NHTSA Complaint #10049432 — 1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

UPON RETURNING TO MY VEHICLE, THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED, AND THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER DISPLAYED A MESSAGE SAYING "SERVICE STEERING LOCK". I INITIALLY BROUGH MY VEHICLE TO TOM JUMPER CHEVROLET IN ROSWELL, GEORGIA. THE SERVICE ADVISOR CLAIMED IT WAS A DEFECTIVE BATTERY AND OFFERED TO CHANGE MY BATTERY FOR THE MEAGER SUM OF $357.00. HAVING NO CONFIDENCE WHATSOEVER THAT HIS DIAGNOSIS WAS PROPER, I REMOVED MY VEHICLE FROM HIS PREMISES AND TRANSFERRED IT TO NALLEY, CHEVROLET IN ATLANTA. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK ACTUATOR HAD FAILED, AND HAD ALSO BLOWN FUSES IN THE CIC COMPUTER. THE REPAIR COST WAS $450.78. GIVEN THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK ACTUATOR IS THE SUBJECT OF NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA02031, I DO NOT FEEL IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR GM TO CHARGE ME FOR THE REPAIR GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK