So It finally happened. After 5 years my Steering COlumn Locked on me.

I tried jerking the steering wheel and nothing. Had to leave my car in an open parking lot overnight ugh....

Anyhow, Ive read some forum threads and I guess theres a recall for this and the dealerships has to pay to remove the Column Lock now?

But what about the car the way it is right now? Will they reprogram it and everything for free? Is there anything I can do right now that might let me move my steering wheel?

 

OMG man where have you been the last four years? The column lock issue is one of the most discussed topics on this forum. You would have done well to install a CLB on your '98 years ago. So now what to do?

First thing is to try to get your column to unlock. If you can't do that, then either you or your dealer will have to disassemble your steering column. The dealer will want to replace your column lock motor for hundreds of dollars, do the latest recall which will remove the lock ring in your steering column, install a K Harness and re-program your PCM. If you have a custom tune you will most likely lose it unless you have a copy uploaded to your computer. If you can get the column to unlock, then things are not quite so bad. Assuming you haven't had any of the recalls done, you can probably do what I did and turn on the ignition key, verify it unlocked, reach under the dash and disconnect your column lock motor. It will complain at you to service your column lock but you can reset that on your DIC each time you drive it until you can purchase a CLB.
BTW, I would make sure you have a fully charged battery, remove the bottom plastic cover to your steering column and gently whack your column lock motor with a small hammer while cycling your ignition key to unlock your steering. If that doesn't do it, then my friend I think you're headed down that well traveled path to column lock Hell. Let us know how it turns out.
Cheers,
John

 

Buy a CLB Don't understand how you missed all those threads

 

My dealer fixed mine after the warranty had expired... they called it "Good will Warranty" They said Chevy knows there is a problem and should issue a recall.

 

AWESOME

 

Some dealers will do that....some won't...

 

Glad mine is one that will

 

I got it towed to the dealership today. They said its the Column Lock Actuator...
And they want to Charge me $550 to fix everything. Are they bull****ting me? What should I tell them.

 

Have heard that song and dance more than a couple times here on the forum. Persistence seems to equal no charge.

No, that's called "Good Will Pre-Greasing" since it's been a recall for years.

 

You can try to fight it with GM, but if you've received the recall notices and haven't taken it in, they will likely not accommodate you. Before I spent $550 to replace a column lock motor that is of no use once they remove the lock plate, I would disassemble my steering column to try to retract the pin myself then put in the CLB.
John

 

My son had this happen for the fourth year in a row on Monday and the dealership will attempt to repair it again at no cost including the towing. The dealership said that GM doesn't know what causes this problem.

 

did you recieve the recall notices?

 

earth calling zonify, earth calling zonify, come in zonify.

 

Easy solution

Pull car from dealer

Pay $50 for CLB

Fit CLB

End of problem

 

[QUOTE=87SAM;1559971180]Have heard that song and dance more than a couple times here on the forum. Persistence seems to equal no charge.



This is what the service manager told me.... "You may have to raise a little hell but chevy will cover it". I never did anything they just took care of it.........

 

The steering lock has to be working before you install the CLB. As stated before, there is a recall on this and any dealer that tries to charge you for the repair is ripping you off. That being said, I would not do the recall fix as it has not proven to be 100%. I would try pulling fuses and yanking on the lock until it unlocks then install the CLB.

Kind of hard to feel sorry for you, you knew about this problem for years and yet you did nothing to prevent it. Good luck!

 

You are not going to fall for that are you?

You don't need a working actuator to bypass the column lock system.
The dealer should be willing to perform that last recall that removed the lockplate. At least with the lockplate removed, the column cannot lock, and then you can decide if you want to install an aftermarket CLB relay or stay with the GM version (Harness K).

 

Again,, buy a CLB and be done with it,, JMHO

 

nope, i wasnt the original owner, i bought it used. Could that be the reason why?

And I didnt know their was a recall I just knew it was a big issue because i see topics like this one on the forum all the time,

 

Mine locked up on me twice and I just disconnected my battery to reset everything. The column unlocked both times. I installed the COH CLB. No more worries! Do it, please!