dhickey

We are having this problem also. So far the dealer has tried to adjust it once, and when we got home, we could not get the keys out of the ignition..

It is at the dealer today for the same problem and for the hard starting issue (which it looks like they are replacing the fuel pump)..

I will let this thread know about the key issue..

Thanks

Don

Harpozep

Our HHR's ignition seems to be operating in a manner different than what other's here have reported. I can usually take the key out just fine, if not a little shifter movement free's it up. However, the steering wheel now no longer locks at all. Take the key out and the wheel spins freely, well, as free as it can being a power assist wheel .
I'm off to the dealer tomorrow and will report back to this thread.

I was going to start a thread on it, but it seems I have company!

Sonoma GT

This also happened to ours. It was at the dealer last week because we could not remove the key and the wheel would not lock. Transmission interlock parts our on national backorder. They said they should be here this week.

Harpozep

Thanks Guess I'm really not alone in this one. Nice to have you in the forum! Welcome
Sorry your first post is in the problem section.
The car seems mostly good, but has some teething problems..

Sonoma GT

Thanks for the welcome. The HHR was in for service today. Shifter interlock parts were replaced and its all fine now. Great car once again.

Harpozep

My car went in for service. They said nothing is wrong. They went out and compared it to one on the lot. They say the HHR has only one sort of locking pin vs two on other cars, so there is often some play in the wheel after shutting the car off and taking the key out.

I dunno. I thought when the key was out, the wheel was locked. How are the ones you all have working? Does the key removed make the entire wheel lock and have no play? That is how I remember mine being.

Then today, I could not get the key out twice! The wheel would not lock either, so it was not a matter of the steering wheel lock making it hard to get the key out as the steering wheel was not locked.
I think my dealer is being lazy........
I'll be speaking with them on Monday............

dhickey

We are still having the issue after having it in the dealer two times. Today there were eplenty of times I could not get the keys out of the ignition without messing with the shifter for a while...

If anyone has had parts replced that fixed this issue, please let us know in this thread.

Thanks

Don

Sonoma GT

As I stated above in my post from yesterday mine was fixed at the dealer yesterday. Invoice states;
K5225 CONTROL ASSEMBLY,FLOOR SHIFT REPLACE
PART # 15828149

dhickey

Cool!!

Thanks, I will print this out and take it to the dealer. It worked for the Fuel Pump, hopefully it will work for this...

Don

Daverb

I have not had this happen so far, but have had something similar happen on my dodge minivan. it is sometimes common with the inter lock system from what Ihave been told. if you turn the wheel too far and shut off and remove the key, the preasure can make it hard to turn the ignition key. Sometimes a jiggle of the wheel can correct this but have to remember not to over turn the wheel from now on.