This is very interesting!!!!!!!!!! As soon as I read it I went to my car. I started it and while trying to get the key to move it would not but with just a gentle tug on my key ring it does shut off. I only have my car key, remote, 3 house keys! NOTHING more on my key ring so its not heavy. I then restarted my car and sure enough with NO pressure I can pull my keys and it shuts my car off. I will def pay attn next time that this happens on whether or not my key is still in the on position. I went my husbands truck (a ford) and I couldn't do the same thing to his and I pulled hard. This all goes back I bet to the faulty steering column. I had trouble getting my key out of the ignition and there was a rattle under the floor board. As you have read in other posts it required a new column but I bet the ignitions are faulty as well, all stemming from this problem. SO glad I read this. Iam calling my dealership and letting them know. I want this fixed. Its dangerous when your going that fast and your car dies!!!!! You should NOT be able to move your keys this easily. Iam anxious to know if anyone else can do this with their HHR? GOOD POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stephanie

 

I would show this to your dealer asap as this is a huge liability issue if they dont take care of this.

 

That's what I think about the prob. Since the car shuts off, you have no brakes or power steering. It freaked me out so much the first time that I couldn't think of how to restart it until I stopped the car. Not at all a good feeling when that happens with your wife and 1-year-old in the car.

 

pitbull...



I believe you solved this mystery. Very well done. We will have to wait and see if that is in fact the root cause...but based on what I have read in this thread, I feel confident that you have correctly diagnosed SRoger's ignition shut-off problem.

 

Now hopefully both our dealers will be able to FIX the problem. We'll have to wait and see on that.

 

I had my car go dead a couple of times-after driving through large potholes. I believed it to be from the fuel pump shutting off-a safety feature in case of an accident. Both times the car easily restarted and was fine afterwards.

When the key doesnt come out of the ignition, it could be from a loss of power. When my battery died, I had that problem.

 

Lee, next time it happens, look closely at your key's position. In my car, when it died, the DIC went blank, but the radio continued playing. It was at night, so the headlights stayed on for a few seconds, then went out (like they do if you turn off the car). The key definitely was moved from the running to the accessory position, and I bet yours was too when you hit the large potholes. I don't think any of the recent posters (myself included) complained about the key not coming out.

Also, as others have stated the fuel pump shutoff will not allow you to immediately restart! You will either have to wait a few minutes, or press a reset button. That is how that system is supposed to work, so it is highly unlikely that it caused the stall. Furthermore, even if it did cause a stall, that right there could be a safety concern since you loose power brakes and steering when it dies. Bottom line is your car shouldn't stall unless it's in an actual accident, or one hell of a severe bump (enought to cause the car other damage IMO).

 

Excellent points. I will definitly check the key position if it happens again.

 

found this on the NHTSA site. Will ask my dealer to look up the full TSB when I take it in for the key turning. I don't know if this has anything to do with my problem or not since I only have the summary below:

Make: CHEVROLET
Model: HHR
Year: 2006

Service Bulletin Number: 050235007
NHTSA Item Number: 10020951
Summary Description:
INFORMATION ON INADVERTENT TURNING OF KEY CYLINDER, LOSS OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND NO DTC'S. *KB

 

I called and made an appt with the dealership. I also filed a complaint with NHTSA. Hopefully they contact me soon. In my complaint I told them about this website and that others are having this problem. I just hope they take a look and contact me soon. I will let you know what happens.