2000 Chevrolet Corvette

STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP ON 2000 MY CHEVROLET CORVETTE. I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY ISSUE UNTIL I HAD A DEALER, (MARTY FELDMAN CHEVROLET; NOVI, MI), PERFORM A RECALL INITIATIVE ON JUNE 20, 2005 FOR THE PROBLEM AT GENERAL MOTORS' REQUEST. AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS BACKING THE VEHICLE OUT OF MY GARAGE TO PREPARE IT FOR WINTER STORAGE IN OCTOBER '05. PLEASE NOTE: THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN APRIL 2006 TO INVESTIGATE AFTER WHICH THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND RE-PERFORMED THE RECALL INITIATIVE. I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE UPON COMPLETION, IT WORKED FINE FOR TWO WEEKS. I THEN EXPERIENCED THE SERVICE STEERING COLUMN LOCK WARNING ON THE VEHICLE MONITORING SYSTEM ON 5/22/2006 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, HOWEVER, THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT LOCK UP. UPON LEAVING THAT DESTINATION ONCE AGAIN, THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE EXITING A PARKING LOT AND, ONCE AGAIN, THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE BATTERY BEING LOW BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS IN STORAGE FROM OCTOBER '05 TO APRIL '06. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT SCENARIO IS 1) THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE BEING STORED IN OCTOBER, AND, 2) I REPLACED THE BATTERY IN AUGUST OF 2005 WITH A NEW ONE. AFTER HAVING MY VEHICLE FOR 9 DAYS, THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO AND TO COME GET THE CAR. WHEN I PICKED IT UP I WAS ADVISED THAT IF THE WARNING APPEARS AGAIN TO DISCONNECT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE FROM THE BATTERY TO ENABLE THE SYSTEM TO RESET...TOTALLY IGNORING THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD OF THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP AND WAS CHARGED FOR THEIR SERVICES. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AND CONSIDER IT RENDERED USELESS UNTIL GENERAL MOTORS CAN ASSURE ME THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF FIXING THEIR PROBLEM. *NM

THE DRIVER'S FRONT WHEEL ON MY 2000 CHEVROLET COUPE DEVELOPED A CRACK IN ONE OF THE SPOKES BETWEEN THE HUB AND THE RIM. THE WHEEL STARTED MAKING A PULSING SQUEAKING NOISE AS I WENT THROUGH RIGHT-HANDED TURNS. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, THE CRACK SEEMED TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SPOKE. I CALLED CITY CHEVROLET IN CHARLOTTE AND THEY TOLD ME THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. I BOUGHT A USED OEM 2000 STYLE WHEEL FROM A FELLOW CORVETTE OWNER. IN THE MEANTIME, A SECOND SPOKE ON THE SAME WHEEL ALSO CRACKED IN HALF. *NM

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR AND SIDE WINDOWS HAVE SPOTS/HAZE THAT WERE PRESENT IN THE GLASS WHICH OBSTRUCTED THE CONSUMER'S VISION WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE ONLY WAY TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE GLASS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONSUMER NOTICED SLIGHT MOVEMENT IN THE FRONT END WHEN DRIVING. DURING NORMAL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED BOTH FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE NOT TORQUED CORRECTLY DURING MANUFACTURING. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CORRECTLY TORQUE THE BALL JOINTS. *JB UPDATED 2/7/2006 - THE REAR BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE RE-TORQUED. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. HE STATED THAT HE PARKED, WENT INTO THE GROCERY STORE, AND WHEN HE CAME BACK OUT TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NOT UNLOCK. HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS RECALL 04V060000 ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. BUT THE RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THAT AFTER DOING THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST IT WAS EVIDENT THAT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH DRIVER'S ERROR. IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE RECALL STATED THAT IT COULD LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM NOW THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS TO BE DONE.*AK

CONSUMER STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND WAS UNDRIVEABLE. *TS THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE ISSUE, HOWEVER THE RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED 90 DAYS PRIOR AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE, EVEN THOUGH THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER STATED TWICE THAT THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED IMPROPERLY BY THE FIRST DEALER. HE STATED FURTHER, THAT HAD THE RECALL BEEN PERFORMED PROPERLY, THE STEERING WOULD NOT HAVE LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE. CHEVEROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE DENIED THE RECALL REPAIR AS WELL AS THE GM EXTENDED WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE FAILURE WAS IDENTICAL. *JB

VEHICLE WITH FAILURE - MY 2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2D HARDTOP 6MT MILEAGE - 35,972 (AFTER ACCIDENT) (1) PANIC STOP IN CENTER LANE OF CONGESTED TRAFFIC. DRIVER APPLIES BRAKES WITH MAXIMUM EFFORT AND CLUTCH IS DISENGAGED. IMPACT WITH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AHEAD WAS AVOIDABLE GIVEN THE INITIAL VELOCITY AND DISTANCE FOR SEPARATION. (2) DRIVER FEELS A NOTICEABLE "POP" THROUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WITH MAXIMUM EFFORT APPLIED, THE PEDAL DROPS QUICKLY TO THE VEHICLE FLOOR. THE BRAKE SYSTEM UP TO THIS POINT HAD DECREASED VEHICLE SPEED TO AT MOST 10 MPH. DRIVER MAINTAINS PEDAL EFFORT BUT THE REMAINING MOMENTUM CAUSES AN IMPACT WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD DUE TO THE NEARLY 100% LOSS OF BRAKE PERFORMANCE. POST-IMPACT DRIVING AND INSPECTION LEADS TO THE DISCOVERY OFA RUPTURED FLEXIBLE BRAIDED HOSE, 1 OF 2 HOSES ROUTED ALONG THE DRIVER-SIDE FRAME RAIL, ADJACENT TO THE FRONT DRIVER-SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THESE TWO HOSES CONNECT THE STEEL TUBING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS CONTROLLER AND ARE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO THE STEEL TUBING. (3) THE COMPLETE BRAKE TUBING AND HOSE ASSEMBLY (WITH THE RUPTURED HOSE) FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS CONTROLLER WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY BY THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE FAILED COMPONENT, DESPITE THE VEHICLE OWNER REQUESTING OTHERWISE, WAS NOT KEPT FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. DIGITAL PICTURES AND VIDEO ARE AVAILABLE FROM IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE RUPTURE AS ABRASION BETWEEN FRAME RAIL AND HOSE. *JB