NHTSA Complaint #10043058 — 2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE, PARKED AT GOLF COURSE, STARTED CAR TO LEAVE AND REALIZED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. THE DASH DISPLAY READ "SERVICE STEERING COLUMN." THE CAR SAT AT THE GOLF COURSE A COUPLE DAYS WHILE I CHECKED WITH MECHANICS, FRIENDS, INTERNET AND NHTSA (MY SON WORKS FOR YOU). I DISCOVERED THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH CORVETTES FROM 1997 AND UP (C5 BODY STYLE). I TRIED ALL THE "TRICKS" I WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL PEOPLE INCLUDING SHAKING THE STEERING WHEEL HARD LEFT TO RIGHT WITH THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND IN THE IGNITION, PLUS USING THE KEY INSTEAD OF THE REMOTE CONTROL TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. NOTHING WORKED. I HAD IT TOWED TO A CHEVROLET DEALER. THEY HAD IT SEVERAL DAYS AND COMMENTED THEY COULD NOT UNLOCK IT WITH THEIR SPECIAL TOOL. THEY FIXED IT IN THE END BY INSTALLING GM PART NUMBER 26050960 WHICH IS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK ASSEMBLY/THEFT DETERRENT ACTUATOR. THE REPAIR BILL OF $392 ($171 FOR THE PART) STATED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK HAD AN OPEN CIRCUIT CAUSING IT NOT TO RELEASE. THEY JUMP STARTED VEHICLE & VERIFIED CONCERN, REMOVED AND REPLACED THE STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY/THEFT DETERRENT ACTUATOR. THIS CAR HAS 45000 MILES ON IT, IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. *LA