Steering Column Lock-Need Advice FAST!!
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Steering Column Lock-Need Advice FAST!!
Brand new member...Just bought a 2001 MN6 with 43K miles today for my wife as a gift and while the dealer was trying to take the car to fill up the gas tank after I finished the paperwork, the steering column lock activated and we could not take final delivery. Technically, I own the car since all the paperwork was signed, but I have 3 days to cancel the deal, but I want this car.
What advice can you give me to make sure tis gets fixed right by the dealer? I read much of the sticky info on the issue, but being a new vette owner, alot of it does not make sense to me and I need to make a decision quick.
What advice can you give me to make sure tis gets fixed right by the dealer? I read much of the sticky info on the issue, but being a new vette owner, alot of it does not make sense to me and I need to make a decision quick.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,443
Likes: 7
From: Bristol raceway area
Brand new member...Just bought a 2001 MN6 with 43K miles today for my wife as a gift and while the dealer was trying to take the car to fill up the gas tank after I finished the paperwork, the steering column lock activated and we could not take final delivery. Technically, I own the car since all the paperwork was signed, but I have 3 days to cancel the deal, but I want this car.
What advice can you give me to make sure tis gets fixed right by the dealer? I read much of the sticky info on the issue, but being a new vette owner, alot of it does not make sense to me and I need to make a decision quick.
What advice can you give me to make sure tis gets fixed right by the dealer? I read much of the sticky info on the issue, but being a new vette owner, alot of it does not make sense to me and I need to make a decision quick.
I have read much of the sticky thread as well and it is fairly common to many C5's.
I do not know how the dealer fixes this but from what i have learned this is a simple and cheap fix by the owner. It involves a by-pass (about $50 or $60) and does not take long to fix it. Good luck!
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 233
Likes: 1
From: Acworth GA
I have read if you shake the wheel back and forth fairly hard several times it will free up.
I have read much of the sticky thread as well and it is fairly common to many C5's.
I do not know how the dealer fixes this but from what i have learned this is a simple and cheap fix by the owner. It involves a by-pass (about $50 or $60) and does not take long to fix it. Good luck!
I have read much of the sticky thread as well and it is fairly common to many C5's.
I do not know how the dealer fixes this but from what i have learned this is a simple and cheap fix by the owner. It involves a by-pass (about $50 or $60) and does not take long to fix it. Good luck!
You can shake the wheel, but this just seems wrong. Too violent and I have not had that much luck with it.
I used a small screwdriver to work the lock back into the stowed position. This was performed laying on my back under the column.
I don't know about the GM recall fix. I would prefer to have the dealer install CLB by-pass. It is not hard to do, but can be time consuming by the time you remove the center console and lower knee bolster.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
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The CLB is the way to go...IMO if you can get it unlocked and get it home call a vendor like Corvettes of Houston and get a CLB on the way ASAP...take 30 minutes and install it. Never look back. Whatever the dealer does will probably fail again its just a matter of time...to many posts here verifying that. Read the sticky and take your time and get it home
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,443
Likes: 7
From: Bristol raceway area
Two of my three C5s have had this problem. Once the by-pass is installed = no problem.
You can shake the wheel, but this just seems wrong. Too violent and I have not had that much luck with it.
I used a small screwdriver to work the lock back into the stowed position. This was performed laying on my back under the column.
I don't know about the GM recall fix. I would prefer to have the dealer install CLB by-pass. It is not hard to do, but can be time consuming by the time you remove the center console and lower knee bolster.
You can shake the wheel, but this just seems wrong. Too violent and I have not had that much luck with it.
I used a small screwdriver to work the lock back into the stowed position. This was performed laying on my back under the column.
I don't know about the GM recall fix. I would prefer to have the dealer install CLB by-pass. It is not hard to do, but can be time consuming by the time you remove the center console and lower knee bolster.
Nothing wrong with shaking the wheel several times if it unlocks. Many people on this forum have done just that and it works. It states this in the link provided below. Better that than to be far from home and have to have a flatbed take your car to a dealer and pay out a lot of money.
You Don't Remove the Console to install the bypass, only the knee panel. This LINK will tell you exactly what it takes to install a Bypass and it only takes less than 1 hour. Piece of cake. http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=24
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,431
Likes: 3
From: Iowa City Iowa
I agree, don't let the Dealer install the GM fix, get the column unlocked, take it home, spend your $60 on a CLB, install it yourself (30 min's or so) and forget the issue, it'll be gone.
Absolutely no reason to pass on a good car that you want for this "problem". Good luck, Ron
Absolutely no reason to pass on a good car that you want for this "problem". Good luck, Ron
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Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,380
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
The "lock plate" needs to be in position in the steering column, otherwise there will be a lot of 'in and out' slop in the column. However, since I tried a CLB without success (it held the lock pin back for about 2 days before it lost its grip, and the pin once again started clicking on the lock plate), I removed the lock plate, chucked it up in a lathe, and cut down the OD of the plate, then put it back in place. So now, there's NO WAY the column will lock up.
