1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Steering Steering Wheelhandle Bar Problems

WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE IT STALLED. THIS INCIDENT REPEATED APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES AT WHICH TIME THE CONSUMER NOTICED A MESSAGE ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER STATING SOMETHING ABOUT A LOCKED STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND WAITED ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES, AFTERWHICH THE VEHICLE STARTED AND OPERATED AS NORMAL *MR *SCC *NLM REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

NOT ABLE TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL. MR REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WILL LOCK UP AND CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL NOT TO TURN, AND IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT DAMAGE A LOCKED STEERING COULD CAUSE HIMSELF AND OTHERS IN A PHYSICAL /PROPERTY DAMAGE. CONSUMER ALSO FEEL HE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED WITH REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REOCCURING PROBLEM. *SCC REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

WHILE BACKING VEHICLE UP AND TURNING, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH THEN TOLD HIM THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A STEERING ACTUATOR. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP, AND CONSUMER WILL LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

CAR REPORTED "STEERING COLUMN LOCKED" (WHICH IT WAS). THIS CAR HAS AN ELECTRONIC LOCK, NOT PHYSICALLY CONNECTED TO THE IGNITION KEY. LOCK ENGAGED AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE AFTER STARTING CAR. HAD TO TOW CAR TO DEALER. TOW TRUCK DRIVER CITED ANOTHER EXAMPLE WITH SAME CAR MODEL IN WHICH LOCK ENGAGED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON STREET., AND NARROWLY MISSED AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND IS APPARENTLY QUITE COMMON IN THIS MODEL CORVETTE. NLM REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED TWICE SINCE 1999. LAST TIME (08/2002) WAS WHILE CAR WAS IN REVERSE AND BACKING UP. HAD TO PAY AROUND $450 TO HAVE CORRECTED. GM SAID THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS RE: THIS PROBLEM; BUT I JUST READ AN ARTICLE IN AUTOMOTIVE NEWS TITLED "FEDS EXAMINE VETTE STREERING".*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

COMSUMER STATES WHILE PULLING OUT OF HER DRIVE WAY THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP.*JB REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AFTER STARTING VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO SHIFT TO DRIVE WITH STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

FAILURE OF THE STEERING LOCK COLUMN DURING INITIAL START-UP. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN HAS LOCKED-UP "FROZEN" ON ME THREE TIMES. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCKED UP, UNABLE TO STEER . CONTACTED DEALER.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP UPON STARTUP, THE DEALER INSTALLED HARNESS KIT AND RELAY. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

ON 08/02/02 I WAS BACKING MY VEHICLE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED. THE DEALERSHIP, TERRY CULLEN CHEVROLET IN MORROW GA, STATED THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CORVETTE. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY REFUSED TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBELM WITH THIS PART EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN 1997 AND APPARENTLY ON SOME 98 MODELS.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH IN REVERSE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND CONSUMER COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

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...

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. CONTACTED DEALER. AS A RESULT OF STEERING LOCKING UP MOTOR WAS DEFECTIVE.*AKCONSUMER STATES THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THIS DEFECT, BUT THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE PARAMETERS OF THE RECALL. *JG REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN REMAINS LOCKED AFTER CAR IS STARTED. THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE APPEARS: "SERVICE COLUMN LOCK". THE COLUMN LOCK DOES NOT DISENGAGE. THE CAR IS BEING TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

MY STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING. THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THIS. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY GM AFFECTING MANY VEHICLES OUTSIDE OF THEIR SO CALLED POOL OF VIN. #'S. IT IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE HARMED BY THIS IF IT HAS NOT HAPPENED ALREADY.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE STEERING LOCKED UP, AND CONSUMER COULD NO LONGER TURN WHEEL OR CONTROL VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP WHEN STARTING UP. CAN'T MOVE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

I INSERTED THE KEY, LIKE NORMAL, STARTED THE ENGINE, PUT INTO REVERSE, AND BACKED UP AND WHILE BACKING, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP VIA COMPUTER CONTROL. I'VE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS/DRIVERS WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE! I CANNOT GET ANY CO-OPERATION FROM GENERAL MOTORS AT ALL!!! REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

GM HAS RECALLED VEHICLE BEGINNING WITH VIN# W5123355. THE STEERING COLUMN WILL NOT UNLOCK WHEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTED.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING! *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND UPON STARTING VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP. CONSUMER HAS TO CUT OFF CAR AND RESTART IT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN GOING INTO DRIVE. ONCE IN DRIVE WHILE MOVING THE ENGINE STOPPED AND I HIT THE CURB TAKING OFF SOME PAINT. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY I WOULD HAVE DIE. I CALLED GMC, BUT THEY SAID THAT MY CAR DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM SO THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AT THIS TIME. ON THE WEB AND ON YOUR SITE I SEE THAT MY MODEL YEAR DOES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I SAID TO GM I SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS WILL ONLY BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU WHEN I AM KILL IN THIS CAR AND MY FAMILY WILL SUE YOU FOR MILLION OF DOLLARS WHICH YOU WILL PAY ONLY TO KEEP IT OUT OF COURT AND THE NEWS PAPERS. I FEEL THAT YOU AT THE NHTSA SHOULD DO WHAT YOU SAY PEOPLE SAVING PEOPLE. IF I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT YOU...

STEERING COLMUM HAS FAILED TO UNLOCK ON THREE OCCAISIONS, ONCE AT THE DEALER, TWICE AFTER BEING PARKED. VEHICLE HAS REQUIRED FLATBED TRANSPORTATION TO DEALER 2 TIMES. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

WENT TO START CAR - CAR WOULD START - STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN - MESSAGE TO REMOVE KEY AND WAIT 10 SECONDS CAME ACROSS DASHBOARD - ALSO MESSAGE OF SERVICE COLUMN LOCKED - TRIED FOR 30 MINUTES - CALLED DEALER FOR INFO - WAS TOLD TO TAKE TO CHEVY DEALER - HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED - CHEVY DEALER TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKS AND WILL NOT RELEASE. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

I HAVE READ REPORTS OF MANY INCIDENTS CONCERNING THE STEERING COLUMN-LOCK PROBLEM ON THE CORVETTES BY THE OWNERS THEMSELVES. SOME HAVE EVEN REPORTED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION, WHICH SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME! I DID HAVE MINE IN FOR THIS REPAIR AND I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. LUCKILY, MINE HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED!!!*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

COLUMN LOCK - WHEN I WENT TO START MY CAR COLUMN LOCK WOULD NOT UNLOCK. TRIED JIGGLING WHEEL, ETC FOR 45 MINUTES THEN CALLED A TAXI.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START CAR, ENGINE WOULD NOT START AND DRIVER INFORMATION DISPLAY READ "REMOVE KEY AND WAIT 10 SECONDS". KEY WAS REMOVED, AND AFTER 15 SECONDS, ATTEMPTS MADE TO RESTART CAR. ENGINE THEN STARTED, BUT DRIVER INFORMATION DISPLAY READ "SERVICE STEERING COLUMN LOCK" AT WHICH TIME I ATTEMPTED TO TURN STEERING WHEEL AND FOUND IT WOULD NOT TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. ENGINE THEN STOPPED RUNNING AFTER ABOUT 15 SECONDS. I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART CAR A NUMBER OF TIMES, BUT SAME PROBLEMS PERSISTED. I REMOVED AND CHECKED FUZE #23 PER CHEVROLET REPAIR MANUAL, BUT FUZE WAS OKAY. AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO RESTART CAR, BUT SAME PROBLEM WAS STILL PRESENT (STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND COULDN'T BE TURNED). TOW TRUCK OPERATOR LATER ADVISED THAT HE HAD TOWED FIVE CORVETTES WITH SMAE APPARENT PROBLEM IN LAST TWO WEEKS. CHEVROLET DELAER SUBSEQUENTLY ADVISED THAT CHEVROLET INITIATED A RECALL THIS WEEK, BUT FOR 1999 CORVETTES...

ONCE AGAIN STEERING COLUMN LOCKED-UP FOR THE THIRD TIME. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS.REPAIRS ARE STILL BEING COVERED ON WARRANTY. I STILL FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE !*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD. PLEASE REOPEN INVESTIGATION. NO SAFETY DEFEC T MENTIONED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT SPACE, MY STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STARTED CAR, PROCEEDED TO PUT IN GEAR AND DRIVE OFF, COULD NOT TURN VEHICLE, GOT A MESSAGE ON DIC STATING "SERVICE STEERING COLUMN LOCK" HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALER TO RESET COMPUTER CODES TO UNLOCK COLUMN. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE SUBMITTED THIS FORM. DISREGARD THE FIRST FORM SENT EARLIER WHICH WAS ON ODI #746729. IT WAS ACCIDENTALLY SENT WITH INCOMPLETE INFORMATION. ON 6/11/01 WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING PLACE AT WORK, MY STEERING LOCKED UP. I CALLED TWO LOCAL DEALERS WITH NO SOLUTION. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE IN DETROIT AND THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL. SINCE MY 1998 C5 CORVETTER WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT LOCKED UP, I ASSUME IT CAN HAPPEN WHEN GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH. THIS IS VERY, VERY SCARY. CAN YOU HELP? *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

STEERING WHEEL LOCK REFUSED TO DISENGAGE WITHOUT REPEATED ATTEMPTS BY SHUTTING OFF AND REMOVING KEY, REINSERTING. HAS HAPPENED TWICE SO FAR. CONCERNED THAT DEFECTIVE LOCK COULD ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, COULD STRAND CAR IF I CAN'T GET IT TO DISENGAGE. REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

I WAS A VICTIM OF THE CORVETTE STEERING-COLUMN LOCK. I READ AN ARTICLE JUST NOW THAT A SPOKESMAN OF THE NHTSA SAID "IT IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM, BUT NOT A SAFETY ISSUE". THIS IS A RIDICULOUS STATEMENT CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT WITHOUT WARNING A DRIVER CAN BE STRANDED ANYWHERE AT ANYTIME. IN MY OPINION, AND I'LL BET SOMEWHERE IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM THEY'LL AGREE WITH ME, GM IS BLATANTLY PLACING CORVETTE DRIVERS AND THEIR PASSENGERS IN DANGER OF BEING STRANDED ANYWHERE AT ANYTIME AND IN MY OPINION SHOULD BE HELD COMPLETELY AND WITHOUT RECOURSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY HARM< DAMAGE<DISCOMFORT<FEAR, EVEN MISSING A BALLGAME DUE TO BEING STRANDED BY THIS KNOWN PROBLEM THAT NO ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO CORRECT BY THE MAKER (AND I DON'T MEAN GRACIOUSLY REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PART AFTER THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE!) THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH UNCOMPREHENSIBLE DANGEROUS RAMIFICATIONS. GM KNOWS THERE'S A...

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE IN MOTION. "STEERING COLUMN LOCK" APPEARS IN THE DASH BOARD . I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THIS IS WHILE DRIVEING. TWO OTHER TIMES IT OCCURED WHILE PARKED IN MY GARAGE. THE DEALER REPARED THE "MOTOR" THAT CAUSES THE STEERING COLUMN TO LOCK.SPEED AT FAILURE WA S20-25 MPH. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

ON TWO OCCASIONS, ONCE WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN COMPLETELY LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. NARROWLY MISSED BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER CORVETTE OWNERS. THE DEALERS SOLUTION WAS TO REMOVE THE KEY FOR 10 SECONDS AND TRY AGAIN. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND VERY DANGEROUS. I AM NOW AFRAID TO EVEN DRIVE THE CAR. WILL IT TAKE A HEAD ON COLLISION BEFORE GM FIXES THIS VERY UNSAFE DEFECT? PLEASE SEND WHATEVER PAPERS NECESSARY TO SIGN SO THAT THIS IS THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED. REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AND CAR DIED WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE ON FRIDAY EVENING. DEALER COULD NOT WORK ON IT UNTIL MONDAY AND CAR WAS READY MONDAY EVENING. THEY 'REPLACED THE STEERING LOCK SOLENOID AND RELAY PIER TAC' (THEIR WORDS AND SPELLING). I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE I AM PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, I COULD BE INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC FATALITY. I'VE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND COUNTLESS SIMILAR PROBLEMS REPORTED ON THE WEB SITE WWW.CORVETTEFORUM.COM. IT SEEMS TO RE-OCCUR AFTER REPAIR. GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE DEFECT SINCE 1997 AND DONE NOTHING TO FIX IT. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS WILL IT TAKE BEFORE THE NHTSA FORCES GM INTO A RECALL? REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

THIS COMPLAINT REGARDS THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKING UP. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON OCCURANCE ACCORDING TO MY CORVETTE SOURCES. MINE LOCKED UP LAST WEEK AND REQUIRED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. MY CONCERN IS THAT SHOULD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN, I MAY BE IN A PLACE WHERE ASSISTANCE IS LIMITED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE OCCURED IN MY GARAGE AS I WAS LEAVING THE HOUSE. THE PROBLEM I ENCOUNTERED WAS THAT THE WHEEL WAS NOT STRAIGHT WHICH REQUIRED A LOT OF EFFORT TO GET THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND ON TO A WRECKER.

I HAVE A 1998 C5. LAST NIGHT I WAS DRIVING DOWN A DRIVEWAY WHEN THE "SERVICE COLUMN" LOCK APPEARED ON THE DIC DISPLAY. THE MESSAGE " PULL KEY AND WAIT 10 SECONDS" APPEARED AS WELL. THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN. I WAS IN MOTION GOING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ONCE THE CAR CAME TO A STOP, I HAD TO PUSH IT BACK UP THE DRIVE WAY TO GET IT OUT OF THE WAY, SINCE THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF IF WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO RESTART THE CAR, HOPING IT WOULD UNLOCK THE STEERING COLUMN. IT DID NOT UNLOCK. I AM VERY UPSET THAT A "THEFT DETERRENT DEVICE" IS MORE OF A SAFETY HAZARD! I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WERE ON THE ROAD SOMEWHERE AND THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD HAVE DECIDED TO...