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This is a new one to me. Care starts and runs fine. Turns off fine. Key won't turn past accessory and won't come out of the ignition switch.
Automatic transmission, shifter in the center console. If I run the shifter up and down, then the key will finish turning and come out. I don't appear to have to turn the engine back on and off again. Jiggling the key doesn't help.
Where do I start checking?
Chevy HHR with 138,000 miles on her, very first issue, I guess I cant complain too much; don't want to get stuck away from home with a key that won't come out of the car.
My old Toyota had that problem. Other than getting the whole lock assembly removed and re-tumblered ($$$), I left the key in the ignition and used my spare key for getting in and out of the car. BTW: the spare key stopped working in the driver's side door, so I had to open the passenger door, lean across and manually unlock the driver's side, run around the car and get in.
I no longer have that car and except for the lock problem, I miss it.
Try to rock the steering wheel back and forth while rotating the lock. Had a car that if wheels were angled out would some times need to be pressure taken off steering to release key rotation.
What I did to fix this on one car (different car, old Dodge) was to put *just a bit* of Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) on the key, and leave it in the lock overnight. If you can't leave the key in, just put a couple drops of ATF on it and insert/remove a couple of times.
This is a new one to me. Care starts and runs fine. Turns off fine. Key won't turn past accessory and won't come out of the ignition switch.
Automatic transmission, shifter in the center console. If I run the shifter up and down, then the key will finish turning and come out. I don't appear to have to turn the engine back on and off again. Jiggling the key doesn't help.
Where do I start checking?
Chevy HHR with 138,000 miles on her, very first issue, I guess I cant complain too much; don't want to get stuck away from home with a key that won't come out of the car.
I bet your HHR has a defective Ignition Switch, Oregon. Lots of electricity runs through those switches (not the physical key portion) and time / mileage causes them to burn out.
Fairly inexpensive repair at your local Chevy Dealer. The switch runs about 25 bucks and the labor is probably twice that, very possibly much less at an independent shop.
Try to rock the steering wheel back and forth while rotating the lock. Had a car that if wheels were angled out would some times need to be pressure taken off steering to release key rotation.
My old BMW would do this all the time.
If the wheel lock was engaged, the key would not move.
There was some head scratching the first time it happened, but I learned to give the wheel a yank after that.
OWS, Look in your owners manual there is a section about how to get the key out if it gets stuck. My niece had a cobalt, and it had the same issue several times. There is a hidden flap on the bottom side of the steering column towards the bottom that opens and then there is a lever that unlocks it or at least there was on a Cobalt and on a Malibu so I believe it is a GM standard. It is spelled out in black in white in your owners manual.
I'm pretty sure that ignition switch has been recalled.
If I remember correctly it was due to car shutting off while running.
But rocking the wheel back and forth like the above poster mentioned might get the key out for the time being.
This is a new one to me. Care starts and runs fine. Turns off fine. Key won't turn past accessory and won't come out of the ignition switch.
Automatic transmission, shifter in the center console. If I run the shifter up and down, then the key will finish turning and come out. I don't appear to have to turn the engine back on and off again. Jiggling the key doesn't help.
Where do I start checking?
Chevy HHR with 138,000 miles on her, very first issue, I guess I cant complain too much; don't want to get stuck away from home with a key that won't come out of the car.
You didn't say if you have a heavy key ring or not, most cars, a heavy key ring will eventually damage the ignition lock. Best to have the ignition key separate on it's own light fob, if you need a fob to keep up with it.
Not sure if this is your problem, but in any case heavy key rings cause problems in cars.
You didn't say if you have a heavy key ring or not, most cars, a heavy key ring will eventually damage the ignition lock. Best to have the ignition key separate on it's own light fob, if you need a fob to keep up with it.
Not sure if this is your problem, but in any case heavy key rings cause problems in cars.
It's what I was thinking of. My wife's Saturn had to have the ignition switch replaced a few years ago. The car only had about 60k on it, but she used a huge, heavy key ring. She stopped that after the $250 repair bill (or whatever it cost).
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