3 best steering wheel locks (2023 guide) (2023)

Even thebest steering wheel lockscannot completely prevent a motivated thief from taking an unattended vehicle. However, a good steering wheel lock can deter some thefts and make it difficult for someone to get away with it.

We have tested and destroyed many steering wheel locks to test their ability to protect your steering. Read our experiences and tips to further protect your vehicle against theft.

1. Best steering wheel lock:Tevlaphee steering wheel brake lock
2. runner-up:The international winner of Club 3000
3. also consider:Vechkom steering wheel lock

see price

ÖIncludesteering wheel lockIt works outslightly different than most other locks. Rather than simply hooking onto the steering wheel, this lock extends to the floorboards and connects to the brake, clutch or accelerator pedal.

This design makes the Tevlaphee more difficult to set up, but also slightly more secure than typical steering wheel locks. This is because the vulnerability (key lock) is harder to access once Tevlaphee is installed.

main properties

• Cost: Look for $40
• aluminum and alloysteel construction
• keylock
• Anhang Abrake pedal,clutch pedal, or gas pedal

Our experience

Although more labor intensive to install than other wheel locks, this device is still relatively easy to set up. There are enough notches to allow for a precise, snug fit that prevents anyone from using the pedal until it's unlocked.

We were able to crack this lock with a cordless drill in one minute and five seconds. Disabling this wheel lock took the longest of the ones we recommended, mainly because it's harder to access the Tevlaphee's keyhole with a drill.

What customers say

Amazon review score: 4.5 out of 5 based on more than 3,200 reviews

most say socar lockit is easy to put on and take off. It can be used as a brake lock or placed directly above the steering wheel. Many believe their vehicle is more secure with this chunky lock.steel construction.

Depending on how you aim Tevlaphee, it can be difficult to remove when the time comes. If the key slot is positioned so that the key cannot be inserted, you may find yourself downright uncomfortable, as one reviewer was.

see price

There ClubIt is perhaps one of the most well-known steering wheel locks and the benchmark by which many are judged. EITHERbright yellowAppearance works like oneoptical deterrent. We found it easy to use, although it's also easily disabled with a cordless drill.There ClubI can bring you somethingpeace of mindbut it hardly keeps a thief with itelectric tools.

main properties

• Cost: about $50
• Doppelhaken-Design
• universal fit
• Auto-locking mechanism
• Ligasteel construction

Our experience

There ClubIt's the simplest of all the steering wheel locks we've used. EITHERAuto lock functionmakes it very easy to securely attach this steering wheel lock.

We were able to deactivate this with a cordless drillThere Clubin 40 seconds. Like most steering wheel locks,There Clubis better than oneanti-theft deviceas a guarantee of protection.

What customers say

Amazon review score: 4.6 out of 5 based on over 7,000 reviews

What seems to be appreciated the mostThere Clubis that it is easy to use and highly visible. Most satisfied reviewers will admit that this alone will not stop all car thefts. However, it can make your car more difficult to steal and deter some thieves.

Several customers posted photos of bent studs and complained that this device didn't work to protect their cars. Please note that no steering wheel lock is a perfect solution.

see price

ÖVechkom steering wheel lockIt has a slightly different design than other steering wheel locks. It can be hooked to the top of the wheel and extend across the dashboard. This lock also has a built-in alarm (requires three AAA batteries) that will sound if someone tampers with this device.

main properties

• Cost: About $70
• Alarm at 135.0dB
• solid steelBar
• T-Lock-Design

Our experience

Vechkom is as easy to install as anycar steering wheel lockalthough there is the additional step of removing the battery cover and inserting the three AAA batteries required for the alarm function. The alarm is finicky and only installing the lock caused it to go off.

Despite being advertised at 135.0 dB, the alarm isn't particularly loud and doesn't sound for very long. When we attempted to disable the device, we managed to remove it in 18 seconds, making it the least effective of the steering wheel locks we tested.

However, no lock is perfect and the additional alarm component can also deter thieves, especially since the device indicates that it is equipped with an alarm function visually and with a red flashing light.

What customers say

Amazon review score: 4.2 out of 5 based on nearly 200 reviews

Those who like the Vechkom say that its appearance is a good deterrent. It's safe, easy to install and makes some feel safer in their car.

Some have reported difficulties installing the Vechkom, and some (like us) have found that the alarm isn't particularly loud. It can startle and discourage a thief, but is unlikely to alert anyone nearby, especially if the car door is closed when the alarm goes off.

A locked steering wheel is no guarantee of deterrenceCar theft. Even the strongest lock we've tested isn't unbreakable. When choosing a steering wheel lock, consider the conditions in which you typically park your car. A steering wheel lock can deter opportunistic theft, but can be disabled with a drill or pliers.

What a steering wheel lock can do is deter theft by making your car more difficult to steal, thereby increasing the time it takes to get into your vehicle. When shopping for a steering wheel lock, look for something that is easy to use. You don't want to spend an hour securing your car every time you park. Find barriers that take longer to clear and are highly visible.

Turn off Botton

Almost no solution fully protects your car. All windows can be broken, and an expertcar thiefYou surely know how to disable the most popular onesSecurity systems for cars. If you want to protect your car as much as possible, you should consider installing an emergency switch.

A kill switch is a hidden switch that blocks fuel flow to the engine, effectively disabling the vehicle if the switch is not turned off. A well-hidden switch (or two) can slow thieves down more than any lock on the steering wheel. However, they require advanced mechanical knowledge to install, although there are mechanics who can do it for you.

Even the toughest steering wheel lock isn't foolproof, but the hardened steel throughout the steering wheel can deter would-be thieves. It is best to use a steering wheel lock in addition to other security devices inside and outside the vehicle. Think of security cameras, counters and surveillance cameras.

One thing to keep in mind is that many new cars don't require a key to operate them. Keyless entry options can be achieved via a key card or even the automaker's phone app and variousnews agenciesreported an increase in vehicle thefts using this technology.

Experts say thieves are hijacking the signals from the keys used to open the car. Therefore, depending on the model of your vehicle, it may be more prone to theft.

The steering wheel locks in this article have gone through two rounds of verification. we started lookingAmazonasto find the best products by analyzing factors such as Prime shipping eligibility, customer ratings,AmazonasSuperlatives and prices.

Our team ordered the three steering wheel locks that best met these standards for testing. A team member secured each latch, noting the ease of installation and the difficulty of destroying it. Each flyer received a 5-star rating based on these criteria.

Steering wheel lock test procedure

To test each steering wheel lock, we install it according to the instructions on the box (if included). Our tester remarked on how quick and easy it is to lock and unlock the steering wheel lock with the key or combination.

To test the destruction difficulty, we tried disabling each lock without using the key or combination. The tools we used for this were a cordless drill and a pair of cutters. We measured the time from getting in the car to removing the steering wheel lock using one or both of these tools.

Why you can trust us

Every year we test more than 350 automotive products on vehicles and in our test laboratory. Our team of product testers thoroughly research key products, unboxing and applying each component and testing items on actual vehicles before making recommendations to readers.

We've published hundreds of product and service reviews to provide car enthusiasts with in-depth guides to car tools, detail kits, car seats, pet products and more. To learn more about our testing methodology and how we rate each product, please read ourMethods page here.