IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, 1999, I TRIED TO START THE CAR, IT STARTED BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I CALLED THE TOLL FREE NUMBER GENERAL MOTORS PROVIDED FOR A TOW TRUCK . WHEN IT CAME THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE WHEEL AND IT SEEMED TO WORK PROPERLY. I HAD IT TOWED IN TO MY SERVICE DEALER ANYWAY TO BE CHECKED OUT. OF CO…
Read full complaint
IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, 1999, I TRIED TO START THE CAR, IT STARTED BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I CALLED THE TOLL FREE NUMBER GENERAL MOTORS PROVIDED FOR A TOW TRUCK . WHEN IT CAME THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE WHEEL AND IT SEEMED TO WORK PROPERLY. I HAD IT TOWED IN TO MY SERVICE DEALER ANYWAY TO BE CHECKED OUT. OF COURSE IT WAS O.K. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOCKED AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK IT MYSELF BY CLEANING OFF THE IGNITION CHIP ON THE KEY, AS I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER ON THE PREVIOUS TRIP. THE THIRD TIME IT LOCKED UP ON ME AGAIN BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO UNLOCK IT. ALL THREE TIMES I WAS AT HOME IN THE CARPORT. THE CAR WOULD ALWAYS START, AS IN PREVIOUS TIMES, BUT THIS TIME IT WOULD DIE WHEN I TRIED TO BACK UP OR GO FORWARD. OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM HAD GOTTEN WORSE. I CALLED THE TOW TRUCK AGAIN, HAD THE CAR TOWED IN AND LUCKILY IT STAYED LOCKED SO THE SERVICEMEN COULD SEE JUST WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THEIR COMPUTERS FOUND A CODE B2587 WHICH MEANT THAT THE LOCK MODULE FOR THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FAILING INTERMITANTLY, THUS LOCKING UP THE STEERING. THE MODULE WAS REPLACED AND SO FAR THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE. IF WHOEVER CONCERNED GOES ON-LINE TO C5-CORVETTE.COM THEN ULTIMATE BULLETIN BOARD, C5 SPECIFIC TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS YOU WILL SEE OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, ONE INSTANCE OF THIS HAPPENING WHILE THE CAR IS ON THE ROAD. I HOPE THIS IS ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR YOU TO GET A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON. I LOVE THE CAR BUT AM A LITTLE AFRAID OF THE STEERING LOCKING UP WHEN I'M ON THE ROAD EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN. IF SOMEONE CAN HELP ME OR AT LEAST REASSURE ME OF THIS I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS
NHTSA ODI #710722
Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 1999
Steering
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK ENGAGED AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER AS ORDERED BY CHEVROLET HOT LINE..NOTE> CAR WAS IN MOTION, THAT MEANS MOVING BACKWARDS..IT HAD GONE ABOUT 6 FEET AND I HAD TURNED THE WHEEL TO CHANGE DIRECTIONS WHEN LOCK ENGAGED.. REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS
NHTSA ODI #709793
Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingSteeringUnknown Or Other
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON/ STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCKS UP, AND VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY. CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MOVE VEHICLE ABOUT 1 FT.
NHTSA ODI #844272
Mileage unknown · May 18, 1999
SteeringCrash
I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LISTED VEHICLE AND LOOSE HARDWARE, ESPECIALLY NUTS OR FASTENERS IN STEERING OR CONTROL AREAS THAT COME LOOSE OR OFF DURING NORMAL DRIVING CREATING CRASH HAZARDS. I AM CONCERNED. NEED HELP. *AK
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEMS (ECL), WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED TO "LOCK," THE ECL SYSTEM PREVENTS TURNING OF THE STEERING SYSTEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE ECL UNLOCKS THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED SO THAT IF THE COLUMN FAILS TO UNLOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED AND THE CUSTOMER TRIES TO DRIVE, THE FUEL SUPPLY WILL BE SHUT OFF SO THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT MOVE WHEN THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE STEERED. IF VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, HOWEVER, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR AND THE VEHICLE CAN BE ACCELERATED WHILE THE STEERING SYSTEM IS LOCKED. ALSO WHEN THE CONTROL SYSTEM SHOWS THAT THE ECL IS UNLOCKED AND THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE LOCK PIN LOCATION CAN VARY. DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE LOCK PLATE RELATIVE TO THE SWITCH TRANSITION POINT, THERE COULD THEN BE CONTACT BETWEEN THE LOCK PLATE AND PIN CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK WHILE DRIVING .
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL DISABLE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK BY REMOVING THE COLUMN LOCK PLATE. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WILL LOCK BUT THE STEERING COLUMN WILL NOT LOCK. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL REPROGRAM THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE, PERFORM A DIMENSIONAL CHECK OF THE COLUMN LOCK AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE LOCK PLATE. THE STEERING COLUMN ON THESE VEHICLES WILL CONTINUE TO LOCK WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED. OWNER NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS OF 1997 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2004. OWNERS OF 1998 THROUGH 2004 VEHICLES (EXCEPT 1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED BEGINNING ON AUGUST 2, 2004. THE REMAINING OWNERS (1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED LATER IN 2004, WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
IN 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ISSUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 1044 AND 1044A TO ADDRESS A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FAIL TO UNLOCK DURING THE INITIAL KEY-IN AND START-UP IN CERTAIN MY 1998-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI CONTINUED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP ON CORVETTE VEHICLES.AS A RESULT, PE02-054 WAS OPENED AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA02-031 FOR MY 1997-2001 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED CONCERNS WITH POST-REPAIR FAILURES IN VEHICLES SERVICED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS, FAILURES IN MY 1997-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAMPAIGNS.(NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE DATA ABOVE IS LIMITED TO MY 1997-2003 VEHICLES THROUGH 10/17/2003.)ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 1997-2004 CORVETTE VEHCLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND MY 1997-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT IF THE VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE FUEL SUPPLY WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE CUSTOMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR.AS A RESULT, THE CUSTOMER COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND THE ELECTRIC COLUMN LOCK DISABLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Steering:column
IN 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ISSUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 1044 AND 1044A TO ADDRESS A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FAIL TO UNLOCK DURING THE INITIAL KEY-IN AND START-UP IN CERTAIN MY 1998-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI CONTINUED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP ON CORVETTE VEHICLES.AS A RESULT, PE02-054 WAS OPENED AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA02-031 FOR MY 1997-2001 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED CONCERNS WITH POST-REPAIR FAILURES IN VEHICLES SERVICED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS, FAILURES IN MY 1997-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAMPAIGNS.(NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE DATA ABOVE IS LIMITED TO MY 1997-2003 VEHICLES THROUGH 10/17/2003.)ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 1997-2004 CORVETTE VEHCLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND MY 1997-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT IF THE VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE FUEL SUPPLY WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE CUSTOMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR.AS A RESULT, THE CUSTOMER COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND THE ELECTRIC COLUMN LOCK DISABLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.
Steering:column LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT Device
IN 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ISSUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 1044 AND 1044A TO ADDRESS A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FAIL TO UNLOCK DURING THE INITIAL KEY-IN AND START-UP IN CERTAIN MY 1998-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI CONTINUED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP ON CORVETTE VEHICLES.AS A RESULT, PE02-054 WAS OPENED AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA02-031 FOR MY 1997-2001 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED CONCERNS WITH POST-REPAIR FAILURES IN VEHICLES SERVICED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS, FAILURES IN MY 1997-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAMPAIGNS.(NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE DATA ABOVE IS LIMITED TO MY 1997-2003 VEHICLES THROUGH 10/17/2003.)ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 1997-2004 CORVETTE VEHCLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND MY 1997-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT IF THE VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE FUEL SUPPLY WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE CUSTOMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR.AS A RESULT, THE CUSTOMER COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND THE ELECTRIC COLUMN LOCK DISABLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.
Steering
IN 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ISSUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 1044 AND 1044A TO ADDRESS A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FAIL TO UNLOCK DURING THE INITIAL KEY-IN AND START-UP IN CERTAIN MY 1998-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI CONTINUED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP ON CORVETTE VEHICLES.AS A RESULT, PE02-054 WAS OPENED AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA02-031 FOR MY 1997-2001 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED CONCERNS WITH POST-REPAIR FAILURES IN VEHICLES SERVICED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS, FAILURES IN MY 1997-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAMPAIGNS.(NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE DATA ABOVE IS LIMITED TO MY 1997-2003 VEHICLES THROUGH 10/17/2003.)ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 1997-2004 CORVETTE VEHCLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND MY 1997-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT IF THE VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE FUEL SUPPLY WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE CUSTOMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR.AS A RESULT, THE CUSTOMER COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND THE ELECTRIC COLUMN LOCK DISABLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.
PE02054 · Steering Column Lockup
Opened Jul 1, 2002 · Closed Nov 15, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
SEE RESUME IN REPOSITORY.
EA00009 · Front Lap Belt Malfunction
Opened Mar 16, 2000 · Closed Apr 18, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
ODI OPENED THIS EA00-009 ON MARCH 16, 2000, TO CONTINUE ANALYSES BEGUN UNDER PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE99-076.THE ALLEGED DEFECT: LAP BELT WEBBING IN BOTH SEATING POSITIONS TENDS TO FOLD OVER WHILE ENTERING THE RETRACTOR OPENING.THESE FOLDS FREQUENTLY IMPEDE PROPER WEBBING RETRACTION.IF THE RETRACTOR HAS BEEN INADVERTENTLY TOGGLED INTO AUTOMATIC LOCK RETRACTOR (ALR) MODE BY BEING EXTENDED TO ITS FULL LENGTH, IT MAY FAIL TO RESET ITSELF TO THE NORMAL EMERGENCY LOCK RETRACTOR (ELR) MODE.SUCH A CONDITION HAS BEEN SHOWN TO RENDER THE ACTIVE RESTRAINT UNUSABLE.CONCLUSION: GM WILL REMEDY THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN 71,569 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO AUGUST 1999 BY ADDING WEBBING GUIDE INSERTS TO THE LAP RETRACTOR OPENINGS OF BOTH SEATING POSITIONS TO PREVENT THE ADMISSION OF FOLDED WEBBING ONTO THE RETRACTOR SPOOL.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN CLOSED.
PE99076 · Front Lap Belt Malfunction
Opened Dec 10, 1999 · Closed Mar 16, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE99066 · Steering Column Lock Module
Opened Nov 8, 1999 · Closed Jul 21, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
1998 Chevrolet Corvette Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
Illustration