NHTSA Complaint #10438541 — 2009 CHEVROLET HHR

IGNITION PROBLEMS AFTER STARTING AND CUTTING OFF THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES DECEMBER 4, 2011, I STOPPED BY THE GROCERY STORE, REACHED UP TO CUT THE IGNITION OFF AND THE KEY WOULD ONLY MOVE ABOUT 1/4" FORWARD, NOT CAUSING THE CAR TRY TO CRANK, AS IT NORMALLY WOULD, AND NOT TURNING BACKWARDS, AS IF CUTTING THE CAR OFF, AT ALL. I TRIED GOING THE GEARS, WORKING THE KEY IN EACH GEAR, CUTTING THE WHEELS, AGAIN WORKING THE KEY AS I TURNED THE WHEEL, ALL OF WHICH TO NO AVAIL. AS IT HAPPENED ON A SUNDAY, THERE WERE NO DEALERSHIPS OR SHOPS OPEN IN THE AREA, I HAD TO LET MY CAR SIT AND RUN FOR SEVERAL HOURS UNTIL I COULD GET A MECHANIC FRIEND OVER TO LOOK AT THE CAR. HE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE IGNITION TO CUT OFF OR TO GET THE KEY TO MOVE AT ALL, SO HE TOOK THE HOUSING OFF AND FOUND A WIRING HARNESS THAT COULD BE UNPLUGGED TO CUT THE IGNITION OFF THEREFORE ENABLING THE CAR TO CUT OFF. WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THIS CAN BE USED TO RETURN THE CAR TO RUNNING IN AN EMERGENCY, IF YOU PLUG IT BACK IN AND TURN THE KEY SLIGHTLY AS IF STARTING THE CAR, AS THIS IS THE ONLY DIRECTION THE KEY WILL TURN. *TR