Defect in Lada Vesta: Locking Steering Wheel Threatens Drivers' Lives

Dangerous Defect in Lada Vesta: Steering Wheel Lock Puts Drivers' Lives at Risk

A new generation of Lada cars is facing a dangerous defect that can lock the steering wheel while driving, putting the lives of drivers and passengers at risk. Although the problem has been known for months, the Russian manufacturer AvtoVAZ is only now taking measures, but refuses to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation. Instead of announcing an official service campaign, the company is classifying the fix as a routine "improvement in consumer performance."

The problem, affecting the new generation of the Lada Vesta, is related to a software defect. According to the company's official statement, the steering wheel can lock if the driver turns off the engine and restarts it in less than five seconds. This seemingly harmless action has led to a number of cases where the steering wheel suddenly becomes immobile, even when the car is in motion, which has the potential for serious road accidents.

A winter day, 10 minutes after setting off, the check engine light blinked and the steering wheel locked on a turn. The car was almost new — under 2,000 km mileage.

The first widespread reports of this critical defect appeared in the spring of 2024 on multiple online platforms where car owners shared their experiences. One of them vividly describes the terrifying situation: "A winter day, 10 minutes after setting off, the check engine light blinked and the steering wheel locked on a turn. The car was almost new — under 2,000 km mileage." Videos made by owners circulated online, shockingly illustrating how the steering wheel becomes unresponsive, causing palpable tension among drivers.

Instead of reacting immediately, AvtoVAZ chose to act silently. In a new operating manual published in August 2024, the company has now added a warning to drivers to wait at least five seconds between turning off and restarting the engine. This step, which was not present in previous editions of the documentation, seems to be an attempt to cover up the problem and shift responsibility to the driver, instead of acknowledging the software flaw.

After months of reports and growing public dissatisfaction, the manufacturer finally announced the start of a service campaign that will eliminate the problem through a software update. This update will be performed during the cars' next scheduled maintenance, which implies that thousands of owners will continue to drive potentially dangerous vehicles until it's time for their service appointment.

Quality of Lada Vesta NG in Question

The production of the Lada Vesta NG, which began in March 2023, was accompanied by difficulties from the very beginning. Due to international sanctions imposed after the start of the war, the company faced a severe shortage of critical electronic components, which delayed the start of mass production. The delay and the current defect raise serious questions about the quality and reliability of cars produced under sanctions. This situation is indicative of the difficulties facing the Russian industry and calls into question its ability to maintain high safety standards in critical sectors such as car manufacturing.

• Key points:
• Dangerous software defect: The Lada Vesta NG has a problem that locks the steering wheel under certain conditions.
• Delayed response from AvtoVAZ: The manufacturer acted slowly and initially refused to acknowledge the seriousness of the problem.
• Service campaign: The problem will be fixed with a software update, but only during the next scheduled maintenance.
• Impact of sanctions: The shortage of components raises questions about the quality and safety of Russian car manufacturing.