hi,
I think some people might be interested,
I solved my steering column problem before the big bill with this product.


a friend of mine had this problem in germany, it cost him 1900euro of breakdown service + 700euro of repair

 

Yes and no.
A quick check on that units price covered to USD has it costing 13,487.67 instead.
Not sure of the price of the unit, but the 2005 steering column lock eliminator is the same device that goes for $62 USD.
https://www.ebay.com/p/1862746687

A quick check on that units price covered to USD has it costing 134.84 USD instead.
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/CORVETTE-C6-...EAAOSwrDxfx5SW


Next, we get into if its the steering column lock, or the steering column lock module the problem to begin with.
Hence may just be a problem that the lock eliminator may resolve, while most of the time with the age of the cars, its the module itself the problem isntead (the black box that the eliminator plugs into).

Now the lovely one, and it was only the 2005 M6 USA cars that had the steering lock on them, while the export cars required steering column locks by the countries they were being imported, and where through out the C6 year runs for those countries.
Considering that GM no longer has the parts to repair, the TSB to take the lock and module is for the later export models with steering column lock as well.

So we start here to take a look at the TSB, skip down to post #3 to open it,
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ng-column.html

So either the locking disc can be replace with the GM non locking disco, or just remove the locking disc, and machine the outer slots section off the disc and reinstall it if you don't want to spend the $35 for the GM replacement parts (or the huge labor to have it replaced by the dealer).


Next comes the BCM re-flash and here is where it gets a bit funky for those abroad, verse those in the states.
TDS will only accept a USA credit card to get the $40 for 2 years account to SPS flash.
So if you are abroad and trying to get the $40 account, would need not only need a USA credit card to first get the account, but would have to VPN with IP in the states to use the account for SPS flashing with either a Tech II or MDI clone.

Note, unless you are using a VPN with USA IP addres ( from abroad), you not going to see the first subscription that is the $40 for two years option.
https://www.acdelcotds.com/subscriptions

So my suggestion for those across the pound, would be to at least do the steering ring mod to start with, since it's the high labor part of the bill from the dealer to start with, then have the dealer do the re-flash to the BCM in the end. Hence the firmware flash is available for the export modules per the TDS, and dealer cost for the flash should be in the $150USD range.
Turn key for the dealer to do everything, it about $450USD in the states, while may be slightly more from abroad GM dealers.

So to sum it up, the steering column lock eliminators are not the way to go anymore, since it's the lock modules themselves often the problem, and not the lock that your trying to bypass isntead.
So the correct way to either preempt strike, or to solve the problem once it does happen, is to have the lock disc replaced, and BCM re-flashed to remove the lock and module out of play from the car via the GM TSB method.

 

Indeed, having said that, in Germany, the prices of import modules are very expensive, and for testing the one you showed me it broke in 6 month because it does not have relay protection and indeed as you pointed out it damages the control unit and creates other defects.

it is absolutely necessary to have one that avoids damaging the lock control otherwise it is another problem that will appear.

 

Again, the steering column lock eliminators, are a band-aid at best, since the steering column lock module at some point from just normal use, is going to go south.
It contains manual relays that will burn out over times from normal uses.



So instead of playing the band aid game for the steering column lock problems with eliminators/replacing the SCLM as it 's relays wear out as well , have the TBS done to just take the steering column lock and module out of play in the system isntead.
Now that GM no longer has the SCL modules or locks, released the BCM re-flash to correct the problem once and for all, its the smart way to solve the problem, even before it happens on the C6 models with steering column locks (both the 2005 M6, and abound cars).

As for the module that I pointed you to and from the builder that makes then, in all the years that he has been making them (since he is the original one that came up with the design), has had only 4 that have every failed, and none of them have taken out the SLCM. Trust is, the eliminator draw less power than the actual steering column lock itself on the relays, so the eliminators prolongs the life of the SCLM, before the relays do wear out.

As for for cost to do the TBS yourself, the locking steering ring is easy to mod to turn it into the none locking type for free, and if you know someone that can SPS program for you, free as well to have the BCM re-flash as well. Worst case wrenching yourself (which you would have to do to install the eliminator), the replacement locking ring parts are about $30usd, and dealer will charge you $150USD to do the BCM reflash.

As for new and improved lock eliminator device you listed, who every came up with that is about 15 years late to the party on a eliminator to start with, and is about 3 year late to the correct solution to the problem which is the TSB #18-NA-346 now.