Able to remove key but car won't turn off...ignition or electrical?
 

Hello! I'm new to forums & hoping I can find some help in here because I am totally clueless when it comes to cars. I searched the forums & didn't see anything like this problem. If it has been discussed before, please let me know where I can find the thread so I can read up on it. :)
I have a 2010 HHR SS Turbo. I had the ignition recall done in early September.

Here's the problem: I turn off the car, remove the key & all of the dash lights & engine comes back on. I put the key back in, turn it off & it all happens again. The first time this happened, after trying to shut it off 3 times, the car finally just turned off on his own. I took it to the dealer on Friday (10/31) but they were unable to recreate the problem. They did not run any diagnostics on it, they just randomly went out to turn it on & off during the day. I brought it home & no problems the rest of 10/31 or 11/1.

Today (11/2), I ran some errands with no problems but when I got home, the same thing happened again. My husband was able to turn the car off by pushing the remote start button. However, when he tried to start it with the remote start, it set off the alarm.

I will be taking it back to the dealer tomorrow & hopefully they will run a diagnostic on it this time.

Thanks for you help!

Wow that is an interesting issue. Please do update us with any findings.

Welcome to the forum btw.

Welcome to the site :smile:

I have not heard of that before. It sounds like a remote start issue to me. Let us know what the dealer finds.

Dropped the car off at the dealer & even they were stumped as to what the problem could be. What sounded like the car running to me may actually be a very noisy cooling fan. When I push the info button on the steering wheel, there is info for everything except for the coolant temp. This would make a cooling fan running make sense, since the car has no feedback as to a temp. The dash lights coming on with the fan while the key is out of the ignition is something they thought was odd, as well. Also, the remote start will not work & when it is attempted, the alarm goes off. Not much new info right now, but I have to admit, I was kind of happy the car acted up in the service lane so they knew I wasn't just imagining things.
Once I get more info, I will post an update.

Sounds interesting.

Unsure if the Temp not reading is because of the key being off, or the T-stat having a problem.

Subb'ing this post for follow up.

I cycled through the info button while I was driving & the temp reading was just dashes. However, after the service dept let the car run for awhile, a temperature finally registered. Once the temp registered, the car shuts off as normal with no problem. Very strange.

A "flatlined" temp readout is a fairly reliable indicator of a bad temperature sensor, but the other symptoms are odd. As everyone here knows, our beloved little Trucklets can do some odd things, and just when we think we've seen it all...Boom! Another new and unique problem will turn up.

Let us know how you make out, and what the diagnosis turned out to be, that way we'll have it in our database.

P.S. :welcome8: to the forum!

After checking Google today, I am expecting the problem to have something to do with the thermostat. That's my best guess. Hopefully, they will call with some news tomorrow. Thanks for all of your input!

If your HHR is actually still running after removing the key, then that is likely not the T-stat, but that may also be a problem as well.

x2.

The blanked out temp readings are most likely caused by the thermostat jammed open, making the engine slow to warm up (which will sometimes light up the CEL with code P0128). Do a search for P0128 here for further info.

Did you have the CEL light up at all?

If one cannot differentiate between a fan running and the engine running........ it's best to just let the dealer deal with it.