Patent ID: 7498688

Claim:
An engine start control system for a vehicle comprising: a key transponder separately formed from the vehicle, storing a slave user ID code therein and for transmitting the slave user ID code at a request; a steering lock for locking and unlocking a steering shaft of the vehicle; a driver authorizer storing a master user ID code therein, for transmitting the request to the key transponder, for receiving the slave user ID code, and for determining whether the slave user ID code corresponds to the master user ID code or not; an engine starting switch for starting an engine of the vehicle; a pre-driving operation detector for detecting at least one driver's preparatory operation to start the engine before an operation of the engine starting switch; a first steering lock controller which permits the steering lock to unlock the steering shaft when the driver authorizer determines that the slave user ID code corresponds to the master user ID code; a second steering lock controller which lets the steering lock to unlock the steering shaft when the pre-driving operation detector detects the driver's preparatory operation before the driver turns on the engine starting switch; and an engine start controller which permits the engine to be started when the steering lock is unlocked and prohibits the engine from being started when the steering lock is locked, wherein the driver authorizer determines that the slave user ID code corresponds to the master user ID code on a condition that the pre-driving operation detector detects the driver's preparatory operation.