NHTSA Complaint #10440433 — 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT

I DROVE TO MY DESTINATION AND TRIED TO TURN OFF MY CAR, HOWEVER, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN OFF. LUCKILY, I DRIVE A 5 SPEED AND WAS ABLE TO KILL THE ENGINE BY POPPING OUT THE CLUTCH OTHERWISE I WOULD BE FORCED TO LET THE ENGINE RUN UNTIL IT RAN OUT OF GAS. WITH THE ENGINE OFF, THE KEY WAS STILL STUCK IN THE CAR AND ALL THAT WAS NEEDED TO RE-START THE CAR WAS A GIGGLE OF THE KEY. THIS IS REALLY UNSAFE. WITH MY KEY STUCK IN MY CAR, I WAS UNABLE TO LOCK THE CAR DOOR; OTHERWISE I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REENTER THE CAR. THIS MEANT THAT A CHILD COULD HAVE ENTERED MY CAR AND WITH THE KEY ALREADY IN THE CAR (SINCE IT WAS STUCK) THEY COULD HAVE DRIVEN IT AND CAUSED SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR DEATH TO THEMSELVES OR TO ANOTHER. IF MY CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THEN THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY TO SHUT IT OFF EXCEPT FOR RUNNING IT OUT OF GAS. THIS COULD POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK IN SEVERAL SITUATIONS SUCH AS A CAR BEING TRAPPED IN A GARAGE WITH LITTLE VENTILATION OR IF IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING LEAKING GASOLINE. GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAVE EVEN ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE MATTER (DOCUMENT ID: 2552146 ; #10256: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION - IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER - REPLACE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER - (DEC. 14, 2010). THIS BULLETIN IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT HTTP://5HIZN1T.VACAU.COM/10256.HTM#SS2-2552146. IT UPSETS ME THAT GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT FAILS TO TAKE ANY MEANINGFUL ACTION. THEIR "SERVICE BULLETIN" REMEDY IS ILLUSORY AT BEST. WHEN I TOOK A COPY OF THIS BULLETIN TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP THEY DID NOT HONOR IT. THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT ONE OF THE 2009 COBALTS THAT WERE INCLUDED. HOW NOT MY CAR DID THE SAME THING AS THEY WARNED. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS PHYSICALLY HARMED BY GM'S NEGLIGENCE IN THIS OCCURRENCE; HOWEVER IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT IF THIS PROBLEM GOES UNRESOLVED THAT SOMEONE WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR