NHTSA Complaint #10320551 — 2006 CHEVROLET HHR

KEY GETS STUCK / CAN NOT TURN TO OFF POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY. IF YOU CAN NOT REMOVE THE KEY WITHIN AN HOUR, YOUR BATTERY WILL BE DEPLETED. THERE IS AN ACTUATING ROD IN THE SHIFTER THAT PUSHES A MICRO SWITCH THAT COMPLETES A CIRCUIT TO PULL A SOLENOID IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO ALLOW THE IGNITION SWITCH TO BE TUNED TO THE OFF POSITION (AND REMOVE THE KEY) WHEN IN PARK. THE PLASTIC PART IN THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY BREAKS AND ALLOWS THE ACTUATING ROD TO FALL OUT. THE FIX FOR THIS IS TO REPLACE THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY. $185 NOT INCLUDING LABOR. THE QUICK FIX FOR THIS IS THERE IS A PLASTIC PLUG ON THE UNDER SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. INSIDE YOU HAVE TO FEEL FOR THE END OF THAT SOLENOID AND DEPRESS IT TO RELEASE THE KEY. GM TSB #06-07-30-004F ACKNOWLEDGES THE COMMON OCCURRENCE OF THIS FAILURE FROM 2006 TO 2010 HHR, COBALT, AND PONTIAC G5 . ALTHOUGH, IF YOU ARE OUT OF WARRANTY, YOUR DEALER MAY BE RELUCTANT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT COST. TIRES, BALL JOINTS, BRAKES, WHAT HAVE YOU, FAIL AND ARE, NO DOUBT, A COMMON OCCURRENCE. IF FACT THAT IS TO BE EXPECTED. BUT THE SHIFTER IN AN AUTOMATIC? I WOULD THINK THAT THE SHIFTER IN AN AUTOMATIC SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR. IMO, THEY INSTALLED A POORLY MADE PART. TO ME, THIS IS OBVIOUS SINCE THEY ARE STATING IN THAT TSB, 2006 - 2010 SHIFTER ARE EXPECTED TO FALL APART AS MINE DID. I HAVE A 1965 PLYMOUTH BELVEDERE, THE OLDEST CAR IN MY POSSESSION, THAT THE SHIFTER NEVER NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. IN FACT I'VE NEVER HAD AN AUTOMATIC SHIFTER PROBLEM WITH ANY CAR. IT WAS STATED IN A FORUM THAT GM SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED A METAL COLLAR OR RING AROUND THE PLASTIC BIT THAT HOLDS THAT PIN TO REINFORCE IT AND THIS PROBLEM WOULD HAVE NEVER BECOME A NUISANCE. ALSO, WHEN THAT PIN FALLS OUT, THE SHIFT LEVER IS FREE TO MOVE WITHOUT PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON ON THE FRONT OF THE SHIFT LEVER, SO IT COULD ACCIDENTALLY BE MOVED TO ANOTHER GEAR WHILE DRIVING, EVEN REVERSE!! I GUESS THAT IS NOT ENOUGH OF A SAFETY ISSUE FOR GM TO WORRY ABOUT. *TR