They recommend setting the parking break and putting it in neutral.

I'm not sure if that makes it easier or not, but it might be worth a try for anyone else doing this repair.

 

Yes good point , set the parking brake and place the shifter in neutral,
It's these little details I forget to mention, cause I just did it as I went through the process !

 

Just a thought but everyone who says that their shifter has "never" been lit, it's possible that it's been burned out for so long that you don't realize it had previously worked. Also possible that you bought your HHR with the bulb already burned out.

 

Welcome to the site, anything is possible

 

Or, just never noticed! Like me, I don't look at the shifter. If you need to look you haven't been a driver for long.