Lightning Zapped Car Won't Turn Off After Key Removed From Ignition

[SlowModem]

Story here.

Down in the story it talks about 3 guys huddled together under a tree during a storm.  After all this time, you'd think people would know better!  Geeze

[Bushman]

Since when did an 04 TB have drive/steer by wire?  I call BS.

[SLOweather]

Since when did an 04 TB have drive/steer by wire?  I call BS.

The lightning may have welded the ignition switch contacts together, as well as some bearings in the steering column or the innards of the steering box. One mistake newbie arc welders sometimes make is clamping the ground on to a wheel or brake rotor and then welding on the frame, etc. The return current has to flow through the wheel bearings, welding them.

[DaculaWeather]

Many new cars use an electric power steering motor, the Jeep I race uses one out of a Toyota. And I believe the 04 TB had throttle by wire which we have in the Jeep also.

Also, welding on a car where the PCM hasn't been unplugged can cause all kinds of havoc with the computer.

[Jim18655]

ECM controls more than most people think it does. My '05 Escape has a delay when you turn the key to start. I'm pretty sure it only sends a signal to the ECM to activate the starter solenoid.  I think most of the door locks and interior lights also work from the ECM and proximity switches in the doors. A direct hit by lightning is required to damage electronics - ask any Ham Radio operator or some of the weather station owners on this forum.
My daughter's '06 Mazda 6 has an electric power steering pump. She had trouble with her lights dimming and steering going out. One of the local garages where she lives wanted about $1300 to replace it. After market pump was about $300. Another garage cleaned her battery terminals and fixed the problem.

[WeatherHost]

A direct hit by lightning is required to damage electronics -

Uhhh, you forgot the 'not'.

[Jim18655]

You're right! Thanks for catching that.

[Farmtalk]

That's pretty crazy! Talk about a gas guzzler!

Our house was hit by lightning about 3 weeks ago when the derecho hit, but luckily the electric was off 

[IMADreamer]

We had a tractor get hit by lightning once.  Fried everything!  In a modern car everything is tied together and I mean everything.  So I can imagine it would do some serious damage. 

[Old Tele man]

LIGHTNING = Mother Nature playing with and scrambling all the itty-bitty ONE's and ZERO's inside all the computers (14 in a Cruze!).