NHTSA Complaint #10992344 — 2006 CHEVROLET HHR

MY 2006 CHEVROLET HHR'S DISPLAY KEPT FLASHING "CHECK CHARGE SYS" AND "BATTERY SAVER ON." A MECHANIC SAID TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. I DID BEFORE EMBARKING ON A 200-MILE WEEKEND TRIP. ABOUT 30 MILES INTO THE TRIP, BOTH DISPLAYS RETURNED. BUT THE HHR PERFORMED NORMALLY. ABOUT 170 MILES INTO MY TRIP, I STOPPED TO EAT. MY HHR WOULD NOT CRANK. A TEEN OFFERED A JUMP. CAR STARTED, BUT THE GEAR LOCK KEPT IT IN PARK. WITH MODEST PRESSURE, I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT. ABOUT 3 MILES LATER ON A DIVIDED HIGHWAY, I EXPERIENCED DIFFICULT STEERING, DOOR LOCKS WENT UP AND DOWN, THEN SILENCE. EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN. LUCKILY, TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND FROM THE RIGHT LANE, I WAS ABLE TO STEER MY HHR OFF THE HIGHWAY. HAD THIS BEEN AT NIGHT, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, RAIN OR AT A HIGHER SPEED, I BELIEVE MY LIFE OR OTHERS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN DANGER. MY CAR WAS TOWED, AND THIS MECHANIC REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. CHEVROLET'S DISPLAY SHOULD HAVE WARNED "ALTERNATOR FAILURE." AND MY GEAR LOCK WAS SO FLIMSY, IT FAILED IN PREVENTING ME FROM DRIVING. NOW, I HAVE A GEAR SHIFT WITH NO PROTECTION FROM ACCIDENTAL SHIFTING, AND MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I DO NOT WISH TO BE A STATISTIC. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF FURTHER DETAILS ARE NEEDED.