Car won't start!
 

2006 HHR Manual trans, Came home from work, went to move my car about 2 hours later and it won't start. No lights no radio no nothing, no dash lights but if I took out the key, there is ticking noise. Took out the battery, put it on the charger and it was drained. Charged the battery and now everything works but it won't turn over. Jump the solenoid for starter and it turns over but won't start, key is on. Checked clutch safety switch it's fine. What is going on? Could it be the chip in the key?

Make sure that you check all of the fuses and modules under the hood. they tend to come loose and cause many electrical problems. Hope you get it fixed without $$ and frustration.

Check all everyone has said, under the hood, the waterfall area on passenger side inside. Fuses are good, relays all pushed in, battery terminals loosened then tightened again. If I push in the clutch, turn key to start, jump solenoid from battery, it turns over but still won't start. Acts like no power from the key to solenoid. Could key chip be bad? Have only one key, it was a trade in and they only turned in one. I did notice that on the dash the lock light is on. It flashes then stays on, never noticed this before. It could be normal. Took apart the plastic around the key part to check for loose wires, nothing. Now that the car is all apart, anymore suggestions?

Go to GM, have them make another key. The lock light should (iirc) go out. The key's not horribly expensive, and having a spare is always a nice thing. Don't even need a spare remote, key alone should do the trick (I got a new key made for my '95 Fhawk, GM key chip, cost me $15).

If that doesn't work, I'd check the clutch switch and neutral safety switch, just take them through full range and check with a multimeter, not too difficult. Next thing would be to check the fuel system and ignition, see if maybe you have a troublesome ignition module or coil, or maybe a problem in the fuel system. Unfortunately, iirc, with the engine off you can't run a OBD-II diagnostic, so that eliminates an easy way out for us. But yeah, if you have crank, and the key, neutral safety, and clutch switches all work, the next thing is to check for spark and finally fuel.

Good luck, and let me know how this goes!

- Jake R.

With the security light on in the DIC it is most likely the key that is the problem. Your computer is not recognizing the key and will not allow it to start. Most likely happened when the battery went dead.

With only 1 key you are limited to the dealer or a good locksmith who can service the PASS-KEY III+ system to get it corrected.

With another key you could see if the second one worked and even reprogram the non working key from the good one, if it is not a faulty chip in the key. The proceedure for reprograming keys is in your manual

You can have up to 10 keys programed to your vehicle so when you get it fixed I would highly recommend getting a second key.

SS Safety Switch
 

My SS seems to have a safety switch issue. I searched the pdf service manual I have and it shows what it calls the 'Clutch Start Switch (M89)' for the Getrag equiped cars and a different setup with a 'Clutch Pedal Position Sensor' only on different pedals on the SS.

Anyone have experiance with the SS safety switch?

SS Safety Switch Update
 

There is only one switch on the clutch pedal just as it shows in the pdf manual. I pressed on the electrical plug, pushed the pedal down a few times and played with it before trying to start it. I turned the key all the way and pushed the pedal to the floor a few times and the solenoid clicked briefly. With the click I knew it was not a fuse so I continued to play from the driver’s seat and it started. I shut it off and restarted it a dozen times and drove it home.

I wish I knew why it decided to start. It can't be anything I did because I didn't do anything...

Clutch Safety Switch Update
 

It seems that the 2008 safety switch was updated from the '06 and '07 HHR models. The clutch pedal on the '08 and up have combined the Cruise Control and ignition safety switch into one switch as the brake pedal combines the brake light switch with the cruise cancel switch.

After I got my car running the check engine light was on for about half a dozen starts. When I found a dry spot to park I climbed back under the dash and sprayed WD40 on the connectors and the spots showing a little corrosion. When I fired it back up the check engine light went out and the safety switch is now functioning as normal.

During the last week or so (before my SS let me down at the guard shack of a gated community in the pouring rain with half a dozen cars in line behind me) the clutch safety switch was feeling a little different. Sometimes I push the clutch down first before turning the key and other times I turn the key to the start position first so I can feel exactly where and when the switch comes on when I press the clutch and it was feeling a little strange, although not enough to merit climbing under the dash. Evidently, the electrical connector was a little loose and the switch a little damp from my sunroof leak because the switch feels like new now J