Ray383

I have been getting the service column lock warning since I bought the car a few months back. The car usually starts normally. While driving the service column lock warning is displayed. This happens about 75% of the time. Lately, it doesn't want to start without a few dozen attempts. I bought a module to bypass it.

Here is the twist: when I went to install it, there was one in there already. I thought it must have gone bad. I replaced it with the new one. It still gives me the column lock alarm and won't start. Any ideas what else could be wrong? All the pins at the connection points look good.

EVRose

Have you tried disconnecting the battery for a while?

Ray383

I've disconnected it a few time for 30 seconds or so. Ill disconnect for longer, but not sure what the science behind that is. I'll try anything once.

Dano523

Spray electrical contact cleaner.

Pull the SLM (the one that the eliminator plugs into, and clean it's socket pins, and the main car harness connector pins that plugs into it.

Before you put it back in the car and connect the harness to it, use some dielectric grease on a Q tip to grease the SLM socket pins.

Short of this, bad eliminator, cold solder joint on the SLM board that needs to be re-soldered, or you have problems with the connectors at the RCDLR/BCM that you need to pull the connectors and clean/grease them as well.

schizcat

Get a new battery.

Ray383

Cleaned all the connectors really well. I don't see any obvious issues with the circuit board. Battery reads 12.5V with the car off and 14.2V at idle. Constantly getting the Service Column Lock message, but the car usually starts anyways. The code is still active while the car is running.

Is it typical to be able to start the car and have it run with the SCL error displayed?

Dano523

No, and the glitch, since if you get the service steering column lock, it should not allow the car to start in isntead.

So the eliminator is tricking the car into thinking that the steering lock is unlocked to allow the car to start to begin with, but when driving it, losing the signal or one of the modules is losing power, and why your getting the message with the car running and the module powering back up instead.

Ray383

That's the strange part. I put the car in accessory mode and it reads Service Column Lock. Then it starts and still displays the error. Or I have to try multiple times to get it to start. Seems random.

schizcat

Could be a bad eliminator .... or you need a new battery or just replace the whole damn lock instead of using the eliminator.

EVRose

I don't have a M6 so I don't know from experience but have read on here that the SCL message cannot be on the dic when you install the eliminator. If it is it will stay in the locked position even after you install the eliminator.