besbiker

I have a 2007 HHR sometimes the ignition key will not come out of ignition we just lock the door and usually the next time we start it and stop the key will come out??
Dealer replaced ignition cylinder said that would fix it. Last evening it stuck in ignition again??

Barry

pitbull76

Do a quick search for more info, but it is probably the shifter. It isn't registering that the car is in park so it won't give you the key back. This has happened to many people on the site.

a hhr

the shifter is the problem like he said and there is a TSB on it
but to remove the key when stuckdo this

there is a lil removable cover on the bottom of the steering wheel
pop it off and u can reach in and push a lever to release your key
takes a lil finding but you can practice w the wheel upside down

Stan M

My experience with this is that if the shifter is a tiny fraction of an inch from being fully in the Park position, the key will get stuck.

I run my GPS from a cable plugged in at the rear of the center console, and occasionally that cable will fall between the shift lever and the little recess in which it moves. That's enough to make the problem happen. I think you might notice when that happens that you can pull the lever out of Park without pressing the release button.

In any case, it's not a bad idea to know how to remove that cover and find the emergency release. The owner's manual calls it a "plunger," and that had me looking for something larger. The release is actually a pushbutton switch, maybe 1/4 inch in diameter.

amandagee

My car did this today.
It's still setting in the driveway with the key stuck.

I'm going to try and find this key release tomorrow.

The problem i had was on the dash there was a photo of a car with a lock.
Everytime i turned the key the photo would blink & make a clicking sound.
The wheel is moving, this shifter is locked, and i can't unlock the
car with the remote or use the remote starter.