Ignition won't turn
Joined: 06-25-2010
Posts: 7
From: Green Valley,AZ
This happened to me Sunday night, we were going to visit some friends, we arrived and we could not shut the car off. So we had to go back home! First tried to Disconnect the battery, this did not work. Then looked at the fuse box, took out #50, this shut the engine down, but then I was left with the lights and the electric system on, no wanting to run down the battery, then I disconnected the battery again. This shut all the power off. Then I shut the tailgate. Really had no choice and this was in my garage. I left the car in Neutral, instead of in Park. Monday morning I called the Chevrolet Roadside Service . They were there in a hour and loaded the car on a rollback and took the car to the dealer. The service man who picked up the car, said it was luckly I left the car in neutral, the week before he had to pickup a Lexus, the car had a electric emergency brake and they could not get the car out of Park and they had to water the garage down to push the car out so they could load it. The car is at the dealer and I am waiting call from the Service Dept as to when it will be done.
Joined: 10-13-2017
Posts: 1
From: Alabama
key won't turn, steering wheel locked
This just happened to me. I called my boyfriend and he told me what to do and it worked. If the steering wheel is locked and key won't turn then shake the locked steering wheel back & forth while pushing the key in a little and turning the key. U have to do it at the same time. The reason it won't turn has something to do with the wheel being locked & not straight
Friday at 4:30, my wife calls me, says the HHR key won't turn the ignition any more. I go to the gas station she is stuck at, and sure enough, no matter what I do to it, the key acts like it doesn't belong to the vehicle. Called GM roadside, they dispatch a tow truck, and at 5:50, it shows up. Dealer service closes at 6, so it sat at the dealership all weekend. I called today, and they say they have the part on order and it's shipping from West Virginia, and I shouldn't expect to get the car back until Wednesday.
The service department didn't know what part was bad, the tech that worked on it was out on a test drive.
Any clue what part went bad?
The key inserts and triggers the dinger, and pulls out quite readily. I slammed the tilt column up and down a bunch of times in case there was a sticky pin in the key cylinder. The steering wheel wasn't locked at the start of the episode, but it locked as soon as I wiggled it. (steering wheel turned a fraction made the tow truck driver happy
) I've heard of automatic HHR's not giving the key back, but I've never seen anything on the lock cylinder refusing to turn.
2008 HHR AA5 M5
Jonathan
The service department didn't know what part was bad, the tech that worked on it was out on a test drive.
Any clue what part went bad?
The key inserts and triggers the dinger, and pulls out quite readily. I slammed the tilt column up and down a bunch of times in case there was a sticky pin in the key cylinder. The steering wheel wasn't locked at the start of the episode, but it locked as soon as I wiggled it. (steering wheel turned a fraction made the tow truck driver happy
) I've heard of automatic HHR's not giving the key back, but I've never seen anything on the lock cylinder refusing to turn.2008 HHR AA5 M5
Jonathan
Last edited by RJ_RS_SS_350; Oct 13, 2017 at 10:35 AM. Reason: Fixed quote
Platinum Member
Joined: 12-06-2009
Posts: 11,721
From: Alabama
Fwiw. Burying your 1st post at the end of a 7 year old thread........ It may not get many views.
EDIT. Had to delete most of my earlier post after RJ "fixed" Kassi's post above. That post has a whole new meaning now.
So. What you're saying is the lock was in a bind and turning the steering wheel while turning the key will unstick the key ?
If so, nothing new here. Been happening with cars since the late 60's when they 1st put steering column locks on cars.
I'll wager a guess that you're young and haven't driven for 40 years or longer like some of us old folks. I've been dealing with binding keys for ever. Newer cars don't seem to be as bad as some of those old ones were.
EDIT. Had to delete most of my earlier post after RJ "fixed" Kassi's post above. That post has a whole new meaning now.
So. What you're saying is the lock was in a bind and turning the steering wheel while turning the key will unstick the key ?
If so, nothing new here. Been happening with cars since the late 60's when they 1st put steering column locks on cars.
I'll wager a guess that you're young and haven't driven for 40 years or longer like some of us old folks. I've been dealing with binding keys for ever. Newer cars don't seem to be as bad as some of those old ones were.
Last edited by firemangeorge; Oct 13, 2017 at 11:53 AM.
to the forums!
Administrator
Joined: 10-13-2011
Posts: 40,096
From: Welland,Ont Canada
Ah, FMG the quote is from the op back in 2010, that’s the wife comment, Kassi Gross had the boyfriend comment from 2017.
Welcome to the site, yes when there is any pressure from the steering wheel turned in either direction, you have to wiggle the wheel to get the key to turn.
It’s the same for any vehicle I’ve owned with steering column mounted ignition switch .
Welcome to the site, yes when there is any pressure from the steering wheel turned in either direction, you have to wiggle the wheel to get the key to turn.
It’s the same for any vehicle I’ve owned with steering column mounted ignition switch .
Moderator
Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 26,539
From: Fredericksburg,VA
I always thought that was intuitive, until my 80 year old father in law was astounded to have it explained to him. I remember a member had his car towed because of it.
However, this thread is actually about the Safety inter lock problem (that is now covered by an extended free warranty), even though that solution was not available in 2010. As is the ignition switch/tumbler recall which may apply too.
However, this thread is actually about the Safety inter lock problem (that is now covered by an extended free warranty), even though that solution was not available in 2010. As is the ignition switch/tumbler recall which may apply too.
Platinum Member
Joined: 04-09-2006
Posts: 7,043
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
And as more interlock "safety" features are added, the more frequently a number of people will be stumped - thinking of the need for pressing on the brake pedal for the engine to start, and some the clutch pedal.
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