A few months ago our 2000 Corvette had a recall for the steering column lock relay. We had never had a problem with that, but, of course, took it in.
The dealer replaced the relay. The next day we had a “Service Steering Colunm Lock” alert. It was just once, but we took it back. It was the same problem, so we weren’t charged.
Yesterday, I found the car with a dead battery. The door was left ajar for several days, since I try to not drive it when the weather is nasty.
We successfully jump started it and I when my merry way.
I drove it for abour 35 miles, plenty of time to recharge. I was out of the car for about 2 hours. When I came back, I had the “Service Steering Colunm Lock” alert again. It would start fine, but die once I put it in gear; exactly what the manual says it would do with this alert.
I turned off the engine, locked and unlocked the doors (this is so I was sure the car recognized my key) tried again… and again… and… you get the picture.
I left it over night and when back this morning. I reset the fob recogintion, no change.
I have a feeling the computer just needs a reset, since the battery was probably dead for 3-5 days.
I called the dealer, who, of course, wants me to have it towed there.
We have a friend who gave my husband the reset code for the computer at one time, but hubby can’t find it and friend is unavailable today.
Can anyone tell me the reset code? If that doesn’t work, I’ll have it towed to the dealer, but, I really don’t want to pour anymore money down this hole right now.
Thanks
M
I cna’t help you with the reset code, but I can tell you that driving a car with a dead battery for 35 miles is not plenty of time for it to fully recharge. Yes the problem is probably caused by low battery voltage. The cure for low battery voltage is to either charge the battery with a battery charger or replace the battey. Driving the car will only trickle charge the battery not fully charge it.
It’s a new battery and it charged to 14 volts after the jump and leveled off to 13.2, which is where it usually is. It was still at 13.2 this morning.
Also I let it run for 15 minutes before I drove it last night and I left it idleing this morning for 45 minutes.
I’ve gotten good information from you before, so I’m not trying to say you’re wrong, You probably aren’t. 
We have a charger here, but the car is there.
I’m going to have it towed to the dealer :mad: He said if it’s the same problem as before they will pay the tow.
I had funny problems like this with my '02 convertible, which is why I sold it.
The steering locked up on me one night in a lonely train station parking lot and I had to have it towed to a dealer on a flatbed. They told me about the steering column problem and the related recall ( of which no one had notified me, even though I was the original owner of the car).
Soon after the steering column work, I started having problems with dead batteries and failures to start. Dealers “re-flashed” my computer twice and it still had the same problem time and again - Insert key and turn, nothing happens.
Once the dealer “fixed” the problem so that the car was driveable, I drove it to a Dodge dealer and traded the sucker in on a Dodge 1500 King Cab. My experience is that once you start having computer problems, you’re better off getting rid of the damned car with all the heartache and money problems it will cause you in the long run.
I don’t know if you take your Corvette up to the electronic limit like I used to, but computer problems are not something you want as you’re zipping down the road in the triple digits.
The colunm didn’t lock up, it just said it did. Maybe portending even worse.
I think we’re going to bail on this one too.
I’ve never owned an American car that wasn’t a hole in the road to pour money into. My own experience, only. No debate please.