YOUR CAR
CAN BE STOLEN
in under 60 seconds with no alarm triggered
Steering wheel lock or immobiliser: the honest answer is why not both
The steering wheel lock has topped the UK’s most searched car security products two years running. It deserves the reputation. It is also solving a different problem than an immobiliser, and knowing the difference matters.
Why the steering wheel lock stays this popular
Steering wheel locks were the single most searched-for car security device on eBay UK for two years running, ahead of car alarms, wheel clamps, and Faraday pouches. That is not nostalgia, it reflects something real: a bright, visible, physically obvious deterrent still works, because thieves want a fast, quiet job, not a public struggle with a bar bolted across the wheel.
It is cheap, requires no installation, and works on any car regardless of age or electronics. None of that makes it a substitute for stopping the engine electronically.
What a steering wheel lock cannot do
It Can Be Removed, Given Time
A determined thief with the right tools and enough privacy can eventually defeat a steering lock. It buys time, it does not guarantee the car stays put.
It Only Works If It Is There
It only protects the car during the specific window it is fitted, forgetting to lock it once is enough to remove the deterrent entirely.
It Does Not Touch Electronic Theft
Relay attacks and CAN bus injection target the electronics, not the steering column. A wheel lock does nothing to stop the engine from being authorised to start.
Why the two work better together than either alone
A steering wheel lock is a visible deterrent that discourages opportunists on sight. LockCar CAN-IMMO is an invisible layer, hidden with no LEDs and no keypad, that stops the engine from starting at all, no PIN, no start, regardless of whether a thief even notices the wheel lock is missing that day. One works by being seen. The other works precisely by not being seen.
Together, a steering wheel lock and LockCar CAN-IMMO cover both ends of the problem: putting off the casual opportunist on sight, and stopping the determined thief even if they get past that first hurdle.
LockCar recommended for this page
- Hidden installation, no LEDs, no visible keypad
- Works whether or not a physical lock is used that day
- Bluetooth app control, optional proximity TAG
- Anti-hijack protection built in
- Every model built on the same CAN-IMMO core
- Speak to an installer for the right fit
Frequently asked questions
If I already use a steering wheel lock every night, do I still need an immobiliser?
A steering lock only protects while it is fitted and only deters what it can be seen by. LockCar CAN-IMMO protects the engine itself, every time, whether or not the lock is on that particular night.
Is a steering wheel lock still worth buying if I fit CAN-IMMO?
Yes, it adds a visible deterrent layer that an invisible immobiliser cannot provide on its own, and it remains one of the cheapest, most effective physical additions available.
Which lock type is actually effective?
A bright, sturdy, well reviewed lock that clamps across the wheel is generally recommended over cheaper bar-only designs that pass through the wheel and can be more easily worked around.
Add the layer a steering lock cannot cover on its own
LockCar CAN-IMMO is fitted UK-wide, vehicle-specific programming included.
