So I picked up a 2008 black SS last saturday. I totally love the car!

But....

It all started this saturday. I went outside to go get some lunch and noticed the local birds had completly covered my new car in bird-crap. Being a guy that appreciates an omen, I thought "damn, sopmething crappy is going to happen today..."

I drive around DC a little bit looking for a car wash and find a guy handwashing. He says he will rinse me off and i go up the street to the grocery store for some cash.

when I return to my car the key will not turn in the ignition. It opens the doors fine, but simply will not turn the car on. remote start works fine, but I cannot get the car out of park.

I tried wiggling the wheel, pushing on the back of the car, making sure it was in park, shaking the key around..nothing.

So GM roadside sends out a tow truck that arrives two hours later. I requested a flatbed cause the manual says a pull tow is not recommended. The driver shows up with no flatbed (thanks GM!) and I wait another 2 hours for a flatbed.

since the car cannot be shifted out of park, the driver drags the car onto the flatbed and drops it off at a chevy dealer near by (not my dealer, which is farther away and a carmax). I think i read here that the car must then be bounced off the flatbed (since it cant go into reverse), but I was unable to witness the delivery of the vehicle to the dealer.

I am now wondering what sort of "checklist" should I be handing the dealer/carmax to ensure the suspension or frame (or anything else) is not damaged.

Any thoughts?

 

Check out this thread re the transmission interlock:

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...sion+interlock

 

thanks for the link!

so i should request a new shifter part and i am going to get them to fix the tpm (LF --)

my main concern now is what all could have possibly been damaged by dragging the car onto the flatbed and then dragging/bouncing it off?

 

I would expect your car is fine. I also suspect it more likely has/had a bad ignition cylinder and not the shifter issue. You would still be able to turn the key with a bad shifter; you just wouldn't be able to pull it out.

 

talked to the dealer today, he said the part comes in tomorrow. once the car is drivable, they will drive it and put it up on the rack to see if anything looks damaged.

should I take the car to an independent mechanic for a second opinion regarding the harsh tow job?

also the tires were nearly new when he dragged the car up the lift, would asking for a new set of tires be within reason? I guess its the same as a skid but something just makes me uncomfortable about the whole idea of dragging a parked car in bursts up an incline.