Steering Column Lock Message, Lock Was Removed
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Orland Park IL
Steering Column Lock Message, Lock Was Removed
This for a 2003 Z06 MN6, purchased new and I am the only owner.
Several years ago, I had the steering column lock removed at Ogden Chevrolet in suburban Chicago. The column does not lock. I am now getting steering lock message and 10 second wait message on the DIC.
Fortunately, the car is stuck in my driveway. I read the sticky message on this problem.
I do not know if the "K harness" is there. Anyone have a picture of where it would be installed?
I read in the "sticky" about the footwell jumper fix and cannot tell exactly where to place jump wire and if the extra relay is present. Anyone have a picture of this?
This seems like a software problem.
Any help appreciated!
Several years ago, I had the steering column lock removed at Ogden Chevrolet in suburban Chicago. The column does not lock. I am now getting steering lock message and 10 second wait message on the DIC.
Fortunately, the car is stuck in my driveway. I read the sticky message on this problem.
I do not know if the "K harness" is there. Anyone have a picture of where it would be installed?
I read in the "sticky" about the footwell jumper fix and cannot tell exactly where to place jump wire and if the extra relay is present. Anyone have a picture of this?
This seems like a software problem.
Any help appreciated!
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,365
Likes: 1,818
A) You didn't have the column lock removed or you would have had the error messages and fuel shutoff occurring the second the dealer gave it back to you. Most likely they installed the smaller diameter lock ring used on the automatics. With this installed the lock pin cannot intercept the ring and the column no longer physically locks.
B) The most common cause of the column lock symptoms is a low or bad battery or loose or corroded battery cables. Dash gages can NOT tell you the state of health of the battery. Engine running and you read the output voltage of the alternator. Great that the alternator works but the voltage is too late as the column lock logic runs long before the engine is started. Key on and engine off and the reading means nothing because you have many electrical circuit loading the battery. Use a digital volt meter and measure directly across the battery posts with NO KEY in the ignition. You need to have at leat 12.5 volts for the column lock electronics to work properly If you measure 12.5 or less then recharge the battery with a battery tender style charger that shuts off when full charge is reached. Full charge on a good battery would be 12.7 to 12.9 volts or higher. Once fully charged you need to disconnect the battery for at least overnight. Check the voltage the next morning. If it is back around 12.5 volts or less the battery is on the way out as it cannot hold a charge with no load attached.
C) Here is a set of instructions for installing a CLB. First part details with pictures the removal of the drivers side knee bolster. Behind this is where you may find a K Harness if one was installed:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=24
Here is a link to a picture of a GM K Harness:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ky-please.html
Then scroll down to the first pic.
The K Harness is connected in series between the electric motor that operates the lock pin (actuator) and the female connector attached to the bottom of the dash that goes over to the BCM.
If your car has a GM K Harness it may have gone bad. Most do. You could disconnect both ends of the K Harness and then plug the male connector from the actuator (wires appear to go up into the column) to the female connector that is attached to the bottom of the dash. This get you back to factory wiring. If the K Harness is what failed you have just removed it from the equation. You will then need to clear the error messages in the DIC and any DTC's set in the BCM. I prefer to disconnect the neg battery cable for at least 10 minutes to accomplish that.
If the car did not have a GM K Harness then it may have had the spliced purple wire and relay mod done by the dealer. In the passenger footwell to the left of the fuse box and above the BCM (large silver box) look for an obviously spliced purple wire and a relay with a purple wire going into it from the splice. It would look exactly like this:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...please-52.html
Then scroll to post #1030
If you have this spliced purple wire you will need to bypass the relay in order to install and have work a CLB. Here is a link to the specifics of bypassing the relay:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...-was-done.html
Then scroll to post #3
D) You need to order and install a CLB. Of course you could wait until this happens again someplace other that your driveway.
E) It is not a software problem. It is a major design failure that GM refuses to acknowedge or correct once and for all.
B) The most common cause of the column lock symptoms is a low or bad battery or loose or corroded battery cables. Dash gages can NOT tell you the state of health of the battery. Engine running and you read the output voltage of the alternator. Great that the alternator works but the voltage is too late as the column lock logic runs long before the engine is started. Key on and engine off and the reading means nothing because you have many electrical circuit loading the battery. Use a digital volt meter and measure directly across the battery posts with NO KEY in the ignition. You need to have at leat 12.5 volts for the column lock electronics to work properly If you measure 12.5 or less then recharge the battery with a battery tender style charger that shuts off when full charge is reached. Full charge on a good battery would be 12.7 to 12.9 volts or higher. Once fully charged you need to disconnect the battery for at least overnight. Check the voltage the next morning. If it is back around 12.5 volts or less the battery is on the way out as it cannot hold a charge with no load attached.
C) Here is a set of instructions for installing a CLB. First part details with pictures the removal of the drivers side knee bolster. Behind this is where you may find a K Harness if one was installed:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=24
Here is a link to a picture of a GM K Harness:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ky-please.html
Then scroll down to the first pic.
The K Harness is connected in series between the electric motor that operates the lock pin (actuator) and the female connector attached to the bottom of the dash that goes over to the BCM.
If your car has a GM K Harness it may have gone bad. Most do. You could disconnect both ends of the K Harness and then plug the male connector from the actuator (wires appear to go up into the column) to the female connector that is attached to the bottom of the dash. This get you back to factory wiring. If the K Harness is what failed you have just removed it from the equation. You will then need to clear the error messages in the DIC and any DTC's set in the BCM. I prefer to disconnect the neg battery cable for at least 10 minutes to accomplish that.
If the car did not have a GM K Harness then it may have had the spliced purple wire and relay mod done by the dealer. In the passenger footwell to the left of the fuse box and above the BCM (large silver box) look for an obviously spliced purple wire and a relay with a purple wire going into it from the splice. It would look exactly like this:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...please-52.html
Then scroll to post #1030
If you have this spliced purple wire you will need to bypass the relay in order to install and have work a CLB. Here is a link to the specifics of bypassing the relay:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...-was-done.html
Then scroll to post #3
D) You need to order and install a CLB. Of course you could wait until this happens again someplace other that your driveway.
E) It is not a software problem. It is a major design failure that GM refuses to acknowedge or correct once and for all.
This for a 2003 Z06 MN6, purchased new and I am the only owner.
Several years ago, I had the steering column lock removed at Ogden Chevrolet in suburban Chicago. The column does not lock. I am now getting steering lock message and 10 second wait message on the DIC.
Fortunately, the car is stuck in my driveway. I read the sticky message on this problem.
I do not know if the "K harness" is there. Anyone have a picture of where it would be installed?
I read in the "sticky" about the footwell jumper fix and cannot tell exactly where to place jump wire and if the extra relay is present. Anyone have a picture of this?
This seems like a software problem.
Any help appreciated!
Several years ago, I had the steering column lock removed at Ogden Chevrolet in suburban Chicago. The column does not lock. I am now getting steering lock message and 10 second wait message on the DIC.
Fortunately, the car is stuck in my driveway. I read the sticky message on this problem.
I do not know if the "K harness" is there. Anyone have a picture of where it would be installed?
I read in the "sticky" about the footwell jumper fix and cannot tell exactly where to place jump wire and if the extra relay is present. Anyone have a picture of this?
This seems like a software problem.
Any help appreciated!
