[jlr0042]

So I was one of the people that messed up and rotated the steering shaft after disconnecting it to install headers.
After turning the car for the first time, there was a horrible crackling sound (like plastic gears being shredded), all of the steering wheel buttons were not working, the reverse guidelines are gone, the steering wheel had about an inch of play before it had any resistance and started to turn the car, and I was getting Stabilitrak and Power Steering warnings.
I replaced the clock spring, which got me back my steering wheel controls, but that’s it.
I looked at the various wire harnesses in the passenger side, and nothing has made contact with the headers and melted, so it’s not a short.
Should I disconnect the steering rack and rotate it (with the clock spring removed) one way or the other to see if that fixes the issues with Stabilitrak/power steering and the reverse guid lines?
Is there something else in the steering wheel area that would account for the play in the wheel?

[lownslowss]

Probably need to recalibrate the steering wheel position with the new clock spring. You’re supposed to do the same after an alignment that alters steering wheel position.

[Booher]

Idk if it helps, when I did my headers I finished install turned the wheel and it was way off, ended up installing shaft backwards. Simple fix, but I had no warning lights of the sort. Could it be something else?

[jlr0042]

Originally Posted by lownslowss

Probably need to recalibrate the steering wheel position with the new clock spring. You’re supposed to do the same after an alignment that alters steering wheel position.

I've ordered an ODBII scanner that supposedly can reset the steering angle, so I'll be giving that a shot Saturday. I did some more Googling and an uncalibrated steering angle does seem to be the cause of the Stabilitrack/Power steering warnings and the lack of reverse guidelines.

That still leaves the question about slop in the steering wheel. I find it hard to believe that it is an issue with the tie rods, steering gearbox, or any bushing or alignment part as this occurred right after the header install.

Originally Posted by Booher

Idk if it helps, when I did my headers I finished install turned the wheel and it was way off, ended up installing shaft backwards. Simple fix, but I had no warning lights of the sort. Could it be something else?

After Googling pictures of the steering shaft, I too thought I installed it wrong as I could of sworn I installed the bolts with the head facing up, but sure enough with the wheels and steering wheel straight, the bolt head is facing down just like every picture I found. I can also turn the steering wheel left and right an equal amount (1.5 rotations either way). I'm thinking there might be a gear system in between the steering wheel and the shaft I disconnected and that I may have stripped teeth off of it? I did have to use a lot of force to push the shaft up into the firewall, and when it finally broke free of the linkage, it slammed up.

[Shayne62]

Is it an intermittent issue or constant? Mine was the main wiring harness under the coolant reservoir. A small part of the harness was touching the header whenever I used the throttle. Got a couple more zip ties and moved the harness over. No issues since for me.

[Aaron07]

Originally Posted by Shayne62

Is it an intermittent issue or constant? Mine was the main wiring harness under the coolant reservoir. A small part of the harness was touching the header whenever I used the throttle. Got a couple more zip ties and moved the harness over. No issues since for me.

This harness definitely needs heat taped and or moved. Need to remove the coolant reservoir to inspect.

[jlr0042]

Welp, I tried two different OBD2 scanners, and neither support 2016+ Camaro's for the Steering Angle Sensor reset/learn. I tried a cheap one from Amazon (TOPDON ArtiLink 600) and borrowed Advanced Auto Part's Innova 5610 CarScan Pro. The ArtiLink
straight up said no, and the Innova at first said the vehicle was not in a ready state or could not communicate with the ECU (car was on but engine off), and then eventually
said the car was not supported. I am in desperate need of an alignment (have to hold the wheel about 30 degrees to the right to go straight) and a set of rear tires. I set up an appointment for the 12th. I guess we'll see if the alignment will fix the wheel slop and if the shop is able to reset the steering angle sensor. I read that bad tow links could cause the slop I am feeling, and I have had a real bad alignment for months (haven't had time to fix it), so it's maybe just a coincidence that my tow links went bad the day I installed the headers. I'll have the alignment shop check them out.

Originally Posted by Shayne62

Is it an intermittent issue or constant? Mine was the main wiring harness under the coolant reservoir. A small part of the harness was touching the header whenever I used the throttle. Got a couple more zip ties and moved the harness over. No issues since for me.

It is constant, from the second I started the car after the header install. I saw a post on here about the header melting that wire harness, but from what I can visually see and feel, the harness is in perfect condition.

Originally Posted by Aaron07

This harness definitely needs heat taped and or moved. Need to remove the coolant reservoir to inspect.

Already checked that wire harness as I have seen another post about it. Mine is a solid inch away from the header. I can see the entirety of the cable, and could not see any melted spots. I also ran my hand around the entire length of it, and it's all smooth.

I have also found an image of the steering column for our car, and there is a small section of teeth at the other end of the column. I am starting to think when I slammed the steering linkage up into the firewall I damaged these teeth.

[jlr0042]

Welp, I’m an idiot.
I took apart my steering wheel again, stuck my head in with the pedals in the floor, and wiggled the eve living crap of every part of the steering column, it all wiggles. So I go back into the engine bay, look at the linkage I removed, and low and behold! One of the bolts was not torqued down… sigh. Given how the other bolt is still torqued down, I don’t think it vibrated off but I instead I failed to tighten down the bolt…. I wiggled the linkage, and that’s definitely the culprit. It’s 4am, so I’m not starting the car to rotate the shaft to tighten that bolt today.
Also hoping that maybe replugging the steering wheel sensor might change things with the Stabilitrak and reverse camera guidelines.

[Aaron07]

Originally Posted by jlr0042

Welp, I’m an idiot.
I took apart my steering wheel again, stuck my head in with the pedals in the floor, and wiggled the eve living crap of every part of the steering column, it all wiggles. So I go back into the engine bay, look at the linkage I removed, and low and behold! One of the bolts was not torqued down… sigh. Given how the other bolt is still torqued down, I don’t think it vibrated off but I instead I failed to tighten down the bolt…. I wiggled the linkage, and that’s definitely the culprit. It’s 4am, so I’m not starting the car to rotate the shaft to tighten that bolt today.
Also hoping that maybe replugging the steering wheel sensor might change things with the Stabilitrak and reverse camera guidelines.

Good job! That took some dedication. Yeah we need to see about the electronic gremlins now..

[jlr0042]

Quick update. I torqued that bolt down, and there is zero play in the steering wheel now.

I got new rear tires installed and an alignment done at my local Firestone, and still have the same errors. I checked the wiring harnesses on the passenger side from both the top and underneath the car (I was removing my catback to clean it in prep for welding), and I could not identify any melted wires. My current guess is when I broke the clock spring, I also damaged the steering angle sensor. This might be why two code readers that advertise Chevy SAS reset support both said that the vehicle was not in a ready state/could not be reset.

I am getting my car tuned this Tuesday, and will see if my tuner can gather more info or logs from the car in regards to the SAS. Odds are I will end up replacing the SAS as it's only $50 shipped, and a hell of a lot cheaper than going to the dealer.

[Sephx1]

The service manual says that if the steering wheel becomes un-centered from it’s original orientation, it can cause damage to the SRS system. There is a re-centering procedure that involves removing the steering wheel and clock spring. They go into detail about what needs to line up to be properly centered.

[jlr0042]

Originally Posted by Sephx1

The service manual says that if the steering wheel becomes un-centered from it’s original orientation, it can cause damage to the SRS system. There is a re-centering procedure that involves removing the steering wheel and clock spring. They go into detail about what needs to line up to be properly centered.

Thanks for that info, I will look into that.

I got my tune today, and my tuner wasn’t able to pull anything about the SAS, but the shop manager plugged up their expensive SnapOn diagnostic scanner, and it was unable to communicate with the SAS. It also said the vehicle was not in a ready state, and there was a module error. They pointed me to GM, but I’ll check the service manual first.

[jlr0042]

Struck out, new sensor didn’t help. I’m not wanting to drop the money for the service manual, so I’m just going to bring it to my local Chevy service shop for them to take over.
I’ll update here once I’ve done so with what they find.
Thanks for the help everyone!

[w123luke]

Originally Posted by jlr0042

Struck out, new sensor didn’t help. I’m not wanting to drop the money for the service manual, so I’m just going to bring it to my local Chevy service shop for them to take over.
I’ll update here once I’ve done so with what they find.
Thanks for the help everyone!

Hey man, did you ever find a solution or figure out what it was? I’m having a similar issue with car (though I got the reverse done. Took out the long tubes and went back to stock). I get going and the light turns on and the power steering goes out once the wheel gets centered if I want to turn left but turning right it works just fine and my reverse camera lines think my wheel is off to the left even when the wheels are centered.