NHTSA Complaint #10376354 — 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT

THE KEY CAN NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. EVENTHOUGH THE SHIFTER IS IN THE PARK POSITION. THE KEY DOES NOT RETURN TO THE REMOVE POSITION. YOU CAN TURN THE ENGINE OFF, BUT THE KEY REMAINS IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION SO THE BATTERY RUNS DOWN. REPEATED EFFORTS OF CYCLING THE SHIFTER AND TURNING THE WHEEL DOES NOT RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE SHIFTER WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $287. FORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED WHEN I RETURNED HOME AND WAS ABLE TO PARK IN MY OWN GARAGE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNFORTUNATE IF I HAD BEEN ON A TRIP OR AN IMPORTANT ERRAND AND WOULD HAVE TO LEFT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IN A PUBLIC AREA. WHEN I "GOOGLED" THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET IN AN EFFORT TO FIND A SIMPLE SOLUTION, I FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN REGARDS TO THE COBALT CAR. *TR