So the other day my ignition cylinder got stuck in the starting position, grinding the **** out of the starter. I ended up buying a new lock cylinder to replace it and everything, but just from messing around with it I discovered something insane...

With the position my steering wheel is in right now, several things occur:

-The temp gauge is constantly maxed
-The radiator fan doesn't work properly causing the car to overheat at idle
-The car idles funny
-The battery volt gauge is different
-Brake light is on

BUT...when I move the steering wheel down and to the left a little bit (its kinda loose), everything goes back to normal just like that. The radiator fan works properly, the idle changes pretty dramatically (to normal) and temp gauge goes back to what the car is actually at, the brake light goes off and the battery volts gauge goes back to normal.

So whatever happened to my car I have no idea, but it wont stop now until I move the steering wheel down now. I was told I need a new steering column or it needs rebuilt. If so how much $$$ are we talking. As for now I took off the steering wheel and am putting in the new ignition cylinder so I can at least start my car without it locking up every time. But as for this move my steering wheel a half inch and everything goes right back to normal?!?

Need some real help guys...any and all advice would be great, thanks.

 

sound to me that you have an electric harness stuck somewhere under your dash between your steering column and something else ...

you probably have several shorts due to chaffed wire ... or damaged connector.

Check the wiring schematic for your car to find commonality between the circuits you found faulties. If you have the service manual with harness routing it will help too !

and keep us posted of results !!!

 

By loose do you need in the tilt mechanism? If so the 4 inverted torx bolts that hold the column togather are loose, and that needs to be addressed as well.

 

yea, it sounds like some bad wiring, possibly in the column. if i continued to have problems, id look on craigslist or the like, for a used column. im no expert but you may need to find a year specific column, if you go that route? they dont take long to change & a fair price, used, is about $50-100, or so. best of luck!

 

I havent been in the column on a third gen, but i have on many early 90s GM trucks, and a late second gen camaro. The only wiring that runs up through the column is the ribbon of wiring for the multi-function switch and 12 volts for the horn.

 

Exactly, my best guess would be that the loose column is causing an alignment problem between the ignition cylinder and the ignition switch holding it at such a position that its stuck between start and run which is causing the above problem's and why it goes back to normal when he moves the column back into proper alignment.

 

So yesterday I got everything out and put in the new cylinder and put everything back together. Then the car wouldn't start at all...wouldn't turn over or anything...but that was because the new set of keys the new cylinder came with didn't have a chip

So I went to a GM dealership and $49,000 later I had them make me a key and everything works fine now. Starts every time, all the gauges are normal...just like nothing ever happened? lol

EDIT: Did nothing to the column really...only thing I did was replace the cylinder so I could start my car.

 

Do you still have a wobbly steering column? If so take it back apart and tighten the 4 inverted torx screws before they work themselves out all the way, had it happen before, really really not fun.

 

I noticed a substantial difference in how much tighter the steering wheel was. When I put everything back together I made sure everything was really tight.

But to truly answer your question, I'm not positive. I'm sorta afraid to start trying to yank and pull around on the steering wheel to see if it's loose or not and have all that **** happen all over again. But like I said, I did notice a huge difference in how much tighter it is, so maybe I fixed the problem.