0Sales@MVPAutoParts.com

Hi guys,

The steering colum on my car is currently locked. I tried yanking it hard left and right several times as suggested in many posts here but it didn't work. I'm not doing that any more, I would hate to have something within the steering column fail because of this (yanking) during my high-speed roll-on run with other cars.

Can you get the "currently-locked" car unlocked with the steering column lock bypass??? Or my only option is to have it towed to the dealer tomorrow???

Thanks guys
-Tuan

cjones

This happened to my 98 coupe today. I was able to get it lose by pulling on the steering wheel clockwise with the key in the off position and then while still pulling in the same direction I clicked the key to ON, that did it. Thanks to Dean at Tom Jumper Chevy for walking me through it on the phone!

C5Cemo

You could try cleaning the key and lock cylinder. Also, try jacking the front of the car up. I think the column lock will stick closed of it thinks the car is being towed :confused:

Good luck man :seeya

0Sales@MVPAutoParts.com

Just tried and it worked like a charm. cjones, YOU'RE MY HERO:D

I just submitted it to the Tech Tips under C5 section.:D I did see another unlocking "steering-colum lock" tip by yanking it back and forth. But in my case, that didn't work and this one did. :cheers:

C5Cemo

Cool! I'm gonna remember this tip if mine locks up again...which it prolly will. Thanks cjones!

And thanks for posting it in the Tech Tips, Tuan. I look forward to checking out your car this weekend.

:cheers:

Pat97Vette

Congrats!

About a year ago, I suggested to someone with the C5Solutions bypass, to try to unlock the column with the power cord that came with it and it worked. I think he cleared the codes and that got the message off the DIC.

2kbluestreak

Part of the installation procedure for the CLB is to use the supplied power cord to retract the locking solonoid as the whole procedure is usually done with the engine off, meaning the column is normally locked. There have been several specualtions as to the reason columns will not unlock. These range from a faulty locking solonoid to a computer software glitch and even a bad electrical connection. Chevy may not even know for sure as probably all column locks would have been quickly serviced at the dealers, and the dealer might not have been able to do a diagnosis that would point to the root cause. IMO, the column lock problem is probably an intermittant thing as some forum members have posted that theirs unlocked normally the next morning after sitting for 8 or so hours. Also, some members have reported additional episodes of collumn lock after dealer service. This was before the dealers installed the "upgrade kits."
:rolleyes:

cjones

Glad I could be of help. Another vette owner came over and helped me by giving me the cell phone of the lead tech at Tom Jumper. He then recommended a shop that works on Vettes locally that I checked out and they seam pretty good.

One crappy event turned into two good ones!

drawbridge oiler

mine has never locked up on me, but I recently received a recall notice on this problem and had the dealer take care of it. as distastefull as I find it, going to the dealer, I figured it was better than being stranded someplace.
I have also heard that clearing codes on the DIC sometimes cures this problem. :seeya

quimbo

This happened to me last week I disconnected the battery and it worked
I also posted on the forum last week and suggest to everyone having this problem to contact Richard Wagner President and CEO of GM below is his addy these are issues GM and CHEVY have known about its time they step up to the plate and fix all these cars with these problems with the system wheel lock message and locking of the steering wheel!!!!! afterall these cars were not cheep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Richard Wagner III
President & CEO
General Motors
P.O. Box 33170
Detroit, Mi 48232-5170

QUIMBO

:mad :mad :mad :mad :mad :mad

0Sales@MVPAutoParts.com

I gave this tip to another member here on the forum (alias=fairway), and he was able to get his car unlocked using this exact same technique. Wooo hooo.... :cheers: :D

Red Rocket

Just tried this on my wife's C5 and it worked. Thanks for the tip. Can enjoy my day off now. :)

Dave68

It sure sounds like a heat-related issue. Remember the starter heat-soak problems that everyone had after they installed headers on their C3 (It happened to me, too.)? If you waited until the car/engine cooled down, the starter would almost always start up as if nothing were ever wrong.

torquered

cjones,

Owe you a beer, buddy. 2001 Z06 in Florida (hot day) got the column lock. Had a tow truck on the way when I thought of checking the forum. I tried the pull to the right trick and it worked. Thanks for lettng me call off the truck.