1997 Chevrolet Corvette complaints

DEALER REPLACE STEERING COLUMN ABOUT YEAR AGO AT COST OF $ 500.00. A YEAR LATER THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

MY 1997 C-5 CORVETTE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPEN WHEN MY WIFE HAD IT AT WORK, WHEN SHE WENT TO LEAVE SHE STARTED OUT BUT COULD NOT STEER. THE DASHBOARD READER DISPLAY SAID "COLUMN FAILURE". WHEN CHECKING THE OWNERS MANUAL WE FOUND "COLUMN FAILURE" AND IT SAID TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP FOR SERVICE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE BECAUSE GENERAL MOTORS WOULD NOT ADMIT TO A PROBLEM. THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR 1998-2002 C-5 CORVETTES FOR STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP, BUT THEY SAID THAT MINE WAS CAUSED BY A DIFFERENT PART AND THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL. ON TUESDAY 10 JUNE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AGAIN THIS TIME WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. SHE HAD JUST PULLED INTO TRAFFIC AND HEARD A CLICK AT WHICH TIME THE STEERING LOCKED UP. FORTUNATELY SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAR HAD TO SIT PART WAY IN THE ROAD UNTIL A WRECKER WAS DISPATCHED TO TOW IT IN AGAIN. THE SERVICE DEALER HAS HAD THE CAR SINCE THAT TIME AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHEN OR IF IT WILL BE FIXED. *JB REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

ON JUNE 23RD I JUST RETURNED FROM GETTING MARRIED IN RENO NEVADA I PARKED MY CAR IN THE DRIVE WAY CAME BACK TO PUT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE MY STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS LOCKED I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER I SEE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS IF THIS WAS TO HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING IT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF LIFE OF MINE AS WELL AS OTHERS GM SHOULD RECALL THIS SAFETY DEFECT BEFORE SOMEONE LOOSES THEIR LIFE. *NLM REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 7 TO 10 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. DEALER WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE FILL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOVES BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS FIRST NOTICED ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND THE DEALER RESPONSE WAS THAT IT WOULD COST $1400.00(APPROX) TO FIX. THIS CAR IS A WEEKEND CAR. IT HAS 22,000 MI. NOW AND ONLY HAD ABOUT 20,000 AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST REPORT. SAME COMPLAINT THIS YEAR SAME RESPONSE. *NLM

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN PARKING LOT. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT HAS LOCKED ALTHOUGH THE FIRST TWO TIMES THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. *JB REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

ENGINE AND SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ANSWERING DUPLICATE LETTER, REFERENCE NUMBER 10009877 ANAMARI 3-27-03 THE BALANCER AND THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED *TS. THE POWER STEERING BELT WAS REPLACED. *JB

THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT HAD COME ON WHILE TRAVELING. THE REPAIR WORK WAS MADE ON THE PULLEY, AND THE BALANCER. THE TOP PULLEY LOOKED AS IF SOMEONE BEGAN TO WORK ON IT BUT DIDN'T FINISH BECAUSE THE BOLTS WERE LOOSE. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROGRAM ERROR. THE PRIMARY BELT/TENSIONER BELT HAD COME OFF-THE TENSIONER BELT WAS REPLACED. THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP, THE POWER STEERING BELT WAS TAKEN OFF. THE LOW TRACTION LIGHT HAD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE ACCELERATING AND MAKING TURNS. THE KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTES WERE INOPERATIVE AND WERE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE. REFER TO ODI#10002502 SCC REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

THE FUEL TANK IS LEAKING GASOLINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH

LAST SUMMER,WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, MY COLUMN LOCK FAILED TO RELEASE AND NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION W/2 OTHER CARS. I CALLED THE LOCAL CHEV. DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY CORVETTE DIDN'T FALL WITHIN CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS FOR THAT RECALL FOR THAT VERY SAME PROBLEM AND THAT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM. WELL, IT DOES HAVE THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, BUT GM WONT FIX THEIR FAULTY DESIGN/PARTS AND WANT TO CHARGE ME $500 MINIMUM TO FIX! SO I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME, ATE THE $100 FLAT BED TOW BILL, AND CALLED OTHER GM DEALERS-ALL DENY THE PROBLEM ON MY PARTICULAR CAR. CAN ANYBODY HELP ME? IF I WERE BACKING ONTO A BUSY ROAD, IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. MY CAR IS A 1997 C5 CORVETTE VIN# [XXX] W/APPROX ONLY 30,000 MILES. THANKS,[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE WHEEL TO TURN. ALL I COULD DO IS PULL STRAIGHT FORWARD INTO MY GARAGE AND TURN OFF THE CAR. REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

WHILE DRIVING TRACTION CONTROL COMES ON AT ANY SPEED, AND THEN VEHICLE'S SPEED DROPS TO 40 MPH OR BELOW.*JB ...*AK ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *TT

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5MPH ON FLAT SURFACE AND WITHOUT WARNING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

BATTERY LEAKED ACID ON TO PCM UNDER BATTERY TRAY AND ON TO A/C VACCUM HOSE.

IN AUGUST 2002,UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT MOVE. A MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED INDICATING STEERING COLUMN LOCK. I WAS FORCED TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE ME TO THE DEALER. BECAUSE OF THE PARKED POSITION OF THE VEHICLE AND THE INABILITY TO MOVE THE WHEEL IN ANY DIRECTION, THE ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE FOR US TO LOAD THE VEHICLE WAS TO BACK IT INTO AN ACTIVE ROADWAY. I HAD THE PART REPLACED BY MAIL. CHEVROLET DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL. A SEARCH OF THE WEB INDICATED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON OTHER CORVETTE'S. I SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS SEEKING COMPENSATION FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THEY HAVE BEEN NON-RESPONSIVE TO TWO LETTERS. I AM GREATLY CONCERNED THAT THIS STEERING COLUMN LOCK UP COULD OCCUR AT SPEED AND WOULD CONSTITUTE A SERIOUS RISK. ---DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS---769752. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5MPH ON A FLAT SURFACE AND WITH NO WARNING THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN COULD LOCK UP AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *SCC REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AFTER STARTING THE CAR. A COMPUTER READ OUT SAYS, SERVICE COLUMN LOCK, AND PRIOR TO THAT, THE READ OUT SAYS, PULL KEY, WAIT TEN SECONDS. THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT AND AT HOME IN THE GARAGE. I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER IN OUR AREA (CORONA) AND THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT AND THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO LOCK UP. I READ AND HEARD FROM A FELLOW CORVETTE OWNER THAT THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL IN THE FUTURE ON THIS PROBLEM. I THOUGHT I WOULD GET MY COMPLAINT IN. FORTUNATELY, IT HASN'T OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING BUT IT DOES CONCERN ME. NLM REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP AND CONSUMER WOULDNOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS HAD PARTS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AT 600.00 MILES A PART, BUT REMEDY DID NOT WORK.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKS AND WON'T UNLOCK UNLESS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER FOR SERVICE,VEHICLE WILL ONLY DRIVE ON A STRAIGHT LINE. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THIS WAS INDEED A FRIGHTENING INCIDENT. THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED WITH NO WAY TO RELEASE IT!*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

WHILE BACKING UP VEHICLE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN WILL LOCK UP AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR A WHILE. VEHICLE IS STILL ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

AFTER RETURNING HOME AND PARKED VEHICLE CONSUMER TRIED TURN IGNITION AND STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR !! I BELEIVE THAT THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH, INJURY TO MY WIFE OR OTHER MOTORISTS. GM DOES NOT WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THIS CAR IS VERY LOW MILEAGE AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER PROBELM AND A NATION WIDE RECALL SHOUDL OCCUR TO ASSURE THAT NO ONE GETS THEIR STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING THEIR VEHICLE.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKS WHILE DRIVING, UNABLE STEER VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER. REPLACED PART; HOWEVER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK

ENGINE STALLED WHILE BACKING UP. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME.*AK

WHILE BACKING UP ENGINE STALLED AND STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

THERE WAS A GM RECALL FOR 98-2000. THOUGH 97 AN OTHER LATER YEAR MODEL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PART WAS REPLACED IN JUNE 2001 AND CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WON'T EVEN GUARANTEE OR ARE CAUTIOUS ABOUT GM'S DEFECT IN MY CAR. I HAVE NOT PAID BECAUSE I AM SEEKING FAIRNESS AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO THE CAR. GM'S DEFECT IN THEIR CORVETTES HAS HAPPENED TO MANY. QUOTE THE DEALERSHIP IT WILL BE $384 OR IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT AND DEAL WITH IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. PLEASE RESPOND PROMPTLY. I KNOW AN ISSUE WAS SENT OUT TO 98-2000 BUT THE SAME PARTS HAVE BEEN USED ON 97 AND SOME 2001 MANUAL MODELS IT IS VERY UNFAIR.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. CONSUMER TOWED VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK *SCC

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED WHILE DRIVING AT 25MPH. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

KEY IN IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT TURN ,AND STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOCK. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP TWICE WHILE PARKING, VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

CAR WAS PARKED WITH NO INCEDENT WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED LATER THAT DAY THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK WOULD NOT DISENGAGE AND HAS BEEN LOCKED SINCE. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN WOULD NOT UNLOCK AND CAR WAS TOTALLY UNDRIVABLE. HAD TO BE PICKED UP AND TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. A RECALL IS IN PLACE FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM ON CERTAIN 1998 AND 1999 MODELS. THERE SHOULD ALSO EITHER BE A RECALL ON 1997 MODELS WITH THE PROBLEM, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, IT SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A RECALLED VEHICLE WOULD BE AT NO COST WHEN THE PROBLEM ARISES.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

AT FIRST START STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN IN FEBRUARY 2002, AND ON JUNE 25, 2002. PLEASE ADD FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED, WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND CONSUMER COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

EMERGENCY BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD PROPERLY WHEN ENGAGED, VEHICLE WILL ROLL ON AN INCLINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL. *SLC

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND THE TRACTON CONTROL AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DISENGAGED AND AS I ACCELERATED THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND SLID INTO THE CURB AND DID EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STEER VEHICLE. *JG

CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING COLUMN IS LOCKED, AS THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. *ET

THE STEERING COLUMN HAS LOCKED IN PLACE (PREVENTING ANY STEERING OF THE WHEEL) ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND HAS RESULTED IN MY HAVING TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY CAN "FIX" IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE 1998-2000 MODEL YEAR CORVETTE'S HAVE ALL BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. THE ONLY THING THAT DIFFERENTIATES THE 1997 FROM THE 1998 IS THE VIN NUMBER. THE 1997 SHOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN PART OF THE SAME RECALL, AS EVIDENCED BY THE FOUR FAILURES ON MY VEHICLE. I WOULD HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED IN PLACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THANKS FOR YOUR REVIEW OF THIS. HARRY BIZIOS. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD REGISTER "REDUCE ENGINE POWER" WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE NOT TO ACCELERATE, BUT GO NO MORE THEN 5 MPH. VEHICLE BACK IN DEALER'S SHOP AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE. CANNOT MOVE VEHICLE.*AK REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED UP, AND DRIVER CAN NOT TURN STEERING WHEEL. *AK *YH REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS

STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK