posted
Thanks again chewy, will order mine as soon as possible...but one thing, what does he mean under FAQ'S....
"however I now prefer the method where the car/key do the unlocking like normal. There is no greater chance of a cigarette adapter unlocking a stuck lock over just using the key. "
He says "car/key"....so your alarm lock/unlock will still work right...?? just wanna make sure Posts: 57 | From: Houston | Registered: Apr 2007
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The original CLB's available to be purchased included a cable that temporarily plugged into the lock on one end and the cigarette lighter on the other end. The purpose was to position the column lock pin into the unlocked position so you can install the CLB itself. It looks like he now preferrs to just let the car unlock the pin on its own. The alarm is not affected, the column lock is all that this gizmo will change.
Using a CLB, unlocking the pin is just the first thing you need to do, then unplugging it from the car makes sure it won't return to the locked position (no power = no movement), then connecting the CLB gizmo to the car fools the car into thinking that the lock is functioning properly.
For the dealer recall, they take apart the steering column and install a plate without any holes so the locking pin can't engage anything. Same effect, different method, but it's possible for the moving parts to still fail at a later date.
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I drive a beautiful 2001 torch red coupe that has an ongoing flaw with the column lock. Just this morning, while TRYING to drive to work (the place I go almost everyday so that I can afford to drive GM's ultimate symbol of automotive expression), the CL showed its dark side and it took no less that a half dozen "PULL KEY WAIT 10SEC" to get lucky enough to leave my driveway. I took the car to my local dealer last month to have the fix performed. When I arrived to pick up the car I was told that the "fix" had already been addressed at another dealer on behalf of the car's previous, and only, owner. My dealer decided that the problem must reside somewhere else in the electrical system and declined to do anything but give me the option to give them Carte Blanc to dig into the car while the meter is running on my bill. My thought on the situation is this; Why does my dealer ASSume that the previous "fix" was performed correctly? Is General Motors so arrogant to believe that they could not possible fail at fixing something. Does this mean that anytime a GM dealer fixes something it is absolutly fixed? : Has GM never installed a part that was defective out of the box? Has Mr. Goodwrench never made a mistake? Is it GM's contention that customer service is allowing a customer to drive out of the service department with a potentially crippling problem because they are to arrogant to admit the possibility of a mistake? Is GM's mission statement "like it or Lump it"? Should GM's new slogan be "An American Revolution in Inept and Insulting "service"? I feel like my dealer shot my intelligence a bird! I know this post has gotten long, please forgive me, I need to vent. Is there another inroad to getting GM to take responsibility for this design flaw? Thanks for any info! Good Luck fellow Vette friends!
-------------------- You Vetteya! Posts: 15 | From: decatur, alabama | Registered: Jun 2007
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After the original recall on the column lock I believe a second recall came out that was only for those cars that had completed the first one. The dealer here ended up replacing the wiring for my CL, at no cost to me. Low voltage from a weak battery can cause problems, so be sure to check that out.
If you can't get satisfaction localy then move up to the company level and talk with a GM service rep.
I'm sure others here can give you more specifics. Good luck and keep us posted.
posted
Thanks for the advice smokensparks! I appreciate your reply. I will do this. I will begin the search for a sympathetic service rep. Nice vert by the way. I don't see many c5's here in Alabama with the magnesium wheels. Hope you guys out in Nevada are not as miserably hot as we are in North Alabama right now!
-------------------- You Vetteya! Posts: 15 | From: decatur, alabama | Registered: Jun 2007
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Friends...long time, no post. Its obvious by some of my previous posts that i know nothing about my sweet ride. Hell, I don't care. I have learned so much by reading this forum mostly on a daily basis..Mine is an '01 coupe.I'm in love with my car, but ready to divorce it...
I have just experienced my first "column lock." Happened in Raleigh last Tues. Car parked outside all day. 105 deg. temp. Started it after work, everything worked perfectly. Except, the steering wheel locked up. DIC says , pull key, wait 10 seconds...that didn't work. Friend says to disconnect the battery and wait a while. Then reconnect, blah-blah. It then worked fine. Same thing, same place the next day. Disc. battery, 1 hr. later i'm in business. Straight to the nearest dealer (stealer)...We had the original recall done 2 years ago here in town. Now the dealer says that recall wasn't part of whats happening now.
This new dealer says that our original recall has been done. Has there been another?? We were never notified if there was. The new dealer also says our problem was created by a "star" connector, and had corroded..
Now........how can a 40G+ car be disabled by a 50 cent go***m ... Is this what we all have to look forward to? Whats next? Is this lock-up going to happen again when i'm running out the country road ? Is GM so uncaring and cheap to put junk ass parts in our rides. I might could understand it in a GEO Metro or something, but, puhleeze...THESE ARE VETTES!!!!
Sorry for the long post, but i'm seriously thinking of getting rid of my sweet ride before I or my wife die behind the wheel..Ready to get a nice boat. and join you all in the class-action lawsuit..See you on the water Posts: 14 | From: Coastal NC | Registered: Oct 2004
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Hi All, new owner of a '99 and new column lock patsey. Mine was BCM lost some memory -- column locked up while moving -- GM directed me to Dealer -- Dealer fixed BCM and charged me -- GM says not covered due to problem cause. Still pursuing, and very interested in any class actions. If there are any other 'actual' fixes, I would be most greatful for the advice. Thanks, redfred
I don't want to doubt you on your first post, but to my knowledge there has never been a verified case of a C5 column lock actually unlocking and then re-locking while a car was in motion. It just doesn't work that way. It is possible on some models that the lock never disengaged when the car was first started, then as you started moving it stays locked. In that case the car should turn itself off when you get to 5 or so MPH.
If something did go wrong with the BCM, and the dealer charged you to fix it, that's pretty much normal. If they charged you to "fix" the column lock so it doesn't lock, then that's BS. There is an open recall out for all C5's that came with a lock to have it disabled. There's no class action suits against GM, the recall covers all that.
If your column still locks you have a choice. Get a dealer to disable it for free using the current recall, or buy yourself and install a CLB
You can go to myGMlink.com and register your car to see any open recalls, plus a bunch of other neat stuff.
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Thanks for the response, Chewy. I will be going back to get this disabled, and I had seen the note (and link) for the myGMlink registration and actually filled it out prior to my post. I had picked the car up from my Brother's estate and the GMlink will not give me any info until sending in a copy of the registration -- somehow the VIN is not in the system or they need proof of ownership. As soon as I'm able to, will check out the recall notices. I really was able to start the car, pull completely out of a parking space -- turning the wheel 3/4 turn, and the column locked. I was not moving fast, however was in gear and under power. The car did not shut off and I just backed right back into the space (cockeyed at that time) without being able to turn the wheel. So I did not get far and didn't test it again to see if I would be able to go further. When the flatbed arrived everything was free (just like the instruction to pull the key and wait...), however I still had them take it to the Dealer GM sent me to. I have read all the notes I could find on this, and you're right -- no one really mentions being able to move the wheel first. I swear (more now since this happened and when it happened) that it did happen just as stated above. Do I have an exceptionally strange car? Love the car -- not the issue. Thanks again for your help.
posted
UPDATE BCM has been replaced --- no new issues with the column for the last three days and 18 combined starts. Hope that takes care of it for at least the immediate future.
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that has an ongoing flaw with the column lock. Just this morning, while TRYING to drive to work (the place I go almost everyday so that I can afford to drive GM's ultimate symbol of automotive expression), the CL showed its dark side ![[Darth Vader]](graemlins/darthvader.gif)
and it took no less that a half dozen "PULL KEY WAIT 10SEC" to get lucky enough to leave my driveway. ![[Banging Head]](graemlins/banghead.gif)
I took the car to my local dealer last month to have the fix performed. When I arrived to pick up the car I was told that the "fix" had already been addressed at another dealer on behalf of the car's previous, and only, owner. My dealer decided that the problem must reside somewhere else in the electrical system and declined to do anything but give me the option to give them Carte Blanc to dig into the car while the meter is running on my bill. ![[Hammer]](graemlins/hammer.gif)
My thought on the situation is this; Why does my dealer ASSume that the previous "fix" was performed correctly? ![[I am With Stupid]](graemlins/withstupid.gif)
Is General Motors so arrogant to believe that they could not possible fail at fixing something. ![[Angel]](graemlins/angel.gif)
Does this mean that anytime a GM dealer fixes something it is absolutly fixed? : Has GM never installed a part that was defective out of the box? Has Mr. Goodwrench never made a mistake? Is it GM's contention that customer service is allowing a customer to drive out of the service department with a potentially crippling problem because they are to arrogant to admit the possibility of a mistake? ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Is GM's mission statement "like it or Lump it"? Should GM's new slogan be "An American Revolution in Inept and Insulting "service"? I feel like my dealer shot my intelligence a bird! I know this post has gotten long, please forgive me, I need to vent. Is there another inroad to getting GM to take responsibility for this design flaw? Thanks for any info! Good Luck fellow Vette friends! 
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