Wife comes home from work. Yells for me. Key stuck in ignition. Not the usual "Turn the steering wheel just a little bit" to release it. Jiggled shifter and key came out. Repeated a few times with same result. "Something" in the shifter.

I have a 2006 HHR with automatic transmission and 60,000 miles.

I searched numerous threads in this forum. Discovered: (1) how to remove all the trim, (2) what the micro switch and shaft look like, (3) different issues people have had, (4) what to look for, (5) that very important solenoid under the steering column that allows you to manually operate the solenoid to release the key.

Using a mirror and flashlight I discovered the metal shaft had slid towards the drivers seat. I was able to get one of my skinny fingers in there and push it back into place. Not much movement, just a little, just enough. Now everything works fine.

Pictures that are posted in the treads made it very easy to remove all the plastic trim pieces.

I really feel for those of you that have had the more serious issues.

From everything I have read on this forum - If you can not turn the engine off, it is the lock cylinder. If you can turn the engine off, but can not turn the key to the lock position in order to remove the key, it is in the shifter.

Inside the shifter tube is a plastic shaft. The metal shaft I had to adjust runs through a hole in this plastic shaft. This plastic shaft moves up and down as you operate the lever on the front of the shifter knob. Some of you have had this shaft break. NAPA sells a "Transmission Shift Linkage Repair" kit. It has two of these shafts of different lengths plus some other parts. The part number is "BK 6003638." Check it out. It might be what you need. I do not know the cost.

Thanks to everyone that has shared their problem with this issue and their fixes. Thanks to those that have posted pictures and diagrams (especially those from the service manual.) It made things very easy for me to fix.

When my wife gets home from work today I will make sure she can operate the solenoid under the steering column. I am sure this will happen again.

The price we pay for our gadgets.

Thank You,

Don

 

Good Morning!

Read you piece there, but would like to get links to the pictures and any instructions before I purchase any parts or tear it apart.

Thanks. jc

 

He cited search terms for you to use in the search box. You could just use it. And, he posted this almost 2 years ago.