It might but the point is the GM engineer that looked into says that the PCM needs all of the necessary signals to both start and shut off the engine.

 

But John, you and I both know that engineers like to overcomplicate things. I'll bet it is possible. On the C5 if your instrument cluster dies, it just sets the loss of coms codes, nothing else is affected. I have to believe that it would be something similar otherwise the engine would die and leave you stranded in your Z06 if any of the other components quit working.

 

You mean like the C5 column lock? It may be possible though, I just don't want to spend the time and money to find out..

 

Isn't the C5 column lock a mechanical failure?

 

I think that the problem with the pushbutton start feature is that you need that circuit to signal the starter. It would be analogous to the ignition switch going out in my '69 Olds. If you can't energize the starter, you can't very well start the engine. In either case you'd be stranded.

I think the good news for those of us that want to use stock PCMs is that all the V8 applications are switching to the e38 computer that is used in, I think, all '06 C6s. A C6 PCM may not help us, but a GTO or CTSv or truck might. In any case, the new computer being used in the other cars will at least provide some impetus for a reprograming solution.