Successful CLB Install
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Southern Illinois
Successful CLB Install
Installed my CLB yesterday. When I first started the car up after the install, I got the "pull key wait 10 sec" message. I had used the supplied ac adapter to energize the lock pin retract during the install, so I never disconnected the battery or pulled any fuses. After taking the key out and re-reading the instructions on the forum again, I went back and tried again and no messages. All seems to be fine! In fairness, I never had any problems with my previous set up but as everyone says, it was probably just a matter of when. My 97 automatic had the recall performed with lockplate removal and K harness installed on 6/2/05. Did they reflash the comp for the fuel cutoff when this was done or was this only done on manual trans cars? I was a bit confused on this aspect after reading all the "stickies". Also, my K harness relay was white. Do I recall someone saying the black relays are better quality?
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,636
Likes: 24,868
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Good move putting in the CLB. That should prevent any problems that could have occurred.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
There were 4 GM recalls for the column lock.
04006 - Feb. 04 through early Aug. 04
04006A - Aug. 04 through Nov. 04
04006B - Dec 04 through early Jan. 06
04006C - Feb 06 through present
The computer reflash was done as part of the final recall 4006C IIRC. As that recall was issued in Feb 06 I'd say you don't have the fuel cut off as you probably have 4006B fitted. Check the paperwork for the recall and it should say.
The recall was only done on A4s produced before 2000 but on all manuals.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
All variations of the recall called for the PCM reflash. That was the only part of the GM recall service that the NHTSA, which forced the recall, cared about. That piece prevents the car from being driven if the BCM thinks the column is locked. Unfortunately it also prevents the car from being driven under many other circumstances that cause the BCM to be confused about the state of the column lock.
Variation 04006C removed the lock ring on US cars after the Feds backed off the requirement for a column locking mechanism for manual transmission C5's. Pressure from the buying public and GM got that requirement lifted for C5's in the US. Canadian law still required the column locking mechanism as an added theft deterrent.
Variation 04006C removed the lock ring on US cars after the Feds backed off the requirement for a column locking mechanism for manual transmission C5's. Pressure from the buying public and GM got that requirement lifted for C5's in the US. Canadian law still required the column locking mechanism as an added theft deterrent.
I still find it amazing when the word safety appears through all the paperwork that GM have now decided to charge for this failed mod.
Of interest, the newer export A4s also have to retain the CL
Last edited by DeeGee; May 27, 2009 at 01:41 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,603
Likes: 305
From: Carmel Indiana
When I installed mine from COH, on the very first startup got the "wait 10 min" message. Shut-off car, waited, started back up. No message, never got another message in 2 yr. now. All is good, but it did give me a cause for concern there for a few min.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,018
Likes: 86
From: DALLAS/FT WORTH TEXAS
I installed my clb, still get the damn 10 sec message every time I start the car. I've pulled fuses, battery cable, rechecked install, ect... The only thing I have not done is pull the bcm to check some relay 8vette7 was telling me about. (ready to give up)
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 650
Likes: 4
From: Pittsburg Ca.
Once you understand what the issue was that caused NHTSA to get involved and the part of the repair that corrected the safety issue you can see why GM can walk away from the problem after the car has been serviced once for the recall.
The safety issue that NHTSA was concerned with was the potential to drive the car with the column locked. That certainly qualifies as a safety issue. The part of the GM service that corrects this with 100% effectiveness is the reflash of the PCM to set a fuel shutoff value of 1.5 MPH. The remainder of what GM was attempting with the K Harness was to improve the communications between the Actuator and the BCM and make an extremely poor design work the best possible at the least expense to GM. ( The poor relays that GM chose actually made the communication less relaible but since the loss of communication between the BCM and the Actuator leaves the BCM assuming the column is locked, the error is on the safe side) If the BCM thinks the column is locked (sort of the default status of the BCM until it gets a completed signal back from its unlock signal) it signals the PCM to enable fuel shutoff. The BCM then goes about its normal operations as though everything is fine. But when the car is attempted to be driven the PCM cuts fuel at 1.5 MPH. That keeps NHTSA happy that the car can not be driven with a locked column.
Unfortunately there are many things that can prevent the BCM from receiving the completed signal from its unlock command. For example, a low battery may fail to operate the mechanical relays or actuator, the Serial data buss, over which the signals flow for all communications between the BCM and any sensor, might be busy with signals from another sensor, the lock pin might be jammed in the lock ring and require more than 30 milliseconds for the actuator to withdraw the lock pin, if there is a K harness installed the relay in the K Harness may have failed so that the actuator may never have received the unlock signal, the microswitch in the actuator which is responsible for sending the completed signal to the BCM may have failed (in either the locked or unlocked state), the actuator may have mechanically failed and the list goes on and on. In a nutshell the system is far too complicated and prone to failure.
Since the safety problem is cured by the PCM reflash with the 1.5 mph fuel shutoff, GM has met the requirements of the NHTSA recall. So GM can say we fixed the safety problem and now the vehicle owner is financially responsible for the other components that may fail after we fixed them once free of charge. They CANNOT refuse to do the initial recall on a vehicle that has never been serviced under the recall. The Safety portion of the recall has NO expiration date. GM took the financially best option for themselves when they announced that after March of 2008 the vehicle owner is now responsible for repairs to the Column Lock System IF it has been serviced once by GM free of charge.
The safety issue that NHTSA was concerned with was the potential to drive the car with the column locked. That certainly qualifies as a safety issue. The part of the GM service that corrects this with 100% effectiveness is the reflash of the PCM to set a fuel shutoff value of 1.5 MPH. The remainder of what GM was attempting with the K Harness was to improve the communications between the Actuator and the BCM and make an extremely poor design work the best possible at the least expense to GM. ( The poor relays that GM chose actually made the communication less relaible but since the loss of communication between the BCM and the Actuator leaves the BCM assuming the column is locked, the error is on the safe side) If the BCM thinks the column is locked (sort of the default status of the BCM until it gets a completed signal back from its unlock signal) it signals the PCM to enable fuel shutoff. The BCM then goes about its normal operations as though everything is fine. But when the car is attempted to be driven the PCM cuts fuel at 1.5 MPH. That keeps NHTSA happy that the car can not be driven with a locked column.
Unfortunately there are many things that can prevent the BCM from receiving the completed signal from its unlock command. For example, a low battery may fail to operate the mechanical relays or actuator, the Serial data buss, over which the signals flow for all communications between the BCM and any sensor, might be busy with signals from another sensor, the lock pin might be jammed in the lock ring and require more than 30 milliseconds for the actuator to withdraw the lock pin, if there is a K harness installed the relay in the K Harness may have failed so that the actuator may never have received the unlock signal, the microswitch in the actuator which is responsible for sending the completed signal to the BCM may have failed (in either the locked or unlocked state), the actuator may have mechanically failed and the list goes on and on. In a nutshell the system is far too complicated and prone to failure.
Since the safety problem is cured by the PCM reflash with the 1.5 mph fuel shutoff, GM has met the requirements of the NHTSA recall. So GM can say we fixed the safety problem and now the vehicle owner is financially responsible for the other components that may fail after we fixed them once free of charge. They CANNOT refuse to do the initial recall on a vehicle that has never been serviced under the recall. The Safety portion of the recall has NO expiration date. GM took the financially best option for themselves when they announced that after March of 2008 the vehicle owner is now responsible for repairs to the Column Lock System IF it has been serviced once by GM free of charge.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Once you understand what the issue was that caused NHTSA to get involved and the part of the repair that corrected the safety issue you can see why GM can walk away from the problem after the car has been serviced once for the recall.
The safety issue that NHTSA was concerned with was the potential to drive the car with the column locked. That certainly qualifies as a safety issue. The part of the GM service that corrects this with 100% effectiveness is the reflash of the PCM to set a fuel shutoff value of 1.5 MPH. The remainder of what GM was attempting with the K Harness was to improve the communications between the Actuator and the BCM and make an extremely poor design work the best possible at the least expense to GM. ( The poor relays that GM chose actually made the communication less relaible but since the loss of communication between the BCM and the Actuator leaves the BCM assuming the column is locked, the error is on the safe side) If the BCM thinks the column is locked (sort of the default status of the BCM until it gets a completed signal back from its unlock signal) it signals the PCM to enable fuel shutoff. The BCM then goes about its normal operations as though everything is fine. But when the car is attempted to be driven the PCM cuts fuel at 1.5 MPH. That keeps NHTSA happy that the car can not be driven with a locked column.
Unfortunately there are many things that can prevent the BCM from receiving the completed signal from its unlock command. For example, a low battery may fail to operate the mechanical relays or actuator, the Serial data buss, over which the signals flow for all communications between the BCM and any sensor, might be busy with signals from another sensor, the lock pin might be jammed in the lock ring and require more than 30 milliseconds for the actuator to withdraw the lock pin, if there is a K harness installed the relay in the K Harness may have failed so that the actuator may never have received the unlock signal, the microswitch in the actuator which is responsible for sending the completed signal to the BCM may have failed (in either the locked or unlocked state), the actuator may have mechanically failed and the list goes on and on. In a nutshell the system is far too complicated and prone to failure.
Since the safety problem is cured by the PCM reflash with the 1.5 mph fuel shutoff, GM has met the requirements of the NHTSA recall. So GM can say we fixed the safety problem and now the vehicle owner is financially responsible for the other components that may fail after we fixed them once free of charge. They CANNOT refuse to do the initial recall on a vehicle that has never been serviced under the recall. The Safety portion of the recall has NO expiration date. GM took the financially best option for themselves when they announced that after March of 2008 the vehicle owner is now responsible for repairs to the Column Lock System IF it has been serviced once by GM free of charge.
The safety issue that NHTSA was concerned with was the potential to drive the car with the column locked. That certainly qualifies as a safety issue. The part of the GM service that corrects this with 100% effectiveness is the reflash of the PCM to set a fuel shutoff value of 1.5 MPH. The remainder of what GM was attempting with the K Harness was to improve the communications between the Actuator and the BCM and make an extremely poor design work the best possible at the least expense to GM. ( The poor relays that GM chose actually made the communication less relaible but since the loss of communication between the BCM and the Actuator leaves the BCM assuming the column is locked, the error is on the safe side) If the BCM thinks the column is locked (sort of the default status of the BCM until it gets a completed signal back from its unlock signal) it signals the PCM to enable fuel shutoff. The BCM then goes about its normal operations as though everything is fine. But when the car is attempted to be driven the PCM cuts fuel at 1.5 MPH. That keeps NHTSA happy that the car can not be driven with a locked column.
Unfortunately there are many things that can prevent the BCM from receiving the completed signal from its unlock command. For example, a low battery may fail to operate the mechanical relays or actuator, the Serial data buss, over which the signals flow for all communications between the BCM and any sensor, might be busy with signals from another sensor, the lock pin might be jammed in the lock ring and require more than 30 milliseconds for the actuator to withdraw the lock pin, if there is a K harness installed the relay in the K Harness may have failed so that the actuator may never have received the unlock signal, the microswitch in the actuator which is responsible for sending the completed signal to the BCM may have failed (in either the locked or unlocked state), the actuator may have mechanically failed and the list goes on and on. In a nutshell the system is far too complicated and prone to failure.
Since the safety problem is cured by the PCM reflash with the 1.5 mph fuel shutoff, GM has met the requirements of the NHTSA recall. So GM can say we fixed the safety problem and now the vehicle owner is financially responsible for the other components that may fail after we fixed them once free of charge. They CANNOT refuse to do the initial recall on a vehicle that has never been serviced under the recall. The Safety portion of the recall has NO expiration date. GM took the financially best option for themselves when they announced that after March of 2008 the vehicle owner is now responsible for repairs to the Column Lock System IF it has been serviced once by GM free of charge.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
One big ATTA BOY for you!!! One of the best installs I've done,along with the skip-shift eliminator. My physical install went fine,,wound up having to pull extra fuses to get it up and running. Been fine ever since!!