Help!!! Steering is locked.
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 109
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From: Staten Island, NY
Sounds like the dreaded "Service Column Lock" which has afflicted many C5's. You can try to yank really hard in either direction on the wheel with the car running to see if you can free it up. Otherwise it looks like you will need to be towed to the dealer. There have been several recalls related to this matter.....some have helped and others have not.
Here is how I got my steering column unlocked: Use your right hand and pull the steering wheel clockwise very hard. At the same time, use your left hand to turn the ignition to the on position. Try this a few times, I hope this helps.
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 27
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From: Camdenton, Missouri
Originally Posted by Cgillies86
Here is how I got my steering column unlocked: Use your right hand and pull the steering wheel clockwise very hard. At the same time, use your left hand to turn the ignition to the on position. Try this a few times, I hope this helps.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 90
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From: South Coffeyville, Ok
Well I got It unlocked, but I was wondering if I should just buy one of those modlues from like thunder racing or since it is a recall should I just take it to the shop. And Also Is it possible for this thing to lock up while I'm driving?
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 23
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From: Waveland, MS
Here is what I would do, as this is what I did to mine:
1.) With the key on, using your right hand (or left I guess), jerk the wheel really hard back and forth like your shuffle-steering with a lot of fast rapid power. It feels kinda like frustration panic. Don't ask me how I now. You'll feel the clacking of the metal as you do it, but you need to shock the hell out of it to get it clear. Once you get it loose, you need to just turn the key off and leave it alone.
2.) Order the Column Lock Bypass from Thunder Racing (or any other vendor for that matter). Once you put it in, you won't have any problems. It also cured the gas cutoff on mine for whatever reason as well.
Supposedly, the column cannot lock while the car is running. Yours probably occurred when you first tried to crank it. At least I have never heard of anyone's locking while driving it.
The CLB is one of the best bucks ever spent on my car. BTW, up until mine locked up, I had read all the threads on it. It's even a sticky on the C5 section of corvetteforum.com. I paid no attention to it until it got me. With the column lock, it's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when it's going to happen.
1.) With the key on, using your right hand (or left I guess), jerk the wheel really hard back and forth like your shuffle-steering with a lot of fast rapid power. It feels kinda like frustration panic. Don't ask me how I now. You'll feel the clacking of the metal as you do it, but you need to shock the hell out of it to get it clear. Once you get it loose, you need to just turn the key off and leave it alone.
2.) Order the Column Lock Bypass from Thunder Racing (or any other vendor for that matter). Once you put it in, you won't have any problems. It also cured the gas cutoff on mine for whatever reason as well.
Supposedly, the column cannot lock while the car is running. Yours probably occurred when you first tried to crank it. At least I have never heard of anyone's locking while driving it.
The CLB is one of the best bucks ever spent on my car. BTW, up until mine locked up, I had read all the threads on it. It's even a sticky on the C5 section of corvetteforum.com. I paid no attention to it until it got me. With the column lock, it's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when it's going to happen.
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if you have the dealer install the "recall" fix, you'll end up with another relay under the dash that may/may not work. Just buy the CLB and plug it in yourself. If it takes you more than ten minutes, you should put down the beer while working.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Waveland, MS
Originally Posted by Todd157k
if you have the dealer install the "recall" fix, you'll end up with another relay under the dash that may/may not work. Just buy the CLB and plug it in yourself. If it takes you more than ten minutes, you should put down the beer while working.
Buy the thunderracing bypass module for $50. Had one on mine for 2 years with ZERO problems. It used to lockup all the time, even after BS recalls. Everyone I know has done the same as me.
The grabbing the wheel to the right hard and turning the key normally will free it up though.
The grabbing the wheel to the right hard and turning the key normally will free it up though.
Caution if your car is manual the recall from dealer is also a reflash of the PCM. So if your car has bigger injectors or a performance tune consider it gone. Trust me it was not fun when I got that call. Before I brought the car in I was told they were going to look at it and order the recall parts. Dealer=Jackasses for the most part.