I'm a little pissed here guys! I have a 2006 HHR. Never had any real issues until now. My key has been stuck, couldn't turn the key to the off / release key position. After much research, this is an apparently common problem. I figured out how to release it manually, and what the real problem is with the shifter micro switch actuating pin. IMO, I think this is a manufacturing defect since this is such a common problem, at least here on the Internet.

I drove my HHR up to the dealer this morning and they somewhat admitted to this at first. The service advisor said this is the third car this week with the same problem. I exclaimed... This is MONDAY! WTF! So, I said I did not want to spend a dime to repair this, even though I'm out of warranty. He looked for any recall issues, there were none. I don't get this, I assume they will deny responsibility to poor workmanship as long as they can. I called GM and started a case. They said they will send some kind of claim form after I get an official diagnosis to my particular problem. Thats a $75 dealer bill I really can't afford right now. Now I'm not pursuing this in this way because I happen to be practically broke right now, I think the manufacturer should accept accountability.

Any advice to properly convince the dealer to comp this part? ($158 for the same poorly made part.)

Here are some decent pictures of this problem:

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/416947

Also, does anyone have a good picture of where that pin goes? (Look at those pictures in that link please.) I'm going to take it apart tomorrow and examine it. (It may become clear after I look at it myself, but any pre-help would be appreciated as to the location of that dreaded pin.) I have it part way disassembled at the moment. I had to do a bit more research to go further in my disassembly.

Here are two diagrams of the pin:

http://www.justanswer.com/view_image...44/1744928.gif

http://www.justanswer.com/view_image...44/1744933.gif

But does anyone have a picture?

I do want to reiterate my point in this post though: Any advice to properly convince the dealer to comp this part?! Have / force GM to accept responsibility for a poorly made plastic fiddly bit?

 

Maybe you should go to a small local service shop. One time, when I needed to have a problem on my HHR diagnosed, the dealership in town wanted to charge me $110. I thought they were crazy! I called a small service shop in town I go to regularly to get my oil changes and they said they could do it for $30-$40. It still sucks that you have to pay for their mistakes, but $30 isn't that terrible. It still costs a little bit, but its a heck of a lot better than $75. Maybe you should check and see if GM would accept a letter from a service shop instead of a dealership, and then ask your service shop if they would be willing to write a letter to GM stating the problem. That way it won't cost you too much, and then you maybe won't have to worry about fixing it yourself. It might not work, but it doesn't hurt to see what they say, maybe give a shot. If that doesn't work, maybe you should try and negotiate with the dealer on the price. Instead of asking them to do it for free, maybe ask them if they could diagnose it for half of what they normally charge. If you explain your situation, tell them you don't have any extra money to blow on repair bills, maybe they'll compromise. You never know. You'd be surprised, a lot of times business in general will work with you on prices if in the end, they can win you as a customer. This might sound funny, but in the past, I've heard of some people negotiating rates on hotel rooms when the hotel had a lot of open rooms (and the hotel did give them a room for a lower rate) From a business standpoint, they probably figure some money is better than no money. And trust me, its not exactly like the dealerships have been getting rich lately. They might not budge, but give it a try, what's it gonna hurt? The worst that can happen is they just say no. Good luck, I hope you can work this out. The dealership should just fix it, I can't stand it when this sort of nonsense happens.

 

Don’t take this as gospel, but if I recall properly there is discussion on this forum regarding this very issue. I could recommend you search for the info, but I would not know what to search for either. I say this because I know that on a new forum it is real hard to navigate around.

If my memory from reading this forum is correct the early model HHRs had a problem with spilled liquids and other failures with the shifter. The remedy dealer remedy was to replace the entire shift mechanism. However, if you are going to dig into the unit I would suspect you would want to replace the micro-switch shown in one of the pictures you supplied links to, not the pin/shaft if the failures are liquid related.

You might search the section on recall notices at:
Official TSB and Recall Thread
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/problems-service-repairs-42/official-tsb-recall-thread-23231/

A little search for "shifter" revealed:
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...ter#post448249

 

How far out of warranty is your car? That may make a big difference on you chances on getting GM to cover the repair. If you aren't too far out of warranty, I would at least attempt talking to the service manager (not the service advisor) of the dealership. State your case and unhappiness with GM in a polite but firm manner. Make sure you remind them that this was a common enough occurrence that GM has a TSB out on the problem. If you are lucky, he might contact GM on your behalf and get you some assistance.

If you strike out with GM, then maybe you can get the part salvaged from a junkyard and replace it yourself. www.car-part.com lists some as low as $25 or 35. Search for floor shift assembly. I would try to get one from a 2007 or 2008 too as I believe they have lower failure rates.

 

I had this problem and all it was a fuse had blown. It is one of the fuses inside the car.

 

Ok... Here it is:

This picture is as far as I got on disassembly. My finger is pointing to where that pin is laying


This picture is inside that space. There is that pin just laying there


Yes, that pin fell out that actuates the micro switch. I had no reason to believe it was a stuck switch due to spillage or a fuse since this seems to be a common problem and there is the proof that it has happened to my HHR.

My HHR has 69,484 miles on it. I bought it in December 2005 and received it January 6th, 2006. It had a 3yr 36,000 mile basic and 5 yr 60,000 drivetrain warranty. If I waited, I think it was six months later; I would have gotten the 100,000 mile warranty. So, yeah I'm kicking myself for not even extending the warranty or even waiting, but I didn't know they were going to do that.

I'm thinking of driving it up to the dealer in its disassembled state and showing them that its a defect. They would not need to spend a technician’s hour of time to peer into the hole and see that the pin has fell out. Although I'm sure they would need a technician to in fact tell them that, yes indeed, the pin has fell out. (That particular dealer has dealt with this at least three times before as the service advisor admitted.)

I called back Chevrolet at 800/222.1020 and referred to these service bulletins, but they don't have any record of them. I will print them out and see if the dealer can refer to them.

It does happen to be the last post here in the Official TSB and Recall Thread. Post #130. BUT, the first three conditions refer only to the Cobalt, G5 and Pursuit Only and not the HHR. I am condition #2 and refers to part number 15926820 Control Asm, A/Trans 1, which exists for $116. Here’s the weird part, (no pun intended) yesterday I went to the parts department and asked for the shifter replacement part for a 2006 HHR. They gave me part number 15926920 at $158 and said it was not in their stock for me to see it. I called today about part #15926920 and they said it has been replaced with part #25864102, $185 and they have it in stock. I will go look at this today and talk to a service manager too. See what I can do. This part switch-a-roo seems very fishy to me. As if they actually are aware of the problem. (Maybe the plastic that holds that pin is fixed in the replacement part.)

As far as a salvaged part, that may be the way to go. Thanks Pittbull76 for the link. After reading all those TSB's (unaware my particular one was the last one) it looks like I may be in for a bumpy ride.

 

I think you had better go the salvage route now... I don't think tearing into it was a good idea... GM may deny the responsibility even more now that you have opened it up yourself. Also, this part is not covered in the drivetrain warranty... just the 3/36 so as far as GM is concerned you are well out of warranty. Just get the salvage part and get er going again.

 

If memory serves me right the pin goes through the bottom of the shifter, in the plastic. the plastic that holds the pin breaks..... My solution was a used shift from Ebay

 

Part number changes are very common; as a part is improved it gets a new number. The improved shifter thus has a new number, probably been many over the years. I would be concerned with the dealer not being able to find the info. It is always distressing to be directed in multiple directions.

As I see it:
Find out why the pin is dislodged - is the plastic that holds it broken like a previous post suggests. If so I would replace the complete shifter mechanism. A used one may be good or it may be bad; on the other hand a new one may be suspect also since this problem has existed for so many years.

Will the pin go back in where it came from? If so evaluate if the fix would last versus doing the job over in the coming weeks, months or years.

A third option would be to jam the switch into the position that allows you to remove the key and accept any consequences of that action. Or modify the wiring to accomplish the same result once you have confirmed everything else works to your satisfaction. There may be some safety issue.

I personally think you have nothing to loose by having the dealership Service Advisor look at it in the disassembled condition you have it in. In my experience Service Advisors never charge $ to look at something, only mechanics. Plus you may also embarrass them to the point of actually doing something for you. This problem is well known and in the long run can’t be denied by GM. They may deny paying for it but facts are facts.

Upon reading over the Service Bulletin I found it strange that they are still having problems with the shifter in the 2010 model year vehicles. I find this disheartening. I thought my 2009 was out from under this continuing problem, but it seems not.

 

Yeah, I know, I already started looking. Its not going to stop me from giving them a hard time about this though. I think they should own up to responsibility if this is such a common issue. I've owned many Chevrolet's, and this was my first time with a brand new car. If they want to play it this way, GM can fight for market share in Bangalore for all I care. Duke it out with Tata motors.