Best Steering Wheel Locks

With vehicle thefts on the rise in many parts of the United States, many people immediately turn to a steering wheel lock as the first line of defense. But the truth is even the best steering wheel locks cannot prevent a motivated thief from taking an unattended vehicle. However, a good steering wheel lock can deter would-be theft and make taking off with your car more difficult.

We tested and destroyed many steering wheel locks to evaluate their ability to protect your ride. Our findings on the effectiveness of these locks surprised us. Read about our experience as well as tips for further protecting your vehicle against theft.

1. Best Steering Wheel Lock: Tevlaphee Steering Wheel Brake Lock
2. Runner-Up: Winner International The Club 3000
3. Also Consider: Vechkom Steering Wheel Lock

The steering wheel locks in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching retailers like Amazon, RealTruck, and Advance Auto Parts for top products, looking at factors such as shipping costs, customer ratings, and prices.

Our product testing team then ordered the steering wheel locks that best met these standards. A team member tested each product on a car, taking note of the ease of installation and difficulty of destruction. Each lock was given a rating out of 5 stars based on these criteria.

Our testing process consisted of installing each lock according to the included directions, and then attempting to remove or disable it without using the key. To do this, we used a power drill with a standard drill bit.

Ease of Installation

Our ease of installation score is based on how quickly these steering wheel locks can be set up. Steering wheel locks that can be fully deployed in under a minute scored best in this category.

Difficult of Destruction

Our difficulty of destruction score is based on the amount of time it takes to remove the steering wheel lock. In all cases, we were able to remove these locks in under a minute using a power drill. However, without a power drill, removal would be much more difficult if not impossible.

Value

Our value score is based on each steering wheel lock’s cost relative to it’s performance in our other review categories. Steering wheel locks that are the most difficult to destroy but that cost less than similar products score best in this category.

Why You Can Trust Us

Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.

We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.

Tevlaphee Steering Wheel Brake Lock

$45.99 Amazon

Buy

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Took the longest to break into
• Easy to install

Cons

• Can be difficult to uninstall

Summary

The Tevlaphee steering wheel lock works a little differently than most other locks. Rather than attaching only to the steering wheel, this lock extends to the floorboards and hooks around the brake, clutch, or gas 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 weak spot (the key lock) is harder to access once the Tevlaphee is installed.

Key Features

• Aluminum and alloy steel construction
• Key lock
• Attaches to brake pedal, clutch pedal, or gas pedal

Our Experience

While more of a hassle to install than other wheel locks, this device is still relatively simple to set up. There are enough notches to allow for a precise, snug fit that prevents anyone from using the pedal until the lock is disengaged.

We were able to break this lock in one minute and five seconds using a cordless drill. This wheel lock took the longest to disable among those we recommend, mostly because it is more difficult to access the Tevlaphee’s keyhole with a drill.

What Customers Are Saying

Amazon Review Score: 4.4 out of 5 based on over 3,700 ratings

Most say this car lock is easy to put on and remove. It can be used as a brake lock, or placed over just the steering wheel. Many feel their vehicle is safer with this lock’s thick steel construction.

Depending on how you orient the Tevlaphee, it can be difficult to remove when the time comes. If the key slot is positioned such that the key can’t be inserted, you may find yourself thoroughly inconvenienced, as happened to one reviewer.

Winner International The Club 3000

$32.97 Amazon

Buy

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Easiest lock to install
• Great visible deterrent

Cons

• Destroyed with ease

Summary

The Club is perhaps one of the best-known steering wheel locks and the standard by which many are measured. The bright yellow appearance acts as a visual deterrent. We found it easy to use though also as easily disabled with a cordless drill. The Club can bring you some peace of mind but hardly slows a thief with power tools.

Key Features

• Twin hook design
• Universal fit
• Self-locking mechanism
• Alloy steel construction

Our Experience

The Club is the easiest to install of any of the steering wheel locks we used. The self-locking feature makes it a simple matter to firmly attach this steering wheel lock.

Using a cordless drill, we were able to disable The Club in 40 seconds. Like most all steering wheel locks, The Club is better as a theft deterrent than a guarantee of protection.

What Customers Are Saying

Amazon Review Score: 4.6 out of 5 based on over 7,300 ratings

What seems most appreciated about The Club is that it is easy to use and is highly visible. Most satisfied reviewers admit that this alone will not prevent all carjackings. However, it can make your car more difficult to steal, and deter some thieves.

Several customers posted pictures of bent Clubs, complaining that this device did not work to protect their cars. Keep in mind that no steering wheel lock is a perfect solution.

Vechkom Steering Wheel Lock

$69.99 Amazon

Buy

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Alarm feature is a great deterrent
• Easy to install

Cons

• Touchy, quiet alarm

Summary

The Vechkom steering wheel lock features a slightly different design than other steering wheel locks. It can clamp to the top of your wheel and extend over the dash. This lock also has a built-in alarm (which requires three AAA batteries) that sounds if anyone should tamper with this device.

Key Features

• 135.0-dB alarm
• Solid steel bar
• T-lock design

Our Experience

The Vechkom is as easy to install as any other car steering wheel lock, though there is the extra step of removing the battery cover and installing the three AAA batteries required for the alarm feature. The alarm is touchy and just installing the lock caused it to go off.

Though it is advertised as sounding at 135.0 dB, the alarm is not especially loud and does not sound for very long. When we attempted to disable the device, we were able to remove it in 18 seconds, making it the least effective of the steering wheel locks we tested.

That said, no lock is perfect, and the added alarm component may serve as an additional deterrent to thieves, especially since the appearance of the device and a blinking red light indicate that it is equipped with an alarm feature.

What Customers Are Saying

Amazon Review Score: 4.2 out of 5 based on over 200 ratings

Those that like the Vechkom say its appearance makes for a good deterrent. It is secure, simple to install, and it makes some feel their car is more secure.

A few report difficulty installing the Vechkom and several have noted (like us) that the alarm isn’t particularly loud. It may startle and discourage a thief but is unlikely to alert anyone in the surrounding area, especially if the car door is closed when the alarm activates.

A steering wheel lock is not a guarantee of deterring car theft. Even the strongest lock we tested is not unbreakable. When selecting a steering wheel lock, consider the conditions where you typically park your car. A steering wheel lock may prevent a theft of opportunity, but it can be disabled with a power drill or bolt cutters.

What a steering wheel lock can do is deter theft by making your car more difficult to steal, increasing the time it takes to break into your vehicle. If you’re buying 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 locks that take more time to disable and that are highly visible.

Kill Switch

Almost no solution will fully protect your car. All windows can be smashed, and a savvy car thief will almost certainly know how to disable the most popular car security systems. If you want to secure your car as well as possible, consider installing a kill switch.

A kill switch is a hidden switch that blocks the flow of fuel into your engine, effectively disabling your vehicle unless the switch is deactivated. One (or two) well-hidden kill switch(es) can slow down thieves more than any steering wheel lock. However, these require advanced mechanical knowledge to install yourself, though there are mechanics who can do this for you.

Even the most heavy-duty steering wheel lock isn’t foolproof, but hardened steel across the entire wheel can be a deterrent to potential thieves. The best way to use a steering wheel lock is in addition to other security devices both inside and outside the vehicle. Think security cameras, kill switches, and dash cameras. 

One thing to note is many new cars don’t require a car key to operate. Keyless entry options can be performed via key card or even by phone app from the automaker and several news outlets have reported a rise in thefts of vehicles that use this technology. 

Experts say thieves are hijacking the signals from key fobs used to unlock the car. So, depending on the model of your vehicle, it could be more susceptible to being stolen.