battery died, now column lock issue
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Bountiful Utah
battery died, now column lock issue
i have read nearly everything on the site about the column lock problems
i have a 1997 c5 with a manual trans that the battery died in last week, i charged up the battery, had it load tested and the results say it is good as new, it has 12.9 volts when the car is off. but im still having the " service column lock" message on the DIC. i bought the car used but believe it has had some form of the recall done. you can hear the relay click from the passenger floor board, you can hear the lock motor cycle although it no longer locks the column, and the fuel cutoff is at 2mph.
i could not see a CLB or the K harness on the car. i need to find a way to get this fixed before tuesday because i am taking the car on a 1400 mile road trip. what is causing the issue if everything is still functioning like it was just before the battery was drained? and is anyone aware of a place near salt lake city that could reprogram the fuel cutoff to 200+mph?
edited: car does have the K harness, is there anyway to test it?
i know this subject has been covered extensively and i appologize, im just overwhelmed with the problem and any help is apreciated
i have a 1997 c5 with a manual trans that the battery died in last week, i charged up the battery, had it load tested and the results say it is good as new, it has 12.9 volts when the car is off. but im still having the " service column lock" message on the DIC. i bought the car used but believe it has had some form of the recall done. you can hear the relay click from the passenger floor board, you can hear the lock motor cycle although it no longer locks the column, and the fuel cutoff is at 2mph.
i could not see a CLB or the K harness on the car. i need to find a way to get this fixed before tuesday because i am taking the car on a 1400 mile road trip. what is causing the issue if everything is still functioning like it was just before the battery was drained? and is anyone aware of a place near salt lake city that could reprogram the fuel cutoff to 200+mph?
edited: car does have the K harness, is there anyway to test it?
i know this subject has been covered extensively and i appologize, im just overwhelmed with the problem and any help is apreciated
Last edited by Silver97C5; Nov 20, 2011 at 04:59 PM.
Corvette Cowboy
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,852
Likes: 23
From: Cen-Cal Broke A$$ Kalifornia
I have delt with this issue on a couple cars GM had a bandaid fix but our local dealer and forum vendor Abel Chev. fixes these issues for around 600.00 and all the cars he has done work perfect here is his phone number give him a call and he can tell you what you need to fix it right 1-707-374-6317 this is his work number call him after 8:00 am PST
Pops
Pops
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 9
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From: Bountiful Utah
I have one on order, but I will not be able to install it until I get back from my trip.
I didn't find alot of info about removing the k harness and running without it or the CLB. How risky is it to not run either one for a week or so?
I didn't find alot of info about removing the k harness and running without it or the CLB. How risky is it to not run either one for a week or so?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 12,413
Likes: 501
From: Rio Rancho NM
Common issue when the battery dies is that the GM K Harness frys. Relay portion ends up looking like this:
Remove both ends of the K Harness and plug the male connector from the Lock Motor into the female connector that is attached to the bottom of the dash. THis restores the wiring to factory. The problem should go away. You do not need the GM K Harness in the circuitry.
If you don't already know what caused the battery to go dead, you should determine that and correct the cause. The problem can occur again and NOT near home makes it a lot more painful.......
Remove both ends of the K Harness and plug the male connector from the Lock Motor into the female connector that is attached to the bottom of the dash. THis restores the wiring to factory. The problem should go away. You do not need the GM K Harness in the circuitry.
If you don't already know what caused the battery to go dead, you should determine that and correct the cause. The problem can occur again and NOT near home makes it a lot more painful.......
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Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Bountiful Utah
Thank you everyone for your help, the CLB will be waiting for me when I get back from my trip, and the battery going dead was my fault, I left a light on.
I took it out of the car, charged it back up and took it in and got it tested, 12.9 volts resting and passedthe load test perfectly.
I took it out of the car, charged it back up and took it in and got it tested, 12.9 volts resting and passedthe load test perfectly.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 379
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From: Central Valley California
The fried relays occur because the battery voltage is too low to properly operate the relay and it ends up overheating. The result is melted solder connections and or burned contact points inside the relay. On the 1997 and 1998 cars the GM K Harness is usually the relay that frys. That is because there is no Column Lock relay in those two years. The relays for the column lock are inside the BCM on those two years. (an especially poor design IMHO) On the 1999 and later years there is a Column Lock relay that is used to operate the lock motor and that helps protect the relays in the BCM. The relays in the BCM only "trigger" the column lock relay and are therefore not subject to the higher current required to operate the lock motor. The Column Lock relay as well as the GM K Harness can fry in the later year cars when the battery goes low. Further the CL relay is located in the passenger footwell just above the BCM. When the wiper well drains plug up withbugs and mud
(read here about those and how to clean them) http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...eak-checks.htm
water backs up into the car and runs down into the CL relay which hangs under the dash upside down. The CL relay then shorts out causing the column lock symptoms...... Bottom line is that you haven't cleaned out the wiper well drains recently, it's past time to do so.
(read here about those and how to clean them) http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...eak-checks.htm
water backs up into the car and runs down into the CL relay which hangs under the dash upside down. The CL relay then shorts out causing the column lock symptoms...... Bottom line is that you haven't cleaned out the wiper well drains recently, it's past time to do so.
