NHTSA Complaint #10351905 — 2006 CHEVROLET HHR

2006 CHEVY HHR. GEAR SHIFT CONTROL PIN FALLS OUT OF PLASTIC RETAINMENT PIECE RESULTING IN GEAR SHIFT BUTTON STICKING IN THE INWARD POSITION AND THE KEY REMAINING LOCKED IN STEERING COLUMN. DUE TO A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING, THE PLASTIC CRACKS AROUND THE PIN RETAINMENT HOLE. THE CONTROL PIN THEN BECOMES LOOSE, THUS RESULTING IN THE CONTROL PIN EITHER MOVING OUT OF IT'S INTENDED POSITION AND JAMMING THE GEAR SELECTOR, OR FALLING OUT COMPLETELY AND ALLOWING THE GEAR SELECTOR TO MOVE IN ANY GEAR AT ANY TIME, WEATHER THE CAR IS RUNNING OR SHUT OFF. ONCE CONTROL PIN MOVES OUT OF POSITION OR FALLS OUT, THE MICRO SWITCH CANNOT BE ACTIVATED TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THUS RESULTING IN A DEAD BATTERY VERY DANGEROUS. THE DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT INSIST THERE IS NO T.S.B. OR RECALL. THEY COULD EASILY REPLACE THE PLASTIC RETAINMENT PART WITH THE NEWER VERSION USED IN LATER MODELS, BUT CLAIM THEY CAN'T GET IT. THERE REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $150.00 PLUS LABOR. THE NEWER RETAINMENT PART CAN'T COST MORE THAN 15 DOLLARS,(NARROW PIECE OF PLASTIC ~ THE SIZE OF A PENCIL WITH A SMALL HOLE IN IT). THIS PART GOES FROM THE TOP OF THE SHIFTER TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GEAR SELECTOR AND HOLDS THE CONTROL PIN IN POSITION, WHICH IN TURN, ACTIVATES THE MICRO SWITCH TO RELEASE THE KEYS. WITH THE AMOUNT OF OCCURRENCES LISTED ONLINE SINCE 2006. THIS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR