NHTSA Complaint #10618279 — 2010 CHEVROLET HHR

ON SUNDAY, MARCH 31ST, 2013, MY VEHICLE WAS LOCKED IN THE RUNNING POSITION AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET MY KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT A LOCAL CAR EXPERT WHO WAS ABLE TO PULL THE FUEL PUMP FUSE TO GET THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING. THE NEXT DAY, THIS SAME PERSON TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO HIS SHOP AND REPLACED THE "IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER" PER A "SILENT" GM RECALL. SOON AFTER THIS INCIDENT, I BEGAN HEARING ABOUT A GM RECALL ON THE "IGNITION SWITCH". I WAS THEN SENT A LETTER FROM GM TO THAT EFFECT. THE LETTER ALSO STATED THAT I COULD BE REIMBURSED FOR WORK DONE IF I HAD REPAIRS MADE ON MY OWN. WHEN I APPLIED FOR A REFUND FOR THE LABOR COST THAT I INCURRED, I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE TEAM CHEVY OF VALPARAISO, IN DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THAT I WOULD NOT BE COMPENSATED FOR BY EXPENSES BECAUSE THE CURRENT RECALL WAS FOR THE "IGNITION SWITCH" AND NOT THE "LOCK CYLINDER". I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT THE OTHER PART WAS ALSO A PART OF A PREVIOUS RECALL; HOWEVER, THE REP REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE WITH THE "LOCK CYLINDER". AFTER DOING SOME ONLINE RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS SAME "LOCKING IN THE RUN POSITION ISSUE". FOR THIS REASON, AND THE FACT THAT GM IS ONCE AGAIN SLOW TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DANGEROUS DEFECT IN A VEHICLE WITH A HISTORY OF DANGEROUS DEFECTS, I AM WRITING TO FILE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT. AT THIS POINT, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY VEHICLE. I CURRENTLY HAVE TWO RECALLS OUT ON MY CAR AND HAVE ALREADY REPLACED BY POWER STEERING ASSIST MOTOR AFTER IT FAILED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFT HAND TURN. THERE ARE A SERIES OF MAJOR FLAWS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND GM NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS AND MAKE THIS RIGHT. I WOULD ALSO HOPE THAT THE NHTSA CAN INFLUENCE GM TO EXPAND THEIR RECALL TO COVER ALL IGNITION RELATED PROBLEMS. *TR