The steering wheel lock unit engages intermittently. Often without notice. What happens if the vehicle is in motion? This was repaired once under warranty. But chevrolet refuses to assist in repairing their repairs. This is a common problem with this year. *nlm ref. In ea02-031
1999 Chevrolet Corvette steering complaints
Page 5 of 8: complaints 101 to 130 of 194, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I have a 1999 corvette that at 13,000 miles. The steering column locked up. It has 40,000 miles now and it has locked up again almost causing us to have an accident. *nlm ref. In ea02-031
While driving my 1999 chevrolet corvette I turned off the highway & into the parking lot of a store upon doing so my steering wheel locked up. I never received any warnings in my dic about steering problems I also had this replacement part per a recall notice less than a year ago & at that time found out it had been replaced prior to that. The dealership towed the car in & informed us that they had fixed it again! This is an extremely dangerous vehicle! The notes I read on your site even 1997 through 2002 models with this problem none of the reports were while driving they were when people got into their car & started it that the wheel didn't unlock. I have as I said before never received a message in the dic prior to any of the lock up problem. I am the 2nd owner of this vehicle & in the 18 months I have had it it has been replaced 2 times this last time could have been fatal to both myself and my daughter! Just 10 seconds earlier being on the highway with speeds of 60 MPH we could have been killed! At what cost will it take for general motors to correct this wrong? My daughter says she will not get back into the car again! I myself am scared for my life to take the chance that this will occur again! So, I refuse to drive the car anymore. These are not cheap cars to buy! I have owed several other corvettes & had a few minor problems here & there, but not anything that could be a life threatening or life taking problem especially after the fixes being done by the dealership! Another thing I would like to ask of you, if you have an automatic transmission on this car, is it not supposed to be locked when the steering wheel is? I did all the so-called things, of key removal & wait, etc & it did not unlock the steering, but you could put it in any gear to move it. Just straight forward & backward do to no steering. I can't seem to get a real answer to this question. *nlm ref. In ea02-031
I have a 1999 corvette coupe. I was driving on folsom blvd. (at watt avenue) in sacramento, ca during rush-hour traffic (4:50 p.m.). I pulled out into traffic and my car went completely dead. Luckily, no one rear-ended me. I was able to re-start my car but the steering wheel would not turn and a "steering column" locked message on my computer read out instructed me to wait 10 seconds then remove the key. So I complied. I then again started my car, but the "steering column" locked message came on and my steering column was, indeed, locked. Luckily, my steering wheel was aimed in a straight line and I could drive forward out of the busy intersection where I stopped in front of a gas station. I called folsom chevrolet's service dept. And they advised I would need to have my vehicle towed into their shop. This problem could have easily ended up in a terrible accident had I not been in stop-and-go traffice. Can you imagine what would've happened if I was on the freeway doing 65-70 MPH? Ref. In ea02-031
Purchased used 1999 chevrolet corvette coupe (c5) in february 2002 from dealer. In april of 2002, I got in the car, started it and proceeded to drive off. Noticed that the steering wheel was locked up and I couldn't steer the vehicle. Had to have the vehicle towed to a dealer where upon they had to remove the steering lock to allow the car to be steerable. They fixed the problem but after reading an article in the february 2003 issue of corvette fever, I thought it best to let the federal safety agency know of this particular incident. I was not hurt or injured and am filing this only for the purpose to make you aware of it and maybe to help someone else who owns one of these vehicle to become aware of this problem ref. In ea02-031
1999 chevrolet corvette coupe steering column lock problems: twice in two years the first time it happened, I followed all proceedures shared by fellow corvette owners and the manual, I had to repeat this procedure several times before it would unlock. I then took the car into the dealer, they replaced the steering column lock system but told me that there was no offical recall on this. One year later, same thing happened again, I tried and tried to get the steering column to unlock. It would not, called the dealership, they wanted the car to be towed in. They told me that since they had already replaced the system, they would not replace it again. (by the way the car was still under gm extended warranty.) I did not have the car towed right away, but later that day I tried all of the same procedures again, without success. I went onto the internet to a corvette website/discussion board and researched if others had the same problem and answers/ideas tried. Locating several postings suggesting to pull a specific fuse, wait 1 minute, then re-installed the fuse. By disconnecting this fuse, the computer brain would reset itself concerning this task and the pin should unlock when the ignition key was re-inserted. I tried this, several times, over and over without success. Finally out of frustration I resorted to "shake the steering wheel hard back and forth"until the pin would release. After a minute of shaking... The pin did let loose and the steering column unlocked. The next day I took the car into the dealer and insisted that they replace the steering column lock system again, even though they told me a day earlier that they wouldn't do that, they did change it when I confronted them. It does not appear to me that gm has not addresssed this problem or acknowledge it as being a problem. Well I am here to say that it is, this is why I am filing this compaint. Ref. In ea02-031
The steering column on my 1999 chevrolet corvette locked after starting it and the car was in drive. Ref. In ea02-031
While driving at 70 MPH, the vehicles steering wheel locked up. Consumer had to forcefully break steering wheel loose and drove to the nearest chevrolet dealership. Please provide any further information. Ref. In ea02-031
While on vacation, out-of-state, I started the engine of my car. When I shifted the transmission into gear, the car stalled. The steering wheel would not unlock or turn. The car had to be towed to a dealer for repair, which took three days. My wife and I were stranded and the end of our vacation ruined. Dt ref. In ea02-031
Steering column locked up when car started. Repeated problem. Contacted dealer, was told there was no recall on this vehicle or problem. Column sometimes locks with wheels straight, other times with wheels turned. Caused me to be stranded in 90 degree heat with small child.*ak ref. In ea02-031
Steering column locked up while vehicle was moving and would not release leaving me stranded on the holiday weekend car has towed to the dealer for service I see so many complaints I do not understand how this is not being recalled by chevrolet this was a vehicle I purchased for my wife and I was going to purchase her a new one but with this safety issue I am going to looking at other brands including imports. *ak ref. In ea02-031
Steering wheel will intermittently lock up while consumer is driving, which does not allow consumer to control vehicle.*ak ref. In ea02-031
Steering keeps locking up and cannot release steering wheel lock. Bad actuator and relay, replace actuator and column lock relay again due to poss faulty recall part. Recall on steering, had no problem until after the recall was done. Column lock light comes on, cause short, replace column lock. Roof latch rubber cover fell off, cause broken, reorder rubber latch. Replace hazard warning switch, remove dash pad and replace hazard switch. Ref. In ea02-031
No summary listed for abov evehicle.
Please investigate the problem with the steering colomn of the c5 corvette. There needs to be a recall of this component by chevrolet. The steering column locks!!*ak ref. In ea02-031
Gmc recall on this item seems to be an inefficient way to handle this problem. No safety defect stated.
Steering column locked while driving. *ak ref. In ea02-031
The steering column locking assembly locked...while in motion (reverse)...causing the car to cut off and the steering wheel to lock in place...only a quick reaction prevented me from hitting another car that was traveling behind me as I was pulling out onto a highway, down a hill. You have investigated this corvette problem and conlcuded that this issue does not happen while in motion. It happened to me while the car was under power. This must be investigated more fully. I have a witness to this event.*ak ref. In ea02-031
Consumer was backing out of driveway, wheels turned slightly, and steering column locked. This caused vehicle to back at an angle. Consumer narrowly avoided running over a small child that was walking across driveway. Dealer was replacing column lock mechanism at this time. *ak *slc ref. In ea02-031
Without warning, service column lock displayed on driver information center-- because of angle of fromnt wheels, took four hours to get tow vehicle to dolly vehicle from parking spot incident occurred while backing from parking spot and could have LED to an accident with pedestrians involved.
This is my second failure in 2 weeks. I am angered that mine and original pe99066 where closed. This will become a fatality issue soon.
Consumer was backing out from garage and went to turn vehicle to right, and steering wheel column locked up. Vehicle had to be towed to dealership.*ak ref. In ea02-031
As you know, c5 corvettes have a problem with the column lock.
Steering wheel locked as car was being backed up. This also has happened twice to a friend who has the same yr/model. Dealer says they are not sure if this can happen while driving. Is chevrolet going to wait for someone to get killed before they fix this defect ref. In ea02-031
Steering column lock anti-theft device locks even when proper key is inserted in ignition. Appears aggravated by high cabin temperature when car is parked in sunlight. Steering wheel actually locked when car was put into drive. Had to shut down engine and remove key. Warning message of "service column lock" identified. Dealer, as yet, can identify no specific fix or reason for failure and is basically guessing that electrical grounding may be lose. Car no longer starts when error message is displayed. Ref. In ea02-031
Parked car nose in with wheel turned all the way to the right. When I got back in to the car the steering column lock engaged. It would not disengage, and the warning message service steering column appeared.*ak ref. In ea02-031
Steering column locks up after vehicle is started. Dic says service steering column. After vehicle runs for a while steering column will unlock itself. Took vehicle to 2 dealership service departments for repair. The first one (david stanley chevrolet) stated low voltage & secured the negative battery cable. Two days later the same problem occurred. I took my vehicle to hudiburg chevrolet service department this time. After I left they stated that the column locked up on their service drive. They replaced the column lock actuator. I picked up my vehicle on 5/17/01, so far problem has not occurred again. Today is 05/20/01.*ak ref. In ea02-031
While pulling out of driveway at 5 MPH steering locked up. *ak consumer states steering wheel security lock engaged, dealer stated was a security system problem they have had previous occurances of same problem. *slc moved vehicle about 20 feet before noticed the steering was locked. Cat ref. In ea02-031
When consumer went to start vehicle computer started to wait ten seconds. Then when putting vehicle inside after ten seconds, computer indicated that steering column was locked. Vehicle had to be towed flat bed. This happened twice. *ak ref. In ea02-031
Dic message said "service column lock" never locked up on me but had to replace an actuator. Why isn't this a recall?
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