What is it?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 31
From: Silver Spring MD
What is it?
Found a strange electrical part inside the left open space in the sound isolator just behind the drivers knee bolster. It is black and wrapped in foam and is about 1 1/2 inches square and maybe 2 inches long.
It is held in place by a black tiewrap. It has wires coming out of the bottom of it. I thought it might be a flasher but it isn't. When I turned on the turn signals and hazard switch heard the flasher in the middle of the dash near the hazard switch.
On the top the part has the following markings:
TYCO VPRD-35F14-3203
031851A
15410751
I tried the last number in the GM parts database and got nothing.
What is this and if I have to change it is it plugged in? I didn't see a socket but didn't cut the tiewrap to remove it either.
BIGHANK
It is held in place by a black tiewrap. It has wires coming out of the bottom of it. I thought it might be a flasher but it isn't. When I turned on the turn signals and hazard switch heard the flasher in the middle of the dash near the hazard switch.
On the top the part has the following markings:
TYCO VPRD-35F14-3203
031851A
15410751
I tried the last number in the GM parts database and got nothing.
What is this and if I have to change it is it plugged in? I didn't see a socket but didn't cut the tiewrap to remove it either.
BIGHANK
Last edited by bighank; Jul 10, 2009 at 06:11 PM.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 321
Likes: 3
From: bloomington Indiana
The Tyco is a relay.
Does it look like the 1st pic in the CLB thread?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ky-please.html
Does it look like the 1st pic in the CLB thread?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ky-please.html
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: Andover KS
I have the same thing in my 2000. I was thinking maybe it was the column lock fix or something also. It is a relay on the end of an approximately 16" harness zip tied on to a metal piece just like what was described. I'm interested to hear what this is also. 
By the way my column will not lock so must have the plate removed.
By the way my column will not lock so must have the plate removed.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,843
Likes: 16
From: Howell Michigan
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
Found a strange electrical part inside the left open space in the sound isolator just behind the drivers knee bolster. It is black and wrapped in foam and is about 1 1/2 inches square and maybe 2 inches long.
It is held in place by a black tiewrap. On the top the part has the following markings:
TYCO VPRD-35F14-3203
031851A
15410751
I tried the last number in the GM parts database and got nothing.
What is this and if I have to change it is it plugged in? I didn't see a socket but didn't cut the tiewrap to remove it either.
BIGHANK
It is held in place by a black tiewrap. On the top the part has the following markings:
TYCO VPRD-35F14-3203
031851A
15410751
I tried the last number in the GM parts database and got nothing.
What is this and if I have to change it is it plugged in? I didn't see a socket but didn't cut the tiewrap to remove it either.
BIGHANK
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: Andover KS
I found the same thing in my car while doing the flasher bypass. It is a relay of some kind and mine looks ceramic. I tried to trace the harness and it looks like it goes to the column area before it breaks out into other factory harnesses. I'm thinking column lock MOD. Mine seems to have it. I think mine has a paper tag on it (weird resistor thing harness) similar to the ones on the flasher harness connector that you access to bypass. So maybe installed by dealer? I have no aftermarket alarm either.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 31
From: Silver Spring MD
No Aftermarket alarm but they did remove the locking plate
Several years ago when I was in for one of many repairs the Dealership removed the locking plate. I didn't ask them to do it they JUST DID.
I can still hear the locking mechanism working as I have an A4 not a manual trans. I THOUGHT that with an A4 ALL they did was remove the locking plate. I now understand they reinstall a NON LOCKING plate to hold the goodies in place under the steering wheel. I just went thru taking off the horn/airbag module only to find out I had a blown fuse. Did not remove the wheel. Would they install the CLB Relay in an A4 even though the column lock still works but just doesn't engage in the locking ring?
BIGHANK
I can still hear the locking mechanism working as I have an A4 not a manual trans. I THOUGHT that with an A4 ALL they did was remove the locking plate. I now understand they reinstall a NON LOCKING plate to hold the goodies in place under the steering wheel. I just went thru taking off the horn/airbag module only to find out I had a blown fuse. Did not remove the wheel. Would they install the CLB Relay in an A4 even though the column lock still works but just doesn't engage in the locking ring?
BIGHANK
Last edited by bighank; Jul 11, 2009 at 10:52 AM.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,401
Likes: 1,143
From: Dyer, IN
Several years ago when I was in for one of many repairs the Dealership removed the locking plate. I didn't ask them to do it they JUST DID.
I can still hear the locking mechanism working as I have an A4 not a manual trans. I THOUGHT that with an A4 ALL they did was removie the locking plate. I now understand they reinstall a NON LOCKING plate to hold the goodies in place under the steering wheel. I just went thru taking off the horn/airbag module only to find out I had a blown fuse. Did not remove the wheel. Would they install the CLB Relay in an A4 even though the column lock still works but just doesn't engage in the locking ring?BIGHANK
I can still hear the locking mechanism working as I have an A4 not a manual trans. I THOUGHT that with an A4 ALL they did was removie the locking plate. I now understand they reinstall a NON LOCKING plate to hold the goodies in place under the steering wheel. I just went thru taking off the horn/airbag module only to find out I had a blown fuse. Did not remove the wheel. Would they install the CLB Relay in an A4 even though the column lock still works but just doesn't engage in the locking ring?
BIGHANK
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
It is a GM Harness K relay. The smaller turn signal plate comes as part of the Harness K kit to replace the locking plate.
The recall used a plastic wire tie to mount a black relay wrapped in foam to the brace to the left of the steering column.
If you trace the wires from the relay, one connector will connect to the main wiring harness connector to the left of the yellow airbag connector directly below the steering column, the other will connect to the actuator wiring that runs up to the column.
The recall disconnects the actuator below the column, and the relay is installed between the main wiring harness and the actuator. The actuator is still in the circuit, and you can hear it cycle when you turn the key. Aftermarket column lock bypass relays leave the actuator disconnected, so it no longer cycles.
The recall used a plastic wire tie to mount a black relay wrapped in foam to the brace to the left of the steering column.
If you trace the wires from the relay, one connector will connect to the main wiring harness connector to the left of the yellow airbag connector directly below the steering column, the other will connect to the actuator wiring that runs up to the column.
The recall disconnects the actuator below the column, and the relay is installed between the main wiring harness and the actuator. The actuator is still in the circuit, and you can hear it cycle when you turn the key. Aftermarket column lock bypass relays leave the actuator disconnected, so it no longer cycles.
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Jul 11, 2009 at 05:49 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 31
From: Silver Spring MD
Reading the CLB sticky leads me to believe a CLB may cause problems in a 98 A4
I didn't read all 50+ pages of the sticky for the CLB but did see comments that people who replaced the K harness with the CLB on pre 00 cars sometimes got worse problems. I also saw that the sticky says that the relay used in the CLB do it yourself or from a vendor can get out of sync and cause problems too. I understand that pre 00 cars SHOULDN'T HAVE had the BCM update to shut off the fuel at 2 MPH. If this is the case wouldn't the worse thing I could experience is the warning. My lock plate has been replaced by the non0-locking one.
BIGHANK
BIGHANK
