SERVICE COLUMN LOCK message
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 325
Likes: 1
From: Nothern Illinois
SERVICE COLUMN LOCK message
We bought our '05 in May, manual transmission, of course. It had only 12,500 miles on it. We love this car!!! It now has 15,500 miles.
Yesterday we were working hard at cleaning stuff out the garage so that a daily driver could share the space with two Corvettes over winter. After the '05 was pulled out, the engine died and the SERVICE COLUMN LOCK message appeared. Fortunately it started again later and it's now back in the garage.
Also, the battery went dead last month, the week before we took an 1,100 mile trip to show our daughter and her hubby our new addition (they have 3 vettes).
Has anyone here had similar events happen?
Typed by the last I in Jimini
Yesterday we were working hard at cleaning stuff out the garage so that a daily driver could share the space with two Corvettes over winter. After the '05 was pulled out, the engine died and the SERVICE COLUMN LOCK message appeared. Fortunately it started again later and it's now back in the garage.
Also, the battery went dead last month, the week before we took an 1,100 mile trip to show our daughter and her hubby our new addition (they have 3 vettes).
Has anyone here had similar events happen?
Typed by the last I in Jimini
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 82,175
Likes: 1,319
From: McKinney TX
St. Jude Donor '21-'22-'23-'24
Please use another color for future messages.
Yes, column lock was a problem in some 2005 C6s with manual tranny. The column lock was eliminated beginning with the 06 C6s. You might do a search, since some here had that problem with their 05s. Hopefully, others here with more information will chime in.
Yes, column lock was a problem in some 2005 C6s with manual tranny. The column lock was eliminated beginning with the 06 C6s. You might do a search, since some here had that problem with their 05s. Hopefully, others here with more information will chime in.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 17,373
Likes: 6
From: Chatsworth California
Please use another color for future messages.
Yes, column lock was a problem in some 2005 C6s with manual tranny. The column lock was eliminated beginning with the 06 C6s. You might do a search, since some here had that problem with their 05s. Hopefully, others here with more information will chime in.
Yes, column lock was a problem in some 2005 C6s with manual tranny. The column lock was eliminated beginning with the 06 C6s. You might do a search, since some here had that problem with their 05s. Hopefully, others here with more information will chime in.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,064
Likes: 6
From: Pinellas Park Florida
Whenever there is an issue with the steering column lock, your 05 car will not be allowed start. This is for your safety; the C5 would start even with a SCL error, and sometimes the SCL would engage while the car was moving. Anyway, once the problem has abated the car will start. Normally, you can force the issue by wiggling the steering wheel hard on the lock. You should take the car to the dealer to see if any codes pull up with the TechII
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 57,408
Likes: 164
From: queensbury ny
So here's what you do.Get a reflash from the dealer since there was a recall a while back because COLUMN LOCK is very dangerous,could be fatal,IF it happens on the road while driving,which has happened in some C5's.The dead battery might be DBS which you need a reflash for too from the dealer.There is also a "column lock bypass" kit out there somewhere.Install it as well to avoid this issue.Your battery will die if not left in reverse and because of DBS.Get that reflash the get a battery tender to avoid that issue.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
This message usually appears when your battery is low and in your case it should be replaced since it failed before. It is a common message and has happened on many C6's. There is a flash for 2005's with a BDS problem. I did not get the flash on my 05 due to I've never had DBS. I don't want them to cause another problem trying to fix one I don't have. 
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 13,934
Likes: 4,257
From: NC
Let me get in this as I feel you are getting some info that is not quite correct. DBS (dead battery syndrome) is a condition that afflicted manual transmission 2005's. On some 2005's, even though they were shut down correctly (in reverse), would "wake up" and run the battery down. This was random (my 2005 did it 3 times in 18 months). GM figured out what was causing this and issued a TSB (technical service bulletin) around September of 2006. The fix is a computer re-flash, done by the dealer. As far as the "Service Column Lock" message, my 2005 showed this message whenever the battery was dead or low (low enough so the car wouldn't start). Once the battery was re-charged, the message went away (and required NO dealer service). The column lock was a HUGE issue on C5's (1997 - 2004) and there were column lock bypasses available. I have never heard of someone installing a bypass on a 2005 C6 (not to say it hasn't been done). I have also never heard of the column lock engaging (and locking the steering wheel) while someone was driving. On my two C5's, the malfunction always occured when STARTING the car.
Jimmy
Jimmy
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
Let me get in this as I feel you are getting some info that is not quite correct. DBS (dead battery syndrome) is a condition that afflicted manual transmission 2005's. On some 2005's, even though they were shut down correctly (in reverse), would "wake up" and run the battery down. This was random (my 2005 did it 3 times in 18 months). GM figured out what was causing this and issued a TSB (technical service bulletin) around September of 2006. The fix is a computer re-flash, done by the dealer. As far as the "Service Column Lock" message, my 2005 showed this message whenever the battery was dead or low (low enough so the car wouldn't start). Once the battery was re-charged, the message went away (and required NO dealer service). The column lock was a HUGE issue on C5's (1997 - 2004) and there were column lock bypasses available. I have never heard of someone installing a bypass on a 2005 C6 (not to say it hasn't been done). I have also never heard of the column lock engaging (and locking the steering wheel) while someone was driving. On my two C5's, the malfunction always occured when STARTING the car.
Jimmy
Jimmy