After 24700 miles, today I drove the HHR into the garage, shut it off and the key was stuck in the ignition. Restarted, to neutral, back to park, made sure the steering wheel was straight...still stuck.

Restarted, backed out of the garage, shift into park shut off...stuck.

Drive back into the garage, shift to park...stuck.

Restarted neutral, shift to park...unstuck.

Has any others had this type problem?

 

It is a fairly common problem. The manual covers what to do when the key gets "stuck". It all has to do with shifter adjustment. GM finally had to replace my shifter.

 

Yep there are others I had it too. It is your shifter it will need to go to dealer. takes couple days to get part in. here is one of the many threads about it. https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...?t=3947&page=9

 

In the owners manual there is a way to release the key manually. I believe you have to remove a cover on the bottom of the steering column and hit a release. this may get you going again until you can see the dealer.

I was board a few weeks ago and read it front to back.

 

Sounds like you have to have the shifter assy. replaced. Took ours to the dealer 2 or 3 Months ago for that problem. They had the new parts in stock and did the job in a couple of hours, as I recall. This was all under the Warranty of course.

 

common problem covered by warranty, once fixed you'll never get that problem again

 

It just sounds like your car wanted to play alittle longer, it wasn't ready to go home yet

 

Thanks for the quick response and link to part #s. I have the HHR going to the dealer Monday 8:15 for them to look at the situation. I'll take a couple of pages from the forum with this information.

I checked with www.gmpartsdirect.com and both part # 15828149 and 15926921 are transmission shift control. xxx149 is GM list $169.86 (GM parts direct price $100.69) while xxx921 GM cost $173.88 (GM parts direct cost $103.07). Maybe the xxx921 is a "newer version" of the part.

 

Mine did the same thing, took it to the dealer and they fixed it. It's still ok!

 

At least it happened in your garage, you could still secure the vehicle. When it occured on Dory, It was on a Sunday morning at DW. Had to locate the nearest dealer (of course service was closed) and leave the key in the ignition hoping that the on duty sales manager would at least park another vehicle behind mine blocking me in at the garage entrace.