Rack/steering sensor
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2017
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Rack/steering sensor
I bought my first Corvette (2000) a couple of months ago and have done quite a bit of work to it. Pulled the motor and resealed everything,
replaced front left wheel bearing, new water pump, hazard button, and rack and pinion. After I did the rack I am getting the 1288 and 1281 codes (which I did not have before replacing the rack). I took it to a tire kingdom to have a wheel alignment done but am still getting the codes. Now I know tire kingdom is not the preferred vendor for corvette repairs but thought an alignment would OK. How can I check the steering sensor to confirm if it's bad or good? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Love my Vette!!!!!
replaced front left wheel bearing, new water pump, hazard button, and rack and pinion. After I did the rack I am getting the 1288 and 1281 codes (which I did not have before replacing the rack). I took it to a tire kingdom to have a wheel alignment done but am still getting the codes. Now I know tire kingdom is not the preferred vendor for corvette repairs but thought an alignment would OK. How can I check the steering sensor to confirm if it's bad or good? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Love my Vette!!!!!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,032
Likes: 9,790
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
When you disconnected the steering shaft from the rack did you lock the shaft so it couldn't turn? If not it could have been turned one or more complete turns while disconnected. On cars without a steering sensor that wouldn't make a difference but on ones that have a steering sensor that causes a problem. Turning the wheel too many times can also screw up the air bag clock spring in the steering column so the next question is do you have an air bag light?
The steering sensor may have failed but it seems likely your steering wheel was turned while the work was being done in the engine compartment. It is just to much of a coincidence the sensor starts reading bad right after the work was completed.
Hopefully, all that is needed is to disconnect the steering shaft and turning it in the correct direction to get the steering sensor zeroed. You will need a diagnostic tool like a Tech 2 to read the output of the sensor to see where it's zero point is.
There are other things that can cause this problem one of them being the EBCM, the wiring going to and from the EBCM. Is your car an Active Handling Car or a non Active Handling Car since diagnosis varies depending on whether or not option RPO JL4 is present.
Bill
The steering sensor may have failed but it seems likely your steering wheel was turned while the work was being done in the engine compartment. It is just to much of a coincidence the sensor starts reading bad right after the work was completed.
Hopefully, all that is needed is to disconnect the steering shaft and turning it in the correct direction to get the steering sensor zeroed. You will need a diagnostic tool like a Tech 2 to read the output of the sensor to see where it's zero point is.
There are other things that can cause this problem one of them being the EBCM, the wiring going to and from the EBCM. Is your car an Active Handling Car or a non Active Handling Car since diagnosis varies depending on whether or not option RPO JL4 is present.
Bill
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
When you disconnected the steering shaft from the rack did you lock the shaft so it couldn't turn? If not it could have been turned one or more complete turns while disconnected. On cars without a steering sensor that wouldn't make a difference but on ones that have a steering sensor that causes a problem. Turning the wheel too many times can also screw up the air bag clock spring in the steering column so the next question is do you have an air bag light?
The steering sensor may have failed but it seems likely your steering wheel was turned while the work was being done in the engine compartment. It is just to much of a coincidence the sensor starts reading bad right after the work was completed.
Hopefully, all that is needed is to disconnect the steering shaft and turning it in the correct direction to get the steering sensor zeroed. You will need a diagnostic tool like a Tech 2 to read the output of the sensor to see where it's zero point is.
There are other things that can cause this problem one of them being the EBCM, the wiring going to and from the EBCM. Is your car an Active Handling Car or a non Active Handling Car since diagnosis varies depending on whether or not option RPO JL4 is present.
Bill
The steering sensor may have failed but it seems likely your steering wheel was turned while the work was being done in the engine compartment. It is just to much of a coincidence the sensor starts reading bad right after the work was completed.
Hopefully, all that is needed is to disconnect the steering shaft and turning it in the correct direction to get the steering sensor zeroed. You will need a diagnostic tool like a Tech 2 to read the output of the sensor to see where it's zero point is.
There are other things that can cause this problem one of them being the EBCM, the wiring going to and from the EBCM. Is your car an Active Handling Car or a non Active Handling Car since diagnosis varies depending on whether or not option RPO JL4 is present.
Bill
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,032
Likes: 9,790
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Bill
