Column lock
10-10-2011, 07:39 PM
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
Column lock
I did a search on column lock and found this. The way I read it it says im fine because my 03 ls1 auto trans does not have it, Am i understanding this correctly ? And what is an A4 car and an mn6, mn12 car?
GM installed a Steering Column Lock mechanism on all 1997 - 2004 manual (MN6) cars and on 1997 to 2000 automatic (A4) cars
There is a GM recall for this problem on affected models and years
It is one of the most problematic issues that we C5 owners deal with
It can happen to you if you have a pre-2001 A4 without the recall or CLB installed OR any year MN6 or Z06 car without a CLB installed. Age or mileage makes no difference.
Low battery voltage seems to aggravate and sometimes cause column lock failures
Q Does this problem affect both A4’s and MN6 vehicles?
A Yes; however if you have 2001 or newer A4 car, the ECL lock plate has been replaced.
Q What years are affected?
A Pre-2001 A4 cars and all MN6 or MN12(Z06) cars.
GM installed a Steering Column Lock mechanism on all 1997 - 2004 manual (MN6) cars and on 1997 to 2000 automatic (A4) cars
There is a GM recall for this problem on affected models and years
It is one of the most problematic issues that we C5 owners deal with
It can happen to you if you have a pre-2001 A4 without the recall or CLB installed OR any year MN6 or Z06 car without a CLB installed. Age or mileage makes no difference.
Low battery voltage seems to aggravate and sometimes cause column lock failures
Q Does this problem affect both A4’s and MN6 vehicles?
A Yes; however if you have 2001 or newer A4 car, the ECL lock plate has been replaced.
Q What years are affected?
A Pre-2001 A4 cars and all MN6 or MN12(Z06) cars.
10-10-2011, 08:10 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
[QUOTE=Dixiecrat;1578924986]I did a search on column lock and found this. The way I read it it says im fine because my 03 ls1 auto trans does not have it, Am i understanding this correctly ? And what is an A4 car and an mn6, mn12 car?
You can still have the infamous column lock issue,being that lock plate has been removed, your steering will not lock up. BUT you could get the dreaded "pull key wait 10 seconds" message, followed by the "service column lock" message on the dic, and if you havent had a tuner remove the 2mph injector cutoff, or raise it to a much higher mph (255 mph) your car will stall. It happened to a guy that i know that has a 04 A4.
A4 is GM's designation code for the 4 speed 4l60E auto transmission which you have in your 03.
MN6 6 speed manual transmission non- z06 models
MN12 6 speed manual transmission z06 models
You can still have the infamous column lock issue,being that lock plate has been removed, your steering will not lock up. BUT you could get the dreaded "pull key wait 10 seconds" message, followed by the "service column lock" message on the dic, and if you havent had a tuner remove the 2mph injector cutoff, or raise it to a much higher mph (255 mph) your car will stall. It happened to a guy that i know that has a 04 A4.
A4 is GM's designation code for the 4 speed 4l60E auto transmission which you have in your 03.
MN6 6 speed manual transmission non- z06 models
MN12 6 speed manual transmission z06 models
10-10-2011, 08:17 PM
#3
Safety Car
You have a 03 automatic (including 2001 & up auto), you are good to go with no worries about the column lock thing.
10-10-2011, 08:27 PM
#4
Pro
Thread Starter
Thanks guys ! Im going to Florida for the winter and plan a trip to Seattle to see my daughter then down thru Cally and back home. I sure hate to stop somewhere in the middle of nowhere and have that thing lock up. I will rest easy now ! And thanks for the info HD.
10-10-2011, 08:43 PM
#5
Pro
Thread Starter
[QUOTE=8VETTE7;1578925613]
I'm afraid your mistaken. The 2mph fuel shutoff gets added by the NHTSA mandated Column Lock Recall procedure. It's not there from the factory (except as noted below)and 2001 - 2004 A4 cars were NOT part of the recall service.
Now what you have said does apply to the 1997 - 2000 A4 cars which WERE part of the recall. The OP states that his car is an 03 Automatic and therefore was NOT part of the recall.
If your friend has an 04 A4 and it experienced the fuel shutoff then it has a VIN greater than 45120862. Vins greater than that number were produced AFTER the recall process started and the end of Jan. 2004. Those automatics CAN experience the fuel shutoff because GM was using a similar PCM load on all C5's produced after that VIN whether manual or automatic.
Good golly, GM figuars away in your pocket book any way you turn. What can I do to prevent the fuel shut-off
I'm afraid your mistaken. The 2mph fuel shutoff gets added by the NHTSA mandated Column Lock Recall procedure. It's not there from the factory (except as noted below)and 2001 - 2004 A4 cars were NOT part of the recall service.
Now what you have said does apply to the 1997 - 2000 A4 cars which WERE part of the recall. The OP states that his car is an 03 Automatic and therefore was NOT part of the recall.
If your friend has an 04 A4 and it experienced the fuel shutoff then it has a VIN greater than 45120862. Vins greater than that number were produced AFTER the recall process started and the end of Jan. 2004. Those automatics CAN experience the fuel shutoff because GM was using a similar PCM load on all C5's produced after that VIN whether manual or automatic.
10-10-2011, 10:12 PM
#6
Melting Slicks
[QUOTE=8VETTE7;1578926055]
Because of the way hdkeno quoted your post the meaning of my post got changed. I corrected that in my post. Please reread it carefully. Your car doesn't have the fuel shutoff reprogrammed to 2mph so it doesn't need any attention at all.
Just as an FYI. there are two tuning tools that can change the fuel shutoff speed to a high number. They are HP Tuners or EFI Live. Most Corvette tuners have one or the other. They will charge about $100 to $125 to reprogram that fuel shutoff speed to a high number like 200 or 255mph. Most of the cost is for the software license which is sold on a per VIN basis by the software manufacturer.
But your 03 A4 doesn't need this done.
I stand corrected 8VETTE7 is correct. Believe me, he has much more knowledge on c5's then do I. Especially on column lock issues. I have learned quite a bit from him myself, and he is a nice guy as well. I know this from talking to him at length not too long ago.
As far as the guy that i know socially with the 04 A4 with clb issues,his car is not exactly stock so i do not know firsthand what other issues he did experience nor the volidity of such.
Anyway, you now have the peace of mind on this issue, and have a great trip to see your daughter. Ken
Because of the way hdkeno quoted your post the meaning of my post got changed. I corrected that in my post. Please reread it carefully. Your car doesn't have the fuel shutoff reprogrammed to 2mph so it doesn't need any attention at all.
Just as an FYI. there are two tuning tools that can change the fuel shutoff speed to a high number. They are HP Tuners or EFI Live. Most Corvette tuners have one or the other. They will charge about $100 to $125 to reprogram that fuel shutoff speed to a high number like 200 or 255mph. Most of the cost is for the software license which is sold on a per VIN basis by the software manufacturer.
But your 03 A4 doesn't need this done.
As far as the guy that i know socially with the 04 A4 with clb issues,his car is not exactly stock so i do not know firsthand what other issues he did experience nor the volidity of such.
Anyway, you now have the peace of mind on this issue, and have a great trip to see your daughter. Ken
Last edited by hdkeno; 10-10-2011 at 10:14 PM.
10-11-2011, 12:35 AM
#7
Pro
Thread Starter
Thank you gentlemen ! I will ride with confidence now,lol. But it was just the luck of the draw I got what I did cause I know nothing about them. With post like you all pervide im learning. I was thinking about spending 20-30k one one more car to last me thru retirement and I was looking strong at the Toyota Salara. I just happened across this vette by accident. I was on auto trader looking at Toyotas and it just poped up. I never dreamed they got 27 miles to the gallon,lol. I told my self Why not get something I ll enjoy driving, I always loved them and wanted one , so I did. Got lucky on the price too. Car is loaded up with everything except the big motor, but 350hp is more then I ll use. Thank you all again so much !
