Tow vehicle "key" question

Check with your owners manual or a knowledgeable Ford service person. On some GM cars, insertion of a non-chipped key will lock the computer system, and will have to to a dealer service department to be unlocked. So, not knowing about your vehicle, my advse would be not to, until you are sure no harm will be done. I used one on my older Ford, but was told by the service manager at Chevy that it would lock up my HHR. I haven't tried. I do know that if the battery on the HHR goes down, the gear shift will lock, and there is no way except a jump starter to get it loose.