NHTSA Complaint #10435391 — 2009 PONTIAC G5

I WAS PRESENTED WITH THE UNSAFE CONDITION OF BEING UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN MY IGNITION TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. I ATTEMPTED TURNING THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. I REPEATEDLY SHIFTED THE CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOOSEN THE KEY. MY ATTEMPTS ALSO INCLUDED ENLISTING THE HELP OF MY WIFE TO MAKE SURE I WAS TRYING TO SHUT THE CAR OFF CORRECTLY. AFTER 30 MINUTES OF IDLING IN THE DRIVEWAY, I PULLED THE FUEL PUMP RELAY TO STARVE THE VEHICLE OF FUEL AND IT SHUT OFF WITH THE KEY STILL STUCK IN THE RUN POSITION. I THEN DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO SHUT OFF THE LIGHTS. I HAD A SPARE SET OF KEYS SO I LOCKED THE CAR DOORS IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE KEYS STILL IN THE IGNITION. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, I CALLED MY EMPLOYER AND NOTIFIED THEM I WOULD BE UNABLE TO GET TO WORK. I THEN UNLOCKED THE DOORS WITH MY SPARE KEYS, RECONNECTED THE BATTERY, AND TOOK MY CAR TO MARTIN CHEVROLET IN SAGINAW, MICHIGAN. UPON ARRIVING I WAS AGAIN UNABLE TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND IT IDLED WHILE I WAS CHECKED IN. SHE INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVROLET COBALT AND PONTIAC G5 VEHICLES. FACED WITH NO OTHER OPTION BUT TO HAVE MY VEHICLE FIXED, I PAID THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER (02188-PCK) AND PROVIDE ME WITH A NEW KEY. THE UNSAFE CONDITION OF BEING UNABLE TO SHUT OFF A RUNNING VEHICLE IS UNACCEPTABLE. I HAVE DONE SEVERAL SEARCHES ONLINE AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVY COBALTS AND PONTIAC G5 VEHICLES. GM HAS ALSO RELEASED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (#09-02-35-005B) REPORTING THIS PROBLEM FOR VEHICLES PRODUCED BEFORE APRIL 2009. THEY HAVE ALSO RELEASED A NEWLY DESIGNED IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE FIXED UNDER THEIR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY OR A RECALL. *TR