NHTSA Complaint #10126553 — 1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

STEERING COLUMN WILL NOT UNLOCK AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE AND WHEEL COUULD NOT BE TURNED. KEY WAS TURNED OFF, TEN SECOND WAIT (FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS ON THE INFO CENTER) AND WHEEL STILL COULD NOT BE TURNED. WITH THE KEY OFF THE WHEEL WAS TURNED BACK AND FORTH AGAINST THE LOCK AND THEN RESTARTED. AFTER SEVERAL TRYS THE COLUMN UNLOCKED. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD BOTH PHASES OF THE RECALL IMPLEMENTED. AFTER THIS FAILURE IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT EVERYTHING THAT HE COULD DO HAS BEEN DONE. HE SAID A POSSIBLE LOW BATTERY MAY HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM REOCCURED 2 DAYS LATER. THERE IS NO PREDICTABALITY OF THE DEFECT. IT COULD BE THE NEXT START OR A MONTH FROM NOW. THE ONLY SURE THING IS THAT WITH NO ACTION IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS DEFECT COULD CAUSE A ACCIDENT WHEN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE OR GARAGE DUE TO INABILITY TO TURN THE WHEEL EVEN AT LOW SPEED.