Column lock letter from GM[merged]
04-13-2010, 07:57 PM
#441
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So, this recall expired in February?! I just got the message and lock-up today (2003 Z06)
Being a technician, am I capable of fixing this myself? or does it need to go to the dealership for any kind of special service work?
Honestly, if I wasnt a technician and able to fix most of this cars problems on my own I'd never own a GM product again. I get check engine lights on a weekly basis for completely random codes that never come back again.
Being a technician, am I capable of fixing this myself? or does it need to go to the dealership for any kind of special service work?
Honestly, if I wasnt a technician and able to fix most of this cars problems on my own I'd never own a GM product again. I get check engine lights on a weekly basis for completely random codes that never come back again.
04-13-2010, 11:28 PM
#442
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Start by checking the battery. Voltage with no key in the ignition measured directly across the battery posts needs to be greater than 12.45 volts. Dash gages will not give you info on battery health. If the voltage is low charge or replace the battery. Most common cause of column lock symptoms is a bad battery or bad battery connections.
If Battery proves good then get the CLB and install it asap. Check for the GM K Harness in series between the BCM connector under the dash and the Actuator connector (wires appear to go up into the column)
Here's a link to a pic of the K harness:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ky-please.html
Then scroll down to the first pic. The relay of the K Harness routinely fails causing the Actuaor to not get the signal from the BCM for lock or unlock hence the symptoms.
If you have a K Harness installed disconnect BOTH ends of it and install the CLB into the female connector attached to the bottom of the dash that goes off to the BCM. Clear all error messages and DTC's (I prefer to just disconnect the neg battery cable for at least 10 minutes but there are other ways to clear).
Here are some good install instructions for the CLB:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=24
Be aware that with a CLB installed the column will no longer lock.
If Battery proves good then get the CLB and install it asap. Check for the GM K Harness in series between the BCM connector under the dash and the Actuator connector (wires appear to go up into the column)
Here's a link to a pic of the K harness:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ky-please.html
Then scroll down to the first pic. The relay of the K Harness routinely fails causing the Actuaor to not get the signal from the BCM for lock or unlock hence the symptoms.
If you have a K Harness installed disconnect BOTH ends of it and install the CLB into the female connector attached to the bottom of the dash that goes off to the BCM. Clear all error messages and DTC's (I prefer to just disconnect the neg battery cable for at least 10 minutes but there are other ways to clear).
Here are some good install instructions for the CLB:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=24
Be aware that with a CLB installed the column will no longer lock.
Q Can anything be done to unlock the steering column once it has locked up?
A Sometimes; turn the ignition OFF and REMOVE the key. Shock your lock motor actuator assembly by jerking the steering wheel against the stops. Re-insert your key and try again.
...and it worked!
Next question... now that the car is operating as it is supposed to for the time being, should I even bother with the K-harness? or just go straight for the CLB? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the CLB seems to be the easiest solution...
04-14-2010, 01:01 AM
#443
Heel & Toe
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I'm getting in on the end of this long post so please excuse perhaps a dumb question... do I understand this problem is only affecting cars through 2001 (e.g. 2002 cars and forward do not need to worry about adding a CLB?)
thanks!
thanks!
04-14-2010, 06:41 PM
#444
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I see what you were saying now. I guess I was just wondering if the K-harness will fix the problem and keep the car the way that the GM engineers have decided that it should be. But now that I think about all the other things they've screwed up on this car, I'll just go straight for the CLB. Thanks for the help!!
04-20-2010, 06:18 PM
#446
My car is at the dealership with this problem now. The steering wheel will lock up most of the time when it sits overnight. I shook the wheel and got it to release and took it into the dealership. But they're charging me $247 to do this recall...? They said it was done in 2005, but 04006C didn't come out till 2006. So theres no way they did this recall and now they are trying to get me to pay them to do it. How can they get away with this?
It shows on their computer that 04006 was done but it doesn't show a, b, or c. I'm guessing it was B and now they are telling me that C was just a bulletin that wasnt a real recall, but that it replaced B and now B doesn't exist so they cant show me what work they did. They want to do this recall to remove the locking plate, but they say, "since the recall was already done, we can't do it for free". What a mess.
It shows on their computer that 04006 was done but it doesn't show a, b, or c. I'm guessing it was B and now they are telling me that C was just a bulletin that wasnt a real recall, but that it replaced B and now B doesn't exist so they cant show me what work they did. They want to do this recall to remove the locking plate, but they say, "since the recall was already done, we can't do it for free". What a mess.
Last edited by noahdr; 04-20-2010 at 06:20 PM.
04-20-2010, 09:53 PM
#447
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the dealer is correct. Get your check book out.
GM had multiple variations of the recall service, 04006, 04006A, 04006B, and 04006C. They are responsible for only one free service to your car under the recall agreement they signed with NHTSA. The recall was because it was possible to drive the car with the column locked under certain conditions. The fix for that is in all of the above variations of the recall. Namely they set the fuel shutoff speed to 2mph so that if the BCM thinks the column is locked and the driver attempts to drive the car the fuel gets shutoff at 2mph. The other things they were doing at the same time as setting the fuel shutoff were NOT required by NHTSA. They were GM 's futile attempts to keep the car from leaving the driver stranded with a fuel shutoff or a locked column. Those never worked with 100% reliability ever. However the fuel shutoff does work with 100% reliability to prevent the car from being driven when the BCM thinks the column is locked.
Your first mistake was taking the car to the dealer in the first place! Your problem could have been resolved if you had posted on this board when you started experiencing the column lock related problems.
Now you got to pay the piper his $247 for work that didn't need to be done................ By the way you can still experience the fuel shutoff even after they do this 04006C variation of the column lock service so your problems are not ended yet........
GM had multiple variations of the recall service, 04006, 04006A, 04006B, and 04006C. They are responsible for only one free service to your car under the recall agreement they signed with NHTSA. The recall was because it was possible to drive the car with the column locked under certain conditions. The fix for that is in all of the above variations of the recall. Namely they set the fuel shutoff speed to 2mph so that if the BCM thinks the column is locked and the driver attempts to drive the car the fuel gets shutoff at 2mph. The other things they were doing at the same time as setting the fuel shutoff were NOT required by NHTSA. They were GM 's futile attempts to keep the car from leaving the driver stranded with a fuel shutoff or a locked column. Those never worked with 100% reliability ever. However the fuel shutoff does work with 100% reliability to prevent the car from being driven when the BCM thinks the column is locked.
Your first mistake was taking the car to the dealer in the first place! Your problem could have been resolved if you had posted on this board when you started experiencing the column lock related problems.
Now you got to pay the piper his $247 for work that didn't need to be done................ By the way you can still experience the fuel shutoff even after they do this 04006C variation of the column lock service so your problems are not ended yet........
I also read that the fuel cutoff could be disabled with a tech 2, but I know GM won't do that. Is there any truth to this? Can someone reprogram the computer to disable the fuel cutoff, or do I need to cross some wires to fix it?
06-04-2011, 07:30 PM
#448
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99 a4 corvttte column lock
can anybody help me , i have a 1999 c-5 with automatic the car will start but as soon as i start to move it stalls , there is a message saying ,service column lock , i call the dealer and they said that the recall has bin done to this car , the wheel is not locked,
06-04-2011, 11:50 PM
#449
Burning Brakes
Thanks for the reply. They haven't done the work yet. I'm wondering if I get my car back and do the CLB from corvettes of houston after I unhook the battery will it work properly? Or do they need to reflash the computer before the CLB will work? I'm hoping I can shake the wheel loose and hook up the CLB before the system starts messing up.
I also read that the fuel cutoff could be disabled with a tech 2, but I know GM won't do that. Is there any truth to this? Can someone reprogram the computer to disable the fuel cutoff, or do I need to cross some wires to fix it?
I also read that the fuel cutoff could be disabled with a tech 2, but I know GM won't do that. Is there any truth to this? Can someone reprogram the computer to disable the fuel cutoff, or do I need to cross some wires to fix it?
06-05-2011, 06:55 AM
#450
Le Mans Master
Absolutely, the newer ones are worse than the original versions.
06-07-2011, 08:18 PM
#451
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vette driving me crazy got any matches?
ok here we go i am having that coulmn lock problem ,the message is on the dash and will not go away, and the car will shut down at 2 mph, the car was in for the recall and the wheel is not locked , i took out the k wire that the dealer put in and put in the column lock bypass, reset all codes, took out fuses stated to remove for 10 min. and reinstalled them, took out the bmc for 1 hour, took the battery out for 24 hours , still no change , the message is still coming up for column lock or to remove key for 10 sec,
what should i do next? please help
what should i do next? please help
06-08-2011, 08:40 AM
#454
Racer
I'm the 2nd owner of a '03 Z06 salvage vehicle that I recently purchased. The "Service Column Lock" message always displays upon start-up, but none of the theft detterents are employed: I'm still able to steer and drive at more than 2 mph. The original owner obviously had this serviced. In fact, even w/no keys in the ignition, the steering column does not lock, which leads me to assume that either the column lock was removed or the by-pass thingy was utilized. But why do I keep getting the message in the display? It's a pain in the butt to keep resetting the display after every start-up. Is there a quick and easy fix to this or should I just keep driving,resetting the display and just forget about it?
06-09-2011, 08:40 PM
#455
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thank you very much for the info, the battery is new, but i did not check the cl relay, so i will and i will also clear to make sure i am clearing codes correctly
06-09-2011, 09:28 PM
#458
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also when i cleared to codes, it did say that there was no code in all section , and when i turned the key off, the service coulmn lock ,came right back on display without putting the key to on
06-10-2011, 06:47 PM
#459
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car is running now , i had the speed shop change the fuel shut off, and he also checked the relay on pass. side it was good, ,he said i have a bad bcm, he is going to repair the bcm ,for a very fair price of $150, stated 2 relays inside the bcm are bad