What Did You Do To Your HHR Today?
11-17-2013, 10:11 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-22-2012
Location: Rogers City, Michigan
Posts: 1,012
Thanks so much for this brainy fix to the key problem. My 86 year old neighbors have this problem with a 2007 HHR and now I will be able to fix it for them. I showed them how to release the key but it is a pain for an 86 year old to do everytime they drive the HHR.
Thanks again.
Boydie
Ok so I see that EVERYONE on here seems to have the key stuck in the ignition problem. It happened to me last night with my 2006 HHR so the car shut off and wouldn't go into the steering lock position so I just left it overnight. Well this morning no battery.... so I can't open the hatch. I hooked my battery charger to the jump start ports under the hood to activate the trunk hatch and then put my charger on the car all day to get the battery charged back up.
Now for the fix! after calling GM they gave me the "too bad so sad story"... this is my first Chevy.... well after being on these forums I see that almost everyone has the key stuck in the ignition problem and the problem stems from the micro switch on the shifter.. well the owners manual says to depress the switch under the steering wheel to release the key..... Ok so either pay 189.00 for a new and revised plastic shifter plus install by the dealer = 500.00 or just bypass it all together. I Decided to bypass it.... I took the three machine screws that cover the steering column housing off and dropped the bottom housing off, revealing the push in bypass switch. Well since it is made to bypass... I bypassed it. I took a light spring and pushed in the button and hooked it around the button and hooked the other end of the spring to the zip tie that holds the switch to the column. Then I took some electrical tape and taped it around the switch for a secondary backup should the spring fail..... problem solved for a 5 cent spring.....and some electrical tape.... should work fine now! forget the dealer!
Now for the fix! after calling GM they gave me the "too bad so sad story"... this is my first Chevy.... well after being on these forums I see that almost everyone has the key stuck in the ignition problem and the problem stems from the micro switch on the shifter.. well the owners manual says to depress the switch under the steering wheel to release the key..... Ok so either pay 189.00 for a new and revised plastic shifter plus install by the dealer = 500.00 or just bypass it all together. I Decided to bypass it.... I took the three machine screws that cover the steering column housing off and dropped the bottom housing off, revealing the push in bypass switch. Well since it is made to bypass... I bypassed it. I took a light spring and pushed in the button and hooked it around the button and hooked the other end of the spring to the zip tie that holds the switch to the column. Then I took some electrical tape and taped it around the switch for a secondary backup should the spring fail..... problem solved for a 5 cent spring.....and some electrical tape.... should work fine now! forget the dealer!
11-17-2013, 10:31 PM
Deceased
Join Date: 06-30-2010
Location: Kannapolis NC
Posts: 25,739
I did a "Dumb", flew back up to DC for work tomorrow morning, and discovered that I'd grabbed the wrong set of keys and fob. So after standing in the long term lot at Dulles feeling like a proper moron, I crawled under the rump of my '06 and retrieved the spare key from its hiding place.
My lovely and always understanding wife is going to send me the proper keys and fob tomorrow via FedEx, and yes she did call me a moron, but she prefaced it with the word "loveable"....
My lovely and always understanding wife is going to send me the proper keys and fob tomorrow via FedEx, and yes she did call me a moron, but she prefaced it with the word "loveable"....
11-18-2013, 08:13 AM
Administrator
Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 37,590
Thanks, the mirror has been replaced, the culprit was sent over by her Dad, to pay up for the mirror, I replaced it on Saturday morning, went for a cruise on Sat and Sun thru southern Ontario, sat down this morning to watch Sunday's NASCAR race, and my DVR died, so off to the cable company for a replacement.
11-18-2013, 10:38 AM
Member
Join Date: 04-23-2009
Location: Hamlet NC
Posts: 88
I just washed my car with Zymol car wash, then put a coat of Zymol spray glaze on it. I waxed it around a month ago with some Zymol carbon wax. This should last me through the winter for protection. Now fix'n to go out and do the wheels. I will be putting some, Back to Black on the trim and Plastx on the head, fog, and tail lites
11-19-2013, 11:45 AM
Administrator
Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 37,590
cleaned up the HHR, spray waxed the rims and paint work, Rain-X'd the windows in prep for winter, just headed out for coffee with the Dad and his daughter, who smacked my mirror, she wants to learn more about car care, so I thought we'd cover the basics, sort of a goodwill jester to show there's no hard feelings about the incident with the mirror, she was flabbergasted that my HHR is a '07 with 245,000 Klm on it, kids these days!!
