Column Lock Eliminator; definitive answer?
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Burnsville Minnesota
Column Lock Eliminator; definitive answer?
First, let me acknowledge that this issue has been well exercised over the past several years. I've searched the forum and have read as my posts as I can find.
I am a brand new owner of a 2005 C6 which I just got from my dad. There is no column lock eliminator in the car, and as far as I can tell, it has the original column lock (28K miles).
I have no issue buying & installing a column lock eliminator--but I've read a few things that make me a little nervous. Specifically:
- Comments that installation can create other issues like damaging the steering column lock control module or the body control module
- The original designer/seller is no longer associated with Corvette World of Houston, and there have been problems with the new inventory
Now that the eliminators have been available for several years, is there a definitive answer on this? Should I buy/install an eliminator to prevent future issues? Or am I better off leaving it as-is in a car that's not had any column lock issues?
And if the recommendation is "buy", then which one? Corvette World of Houston? eBay? Somewhere else?
Thanks!!
Jay
I am a brand new owner of a 2005 C6 which I just got from my dad. There is no column lock eliminator in the car, and as far as I can tell, it has the original column lock (28K miles).
I have no issue buying & installing a column lock eliminator--but I've read a few things that make me a little nervous. Specifically:
- Comments that installation can create other issues like damaging the steering column lock control module or the body control module
- The original designer/seller is no longer associated with Corvette World of Houston, and there have been problems with the new inventory
Now that the eliminators have been available for several years, is there a definitive answer on this? Should I buy/install an eliminator to prevent future issues? Or am I better off leaving it as-is in a car that's not had any column lock issues?
And if the recommendation is "buy", then which one? Corvette World of Houston? eBay? Somewhere else?
Thanks!!
Jay
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,036
Likes: 9,798
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
It might never be an issue on that car. I had two C5s with the column lock. Owned each one for 6 years and only had one issue with the column lock which occurred in a parking lot when the battery in my C5Z shorted out while the engine was running and stalled the car. That upset the column lock sequence and it kept the car from moving once we tried jumpstarting the car. A flatbed trip to the dealer where they replaced the battery and rest the column lock and I never had another issue with the column lock. I knew of plenty of other people who never had issues with it either. If your Dad's car hasn't had an issue by this time it more than likely won't have one.
Bill
Bill
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,629
Only the 2005 manual trans has the steering column lock.
Yes, you want to install the eliminator, even if your lock is working fine now.
The two problems with the lock is that the gear drive starts to get binding and will not allow the lock to unlock all the way, or worse, the battery is low, and does not send enough power to the lock to fully unlock it instead. Until the lock unlocks all the way and sends the needed resistance value to the module to tell it that is is unlocked, the car will not start (there is a difference in the resistance values of the lock locked, and unlocked).
The steering column lock assembly stays in the car unlocked, and the eliminator sends the needed resistance values to the module so it thinks the lock is still in play.
When you pull the instrument gauge out of the dash, put a towel on top of the column plastic piece to keep from scratch it with the bottom of the gauge panel.
Yes, you want to install the eliminator, even if your lock is working fine now.
The two problems with the lock is that the gear drive starts to get binding and will not allow the lock to unlock all the way, or worse, the battery is low, and does not send enough power to the lock to fully unlock it instead. Until the lock unlocks all the way and sends the needed resistance value to the module to tell it that is is unlocked, the car will not start (there is a difference in the resistance values of the lock locked, and unlocked).
The steering column lock assembly stays in the car unlocked, and the eliminator sends the needed resistance values to the module so it thinks the lock is still in play.
When you pull the instrument gauge out of the dash, put a towel on top of the column plastic piece to keep from scratch it with the bottom of the gauge panel.
Last edited by Dano523; Jun 24, 2014 at 04:48 PM.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Burnsville Minnesota
Thanks guys for the insights; I'll give this some more thought. My wife and I plan to use the car for weekend trips, so reliability is a huge deal to me.
If I end up buying an eliminator, any advice on which one/where to purchase?
If I end up buying an eliminator, any advice on which one/where to purchase?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,629
You only have two choices, so it does not really matter.
The Ebay seller was the one building them for Corvettes of Houston before he went independent and starting selling them through Ebay himself, and Corvette of Houston has the bugs worked out now for the ones that they build themselves to sell through the dealership.
As for the bug, its just that they are soldering wires/resistors to a board type relay, and if you get the relay posts too hot during soldering, it destroys the contractor pads in the relay to cause the unit will be defective from the start.
The gist of the device. 12V DPDT Locking relay, and the car just reveres the continuity of the 12V wire pair, voltage coil side when it sends voltage to lock or unlock the device. On the contact side of the relay, you have two different resistors that change the resistance on the signal wire pair as the car send the lock or unlock reverse voltage.
Note, if you want to build one yourself, Mouser has all the parts needed for around $20.
The Ebay seller was the one building them for Corvettes of Houston before he went independent and starting selling them through Ebay himself, and Corvette of Houston has the bugs worked out now for the ones that they build themselves to sell through the dealership.
As for the bug, its just that they are soldering wires/resistors to a board type relay, and if you get the relay posts too hot during soldering, it destroys the contractor pads in the relay to cause the unit will be defective from the start.
The gist of the device. 12V DPDT Locking relay, and the car just reveres the continuity of the 12V wire pair, voltage coil side when it sends voltage to lock or unlock the device. On the contact side of the relay, you have two different resistors that change the resistance on the signal wire pair as the car send the lock or unlock reverse voltage.
Note, if you want to build one yourself, Mouser has all the parts needed for around $20.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Burnsville Minnesota
Great information, thanks! The last time I worked with a soldering iron I eliminated my fingerprints. I think I'll leave that to the pros!!
