Sorry for the long post. I have a 1999 6-spd vert. I've had several electrical issues. One year ago, I was in an accident. When I got my car back from the body shop, I noticed the dreaded "SERVICE COLUMN LOCK" message on the DIC when I started the car. I reset the message and went on my way and have since then. I think I have the CLB installed as I can turn the steering wheel when the car is off. Also, last summer, when I started the car at night, the dash lights would be slow to come on. This interval continued to get longer until they wouldn't come on at all. I do have Twilight Sentinel which I usually kept OFF. One night, someone at a stop light yelled over to me that my tail lights and side markers were out. My brake lights and rear turn signals still operated. I then turned Twilight Sentinel ON and all the lights came back ON. When I now start the car and turn Twilight Sentinel ON, the PB must be disengaged before the dash lights and tail lights, etc come on. On a rainy day, the dash lights and tail lights, etc do go out when the day gets bright enough even with the lights switched ON. I know the C5 has a history of electrical gremlins, especially WRT the grounds, etc. Is these issues possibly related? How do I get rid of the "SERVICE COLUMN LOCK" message in the DIC? Thanks in advance for the help and advice.

Tom

 

Tom good luck with those gremlins. All your symptoms are features controlled by the BCM. I'd start looking there however there's not much to check without a tech2. Unless you know someone who has one that'd be a trip to the dealer. But first, write down the fault codes in the DTC, pull the BCM fuse (wait a few minutes) and replace, clear the DTC's, then start the car and see what codes come back. Post the codes and maybe someone else can chime in on specifics.