I replaced a bug deflector around my headlight yesterday and to make it easier to get to the bolts under the fender I turned the wheel all the way to the right then shut the engine off. BIG mistake.

The wheel was ripped from my hands and turned 1/2 a revolution. If my hand was through the wheel for some reason I think I could have had a bad accident.

I was in a dirt parking lot. Not sure if this would have happened on pavement.

 

Imagine what a front blowout feels like..............I can :cry:

 

It only needs to happen once to learn a lesson. I did it a long time ago and about ripped my thumb off my hand. I thought it was broken but it turned out to be fine 8)

 

I remember, driving w/o power steering, you always keep your thumbs outside of steering wheel, especially on a rough road! :shock:

 

That's because when you turn the engine off with the wheel cranked all the way to one side, the power assist is no longer operative, and the steering wheel rebounds as the tires, steering linkage etc. push back from their "stressed" condition.

Kinda the same as the old manual steering trucks in which you never wrapped your fingers around the steering wheel, because any shock to the steering (hitting a stone or curb with the front tires for example) would cause the steering wheel to "kick back" violently.