I fell victum to the dreaded steering column lockup 3 weeks back on my '97 M6. I had performed the (useless) recall about 6 months prior. At the time I had zero knowlege of the CLBs and blindly put my trust in GM to fix it right.

After a $500 repair (and the possibility of it locking again) I have a car that I don't feel safe in without an aftermarket part. Something just isn't right about that.

I see that there is still quite a buzz about this problem on the forum, so I would like to urge those who have fell victum to file a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. ( http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ ) I have filed a complaint there as well as with our attorney general to urge Chevrolet to perform a recall that eliminates the lock-ups.

If you search on http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ under the "Office of Defects Investigation" you will find many Corvette owners who have already filed a complaint. GM has officially responded, but the "ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED."

I believe that GMs original recall response was NOT effective and we should let them know!

 

 

Well I just received yet another recall notice from GM for this. I just threw it in the stack with the other notices. I'm not letting those dealership service goons touch my car, for something that really doesn't fix anything.

 

Just a quick update on this...

I just received a call from GM regarding the steering column lockup situation. Apparently our fine attorney general, Jim Petro, contacted them and they are working on a resolution.

I'm not sure that anything will come of this, but I would like to encourage those affected to contact their attorney general. In Ohio, all it took was about 10 minutes to fill out an online form. If we keep fixing this at our own cost, this will never get resolved properly!

 

sent my notice back with notification that I have already installed thunder racings CLB..... haven't heard anything since

 

I also got another recall notice last week. But since I have already installed the harness K I won't be going to GM for their reprogramming on the BCM. It will be interesting to see what happens in the U.S. regarding this.

 

I had the recall fix done by dealer 1 year ago and, this week, it locked up for the first time. Dealer replaced actuator under 5 year warranty but did no programming as I have new 427 engine with special tune. Dealer said their recall fix tune was possibly wiped out by my 427 tune and if they retuned, might wipe out my 427 tune. So we decided to do no programming. I will install the aftermarket column lock simulator.

 

I had the original recall performed by the dealer about 2 years ago, maybe more. They replaced a harness and added a relay to the circuit ( I have a manual). The latest recall, as I understand it, involves reprogamming so the fuel shuts off if the car is moved while the column is still locked. I have never had a problem with the column lock. I have received several recall notices which I am presently ignoring. I have purchased a column lock bypass which I plan to install in the near future. I find it truly amazing that GM sells a vehicle for 40k plus, and can't rectify this problem. I wonder if the C6 is also susceptible to the column lock problem.

 

I just feel victim to steering column lockup again. First time happened about 1 year ago and the rememdy at the time was to replace the body control module. I did not have any proplems until last Monday. The column locked but then relased after about 30 minutes of me cursing at it. Then it happened again on Wednesday at which point I relocated the car to its second home, Dudley Martin Chevorlet in Manassas, Va. Here I was told no error codes were logged so there must not be a problem. When they put the key in the column released. Now its Saturday, a gorgeous Labor Day weekend and of course as I am about to leave..steering column lock again.

I have odered a CLB and I have also filed a complaint with NHTS.

This car is my daily driver and I really enjoy it but this lockup bs has me seriously considering trading it in. Ater reading through the C6 forum it does not look they they are any better.

 

I have installed the CLB on my 2004 6-speed convertible. And I have ignored all of the recall notices I have received. If I ever take my car in for any other reason, will they perform the column lock recall arbitrarily? And will they remove my CLB? If I take the car in, can I demand that they not do the column lock recall?

CRVETTE

 

Well, before I was on this forum and knew any better, I had the recall done. Only because I thought it was the right thing to do. DUH. I now know better. I have had more problems since the recall was done. I have an automatic. I have since took it back to the dealer (like and idiot) who only told me that GM was aware of the problem and was working on a recall to the recall for the relay they originally sent in the recall package. That was the reason why I have had more problems with it locking than before the recall. Supposedly they did something so my column wont lock at all, so I dont have to worry about it anymore. I havent had anymore problems though.
Who knows?

 

I had the recall done about 2 months ago. 3 weeks later I had a column lock. I have a CLB on there now, which is the way it will stay!

 

I was wondering the EXACT same thing... I installed a CLB on my 01 MN6, and do not want the dealer messing with it IF I ever take it there... (only if major work that is covered by GMPP is needed)

 

That is the fix for the automatics. They finally did it right. It's the M6s that don't have a fix yet, except for the aftermarket CLB.

 

I had the recall done about a year ago but I also run the CLB. No problems so far.

 

If the dealer happens to run a service history check, they may see that the recall had not been done on your car and they could do the work. I'ts a safety issue and they may be required to do it unless you specifically tell them no to. Having a CLB installed may not mean anything to them other than the fact that the recall wasn't done.

If you have to take the car in for service, you may want to have them add a statement to the open work order that says the column lock recall work is not to be done. You may have to sign something or the dealer could refuse to work on your car. In any event, you should talk with the Service Manager before you take the car in. If he agrees to not do the recall, still make sure that appears on the work order.

 

Get The CLB.....nuff said

 

I installed the same Harness K kit used on the automatics on my 04 Z06 and it works fine. I sent my recall notice back saying the GM kit has been installed. Hopefully, they will change my records and I will not receive any more notices.
You can sign a waiver at the dealership to take the recall off your record without having the dealer do the work, but I did not want to go through all that.

 

Terry, do you happen to have or know the part # for the Harness K kit? I had the original recall, C01044, performed Feb-03. They used what they referred to as a Wire Kit, PN 88952428. I was wondering if they are one and the same.

I had the column lock on me once, Aug-00. They replaced the solenoid at that time, PN 26050960. I've never had any problem since.

Thanks, Don

 

Hey guys

Just thought I'd pass this along. Last weekend (Saturday) my steerring column locked again, 2002 vert, MN6. I had the car towed back to the dealer to fix. The car was just at the dealer the previous Wednesday for the very same problem. On Wednesday they could not find any problems, not error codes etc. Anyway this trip apperantly there were problems. The following items were replaced:

Column Lock Motor (88965331) $193.11 , 2.00 hours of labor @84.89 /hr
Column Lock Relay (12177233) $31.01 , 0.30 hours of labor
and of course the
Check Over Runs Scans and Diagalog $84.89, 1 hour of labor

Grand total $515.47

I was told the column lock relay was fried, which caused the lock motor to short out and get stuck in the closed position.

Sounds like I had a complete failure. Apperantly fixed for the moment though. I have ordered I have ordered the CLB from COH to avoid future problems but need to disable the stupid fuel shut off implemented by the recall.

Just a note. Before I really started having frequent lock ups the memory postion on my seat would be wrong...not driver 1 or 2 but something else. I have read of of at least one other having a simliar experience. Perhaps this was (is) a signal that the battery is low or some relay is on the edge. Just take note if it happens to you.

MachJunkie