I live in Vermont and was visiting in Connecticut and got the awful "wait 10 seconds - service column lock" display and the wheel was locked in a shopping center parking lot. I have never had an issue with this problem on my "98 C5 but is finally happened. I was able to unlock it buy banging the wheel back and forth with the key on. It locked up a second time 20 minutes later. All in all I had this problem about 15 times in three days. Each time I was lucky to unlock it with the banging method, but, was nervous that a time would come when that trick would not work. I remember a seminar I attend at Carlisle that Paul Koernor (corvette specialist) gave and he talked about the importance of a good battery and proper tork setting on the battery terminals. I know column lock problems have been solved with this procedure so I purchased a new Delco battery and installed it tightening the cables with a wrench (I did not have a tork wrench so I guessed at the tension). My old battery was 5/6 yrs old. After the new batter installation the column lock problem was NOT solved! Happened again and again but continued to have success unlocking it by banging the steering wheel - thank god - I was scared that I would end up on a flatbed towing my vette to the local dealership. Finally I returned home to Vermont, got out my tork wrench and applied the proper tork to the battery cables (11 ft. lbs.). The new battery and the proper cable tork solved my problem - it is now working great. KUDOS to Paul and I suggest vette owners watch his two videos on-line. He adresses this most troublesome problem in detail. I am sure if I had my vette towed and worked on at a dealership I would be out a huge amount of money and maybe the problem would still exist. Again, thanks to c4c5specialist Paul Koernor.

 

Hope this continues to work for you, poor battery connections are a common cause of many electrical issues. BTW, the manual calls for 13 ft lbs of torque.

 

My '98 factory manual lists the battery cable tork at 11 ft. lbs. I looked for atlernative sets and find nothing other that 11 ft. lbs.

 

Jerry...I've watched Pauls seminar with interest. I went out and bought the correct size battery as you did and torqued as required also.

Now my question to you is this...are you satisfied this is going to cure column lock for you or do you plan to install a bypass kit regardless?

For me I simply am not convinced the correct battery/and correct torque on the terminal bolts alone is the ultimate cure for column lock.

I ordered a CL bypass kit this week.

 

You are correct, my 2000 hard copy says 11 also. My digital copy says 13 for all years in the battery replacement procedure but in the cable replacement procedure it says 11. Go figure.

 

While I was stuck with my vette in Connectiut I was going to order the CL Bypass as I thought this might be my only recourse other than a GM dealership. After reading tons of info on the web about the bypass and the '98 vette I decided to go with Paul's recommendations. After 400 column lock repairs Paul states that 88% of the fix was battery and proper cable tork.
I hope my problems are over and only time will tell. What I do know that for about 3 days I had this problem about 10-15 times. A new Delco 78-7yr professional battery and the proper tork cancelled all problems immediately.

 

Jerry, I agree his diagnosis is very compelling especially considering his reputation with repairing Corvettes. I also have had no difficulties with CL since I also use the appropriate battery he recommended as essential in preventing column lock....But the gamble that it will never happen is now dependent upon that battery always being at or above 12.5 volts at startup...that's a standard which I feel can probably be violated on the odd occasion, and thus open up the potential once again for CL to occur. I hate the idea of the bypass frankly but hate the chance of CL more...so I will procrastinate a while and then install the darn thing...

 

I bought a new Delco Professional 78-7 tear this past January from a sponsor here in AZ.

My column lock has not unlocked and gave the pull key message 3 times with the new battery, so I will put a torque wrench on it.

Also, it's after it has been sitting for 2-3 weeks at a time it does this.

I guess it's time for a battery tender.

On the column bypass kit, my understanding is that even if you have it, but get the pull key message, as soon as you take off, the engine will die from the fuel pump being cut off.

I guess a tune would get rid of that.

 

My ft lb torque wrench is to big for the 8mm socket, so I used the 1/4" ratchet and pushed as much as I felt it could take without stripping or breaking.

 

Just install a CLB and quit screwing around wondering if a new battery or correct torque on the cable might cure it. Installing a CLB is not rocket science and took me all of 15 min to throw it on. I have a 03 and put the CLB on in 2005 but never got a pull key message or any other column lock problem before or after I put it on. I just put it on for peace of mind.
I also just tighten the cable by feel. You dont need a damn torque wrench to tighten a battery cable.
I have never used a battery tender on my car and never had a problem with a battery causing this problem even after sitting for a month at a time or longer with lower voltage than normal after sitting.

 

Now go install a CLB to fix the problem.

 

Install it!