caribou1

Hello everyone. New to the forum. Abt 2 weeks ago I had the column lock on my '99 MN6 coupe. Did manage to get it free by jerking the wheel with key on so I could drive it home. That night I ordered the CLB (one of the $100 units not the great deal being offered by JMX). CLB arrives and I install in a snap with no problems. Start the car up and begin backing out of my driveway and after about 30 feet the column locks up!!?? No amount of jerking or pulling will free it this time. Disconnect CLB and put everything back like it was and column unlocks. End up taking it to the dealer where they replace the actuator (recall had already been done on this car). Now I don't know what to do with the CLB. I mean if it locked backing out of my drive couldn't I just as easily been doing 70 on the freeway. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

jmX

Did you use their cigarette lighter adapter to unlock the column? The steering wheel probably "felt" unlocked because you can turn it 10 degrees or so either direction before the lock engages, but in actuality, it was locked so as soon as you tried to back and turn the wheel a hair it locked.

Reinstall the $100 bypass and use the cigarette adapter to unlock the wheel. Once it is unlocked, it will never lock again since you've disconnected the wiring harness.

If you did all that in the first place, I don't know what to say. With no electricity going to the column lock it seems impossible?

Jon

Saving41

:iagree:

caribou1

Yes I did all that and column was not locked. Wheel would move freely. I heard the electric motor engage the lock when I was backing up. Your right, seems impossible to me too.

jmX

That is very odd...something is afoul. Did you try turning the wheel 90 degrees back and forth after you unlocked it, to verify it was fully unlocked?

It takes a fair amount of juice to move the locking pin so it seems impossible for static electricity or something of that nature to cause it to lock.

If the cigarette lighter adapter was wired backwards, you'd probably think it was unlocked (and may even feen unlocked if hte pin hadn't latched)...but that wouldn't explain you hearing the lock engaging while driving.

:confused:


[Modified by jmX, 5:16 PM 8/11/2003]

jeanlucpicard

Caribou1 -

I just went thru this entire ordeal myself on my 2001 MN6. You must FIRST have the faulty column lock actuator and control module replaced / repaired / serviced BEFORE you can install the CLB bypass kit - or the CLB kit will not work.

I tried doing the CLB before I took the car in for service and the CLB would not work for me either. Your instructions should address this.

I installed my CLB at the dealer, in the service bay, while everyone watched - took 4 minutes, including the fuse 25/29 pull and wait time - and things have been perfect! Small tip, use the auxillary power chute in your center console since the cigarette lighter will not power up with the key out of the ignition.

Now that you have had the dealer fix the column lock, install the CLB by following the instructions that came in the kit. You should also pull fuses 25 and 29, wait 1-2 minutes, reinstall fuses and then start the car. Voila! Simple and perfect. :thumbs:

If after you do all of this you still get the "service column lock...pull key..." message you may find that you will be able to start the car but that any speed over 1-1/2 mph will cause the PCM to cut power to the injectors - the engine will die. That's part of the idiotic alledged theft deterent system that GM put on the car. This is the same system that left my wife and I stranded on the side of a desert highway 100 miles from Santa Fe, New Mexico with no help in sight, cell phone out of range, etc. Decorum prevents me from truly expressing my thoughts about the idiots who came up with the column lock.

Good luck.


[Modified by jeanlucpicard, 8:07 PM 8/11/2003]


[Modified by jeanlucpicard, 8:12 PM 8/11/2003]

sacsrpc

Is it possible that when you installed the CLb you did not attach it to the right harness, there is another 4 pin connector right next to the Column lock connector. Although it is not identical, if your clb had a generic adapter it would probably fit.

chuckster

Dude, if you installed the CLB in the right place it would be "IMPOSSIBLE" for the lock motor to work...It's totally disconnected "Dead"

The Bypass does exactly that.. It simulates the fact that the motor is engaging and disengaging..

johnnyvettes

:iagree:

1964VETTE

As has been pointed out, the actuator is a electro-mechanical device and as such should not function once any source of power is removed. However, it does not prevent a truly mechanical failure to cause problems even without a source for power. If the actuator assembly is cracked, broken plastic or metal pieces are loose near the locking ring, the locking pin is sheared or partially sheared, the locking ring is loose or damaged, a stripped or partially stripped drive, or who knows what could all account for continuing problems. After 25,000 service claims GM is focusing on the actuator. Maybe it's their best guess, I don't know. At this point I don't count anything out.

LEC