NHTSA Complaint #764556 — 1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

VEHICLE WAS PARKED. AFTER STARTING THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. DASHBORD MESSAGE STATED "REMOVE KEY WAIT TEN SECONDS." I DID AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. DASHBOARD MESSAGE STATED "SERVICE STEERING COLUMN." AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS OF STOPPING, STARTING VEHICLE AND TRYING TO TURN THE WHEEL IT REMAINED LOCKED. I CALLED AAA FOR A TOW TRUCK - WHILE WAITING FOR IT TO ARRIVE I CONTINUED TO TRY TO UNLOCK THE WHEEL. AFTER AROUND TWENTY MINUTES OF TRYING IT FINALLY UNLOCKED. I CANCELLED THE TOW TRUCK AND DROVE TO THE DEALER. IF I HAD KNOWN THE STEERING WHEEL COULD LOCK AGAIN WHILE I WAS DRIVING, AS I DETERMINED BY SUBSEQUENT INTERNET RESEARCH, I WOULD NOT HAVE DRIVEN TO THE DEALER. MY OUT OF POCKET COST FOR THE DEALER'S REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK WAS $100 BECAUSE I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS