I had to have my HHR towed today because the shifter wouldn't come out of park. The car was parked in my garage. GM roadside assistance dispatched a truck to take the car to my local dealer. The truck operator, managed to disconnect the shifter to get the car in neutral and then hooked it to truck's winch. When the car was part way up the ramp of the truck, THE WINCH BROKE.... My poor car became a projectile and rolled back into thte garage and smashed into the other items in the garage.

Now, I need new shift mechanism, AND Body work.

Well, at least noone got hurt and I had enough junk in front of the car that the car didn't hit the garage wall.

 

That doesn't happen too often. Hope they company had a good listing of service for the winch. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen.....

 

Bummer, sorry to hear about this. Glad you are ok. This may qualify for disaster of the month, not day. Is the wrecker service paying for the body damage?

 

Total bummer, was there any damage to the garage, or was the damage limited to just the HHR?

 

I think the wrecker operator was on the phone to his boss before my car stopped moving. His boss was there in 5 or 6 minutes to look at the damage and they will pay the dealer directly for the repairs to the car. They will also pay for damage to items in my garage.

I'm not happy about it the whole fiasco, but as long as it gets fixed it right, I'll get over it pretty quick.

 

What a story, hopefully you will get your fixed and be able to laugh about it in a while.

I think I have that same "shifter issue" in my wife's car about once a week when I drive it on weekends. She just gives me that disgusted look and hands me the keys
She usually starts it via the remote to warm it up and I hop in and ASSUME that a running car should be able to be driven

 

That sucks, So its broke and ugly looking and i though last friday was crappy for me.

Don't feel bad, mine's been at the dealer since Friday Morning all over the Remote issue, Only the car won't reprogram for the New keys. So now it won;t start. O well Free Rental!! Although i would like my car back!!!

 

I feel for you...it is bad enough that you have to have it towed out, but then they go screw that up. Sorry much..I am sure that it will all be over soon though. Good luck my friend, Todd (Uma)

 

What happened to the winch? Cable snap? In all my years of off-roading I've never seen a winch break (thank god) I have a Warn 8000 on my Jeep.

Jim

 

The winch itself failed. The cable didn't snap. The 4 wheels of the car had just finshed leaving the ground onto the flatbed, then we heard a pop and the winch drum lost tension and suddenly unwound. I didn't pay too much attention to the winch after that. I was focused on my car.

The dealer called me back las tnight. They fixed the shifter issue. They said there was something sticky in th solenoid preventing it from fully working. "no clue as to what or why. Now the car is off to the body shop. Should be back to me in a couple of days. They offered me a loaner, but I declined since it was easier for me to just my daughter's car for a few days.