Purchasing a C5 - column lock problem scares me.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Bonners Ferry ID
Purchasing a C5 - column lock problem scares me.
Greetings,
First off I want to say thank you to everyone on these fine forums. I have been lurking for the past two months trying to learn what I could before posting to avoid the flames
! Having been a member of many auto forums over the years I have to say that I am impressed with the knowledge and passion shared by many on here.
With that being said I am finally in the market for a C5, after a long year of scrimping and saving. I am however really, really dismayed over this column lock issue (I have read all the threads/posts that are stickied) and am wondering if it a serious enough of a concern to alter my dream and purchase something else? My fear is that I will purchase one and while driving it home (probably about a 1200-1600 mile trip to the sticks here in north Idaho) it will lock and leave me stranded at some gas station.
In short I guess I want to know how prevalent is this issue and should I just take a CLB with me when I make the plunge? Thank you all in advance,
Derek
First off I want to say thank you to everyone on these fine forums. I have been lurking for the past two months trying to learn what I could before posting to avoid the flames
! Having been a member of many auto forums over the years I have to say that I am impressed with the knowledge and passion shared by many on here.With that being said I am finally in the market for a C5, after a long year of scrimping and saving. I am however really, really dismayed over this column lock issue (I have read all the threads/posts that are stickied) and am wondering if it a serious enough of a concern to alter my dream and purchase something else? My fear is that I will purchase one and while driving it home (probably about a 1200-1600 mile trip to the sticks here in north Idaho) it will lock and leave me stranded at some gas station.
In short I guess I want to know how prevalent is this issue and should I just take a CLB with me when I make the plunge? Thank you all in advance,
Derek
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,266
Likes: 8
From: Indian Rocks Beach FL
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
I wouldn't let it scare you out of a C5. Most have already had this issue addressed and some, like my '98, have never had it. Just make sure you ask the previous owner if he's had trouble with it and if so, what he's done about it. You can also use the VIN to check if any factory recalls have been done. Good luck and happy hunting!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,464
Likes: 2
From: Cedarburg, WI
Don't worry about it or let it affect your purchase....unless the car is having trouble! If not, drive home and enjoy the ride. I would order a CLB as soon as you decide to purchase unless one is already installed. That way...in an emergency, which is unlikely, you have it for the ride home. After you get home you can install it! 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 379
From: South Florida FL
Not the way to live life my friend. There's no spare tire either, a blow out can also leave you stranded. fear can make you miss out on alot of life enjoyments, like a C5
just order a bypass when you can, good luck
just order a bypass when you can, good luck
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,313
Likes: 1
From: providence ut
Unless I'm miss reading the fix it post...........just grab the steering wheel with the key off......if you can turn it .........it's be fixed....if you can't, and it 's locked up with the key off the dealer needs to fix it.........I just bought a c5 and can turn the steering wheel with the key off so I assume it's been fixed.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,199
Likes: 9
From: St. louis, MO
I just bought an 2004 Z06, I had my dealer run the VIN before I bought (from another dealer) and they said the column problem had been done under warranty. So I am assuming I shouldn't have any problems with it now, right?
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 4
From: Ringgold GA
what are the symptoms if you've got one going bad? Everytime I've got the battery cables off my car it says "Remove key and wait 10 seconds" the first time I start it after reinstalling the cables. I've never had any problems with it though.
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
From: Western Neu Yawk
A poster mentioned checking to see if the recall has been done on a particular VIN.
I've done a search for that and cannot find the site where one can do this (for free I'd hope).
Maybe I shouldn't worry though since my car is an 02, A4 and I read in the forums:
"2001-2004 A4's
No Change Required - they didn't install the Electric Column Lock (ECL) on those years, in the U.S., after experiencing so many problems."
TIA,
Jim
I've done a search for that and cannot find the site where one can do this (for free I'd hope).
Maybe I shouldn't worry though since my car is an 02, A4 and I read in the forums:
"2001-2004 A4's
No Change Required - they didn't install the Electric Column Lock (ECL) on those years, in the U.S., after experiencing so many problems."
TIA,
Jim
Last edited by BuffaloBillHisself; Jul 7, 2008 at 10:08 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,799
Likes: 1
From: Northern Virginia
St. Jude Donor '08
I would not let it scare you out of getting a vette.
If the car has had the latest fix, the steering column should never lock. What that means is you can get into the car and turn the steering wheel even without the keys in the ignition.
If you can't do that then the car has not had the latest fix.
Hope that helps.
If the car has had the latest fix, the steering column should never lock. What that means is you can get into the car and turn the steering wheel even without the keys in the ignition.
If you can't do that then the car has not had the latest fix.
Hope that helps.
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Dealer told me i had the recall done,but still got the column lock message.i have a 98 automatic.I pulled the car into a parking space,wasnt sure what to do. I guess i was lucky after waiting 5 min started the car up and it was fine.Not sure what the recall did but what i have read says they put a k harness on.would the clb work if the k harness is removed?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,384
Likes: 0
From: Toronto,Ont.Canada
Don't let the column lock prob. throw you away, at the worst it's $50 to buy a CLB, a tank of gas basically. Prob. one of the first things I bought when I got the car, I didn't even bother going to the dealer as I'd rather do it myself and know it's completed.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,799
Likes: 1
From: Northern Virginia
St. Jude Donor '08
BuffaloBillHisself,
There is a GM 800 number that you can call, enter the VIN and they tell you if there are any outstanding recalls. However since you have a 2002 A4, there was never a column lock recall for that vehicle.
You can also go to any stealer and have them look up the same info. They should NOT charge you to do this.
Independant1,
I disagree with you that having the latest GM fix means you will not have a problem. Depends on what was actually done. The 04006C iteration called for the removal of the lock ring from the wheel. If the reprogram of the fuel shutoff to 2mph was done, you can still have the sensors and the BCM get out of sync, causing the BCM to shut off fuel and the car becomes undriveable. Plenty of posts on the board to substanciate that. Additionally there would have been relays and wiring added to allow the BCM to continue to function related to the column lock. ( look up the parts list in the stickeys) Both the relays and the harness have very high failure statistics. Again, just read through the FAQ's and GM column lock stickeys for proof of that.
More info from a 7/7/08 post here: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...2069067&page=2
Also being able to turn the wheel with no keys in the ignition could mean that a CLB has been installed. That is one of the results of an installed CLB. Wheel is never locked. So being able to turn the wheel doesn't necessarily mean the latest fix was done.
Install the CLB even if you have the latest (04006C) version or you WILL be posting here for what to do when you are left stranded by GM.
There is a GM 800 number that you can call, enter the VIN and they tell you if there are any outstanding recalls. However since you have a 2002 A4, there was never a column lock recall for that vehicle.
You can also go to any stealer and have them look up the same info. They should NOT charge you to do this.
Independant1,
I disagree with you that having the latest GM fix means you will not have a problem. Depends on what was actually done. The 04006C iteration called for the removal of the lock ring from the wheel. If the reprogram of the fuel shutoff to 2mph was done, you can still have the sensors and the BCM get out of sync, causing the BCM to shut off fuel and the car becomes undriveable. Plenty of posts on the board to substanciate that. Additionally there would have been relays and wiring added to allow the BCM to continue to function related to the column lock. ( look up the parts list in the stickeys) Both the relays and the harness have very high failure statistics. Again, just read through the FAQ's and GM column lock stickeys for proof of that.
More info from a 7/7/08 post here: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...2069067&page=2
Also being able to turn the wheel with no keys in the ignition could mean that a CLB has been installed. That is one of the results of an installed CLB. Wheel is never locked. So being able to turn the wheel doesn't necessarily mean the latest fix was done.
Install the CLB even if you have the latest (04006C) version or you WILL be posting here for what to do when you are left stranded by GM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
Find out what version of the recall was performed.
If you can turn the wheel with the key off, and still hear the actuator cycle when you turn the key on, then the latest recall was installed, which also removes the lockplate.
If you are lucky enough to get a good relay, you will not have problems, but you may want to carry a spare relay in case the GM relay fails.
I have the lockplate removed in my 2004 Z06, and have had a GM relay harness K kit installed since 2004 with no problems, but that is before GM had problems with relays failing.
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Jul 7, 2008 at 02:50 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,037
Likes: 9,801
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
I had a 97 that I ordered from the dealer for 6 years and never had a column lock problem with it. I replaced it with an 03Z that I purchased in June of 03 and haven't had any column lock problems with it either. So far 11+ years without a column lock problem. It is not that prevalent of a problem.
Bill
Bill
